Blinded IV

I’ve got my sights set on something again. When Dee Dixon recently revealed his newest puzzle box, it wasn’t immediately clear to me that it was another in the Blinded series. It certainly looked, nice, as do all of Dee’s puzzles, but I almost didn’t purchase it. I have plenty of puzzles, let me tell you. You might say I almost got blind-sided. Once I learned the connection, I couldn’t resist. After all, I have all the other Blinded boxes, and couldn’t turn a blind eye to this one. I’m certainly glad I did. If you get the chance to try to open one yourself, you might see what I mean.

Dee told me a bit about his going blind, again. “Blinded IV didn't start out as a Blinded puzzle. The more I worked on it and the more mechanisms I added the more it evolved to belong. Like the other puzzles in the series once its solved you can see the mechanisms and how they work. I love when puzzles reveal themselves like that. Like most of my puzzle builds, it starts out as one idea and then I design around it. In this case it was the way the lid opens or seemingly doesn't open. You'll see what I mean. The Blinded series has a misleading name. None of them are actually blind solves. With careful observation and experimentation you can generally tell what's going on.”

Blinded IV is another extremely handsome box. The first edition came in two color variations, with a European Beech chassis and either Sapele or Shedua wood accents. Like Blinded III, there is a prominent circular knob on one end, but Blinded IV has a few additional interesting features. On the other end there is a large square knob, and on one side there is a smaller knob with a bit of a handle to it. Very interesting! Not only that, but the lid seems to be in two parts, and is also very … interesting! There’s a lot going on here for a blind person to explore, and nothing is merely decorative. I really enjoyed being blinded for a fourth time - I’m likely biased, but having been able to successfully feel my way around the many locks was very satisfying, and I do tend to enjoy a puzzle I can solve! Blinded IV may very well be the best of the blind bunch.

Blind Pilot cocktail by Lance Mayhew — Blind Pilot by Lance Mayhew

I’m raising my glass in the general direction of this excellent creation, as one does in a relatively blind fashion, but it’s the spirit of the intent that matters. The cocktail was created by bartender Lance Mayhew from Portland, Oregon, circa 2008, for a customer who had asked for a drink with whiskey and Galliano. Mayhew knows a thing or two about spirits, and writing, for that matter. He was a well regarded bartender in Portland for many years but is perhaps better known for his articles, blog posts and books on the subject.

I have admittedly never been a big fan of Galliano, the Italian herbal liqueur made most famous in the seventies by the marketing genius George Bednar, who invented the Harvey Wallbanger for Galliano’s US importer. Galliano was invented in 1896 as a complex blend of herbs and botanicals from the Tuscan region where it is produced. It has prominent notes of sweet vanilla and anise, a combination that I never loved. But Mayhew’s cocktail may be the best Galliano cocktail I have ever tasted, and I am newly converted now. The drink takes the Boulevardier template (itself a variation on the classic Negroni), and replaces the Campari with Galliano. It’s that simple, and maybe that is why it works so well. The liqueur’s strong flavors are extremely well balanced and shine through just so. Mayhew may have been operating blind when he came up with it, but I can see exactly where he was going, and I like it. Cheers!