IPP," I'm reviewing the Situation " help needed

[Chinnomotto]

Hey, great name for a song

IPP has a special forum  set up  for members and participants  to discuss matters

I place a suggestion that seeing the growing number of puzzles in the comp, maybe the usual 5 winners, plus a no prize mention of another 5 puzzlers, that makes 10

So, for those that can participate, I need your support if you agree with me.
If enough of us push for it, we can change the judges view. Otherwise it becomes a dead post

Being the Best of the Best 5 is  never easy, this year 75 have to loose, and  at least 1/2 of these deserves a special mention somewhere. Hence my suggestion of the next best 5.

As an entrant, its a real buzz already being in the final 10, esp if we sell our puzzles, we get 75 cents/hour instead of the usual 50 cents /hr. Just a mention with no prizes, an acknowlegdement that you are close , man. thats incentive already

Ofcourse there is no bias to the winners,they are top puzzles. But when you see the same names year after year, you will ask the question why you bother busting your gut pefecting a puzzle for months,  that never wins ( that reef knot copy on a  branch ,still eats me up)

Someone mentions feedback is better, but which judge wants to do that task for the remaining 75 every year

So Come On, yous John, Roby,Mike,Ron,George,Peter Peter,Derek,Matt,Rhy and yous Jim, John,etc lets all change the ways for the future

I have had 5 in, so far in 3 years, all firing blanks, not flash( opps, taboo word at IPP) , but at least it makes you laugh

So what say You?

PS Do I really have to change my name to win??, esp next year??....

[Canuck]

Well that's a good thought/suggestion Chinny...however not many of us are 'actuall IPP members' 

The simple fact that non-IPP members can enter a puzzle design seems flawed?  I can only guess that a quite a few entries were from non-IPP members, 'Barb's Cube' and 'Hextasy' for instance...

Perhaps a review of the membership should be done so as to not exclude long time puzzle designers/craftsman/collectors, even if they can't attend for one reason or another...

[gibell]

I made a plea for "more prizes and more categories" in the forum, but unfortunately Tom brought this all to a screeching halt with his "Grammys" comment.  There has also been the comment that it is hard to categorize puzzles.  It now seems like all the comments have cancelled each other out.

Innovation, beauty and fun.  These are the three judging criterion and you can see this in all the winners.  Twisty puzzles have an advantage here because the mechanisms involved can be quite novel.  Innovation seems to be the most important of these design criterion.  Simplicity also seems to be favored, but maybe this is related to beauty?

I say keep on trying, do not get discouraged!  Start inventing twisty puzzles?  I'm not sure if humor is a good place to go!  Or just forget the whole thing and have fun inventing whatever you like.

[Canuck]

Well remember this is a puzzle 'design' competition, so obviously that's what the judging focus is on and should be IMHO!

...however, I for one would like to see a 'Craftsman' category put in place so guys like McCallum, Yarger, Krasnow, etc...can go head to head, no honourable mentions ( that's for losers  ) just simply one winner, period!
Also while I'm on the topic, I want to say again, there should be a category for puzzleboxes - interlocking - and yes George twisty puzzles  and abolish the stupid 'honourable mentions' completely...

[RKB]

Since we obviously can't all belong to "the happy few", I'm seriously considering to never again enter another puzzle in the design competition or grant any license for using one of my designs as an exchange puzzle (not even to the dearest friends). And no, this has nothing to do with not winning and not even with the misspelling of my name, but everything with the close-mindedness of those who think that one has to build his own reactor in the backyard in order to study nuclear physics.

Technically I am an IPP member, but I wouldn't mind - rather be honoured - if "they" kicked me out.

[Roby]

I have had the same issues with IPP for years.  It is such an elite group, and by keeping everything so secret (where and when it is supposed to take place) it is almost like a secret underground society that has to exclude some just so that the others can feel more important.  

