Nail in wood question made more clear.

[cleopatra44]

My brother, who is a fiend, sent me this nail out of one block of wood.  When you set it upright it looks like an "E only with four extensions for the E instead of three.  It is 6" tall overall and 1 1/2" wide where the extensions are.  The nail, which is 3 1/4" long goes through the middle two extensions of wood.  I didn't describe it accurately yesterday.  He saw this on a woodworking show on TV and wrote down the instructions.  He doesn't think anyone can solve it unless they saw it.  Can't break or cut it and you have to reverse the way he did it to solve it.  No he did not cut the nail because I can push the nail up and down and it has a clearing less than 1/2" above and below it.  I'd really like to get him on this even though this is cheating a little, but hey! he's my brother.  Please help.

[BillyBB]

I have a nail in wood puzzle in which the nail has a threaded joint which is hidden by the middle piece of wood. This can be unscrewed to remove the nail, watch out for left or right hand threads too.

I suspect the puzzle you have is of a different design though.

[Hammer]

Could you bend the wood, maybe by soaking it or something?

[cleopatra44]

to BillyBB:  I think you have something there.  I do see threads at top half of nail.  I'm going to try that.  Will let you know if it works but have lots of company coming now. We live in Florida and it's spring so the company comes.

But to Hammer--soaking in wood does nothing. Someone else he sent it to tried that.  

[puzzleguy]

In order to solve this puzzle, soak in hot water, the part of the wooden block that is blocking the head of the nail from being removed. Soak it for quite a while. Then put that part of the wooden block in a vise, and tighten that part down until the wood is squeezed to the point where the nail can be removed. Remove the nail, then soak the wood in hot water again, and as the water soaks in it will "grow" to it'a original size. I saw the same show your brother did.