The Pharaoh's Scarab -- A Puzzle Set

A Remarkable Gift: The Pharaoh has received a precious mechanical puzzle of ingenious construction and is consulting with you, his advisor. An enameled scarab and precious gems can be moved around a felt-lined box with the aid of levers (the four Arrow Keys). These simple rules are engraved on the lid of the box:

• The object is to use the scarab to push all the gems into the hole or holes.
• The scarab can push but cannot pull.
• It is strong enough to push only one gem at a time.
• The scarab must not be allowed to fall into a hole.

Selecting a Puzzle: Use the LOAD PUZZLE button to change puzzles. Move the scarab using the Arrow Keys or the keys k, i, m or a, s, w, z. (You may need to click on the green board to give control to the keyboard.)

Solving the Puzzles: In general it is best to finish the gems closest to a hole first. You have to be very careful: one false move can ruin all your preparations. You can warm up with the easier puzzles in the Sphinx series. The RESET button (or the "r" key) will set the pieces back to the starting position.

Credits: Thanks to Mike McKee, who created or adapted most of the puzzles.

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