Sleigh Route Command
Technical Build Guide - All Three Stations
Overview
Each station is a wall-mounted panel with:
- Printed map graphic on front
- Reed switches hidden behind panel at correct city positions
- Magnetic tokens that players place on cities
- "Workshop Beacon" LED that lights when all correct cities have tokens
The Key: Reed switches wired in SERIES. ALL correct switches must close for the beacon to light. No partial credit, no scanning for switches.
Station Specifications
| Station |
Panel Size |
Reed Switches |
Route Cities |
Total Cities |
| Easy |
36" × 24" |
4 |
Mexico City → Miami → Denver → Vancouver |
15 |
| Medium |
36" × 24" |
6 |
Tokyo → Delhi → Athens → Istanbul → Paris → Lagos |
21 |
| Hard |
36" × 48" |
8 |
Dayton → Caracas → Berlin → Nairobi → Tehran → Seoul → Bangkok → Sydney |
23 |
Wiring Diagram
All three stations use identical circuit topology, just different numbers of switches.
SERIES CIRCUIT (ALL STATIONS)
+12V ─────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ │
└────┤ Reed ├───┤ Reed ├───┤ Reed ├─── ... ──┤
│ #1 │ │ #2 │ │ #3 │ │
└──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ │
▲ ▲ ▲ │
Magnet Magnet Magnet │
│
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ ┌──────┐
└─────────┤ Reed ├─────────┐
│ #N │ │
└──────┘ │
▲ │
Magnet ┌────┴────┐
│ 12V │
│ LED │
└────┬────┘
│
GND ─────────────────────────────────┘
How it works:
- Each reed switch is NORMALLY OPEN (circuit broken when no magnet nearby)
- When magnet is placed on a city, that switch CLOSES
- Current can only flow when ALL switches are closed
- LED lights only when complete circuit is made
Station-by-Station Wiring
Easy Station (4 switches)
+12V → Reed@MexicoCity → Reed@Miami → Reed@Denver → Reed@Vancouver → LED → GND
Medium Station (6 switches)
+12V → Reed@Tokyo → Reed@Delhi → Reed@Athens → Reed@Istanbul → Reed@Paris → Reed@Lagos → LED → GND
Hard Station (8 switches)
+12V → Reed@Dayton → Reed@Caracas → Reed@Berlin → Reed@Nairobi → Reed@Tehran → Reed@Seoul → Reed@Bangkok → Reed@Sydney → LED → GND
Steel Washer Placement (ALL Cities)
Critical: Steel washers go at EVERY city position (route AND decoy). This creates identical magnetic "snap" feel everywhere, so players cannot detect which cities have reed switches.
Washer Specs
- Size: 1" - 1.5" diameter steel fender washers
- Quantity: 15 (Easy) + 21 (Medium) + 23 (Hard) = 59 total
- Mounting: Adhesive or hot glue, centered on each city position
TOKEN (magnet inside)
↓
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ← Map graphic (vinyl/paper)
████████████████████ ← Panel (plywood/acrylic, 1/4" - 1/2")
┌───┐ ┌───┐
│ W │ │ W │ ← Steel washers at ALL cities
└───┘ └─┬─┘
│
[====] ← Reed switch ONLY at route cities
Route cities: Steel washer + reed switch (wired in series)
Decoy cities: Steel washer only (no switch, no wiring)
Reed Switch Placement (Route Cities Only)
Mounting Position
Reed switches mount on the BACK of the panel, directly behind each correct city marker.
FRONT OF PANEL BACK OF PANEL
(Map visible) (Wiring hidden)
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ │ │ │
│ ● City A │ │ [====] ←── Reed switch
│ │ │ behind City A
│ ● B │ │ [====]
│ │ │ │
│ ● City C │ │ [====] │
│ │ │ │
└─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘
Switch Orientation
Reed switches are glass tubes with two metal contacts inside. Orient them:
- Parallel to panel surface (flat against back)
- Centered on city marker
- Secure with hot glue (avoid covering the glass tube itself)
CORRECT WRONG
Panel ═══════════ Panel ═══════════
│ │
[========] [ ]
Reed switch ↑
(flat) Standing up
(won't trigger)
Spacing Requirements
Keep reed switches at least 3 inches apart to prevent one magnet from triggering multiple switches.