And honestly, with the exception of this year's contest, I have had no clue what criteria judges are looking for.  This year was not so bad, as I could see how the winning entires could have feasibly won, but some of those other years - man what the heck.  Last year I entered nothing at all in protest and Eric won in a 3 way tie, which I think he deserved, but I would have entered something if I knew they were going to pick a mechanical puzzle that year.  That year I was going to enter 3 sticks of different sizes with the goal of putting them in order of length, thinking that such would have just as much chance of winning as anything else.  I decided not to because it was just bad form.  

I like that soembody can win with a really good puzzle concept even though they don't have the equipment to make it really ornate out of wood.  In that respect, a good puzzle idea is on equal level with beautiful box with ornate inlays, and it is only the content of the puzzle concept that is being judged, but some of those previous years I could not comprehend exactly what that content was supposed to be.  It almost seemed like "separate the paperclips" was the criteria they were looking for.

However, what should probably be kept in mind is that the competition is really not the focal point of the entire thing.  IPP is more of a platform for people to sell and trade puzzles.  It is not for puzzle producers as much as puzzle collectors - which is why I was disqualified from joining in the past.  At the same time, they really can not just open it up to everyone in the world or there really would be too many people for a single hotel and ballroom dinner.  Then it would be more of a fairground activity.  For people who want to make a name for themselves or make a living at puzzle crafting, it is also a great resourse.  I could not have gotten to where I am today without the customers and contacts I made from entering items into IPP.      

[Canuck]

Yeah, I guess my issue is with how members are invited, or accepted...I can certainly understand not having it completely open to the public for reasons that you mentioned, but someone should have the responsibility of making sure notable puzzlers are not excluded either, whether they be designers, craftsmen or collectors! 

Robert, you're giving the IPP far too much credit for your success, you earned that all on your own!!!

Seeing as this is mainly a Pen crafting site dedicated to the memory of 'Eagle'...I would like to mention that there is an elite group of penmakers and it's called the 'Guild' of which Lou 'DC Bluesman' is a member, and he was allowed entry based upon a pen submission judged by a panel of talented pen artisans and not by who he was friends with!! 

[jaurand]

Stephen,

Maybe the IPP should create multiple categories - possibly by puzzle type? Or maybe a category for new puzzle designers?

Just a thought.

Now, if I can only figure out how to get invited to IPP30!

[cubefan]

Hi Jaurand

it is easy to get an invitation to a coming IPP; aks Jerry Slocum for the form, fill it out that it will be clear that you are a serious collector and the you will be on the invited list may be for IPP 30  Osaka or or IPP 31 Berlin
sorry I found no Icon to write it much smaller because it is top secret

all teh best and happy puzzling

Utahfan Bernhard

[Canuck]

There's a form?  I spoke with Jerry just a couple of days ago and he never mentioned that...I've come to the conclusion that you need to direct all IPP inquiries through Nick Baxter 

[cubefan]

Hi John

I`ll have a look whether I could have any copy of that form; it is for the membership for the Directory of Puzzle Collectors and Sellers, may be the next adress would be Rik van Grol from the CFF (Cube for Fun)

all the best
Bernhard
I`m just waiting for an answer from Robert Stegmann and Stewart Coffin, then I`ll pack you nect big DAVAN parcel with new and interesting items

[Canuck]

Hi John

I`ll have a look whether I could have any copy of that form; it is for the membership for the Directory of Puzzle Collectors and Sellers, may be the next adress would be Rik van Grol from the CFF (Cube for Fun)

all the best
Bernhard
I`m just waiting for an answer from Robert Stegmann and Stewart Coffin, then I`ll pack you nect big DAVAN parcel with new and interesting items

Thanks Bernhard!  

I already am in the directory, but still no invite?  page 25 directly following Oskar van Deventer! 

[MarkMc]

I thought that if you were in the directory, then you'll get an invite.   Is your email address/ mailing address the same as the directory?

[MarkMc]

Stephen,

Been trying to get you some support on the IPP forum, but the forum there won't send me a password, and when I replied to Wei-Hwa with a problem, I got an undeliverable error.   

[Canuck]

I thought that if you were in the directory, then you'll get an invite.   Is your email address/ mailing address the same as the directory?

Yeah...and that directory came out a couple of years ago...