IPP Puzzle Exchange

During Saturday was the IPP Exchange event. This is where about 100 puzzlers exchange puzzles. They each bring 100 puzzles they've invented and trade with everyone else. So they leave with 100 different puzzles. It's an amazing event. Last year I was Andy Liu's exchange assistant. It was funny because people would ask if I was Andy's daughter (I'd be honoured but say no) and then they'd ask if I was his student (I'd again be extremely honoured but say no). So finally Andy came up with "Tanya is my favourite teacher." This was a very big honour indeed!
This year I was George Miller's exchange assistant. George was wonderful to help, a very wonderful man. His puzzle was actually a variation of a puzzle that I love. (Those of you who know my math fair work, you'd know the semi-circle chain that Meghan Barber made.) I hope to be an actual exchanger someday, maybe next year.

I have many wonderful pictures from the exchange. Here are only a few.

This is Mr. Puzzle, Brian Young, with his meter maid. His puzzle was based on the Australian meter maids so he had a real meter maid hand out his puzzle this year. He made quite the impression! (or should I say she did!) Well, his puzzle was beautiful!

Brian's puzzle link:
http://www.mrpuzzle.com.au/

This is the great Harry Nelson and Pavel Curtis. I really enjoyed working on Pavel's puzzles and problems the first night of IPP in the hotel lobby. And one of the things I remember about IPP this year is getting to know Harry much better. He is someone I've admired from a far and it was wonderful to spend time with him this year.

Here's Pavel's link:

http://www.keltis.us/puzzles/international_puzzle_party_ipp/

This is the great Bill Cutler. He is a master of wooden puzzles. I am honoured to have one of his puzzles in my collection!

Here is Bill's link:

http://home.comcast.net/~billcutler/

This is Nick Baxter. I wished I had bought his exchange puzzle this year. It was a maze by Oskar. It was really clever and it was wonderful for me to sit with Wei-Hwa and have him explain to me how he analyzed it.

Nick's puzzle link:

http://www.baxterweb.com/puzzles/

This is Tom Rodgers. I was so pleased to be given an invitation to the Gathering for Gardner this year. Tom is the one who organizes the Gathering.

Here's the Gathering link:

http://www.g4g4.com/
These are but a few of the great photos of some really incredible people who attend IPP. I will upload more later! Enjoy!