Klikko

Klikko is made up of various colored geometric shapes, as are several similar systems, such as Polydron. The key difference is that Klikko connectors are separate little hinge pieces that create two-articulation joints. These hinge pieces look like little licorice candies that kept tempt one to taste.

Assembly was moderately irritating until I learned to connect pieces with both lying flat on the table. This is hinted at by diagrams in the manual showing partially assemblies laid flat like a cut-and-fold project, but I thought they were just showing off being "The Transforming Construction System."

Nope. The more of your model you connect flat, the happier you'll be, and I was messing up by lifting the pieces to connect them.

That still doesn't alleviate working in three dimensions during final assembly, where trying to connect one joint can cause several others to part. The little licorice pieces just didn't seem to have enough gumption.

But Klikko has too good a reputation for that, so I hoped to -- and did -- get better with experience.

I also learned something: Even a connected 3-D structure that is reasonably sturdy can have parts that can shift position. Yet making the final connections can drop that positional freedom dramatically.

The trick is to figure out how the pieces need to shift before making the last connections, rather than counting on the licorice to pull things into position. Trying to force things together just pulls other things apart.

Klikko is still isn't one of my favorites, but it might come to be.

Already, it has provided good block play.