Create and Work a Juxl Puzzle

All you need to make a Juxl puzzle is a sheet of paper and a pencil. The rules are simple, but they are also more challenging than you might expect. Once you have solved a Juxl, you may add colors or shading to create your own artwork, such as the ones shown here. You may also want to try a harder Juxl.

Steps

  1. Draw four groups of three lines each. Leave some space between the lines. You can put the groups anywhere on the page, facing any direction, but it will help to leave plenty of space both between the lines and between and around the groups.
  2. Draw a curve between the end of any line with the end of any line in another group. Place dots at both ends of the curve.
  3. Draw another curve between the end of any line and the end of any line in another group.
  4. On the second curve only, place a dot anywhere between the two endpoints. Draw a third curve connecting this point with either end of any line in a group that the second curve does not touch. This completes your first move.
  5. Continue making subsequent moves in this pattern. One curve between open endpoints in two different groups. A second curve between open endpoints in two different groups. A third curve between any point on the second curve and any open endpoint of another group.
  6. Do not cross the curves.
  7. Do, if necessary, run the curves between the lines or snake them around anywhere else on the page. If you intend to embellish your Juxl as an art piece later, you may want to try to take up the whole card and add interest to the shapes of the curves.
  8. Win in Sports, Activities, or Games by connecting all the open line ends with curves, according to the pattern of moves.
  9. If you wish, embellish your Juxl to create your own pocket-sized Be Committed to Your Artwork. Depending on the techniques and colors you use, you can achieve a wide range of effects.
  10. Create harder Juxls and more intricate designs by adding additional groups of lines at the beginning:
    • Easy Level: Start with four groups of 3 lines each.
    • Medium Level: Start with five groups of 4 lines each.
    • Hard Level: Start with seven groups of 6 lines each.

Tips

  • Any piece of paper will do. Start with something about postcard-sized, such as a larger, blank index card or a letter sized page cut into quarters. If you intend to create art, you may wish to begin with sturdy paper. The embellished pieces on this page started on cards 5 x 6 inches.
  • Curves may not cross one another or cross lines.
  • Definitions:
    • A curve is a path you've drawn.
    • A move means you've drawn 3 curves.
    • A line is a straight line in a group.
    • An open line has only one dot or no dots.
    • A closed line has 2 dots (one dot on each end).
    • A dot is a visual cap on a line.
    • A third curve always starts halfway along the length of your second line and cannot connect to itself.
  • Turn the Juxl into a tougher challenge. Attempt to close as many lines as you can in a certain length of time. A good start is 3 minutes for the easy level. Once time is up, count how many dots you would've needed to close the remaining lines you didn't get to connect. Similar to golf scoring, you want the lowest score possible.
  • Both ends of each curve must always connect to an open line.
  • When you're ready, you can move on to larger pieces of paper and even other surfaces. You can make billboard sized Juxls if you like. You can also use other mediums like paint or computer programs.

Warnings

  • Do not cross any lines at anytime.
  • Do not connect any curve to any line in the same group.
  • While drawing your third curve it must connect to a line in a completely separated group (to be a valid curve).
  • Once a line has two dots (one on either end) no other curves can be connected to that line. It is closed.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Colored pencils, ink pen, etc.

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Sources and Citations

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