Episode 2 - Channel 13

I’ve always associated Channel 13 with the Public Broadcasting System, better known as PBS or public television in the US. This was the (pre-cable, pre-streaming) channel of Sesame Street, The MacNiel/Lehrer News Hour, Cosmos, and others you may recognize here. On this episode of Stream of Consciousness we head back to those erudite days and tune in to another entertaining educational program brought to you by our sponsor, Doogaloo Games. Doog Menzies’ newest production puzzle box takes the form of an old TV, replete with classic turn dials and rabbit ears, which seem to be missing again. The season’s best holiday specials are upon us, so I hope we can locate the antennae and get this set adjusted in time!

“Channel 13” is a much more whimsical creation than Doog’s previous productions. It takes its origins from one of his many “one-off” past boxes which got passed around by his friends before he began making limited runs of select boxes. From Doog: “Box No.13 was built several years ago onboard a yacht in Tarragona, Spain. I’m pretty relaxed about loaning out my boxes and my neighbours had been entertaining their friends with it for six months or more. When they eventually returned it, it sat in the corner of our kitchen for ages.

I don’t know how or why the idea came to me, but in a fleeting moment, I imagined Box No.13 upside down and thought it looked a little like an old TV. Once that thought took hold, it was a very quick process to imagine it in a smaller package with buttons, knobs, a screen and bunny ears. In the end, there is really only one concept that is shared between Box No.13 and Channel 13. It was very obvious how to name the new box.”

I’m always curious how puzzle box designers come up with their ideas. In this case, having a prior design to start with was extremely helpful, even if the final result was really nothing like the original. “If you are given a blank piece of paper and told to design your ultimate house, it’s very challenging and you’ll never be totally satisfied. But if you are given an old, existing house and told to renovate it, there’s every chance you’ll create something very special and be forever happy. It might not be your dream home, but you will always understand that you did the best given the restrictions.

CH.13 played out much the same. I had already decided that I’d use the same construction technique and dimensions for the box carcass as for RHB 2.0. Now all I needed to do was somehow fit everything into this space. It took a wee bit of juggling things around but in all honesty, the box pretty much designed itself. Sourcing material for CH.13 was hard. I’d learned from previous builds that modifying any raw material is very time consuming. I aimed to buy material that needed the least amount of machining.

I wanted to use the same gauge steel flat bar (15mm x 4mm) as in Box No.13 but had huge difficulties finding it locally. Finally I realised that I’d bought this steel in Tarragona. I mentioned this to friends who were driving to Spain for a holiday and they offered to buy it for me. Waiting for the correct material delayed the first batch by several months, but it was well worth it. I now have enough stock to make several batches.

I initially intended to use bought knobs and found some made for electric guitars. They were too big and chunky but the main problem was that the look was all wrong. Somehow they looked too perfect, too mass produced and too cheap all at the same time. It’s definitely more expensive for the client since I hand make each knob, but on the flip side, everyone gets two handmade knobs that are in keeping with the overall look.”

The attention to details like this is another reason why Doog Menzie’s puzzle boxes are so special. Each one is hand crafted in his tiny workshop chalet in the French Alps, and as you can see, many of the mixed media components are also hand milled. Combine this small batch, unhurried perfectionism with very clever, logical yet befuddling, tricks, puzzles and hidden elements, and fans of the genre have a really good show to watch. “As a kid in 80s New Zealand, I suppose my parents were wary of television and the “damage” it could do. Later generations had video games, and now social media to worry about, so not much has really changed for parents.” For better or worse we are stuck with our screens.

Channel 13 may appear to have a few random requirements built in that present obstacles to your viewing plans, but each step has a logical correlate. Once I finally got this delightful television tuned and working, which admittedly took me awhile, I discovered an old childhood winter time favorite was on – the original Rankin/Bass Productions stop-motion “Animagic” 1964 classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It seemed a nice choice for this holiday offering featuring an old TV puzzle box, so bear with me and you’ll see where I’m headed. But before we get there, I was curious to see what Doog himself had been watching. “NZ had a great mix of British and American shows. There were only two channels and no video recorders let alone TV on demand. You watched the show when it aired or you never got to see it. My highlights reel would include MASH, Cheers, The Muppets, Open all hours, The two Ronnies, Jeeves and Wooster, and any BBC drama. Of course Friends was an international success but I was travelling the world when most of it was made. Buying a whole season (or several seasons in a box set) and binge watching it became normal.

Boston Legal has a special place in my heart. Each episode has a topic which you probably feel quite strongly about, but by the end of the show, you always soften your opinion. The platform of the show allows opposing views to be explored and discussed in a lighthearted way which enables you to hear both arguments without getting caught up in the fight. BoJack Horseman is a modern classic which deserves a mention. Rick and Morty, Arrested Development and Archer are wacky enough to be very entertaining too.” Doog, thanks for giving us a glimpse of your favorites and taking a trek down memory lane with us. These days Doog is more likely to be seen trekking through the tundra with his pickaxe like a favorite character from Rudolph.

Growing up I looked forward to the holiday children’s shows and in particular I loved to watch the Rudolph specials. There was something magical about the kitschy stop motion animation and over the top characters from those shows. This winter’s holiday cocktail pays homage to one of the unsung heroes, the boisterously bearded and mustachioed miner Yukon Cornelius. In a pivotal scene from the epic tale, Cornelius, who is always licking his pickaxe, saves Rudolph and his pal Hermey the elf (who wants to be a dentist) from the Abominable Snowman, by driving it off of a cliff, but he goes over the edge himself as well, in an act of ultimate sacrifice. Gosh what drama! Spoiler alert – he survives!

Cornelius’s cocktail is warming and smoky thanks to mezcal which serves as the base spirit. Herbal alpine intrigue is introduced with Dolin Génépy le Chamois, a legendary liqueur from the French Alps which is made from thirty herbs and botanicals including its namesake mountain sage. The cocktail is sweetened with Cherry Heering, a 200 year old liqueur from Copenhagen with a rich and robust flavor. The cherry is a nod to Rudolph’s nose as well, and similarly guides the cocktail in a festive direction. Cherry and mezcal pair extremely well and the overall combination of flavors is a present you’ll want to give yourself. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Yukon Cornelius

1 oz mezcal

¾ oz Genepy des Alpes

¾ oz lime

¾ oz Cherry Heering

2 dashes cranberry bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Lime wheel garnish.

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