Sequential Discovery Cubed Box

SD x SD x SD

It’s adventure time again as we head to the outback and visit with the brilliant Junichi Yananose from Australia. Juno is well known for his complex and unusual interlocking puzzle designs which come in many styles, shapes and sizes. A few years ago he decided to turn what appeared to be a simple six piece burr into something which was nothing of the sort. His “Sequential Discovery Burr Box” delighted fans of his puzzle boxes, which never behave how one might expect and are always full of surprises. The puzzle proved so popular that Juno went on the create an entire “disguised series” which look like one type of puzzle but actually hide secret movements, mechanisms and compartments. In addition to the disguised standard burr puzzles, there is a “board burr” puzzle in the series, and now, a cube.

Yukari, Juno’s wife and business partner, explains the evolution of the idea. “We started working on the SDCB puzzle at the end of 2020 and Juno's initial intention was to produce a simple 3 x 3 x 3 put together puzzle. We ordered Fijian Mahogany timber some time ago, and as a result the stock quantity was a lot higher than we expected. Juno wanted to reduce our stock because the timber was also occupying our work area. "Let's produce simple puzzles and use up some timber" was the beginning.”

From such a simple plan came an incredibly complex object. Initially Juno placed two magnets to hold the cube pieces together in a certain configuration. Once he started drilling holes for the magnets, it didn’t take any time to escalate things! In the end, each separate piece holds a few secrets which all work together. Because Juno adapts and adds elements as he is making this type of puzzle, there is always the risk of something not working and of losing the entire production. Thankfully he is too clever to allow this to happen. The result is a cube full of wonderful secrets to explore and discover. The initial step is playful and fun, and like all of the puzzles in the disguised series, things quickly morph and escalate from there. Juno typically allows a fair amount of progress in these puzzles but then places one particularly tricky mechanism in the way. The cube is no exception and working out exactly how to navigate the hidden tricks is incredibly enjoyable. Juno’s disguised series reminds us all not to judge a book by its cover and to embrace the unexpected moments in life.

There are cocktails which appear to be something they are not, either by design such as the April Fool’s Martini, or more elegantly by clarification such as the Three Keys, and a disguised drink would certainly be an appropriate choice to toast one of Juno’s disguised creations. I’m focusing on a few other aspects of the design for this toast, however. I love how these objects include multiple puzzle styles into an elegant package, which actually changes as it is experienced. Juno seems to do this better than anyone – he’s “more supreme”.

I found what I was looking for in a perfect cocktail from Atlanta bartender Alec Bales, who honed his skills from an early age and despite his youth embraces the history and classic formulas in all his creations. If I had to pick two favorite cocktails, I would most likely select a daiquiri and a Negroni. Bales makes the choice easy by delivering a drink that plays to both and morphs as it is imbibed. Following the daiquiri template, Bales anchors his drink with rhum agricole, a French Caribbean style of rum made with pure sugarcane that imparts an earthy, grassy flavor. To that he adds a quarter ounce of Campari, which settles at the bottom for a bracing final sip that transports the drink and drinker. He notes that a good cocktail, like a good puzzle, starts with a simple concept but, “there’s usually a little bit more under the surface.” Cheers!

More Supreme by Alec Bales

1 ½ oz rhum agricole (Rhum Clément Select Barrel)

¾ oz lime

½ oz cane syrup

¼ oz Campari

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Pour Campari down the side and garnish with cracked black pepper.

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