Donated to the Museum in 1983, though acquired by the donor many years earlier, this puzzle was manufactured in New York City, but distributed by B.J. Sturn, Detroit, Michigan.
As can be seen in the photograph at the left, the cardboard game board sits into the box bottom. The box top picture illustrates the game board and on its underside includes a history of the Panama Canal.
The game board (13.1cm x 12.8cm) contains a stylized map of the Western Hemisphere, with various countries and bodies of water indicated appropriately on the map. A drawing of "Uncle Sam" (a euphemism for the United States) on the left of the board is holding a shovel and pointing at the Panama Canal. There are nine holes cut into the board going diagonally across the board from the lower left to the upper right - from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. The holes are the playing area. The playing pieces are 8 metal (lead?) pieces, 4 red and 4 green, in the shape of early 20th century battle ships. Each ship has a projection at the bottom which fits into the holes on the game board.
This game-puzzle is for 1 player. It is what as known as a "shuttle puzzle". To start the game, the 4 red ships are placed in the first 4 holes starting at the lower left of the board. These holes are designated A4, A3, A2, A1. The next hole - the center hole - "the canal" - is left open. The 4 green ships are then placed in the next 4 holes and are designated B4, B3, B2, B1.
The intent is to move the 4 red ships to the holes where the 4 green ships are placed - from the "A" holes to the "B" holes, and to move the green ships to the holes where the red ships are placed - from the "B" holes to the "A" holes. A player may move only one ship at a time either by moving one ship to an empty hole or jumping one ship over another to an empty hole. A player may NOT back up or jump over two ships.
Solving the puzzle takes a minimum of 24 moves. A player must not let any ships of the same color get together in the middle of the board - only on the ends.
This puzzle is similar to other "shuttle puzzles" in the Museum collection. To see others of this type, click on the item in the left menu panel.
Last update March 23, 2010