P146E Behavior Details for Episodes D through F

Object Focus: the Ring Tower Puzzle, consisting of base, conical spindle, and six rings

Ring Tower Pieces

Size order: ring 1 through ring 6 (numbers increasing by decreasing inner hole diameter;
The big ring is 1 & the smallest is 6.
Selection order: ring A through G

beginning Episode 4 at 0:52
B. [lifting and dropping rings] See all these rings. [moves spindle in front of Peg] “Wanta play with those?
P. [reaches into tray for ring A (= ring 1, the largest ring) and puts it on the spindle first.]
“?*****? That goes way down.” [tries another, ring B (= ring 3), too small for the available slot on the spindle; she squeezes the bottom ring A up to it; she lets go of ring A and it drops down.]
P. [looking at a ring in the tray, at ~1:12, she points at the spindle gap] “I think that should go there.”
B. “What? What’s the matter?” P. [picks up an even smaller ring C (=ring 5), puts it on the floor and removes topmost ring B.]
B. “Need help?… You got it.”
P. [tries ring C; it remains near top of the spindle.]
P. [picks another, ring D (=ring 4), from the tray] “That goes way down,” [but it does not.] “No.” [she removes it.]
P. [turns again to the tray and picks up ring E (=ring 2); ] P. “?I think that should get it?” [tries it on the spindle, with her fingers still inside the hole; it does not go down][as P. starts to remove the ring, at 1:30 she takes her fingers out of the hole, which makes it loose enough she can make the ring go all the way down.]
B. “That was because you had your finger there.”

continuing with Episode 5 at 1:35
at 1:35 P. [picks a small ring F (=ring 6) from the tray; she tries it, sees it does not fit.] “That doesn’t go way down way down.” [she removes it]
P. [next tries 2 together, ring D (=4) on top of ring B(=3); they fit and slip into place.] P. “These go, and ?maybe? you do.” [adding another on top; but it doesn’t fit; she looks around, and in the tray.]
B. [pointing] There’s one you put under, around there somewhere.” P. [extracts ring C (=5) from under her dress and puts it on top of the non-fitting ring F =(6) at 1:55]
[She finds another small ring G (= extra ring 6)] P.”?Aren’t these fickle?” [she removes the non-fitting ring and places the fit ring to fill the gap; then places the next two rings in place.] P. I did real good this time.
B. “that’s perfect, Peggy. You did beautifully.” P. “yeah.”

second solution, Episode 6, starting at 2:15
at 2:15: B. “How did you figure that out?”… “I’ll bet you couldn’t do it again.” [picks up the spindle and dumps off the rings; this implies the ring selection designations start over here.]
P. [takes up the spindle and the challenge but turns away from the camera, putting on the bottom ring A (=ring 1), B. re-orients her.] B. “Look, Peg. Do it over here, so we can see it on the video camera. Will you turn around a little?”
P. [tries a small ring B (=ring 5), which will not go down far, and removes it.] “No.” [P. tries a larger ring C (=ring 4) which does go down but leaves a gap.] “No.” P. “Say “No. No” [fitting on the correct ring D (=ring 2)] “On the side.” [?ref. to where the ring had been?] P. picks the next fitting ring E (=ring 3), and another ring F (=ring 6).]
P. “Getting these all on.” [but that ring F (=6) did not fit.] P. “This doesn’t wanta go on.” [as she removes it.]
P. [places the remaining rings B (=5) and F (=6) on in order.]
B. “That’s beautiful. You did it once again.” P. “Yeah”
B. “Shall I get you the other cups now ? P. “OK.” [B. rises to do so and spills the rings into the tray.]

return to P146E Ring Tower

Print Friendly, PDF & Email