Magnum Opus

a puzzle box based on the four elements of ancient alchemy

John Opsahl

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Description

Magnum Opus is an electromechanical puzzle box based on the four elements of ancient alchemy -> earth, water, fire, and air. Use your intuition of the four elements to solve the puzzle and reveal the creation within.

Details

Ancient philosophers proposed that any substance could be made by applying a unique combination of the four elements to the primitive starting material, so called "prima materia". Magnum Opus is the "Great Work" of alchemy to create from prima materia a mythic substance capable of transmuting metals to gold, healing all forms of illness, and achieving immortality.

The Magnum Opus puzzle box uses modern technology to tell the story of the four elements of ancient alchemy. It is fully solar powered and has no internal power storage. It utilizes a custom breakout PCB for the Arduino Pro Mini. The main structure is of laser cut Baltic birch plywood.

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how to solve
John Opsahl • 03/06/2022 at 03:48 • 0 comments

Each vertical side of the box represents one of the four elements. A LED status light on each side will start flashing when that side is next in the solve sequence. The LED stops flashing and stays on once a side has been solved. The puzzler must use their intuition of each element to solve each side. Once all four sides have been solved, the secret compartment and the creation within are revealed.

Earth

Water

Fire

Air
first assembly with PCB
John Opsahl • 03/06/2022 at 03:02 • 0 comments

Received Rev 0 boards from OshPark and laser cut plywood from KC Hammerspace this week. Wire routing and mechanical interfaces are all good. A motor and LED functional test was successful.