Barrel and Ball Puzzle

This is a classic and highly challenging puzzle that appeared in Professor Hoffman’s book, “Puzzles Old and New”, which chronicles many of the common mechanical puzzles circulating in the past. It consists of a barrel with a single hole, a plunger, and a ball or marble. The hole, unfortunately, is too small for the ball to pass through. The object, of course, is to somehow remove the ball from the barrel. To be clear, the solution does not involve a hammer and you cannot use a drill to enlarge the hole. Hidden within the barrel is a mechanism you must recognize and employ.

Our version, turned on a lathe by Jon Wahrenberger, is constructed of cherry and finished with polyurethane. It is a challenge that will become a cherished keepsake.
It is packaged with the solution.