The Fifth Games and Puzzles Mini-Conference at the Weizmann Institute of Science

The Fifth Games and Puzzles Mini-Conference took place last month at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary research centres. Approximately 150 visitors participated in the puzzle celebration which included booths displaying participants' mechanical puzzles and games to be experimented with, swapped or purchased. Each participant was given a gift bag of puzzles to take home, including a logic puzzle magazine donated by Conceptis.

Examining some wooden puzzles

Dan Feldman, a well-known puzzle collector and a former organizer of the conference, examines a variation of Rubik's cube.

Experiencing mechanical puzzles

Scattered tables hosted the many participants who wished to challenge each other or try their luck at novel puzzles.

Focusing on puzzles, riddles and recreational mathematics

Dr. Yossi Elran, the conference organizer, welcomes the crowd.

Dr. Oved Kedem (left) and Rami Band (right) play a variation of Nim.

Short lectures were given by Dr. Oded Margalit, a leading researcher in IBM, Dr. Zvi Paltiel, Director of Young@Science, Dr. Oved Kedem, Director of Educational Projects, and Rami Band, a PhD. student of physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Liron Stern tries her hand at Kakuru and Soduku from conceptis

The 2009 conference took place on Wednesday, March 18th and was organized by Dr. Yossi Elran, the coordinator of distant learning at the Davidson Institute of Science Education and head of the Math by Mail project, and by David Goodman, a designer and manufacturer of puzzles.

Top: Royi Lachmi and friends try their hand at solving a mechanical puzzle. Bottom left: David Goodman showing his unique merchandise to the crowd.

The Games and Puzzles Mini-Conference is an annual conference taking place at the Davidson Institute of Science Education at the Weizmann Institute of Science Education. Focusing on puzzles, riddles and recreational mathematics, this fascinating conference attracts collectors puzzle buffs and hobbyists each year from all over Israel.

For more photos from the Fifth Games and Puzzles Mini-Conference see here.

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