Difficulty: Impossible
The two-ball Ramube Octahedron was designed by Ramu Kaminoff and has eight interlocking wooden pieces.
Ramube gives experienced puzzlers a challenge in both directions: taking it apart and putting it back together.
Your goal
Take apart the eight interlocking wooden pieces, then rebuild the octahedron with both balls inside.
Before you start
Work over a clear surface so you can keep track of the pieces and both balls. If your puzzle is assembled, first study its shape and how the pieces meet. If it is apart, check that you have eight wooden pieces and two balls.
The balls are part of the locking mechanism. Avoid forcing a piece that does not move freely.
Want to keep trying?
The solution stays hidden until you open it below. If you are ready for help, the illustrated sheet shows the piece shapes and their positions through all seven steps.
Reveal the illustrated solution (spoilers)
Illustrated two-ball solution
Match each piece to the lettered shape in the drawings. Keep the pictured viewpoint in mind as you follow Steps 1 through 7; the letters and colors identify the drawings.
In Step 3, note the two ball positions but do not insert the balls yet. Step 5 shows when to place both balls before adding piece H. The original sheet notes that flipping the puzzle over may make this easier.
For disassembly, use the orientation shown in Step 7. The sheet specifies a counterclockwise spin in that position until the balls drop into their holes and piece H pulls up freely. Do not apply this direction to an arbitrary face of the puzzle.
Download the illustrated solution (PDF, 1 page)
The original sheet is titled “Ramu Octohedron.” These instructions cover the Ramube Octahedron with two balls.
Print the instructions
Download the full instructions with optional solution pages (PDF, 5 pages)
Need help with your puzzle?
Contact Creative Crafthouse with the product name and a photo of the point where you are stuck. Include whether your puzzle is assembled or apart and whether both balls are present.
