# A pen is attached to the wheel. Assume the pen is a sphere
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 25, 2025, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457 "2025-08-25T14:10:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/41 "2025-08-26T10:23:06Z")
Great. I just got up, it’s 4:20 am, and I want a Spirograph.
I had one as a kid, and it was actually kinda boring after about 10 minutes.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/42 "2025-08-26T11:30:55Z")
Here 'ya go. Same day shipping … **[Amazon.com : spirograph](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=spirograph)**.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/43 "2025-08-26T12:52:50Z")
That’s just mean.
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### Author:  [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/44 "2025-08-26T13:46:23Z")
So I am following along and enjoying the thread, just don’t have much to add.
I didn’t want people to think I had abandoned my own.
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### Author:  [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/45 "2025-08-26T13:57:26Z")
As the main question has been thoroughly answered now, I just wanted to observe that the updated-retro Battleship game box in that picture has made a notable change to its original design.
[ ](https://i.redd.it/q48s0oxytjn31.jpg)
But Spirograph remains fun for the actual whole family.
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### Author:  [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/46 "2025-08-26T14:00:16Z")
That’s pretty awesome. I’m a little surprised because even back then, I don’t think there was an idea that girls didn’t play board games.
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### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/47 "2025-08-26T14:22:31Z")
Wait, they killed the women and supersized the dad. Retro indeed!
(for the record, I got the ‘assume the pen is a sphere’ joke in the title)
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### Author:  [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/48 "2025-08-26T15:18:03Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Here 'ya go. Same day shipping … **[Amazon.com : spirograph](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=spirograph)**.
The “Classic” sets use “Spirograph putty” instead of push pins. I insist on push pins.
While we’re at it can I have my Lawn Darts back? You can’t have a proper Lawn Dart catching contest without pointed Lawn Darts.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/49 "2025-08-26T23:27:41Z")
“Assume the pen is a sphere.” Why? Is it a cow?
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2025, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/50 "2025-08-27T01:02:25Z")
As long as we can play with it in the back of the station wagon unrestrained by anything resembling seats, much less belts, I’m all in w you! 🤪
Part of the problem w the modern world is that too many of the weak have been surviving; more selective pressure FTW!!
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### Author:  [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2025, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/51 "2025-08-27T11:04:03Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> As long as we can play with it in the back of the station wagon unrestrained by anything resembling seats, much less belts, I’m all in w you!
When I was growing up we used to spend summers at my Uncle’s place on the lake. So there were five boys (my two brothers and two cousins; zero girls in my generation). It was a near daily occurrence for the five of us to ride in the bed of the pickup. This was the 80s.
We were all together recently and talking about how a parent would be arrested for that today.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/52 "2025-08-30T19:07:09Z")
It’s been done.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJMYoj4hHqU&t=546)
(I went looking for that film to share it in the “putting a ball on a rotating green” thread, but it works here, too.)
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### Author:  [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)
#### Post date: [August 30, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pen-is-attached-to-the-wheel-assume-the-pen-is-a-sphere/1022457/53 "2025-08-30T19:49:18Z")
Thanks for the memories. I haven’t seen that PSSC Physics film since high school physics in the 1960’s.
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