Abstract: A puzzle comprising a plurality of pieces wherein each piece comprises an elongated member having a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface. A plurality of symbols are longitudinally spaced along the first surface or the second surface. Engaging means are also disposed on at least one of the first and second surfaces, and associated with at least one of the symbols. The pieces connect to one another at the engaging means associated with symbols which share a common characteristic.

Abstract: In a TDMA satellite communications system, the data ports at two different earth stations have their data rates synchronized. The origination port stores the last eight-bit byte of data in each 480-bit packet which is transmitted via the satellite. The last byte is compared with each of the 60 bytes of data in the next channel's worth of information received from the terrestrial source. If all of the bytes of data in the new channel's worth of information are identical to the last byte of data transmitted from the originating port, no information is transmitted for this data port in the next TDMA frame. The synchronized data port at the receiving earth station expects a channel's worth of data to be received during the next TDMA frame. The last byte of received data for the recipient data port in the last frame is stored.