Crankwood: Cam Puppet Puzzles

Every toy here runs on a hand crank and a cam: a carved wooden wheel whose shape becomes the motion. Pick the cam, turn it to the right beat, and crank. When the woodpecker pecks on time, it fills the gaps in the tune. A blue ghost shows the motion each toy should make. Choose cams, set their timing and link levers until the carved puppet follows the ghost beat for beat: a leaping carp, a blacksmith at the anvil, a water-powered rice pounder, a lion dance at the Mid-Autumn Fair. Folk toys from Vietnam and around the world, with a short maker's note for every river town. No timers and no physics luck; crank as slowly as you like. • 40 puzzles in six river towns, from Peck Hollow to the Mid-Autumn Fair • Three stamps to earn on every order: Right pose, On the beat, Thrifty • The beat tape marks every beat with a tick or a cross, so you can see what to change • Auto turns the crank for you; Slow plays at a quarter of the speed • Stuck? A hint names the right cam, then the right timing • Every finished toy goes on your toy shelf to watch again The first three river towns are free; one purchase opens the rest.