Backyard Squirrel Maze 2.0- The Walnut Heist — Key Takeaways
Squirrels solved a 9-part obstacle course — including a spinning bar, moving brick wall, laser maze with pneumatic door, and combination safe — within days, using observable problem-solving strategies like speed-running the twist bar and cooperative navigation through air ducts.
Key takeaways
All four squirrels cracked the 9-part obstacle course within days
All four squirrels cracked the 9-part obstacle course within days
- Within ~2 days, squirrels could cruise through the first half of the course at full speed.
- Marty the hacker ultimately cracked Fort Knuts safe; Phat Gus was first through the laser maze.
Laser maze door uses microcontroller→relay→solenoid→pneumatic piston chain
Laser maze door uses microcontroller→relay→solenoid→pneumatic piston chain
- Touching a laser completes a circuit, triggering a solenoid that fires a pneumatic piston to slam the door shut for 60 seconds.
- A metal base plate acts as the contact sensor — no complex electronics needed at the detection point.
Two months of planning plus a full build session with a partner produced the course
Two months of planning plus a full build session with a partner produced the course
- Creator spent a year ruminating after losing the first obstacle course, then two months actively planning version two.
- Squirrel houses were added as set dressing but the squirrels actually renovated the interiors and used them for shelter and wrestling.
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In this video
- 1mIntroduction: The Squirrel Problem and the Plan
- 1mCourse Walkthrough: Nine Obstacles Explained
- 5mMeet the Crew: Phat Gus, Rick, Marty, and Frank
- 8mTesting the Course: Early Attempts and Breakthroughs
- 11mBackyard Wildlife Interlude
- 12mThe Heist Climax: Hideout, Vents, and Laser Maze
- 15mFort Knuts Cracked: Marty Opens the Safe
“I once again completely underestimated my adversary.”
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