If two cities are closer than 3 inches: Use lower-sensitivity reed switches, use weaker magnets, or reposition one city slightly on the map design.
Build Steps
Phase 1: Prepare Panel
- Cut panel to size (or have store cut)
- Sand edges smooth
- Mark city positions on BACK of panel
- Drill wire holes (optional, 1/8")
Phase 2: Mount Reed Switches
- Test each switch with multimeter
- Position switch centered on city mark
- Apply hot glue to ends (not middle)
- Wait for glue to cool
- Repeat for all switches
Phase 3: Wire the Circuit
- Cut wire lengths with extra slack
- Strip wire ends about 1/4"
- Solder: Power → Switch 1 → Switch 2 → ... → LED → Ground
- Apply heat shrink over joints
- Secure wires with hot glue (strain relief)
Phase 4: Install Beacon
- Choose visible beacon location
- Mount LED in housing (frosted globe)
- Secure housing to panel or wall
Phase 5: Apply Map Graphic
- Clean panel front thoroughly
- Align map graphic (cities over switches!)
- Apply adhesive vinyl slowly, squeegee bubbles
- Verify alignment with magnet test
Phase 6: Create Tokens
- Drill shallow hole in wooden discs
- Apply wood glue, press magnet in
- Let dry completely
- Paint festive colors (optional)
- Make extras - tokens get lost!
Phase 7: Mount Panel
- Install French cleats
- Route power (hide cord)
- Hang at comfortable height (~4.5 ft center)
Testing Checklist
Individual Switch Test
- Each switch triggers with magnet (multimeter beeps)
- Each switch opens when magnet removed
- Switches not triggered by neighboring magnets
Circuit Tests
- No magnets placed → LED is OFF
- Only some correct magnets → LED is OFF
- Magnets on wrong cities → LED is OFF
- ALL correct magnets placed → LED turns ON
Durability Test
- Place/remove magnets 20+ times - all switches still work
- No loose wires or connections
Gameplay Test
- Have someone solve puzzle without hints
- Difficulty feels appropriate for target age
- Beacon is satisfying success indicator
Troubleshooting
| Problem |
Check |
Fix |
LED Won't Light
(even with correct solution) |
Power supply connected? |
Plug in / replace batteries |
| LED polarity correct? |
Long leg = anode = positive |
| All solder joints solid? |
Reflow any cold joints |
| Wire break somewhere? |
Test continuity section by section |
| Reed switch broken? |
Test each switch individually |
| LED Always On |
Switches wired in parallel? |
Rewire in SERIES |
| Wire short somewhere? |
Check for bare wire contact |
| Reed switch stuck closed? |
Replace switch |
| Magnet Doesn't Trigger |
Magnet strong enough? |
Use N52 grade neodymium |
| Panel too thick? |
Use thinner panel or stronger magnet |
| Switch positioned wrong? |
Reposition directly behind city |
| Switch dead? |
Replace switch |
| Triggers Multiple Switches |
Cities too close? |
Space map cities 3"+ apart |
| Magnet too strong? |
Use smaller/weaker magnets |
| Switches too sensitive? |
Use different switch model |
QUICK REFERENCE
Circuit: All reed switches in SERIES → LED only lights when ALL closed
Easy (4): Mexico City → Miami → Denver → Vancouver
Medium (6): Tokyo → Delhi → Athens → Istanbul → Paris → Lagos
Hard (8): Dayton → Caracas → Berlin → Nairobi → Tehran → Seoul → Bangkok → Sydney
Test: Correct cities + magnets = LED ON | Any missing/wrong = LED OFF