Ice Cube Tray

[Ruff_Hi]

Everyone likes ice in their drinks (ok, assume everyone likes ice cubes in their drinks). You have an ice cube tray in your freezer (see picture below) and you are actually one of the rare husbands that re-fills the tray (a very big assumption). The question is, how do you get the ice cubes out of the tray such that you get exactly the number of ice cubes required (assume the number required is greater than zero and less than the number in the tray) out of the tray (no more, no less) while making sure that you have no ice cube mess (ie no ice cubes over counter, in sink, etc)?

[Jezza]

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold"> Take tray out of freezer, take to hot tap in sink and drip hot water onto the required cube you wish to release and it will "pop", turn over and pop in drink. The slight raise in temperature causes the ice to melt slightly for that particular cube but the plastic around the others insulates them</span hide>

[Ruff_Hi]

I think that Jezza's method will work. Anyone else got another solution without inverting the tray?

[Jezza]

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold"> Just as an aside, are we assuming this tray is bendy and flexible? If so, Jezzarette 2 is very adept at this method. She bends the tray until they "crack" away from the sides and then does a very quick jerk upwards and a few come out. Not very controllable I admit but it does work. She then picks out what she wants....never fills the tray up again and then puts it back in the freezer.</span hide>

[Ruff_Hi]

> Are we assuming this tray is bendy and flexible?

We are!

> If so, Jezzarette 2 is very adept at this method. She bends the tray until they "crack" away from the sides and then does a very quick jerk upwards and a few come out.

Sorry, this method is not good enough. You need to get exactly the right number out, no more, no less and the right number is selected prior to the "quick jerk". How about setting Jezzarette 2 the question of removing the ice cubes without the quick jerk. I will not even bother asking her to fill the thing!

[BAN]

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">You could stick toothpicks in each of the cubes before they were frozen, then just pluck out the ones you want as needed. Just be careful when they melt that you don't swallow any toothpicks</span hide> <img src=/S/yikes.gif border=0 alt=yikes width=15 height=15>

[Ruff_Hi]

True - that would work but it might be a bit cold having to stand in the <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">freezer holding the toothpicks up until the water froze.</span hide>

[BAN]

Well, when we did this as kids we always <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">put saran wrap over the top and stuck the toothpicks through that...</span hide>

[Ruff_Hi]

well in that case - yes, that method would work. Does anyone have a solution that doesn't involve 'polluting' the ice cubes? Can you guess that I have a solution that satisfies all of my silly little requirements?

[Jezza]

OK Tim <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">I am looking at the idea of a sleeve that fits inside the tray, with a flange that you can pull.When the cube is pulled out you can take out the sleeve.</span hide>

[BAN]

OK, so no inverting of the tray and no foreign objects in the ice cubes...I have a couple more ideas then. <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold">One would be to twist the tray to loosen the ice and then use a suction cup to pull the ice cubes out. A second idea would be to spray the ice cube tray with non stick cooking spray before filling it. Another possibility would be to take a blow torch and apply it only to the cubes that you want to come out of the tray and then jerk the tray upward so as to pop the cubes out (no inverting) and into the glass. I suppose we could just frost a mug and avoid ice altogether. Yet another idea would be to lay a string across the tray and fill it and then pull the cubes out by the string, but I suppose that's a foreign object that would also pollute the ice. My last idea would be to just ask my wife to bring me some ice, but that almost guarantees a mess.</span hide> <img src=/S/wink.gif border=0 alt=wink width=15 height=15>

If none of these are right (which I don't suppose they are), then I <img src=/S/surrender.gif border=0 alt=surrender width=31 height=23>

[Jezza]

Brett do not <img src=/S/surrender.gif border=0 alt=surrender width=31 height=23>, do not bow to the Lounger formally known as Timbo (don't ask me why <img src=/S/shrug.gif border=0 alt=shrug width=39 height=15>) Together we can crack it (not the ice that is)

[Jezza]

I have an idea<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #FFFF00; font-weight: bold"> Why don't we just take out all the cubes once they have been frozen(remember they expand durring first freeze) and then replace them back into the tray. Then when we need them we just get a tooth pick or your suggested suction cup and flick them out</span hide> That was a serious suggestion by the way

[BAN]

Jerry, it's not that I want to <img src=/S/surrender.gif border=0 alt=surrender width=31 height=23>, but he's apparently got something so specific in mind that I don't think anyone can ever guess the solution except for someone who knows Ruff Timbo personally (what is that big splotchy thing that he has for his user pic, anyway?)

However, in the spirit of the puzzle forum, I shall not surrender. I withdraw my white flag and shall fight on!

<img src=/S/whisper.gif border=0 alt=whisper width=29 height=17> Hey, user formerly known as Timbo, any clues you can give to help a desperate guy out?

[Jezza]

Thata boy Grrrr