All Aboard!

Zen and the Art of Fitting Too Many People in a Train

Zen and the Art of Fitting Too Many People in a Train by Jordi Gallen

German philosophy professor Eugen Herrigel spent years teaching mysticism and philosophy in Japan in the 1920’s. During this time, he also practiced Kyodu, the art of the Japanese bow, under master Awa Kenzo, who famously taught archery as a spiritual, almost religious, endeavor. Herrigel chronicled his experience for a Western audience in 1948 with the book Zen in the Art of Archery, which introduced the concepts of Zen philosophy to the world at large. The book also spawned countless spinoffs, such as the one I associate the title with, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig (1974).

its training day

Admittedly it does not seem very Zen to be packed tight like a sardine into a subway car, but on the other hand, why not? In Japan there are even “passenger pushers”, known as oshiya, who help push people onto the overcrowded trains to keep things moving on time. They are not as prevalent as they once were, but now you can practice the skill on your own with this charming packing puzzle by Jordi Gallen, just in case. The puzzle, which debuted at the 42nd International Puzzle Party held in Tokyo, is a clever and challenging restricted packing puzzle with a few tricks up its sleeve, including some sequential discovery steps that make the subway train more interactive. It is also incredibly charming. Jordi shared the story to this destination.

don’t lose your train of thought

“It was originally meant to be my first design for the IPP Exchange and turned into quite a journey, with a few unexpected turns that made it even more special. It all started when I received a commission from a collector attending the IPP who, for the first time, wanted to participate in the exchange. The challenge was on.

Tokyo’s first Metro line

I began, as I always do, by putting my ideas on paper. I sketched a couple of concepts for a packing puzzle. Knowing that the initial idea is my strong suit rather than the technical execution, I enlisted my secret weapon: my friend and colleague Raül. He's an industrial engineer, a puzzle enthusiast, lives nearby, and he recently owns a 3D printer he's always eager to use. He was the perfect partner in crime. Together, we dove into a spiral of prototypes: the first, the second, the third, the fourth… and a long etcetera. We only stopped when the internal mechanism was perfectly tuned to do exactly what we wanted.

Then, I handed the files over to David from FilArte3D, the genius who has produced all my designs, so he could create a complete, finished prototype to send to the commissioner.

Then came the first unexpected twist: fairly early in the process, the person who commissioned it dropped out of the project. But Raü, David and I were already fully invested, so we decided to keep developing it. I sent a prototype to a couple of people to see if they could spread the word that I had a design that met the requirements for an exchange puzzle, themed around the host city, Tokyo. This also helped me get some valuable feedback from Louis.”

Jordi and David

Many in the puzzle community know Louis, who is a brilliant thinker and analytical solver. He provided ideas that made the puzzle more approachable, and frankly, more solvable for the average human! Which is not to say the puzzle is easy, and if you’ve experienced any of Jordi’s prior packing puzzles you will know this to be true.

enjoying a few Sips …

“Months went by, and the design was still sitting on the table with no clear destination. Then, another collector, who runs a blog about puzzles and drinks and with whom I had met a year earlier, got in touch. He was traveling back to Barcelona for work, so we arranged to meet up for a night out. While we were killing time before heading to the fantastic bar Sips, I told him about this "orphaned" design that had almost made it to the exchange. Even though it wasn't fully finished, I brought one of the latest prototypes to get his feedback, thinking I might produce it someday.

trains leaving the station

To my surprise, he told me he had decided at the last minute to go to the IPP... and he didn't have an exchange puzzle. He asked if my design was available, because he would love to take it. With this sudden push, the design rapidly moved towards its final state thanks to the joint effort of Raül, David, and this impulsive blogger.

evolution of a passenger

Regarding the design details, I started by looking for a relatively simple idea that would fit a specific budget, a new way of working for me. One of the first ideas that came to mind when I learned the host city was the striking image of the Tokyo subway packed with people. That little chaos was patiently resolved by station staff who managed to fit a definitively too large number of people into a train car that was visibly too small for the magnitude of the task. I thought that was the exact feeling I'd had so many times with packing puzzles.

All the faces were created by Jordi’s daughters … although some did not make the cut!

And for the name, I was inspired by a book my cello mentor mentioned in class years ago: Zen in the Art of Archery. I thought there was a certain grace in combining the concept of Zen, with its focus on patience, precision, and a state of flow, with the intense challenge of a difficult packing puzzle. It just felt right.

All Aboard!

Once I had the initial theme, I started researching to refine the design. I read that Tokyo was the first city in Asia to have a subway, and I wanted to imbue the design with that historical fact, using the colors and aesthetics of that first metro line. For the info card that accompanies the puzzle, by chance, my nephew Albert and his partner went on a trip to Japan, including Tokyo, and I asked them to bring me a metro ticket so I could incorporate that aesthetic into the card.

a final touch

Finally, I thought about how to present and store the large number of pieces the design ended up having. The beautiful Japanese Furoshiki clothes came to mind, and I managed to convince my wife, Núria, who, besides being a wonderful violinist, loves to sew, to make some special clothes to wrap the puzzles in.

chic furoshiki

So, in the end, this design has been a true collaborative creation, helped along by so many people. From Raül and David to the blogger, my nephew, and Núria. Without them, this puzzle wouldn't be what it is.

When you see it, you'll know there's much more to it than just a puzzle.”

All Patxed Up

“Zen and the Art of Packing People” is really a fantastic experience. Jordi and his team did an amazing job creating and producing this one, right down to the gorgeous handmade traditional cloth wrapping. The interactive train, adorable passengers, and strategic planning needed to fit everyone inside add up to a memorable experience. The team will be producing more of the puzzle as well for anyone interested in obtaining a copy, so keep an eye on the puzzle retail shops.

how sloe can you go

Cultures all around the globe have long held traditions of foraging native wild plants and fruits which are then used to infuse spirits, creating regional specialty liqueurs such as the well known limoncello from Italy. Another well known example is sloe gin, a seasonal treat made from the Blackthorn berry (the sloe) which grows wild in rural England. In the Basque region of Spain, there are similar sloe berries which grow wild on the mountainside. Hunting down these sour berries, which only grow at high altitudes, and keeping the best spots secret, is a local tradition. The berries are then macerated and infused in anise flavored spirit for about 6 months. The resulting ruby red liqueur is known as Patxaran (or Pacharan).

patxed and ready to go

My friend Jordi Gallen has been making local Patxaran with his family for years. On a fortuitous vacation last year, they stumbled upon a hidden treasure trove of the wild berries, which they harvested for a new vintage. Jordi gifted me some of the precious liquid earlier this year, and I wanted to feature it in a drink that celebrates his newest creation. I’ve used some of the unique liqueur in a modification of a recipe from Jordan Brower of Mayahuel in New York City. His cocktail, “All Jacked Up” is mashup of templates mostly closely resembling a Manhattan, which is whiskey and vermouth. In his drink, the whiskey is replaced by a split base of mezcal and apple brandy. There are also small modifying elements of bitter and sweet using the ultra-bitter amaro Fernet Branca, and the cherry liqueuer maraschino. I’ve replaced the cherry liqueur with Patxaran, and I also used a special Spanish vermouth I got from Jordi as well. Salud!

this pair patxs a punch

All Patxed Up (adapted from Jordan Brower)

1 oz mezcal

¾ oz sweet vermouth

¾ oz apple brandy

½ oz patxaran

¼ oz Fernet-Branca

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass. Garnish with an apple fan.

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production and behind the scenes photos courtesy of Jordi Gallen.