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Cindy Somersault (tm) puzzle Price $20.00 each plus shipping (approx. 5.5" x 3.5" x 1")
 
Put Cindy on a flat surface and slowly tip forward. Soon she will topple over and do a complete somersault, if you know her secret!! Others will remain totally baffeled as to why they can't get her to do a somersault. If you don't give the secret away it will become a great magic stunt that you can work on anyone whenever you feel a little urge to baffle someone.

 

SOLUTION!!!

Put Cindy on a flat surface and slowly tip forward. Soon she will topple over and do a complete somersault, if you know her secret!! Others will remain totally baffled as to why they can't get her to do a somersault. If you don't give the secret away it will become a great magic stunt that you can work on anyone whenever you feel a little urge to baffle someone.
The left hand figure shows Cindy in position to do a somersault. Notice that the sand inside occupies the top cavity. As Cindy somersaults the weight of the sand adds kinetic energy to the somersault action causing the somersault to succeed.

Ask an observer to try it. Obviously, without knowing how it works the observer will fail. Cindy will not make it. Now pick up Cindy very slowly, perhaps pretending to blow on her to give her magic. You can move her from hand to hand to confuse the observer as you rotate her over. Perform the rotation so that the sand will end up at the top cavity when you set her down. It is extremely easy to fool anyone this way. Be sure you do it slowly as the sand requires just a little time to pour into the cavity. In addition the sand is very quiet so anyway trying to figure out what is inside will be difficult. This is a very effective magic trick and a really good puzzle.