Auryn Medallion Puzzle

Do what you dream with this elaborate and tricky Auryn puzzle based on the version in the movie The NeverEnding Story.

This took a LOT of fiddling in order to split it at certain points (both vertical and horizontal) and to make it dimensional enough to be a real puzzle, but the end result was so worth it!

3D printer and .stl file

Assembly instructions -- shown below (very helpful if you've never done it!)

Print Settings (the ones I used - your settings may vary)

• Printer brand: Creality
• Printer: Ender-5 Plus
• Rafts: Yes
• Supports: Yes
• Resolution: Lower resolution creates snakelike scales
• Infill: Try solid for a heftier item
• Filament brand: Geeetech
• Filament color: Use two different colors for each half for best effect.
• Filament material: PLA
• Notes: (other details not given as printers very so widely)

Print four pieces, two each of head and tail, preferably each pair in different colors. Silk bronze and silk copper look closest to the movie item, but I've found that people like other color combinations as well -- even four different colors!. The only supports that may matter are the ones for the mouth and belly insert holes -- don't forget to snap them out if you used a support there! They should come out very easily.

Connect one colored head to the other colored tail, intertwining as pictured.

Do the same with the other pair, then simply snap the pairs together (again, intertwining)! See detailed instructions for assembly and link to instruction video below. You should not see any seams, divots, or connectors if it is assembled properly.

You can put a drop of glue on the connecting points if you want a permanent connection.

Credits: This object was made in Tinkercad and Thingiverse. There are dozens of non-puzzle versions available -- my reference being

https://www.tinkercad.com/things/bW0wSVzWlpN

I changed it substantially to make a 3D puzzle. I wish I could enter it in the Puzzles Contest but since I used a reference I believe it's ineligible.