Vertigo

Dee’s latest foray into the circular format, which began with the Bad Moon rising, and came full circle with the uplifting Uplift, has got some dizzying antics sure to give you Vertigo. The new puzzle has a few special details which merit attention, and like all of Dee’s creations, it is beautifully crafted and full of great ideas and mechanics. Fans of his work will be pleased to experience it, as will anyone else!

The circular format presents interesting opportunities for hiding mechanisms and forces Dee to “think outside the box”, which is probably a welcome thought exercise. He has mentioned in the past about how he will come up with a design shape or mechanical idea and then build a puzzle around it. Vertigo seems to have found the sweet spot for circular size and is very comfortable in the hands. The contrasting wood details and subtle accents are unmistakable hallmarks of a DEDWood puzzle as well. What is not immediately obvious is that there are a few 3D printed parts inside which allow Dee to create more reliable and production friendly hidden internal mechanics. Vertigo is also symbolic of a dizzying period of personal movement for Dee and his family.

“Vertigo came together during a chaotic point in our lives as unforeseen events prompted us to move out of Idaho and head to Northern Utah. During the design phase we made the decision to move. While the house was nearly empty, my garage and I were still in full-production mode. As soon as the puzzles were completed, we packed up the shop and moved. One of the deciding factors of our move was the option to have a full shop to build out of instead of a garage, which makes my wife very happy-no more saw dust being tracked in from the garage every time I need a nap.

Like most of my puzzles, I generally think of a central mechanism and then build off that. Vertigo is somewhat of a departure from my previous puzzles in that I added 3D printed parts. This is one of the first puzzles where I used different materials for the internal components. Some of the parts of this puzzle were simply too difficult to make from wood. In making Vertigo, I designed the part, then my son printed it with his resin printer. Together, we decided what worked and what didn’t. In general, I try to integrate ideas and when they don’t work, I troubleshoot and try to find a way to make it work. Sometimes I can’t and just have to abandon an idea and go in a different direction, which happens quite frequently.

Among the many design features of this puzzle, one I like is the alternating grain direction which produces a striped layering effect of different shades on the side. As you spin the puzzle and it goes from end-grain to side-grain, the layers alternate from light to dark, which adds to the visual impact. I really like how Vertigo turned out. Hopefully the puzzling community will feel the same.” Having been an experienced woodworker before developing his genius for puzzle mechanisms lends Dee’s work that extra touch of beauty and craftsmanship, which is prized and valued among collectors. It’s no surprise that Vertigo took home a Top Ten Puzzler’s award at this year’s International Puzzle Design Competition.

North by Northwest cocktail — North by Northwest by Brian Miller

Here's a cinematic toast to celebrate Dee Dixon’s Vertigo, which recalls the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. The comparison is not as far-fetched as it may seem, since both items can arguably be called psychological thrillers … The movie starred James Stewart, who contracts an extreme fear of heights while working as a detective. Sticking with Hitchcock’s canon leads us to 1959’s North by Northwest, considered by some to be one of the greatest films of all time. This one featured Cary Grant in a case of mistaken identity. In one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history, he is chased across a field by a crop duster plane.

In 2008, New York bartender Brian Miller created this cocktail while at Death & Company, imagining “something Cary Grant would drink at the Plaza Hotel.” He cites the line from the Hitchcock film when Grant states, “I’ve got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives, and several bartenders that depend on me” as a fitting reason such a drink ought to exist. Fans of the classic French 75 cocktail will no doubt recognize this template of lemon, sugar, gin and Champagne. The modern drink evolved into that recipe over time after it’s invention in World War I circa 1915, when it referenced the powerful French 75mm field gun which helped the Allies win the war. Miller’s recipe adds a hint of absinthe, an ingredient which can be also found in Harry MacElhone’s recipe from 1926. MacElhone is often cited as the inventor of the “modern” French 75, but he most likely got the recipe from nearby Ciro’s bar in Paris. Miler’s modern take was originally made with Aviation brand gin, which was another nod to the famous film scene for which the drink is named. Cheers!

Vertigo puzzle and North by Northwest cocktail — psychological thrillers

North by Northwest by Brian Miller, 2008

1 ½ oz gin (Aviation)

¼ oz absinthe

¾ oz lemon

¾ oz simple syrup

Champagne

Shake initial ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with the Champagne.

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