Janelle Iglesias, Constellation for a Conundrum, 2014, mixed media, PS 51, Manhattan

Constellation for a Conundrum is a ceiling mounted sculpture created for the P.S. 51 atrium, a 2-story alcove leading to the school’s playground. The sculpture is a three-dimensional rendering of two different solution strategies to the classic “9 dots puzzle.”  The puzzle is composed of a simple nine-dot grid, three in each row.  The challenge is to connect the dots by drawing no more than four straight, continuous lines that pass through each dot—without lifting pencil from paper.  Herein lies the conundrum. 

Nine objects are suspended from the ceiling representing the nine dots. The aluminum pipe forms a constellation configured to match the solutions to the puzzle. Here, the phrase ‘thinking outside the box’ is most apparent, as it is a restatement of the solution strategy.

Lines extend outside the confines of the imagined square-area presupposed by the 9 dots.  The puzzle only seems difficult because of our preconceived boundaries.  To the right are the 2 solutions you can find in the frame of the sculpture.