Alles Roger (Roger)

For the first time since I started this blog I am going to talk about a puzzle that I have not yet solved.

I'm not too proud of the fact that I haven't solved it yet (despite having had it for several months now), but as it's a puzzle by the infamous 'Roger D' I don't feel too bad about being bested for quite so long.

This puzzle is called 'Alles Roger', or 'All Roger' in English. And in true Roger style it is made from machined and very nicely finished aluminium (I think it's sand blasted), and in this case it also has an acrylic cover which is bolted down with two stainless steel bolts. It also has it's name engraved into one of the sides.

In many ways Alles Roger could be considered the twin of Roger's R2D2 puzzle as they look very similar and are the only two dexterity puzzles in the series. However I found R2D2 to be incredibly easy, and as I mentioned I still haven't solved Alles Roger (and it's not as if I haven't tried either!).

As with all puzzles by Roger, this one did not come with any kind of guidance, instructions or even an objective, but in this case I believe the goal is pretty obvious; Get the ball (on the far right in the picture) from one side of the puzzle to the other. And oh how I have tried to do just that. I have attempted several methods many times with no success, and some of these attempts were the kind of bizarre 'you know it's not going to work....but you're desperate....so you'll try anyway' kind of attempts. They didn't work.

I can quite happily manoeuvre the ball bearing past it's first obstacle, which is the other bearing of the same size that can only move backwards and forward in it's little channel, but then I cannot progress between the two larger bearings to get to (what is most likely) the end. I have given this puzzle to several other (what I would call) accomplished puzzlers, and even they had no success with it. I have an idea as to how this can work, but I cannot find any way to actually physically achieve it.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not writing this in the hopes of someone giving me the solution. But what I would like to know is if anyone has actually solved this puzzle, or indeed seen anyone else solve this puzzle. Replies on a postcard please! Or email me...that's probably a better way to go.

Fingers crossed I'll be able to update this post sometime soon with news of success!

EDIT: I've had quite a few replies with solving suggestions, and all of them were incredibly promising. However none have proven effective yet, so please do keep the ideas coming!

UPDATE: Alles Roger has now been solved! Check it out!

For more about Roger D check out my past posts on some of his other puzzles (R2D2, Wasserhahn, Propeller).