Category Archives: Puzzle Reviews

Sunrise – Sunset

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Sunrise – Sunset is a Stewart Coffin design which I recently found for sale on Ebay with a Buy it Now option. Seeing it, I didn’t hesitate as this is a Coffin original, which was going for a very good price so I couldn’t resist. Labelled as design #181 in the Coffin numbering system it was used by Jerry Slocum as his IPP exchange puzzle at IPP22.

Sunrise - Sunset top tray

Sunrise - Sunset top tray

This is another tray packing puzzle from Stewart, and as I’ve noted in the past, I’m terrible at tray packing puzzles, so I didn’t hold out much hope for this one. If you’ve seen previous reviews of Coffin Packing puzzles, like the Check Me Out puzzle, you’ll know that Coffin is a real sod when it comes to messing with your head, and how you normally go about putting pieces into a square box.

The puzzle itself is a twofold puzzle, hence the name. The tray is two-sided, so you get twice the puzzle from the same pieces. On one side of the tray is a 5×5 grid, with the centre cube permanently stuck in place (representing the sun if I were to guess), and the other side is a 4×6 grid. The idea is simple pack the pieces into one side, then flip the tray over and do the same on the other side.

The base is make from three layers, making for a very solid frame. Guessing I’d say the frame is Mahogany, but that’s a wild guess! Four of the five pieces are five units in size and the fifth is four units and are made from three different woods. If I were to guess, I’d say Bubinga (the almost purple looking wood), Lignum Vitae (green), and Mahogany (light). As you can tell from some quick math, the pieces match the grid sizes, so they’re going to fit exactly in this one, which for me is a good thing, as these strange sized grids really mess with my head!

Sunrise - Sunset bottom tray

Sunrise - Sunset bottom tray

When I sat down to solve the puzzle, I expected to be at this for hours, as I have been with other tray puzzles, but I was shocked and pleasantly surprised when I had solved the first side within 5 minutes. So I flipped the puzzle over and tried the other side, thinking it was going to be a lot tougher. Again I solved it fairly quickly and was very happy with myself. So on the difficulty scale I’d rate this one as easy, but rewarding.

Once of the really nice features of this puzzle is that the solutions (and there is only one per side) have a degree of symmetry to them, which really adds to the effect of the Sunrise / Sunset theme of the puzzle.

This is a great little puzzle, and if you’re like me and not very good at packing puzzles, if you can find a copy of this one, pick it up as you’ll feel better about yourself having solved one!

PS: I make no guarantees about your feelings or success at solving this puzzle 😉

Trigemino

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Trigemino is a six piece interlocking puzzle designed by Sonja Heinz which is currently being made by Philos games. There are a number of places to get this puzzle, and I received mine from Puzzle Master.

The first of five solutions proposed for Trigemino

The first of five solutions proposed for Trigemino

The goal of the puzzle is to disassemble and reassemble the geometric shape constructed from the six identical pieces. The puzzle comes shipped in a clear plastic box, already in the configuration shown above, and the box contains the solution for this shape, but also a challenge for four other geometric shapes which can be made from the pieces where no solutions are supplied.

Six identical pieces (if you don't count wood types)

Six identical pieces (if you don't count wood types)

The three pairs of pieces are made from Havea (the light wood), Samena (darker brown wood) and Black Palm which is the wonderful wood with leopard like spots on the end grain and stunning dark light contrast on the face grain. In case you hadn’t guessed I love the look of the Palm woods, and have some sitting at home waiting to be made into a nice puzzle. Anyway, I digress.

The original solution is a nice interlocking shape, which needs you to poke and prod the pieces until you find the one piece which will move, and from there take each piece out until you’re left with a pile of six pieces through a variety of lifts and slides of the pieces. Once the puzzle has been taken apart, there’s a good challenge to get them put back together again.

While it’s not the most difficult of this style of puzzle, rated 4/10 on the instructions, and 6/10 by Puzzle Master (whose scale remember starts at 5) it is a fun puzzle, and is very nicely made. The fit and finish of the pieces is very good, and the pieces are solidly made, so there’s no worry about them falling apart as you play with the puzzle.

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

Alternate solutions

As well as the original shape, the puzzle comes with an instruction sheet offering four more possible geometric shapes for you to make, which really extends the challenge of the puzzle. The alternates range from the Aztec like pattern on the top left which is probably the easiest to find, the double box like solution on the bottom right which is slightly more difficult, but at first look on the diagram seems impossible, and the linked configurations of which the bottom left is interlocking and probably the most challenging to create.

Overall, this is a great puzzle, both in terms of looks and challenge. Well worth picking up if you’re looking for another good wooden puzzle for your collection.

Perplexus Epic

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Yesterday I reviewed the Perplexus Rookie, and a long while ago, the Perplexus. Today it’s the turn of the Perplexus Epic, the third in the series from designer Michael McGinnis. Given that my review of the Original Perplexus is regularly in the top five posts read on my blog each month if not the most read, clearly there’s a lot of interest in the puzzles.

Perplexus Epic

Perplexus Epic

The Epic is the hardest of the series of Perplexus puzzles, covering 125 stages from start to finish. With four starting points, this time labelled as Practice A, B and C (along with the actual start) this is a serious challenge, and completing the track from the first stage all the way to 125 is a serious dexterity challenge.

The Epic is larger than the original Perplexus at 8″ in diameter and really is a step up in difficulty. Sticking with a much sharper White, Blue and Grey colour scheme, it certainly seems as though this edition is no longer aimed at the younger market, but at the serious puzzler. It certainly looks good sitting on the top of my puzzling shelves. Ok, so it’s the book shelves, that just happen to have puzzles scattered over them as well as the books.

Having spent quite a while trying to make it from the start to the end in one try, I can confirm that this is not an easy puzzle. There are many more moving elements in this edition, with more hump backed bridges, stairs, single walled tracks, drops, tunnels and jumps than either of the other puzzles that you’re not going to make it through this one without some serious practice. When I first started trying to solve the Epic, I had real difficulty being able to get beyond the fifth section – the fourth being a see saw which has a drop at the end of it meaning you have to get the speed just right or you’ll miss the landing. And that’s not the most challenging obstacle in the puzzle.

The bottom of the Epic

The bottom of the Epic

One of the new challenges I found in the Epic is just finding an angle to be able to see the ball and the current stage of the puzzle at certain points as there’s so much going on in there it’s not always obvious how to hold the ball to get the best view to be able to progress, and you’re going to have to be able to see where you’re going if you hope not to fall off.

The Epic really lives up to its name as a seriously challenging puzzle, that you’re going to get a lot of hours of play from. That is if you don’t throw it across the room in frustration. While I don’t recommend throwing it, I really do recommend picking up a copy. Amazon and Puzzle Master both carry the puzzle for a very reasonable price so you really can’t go wrong.

Finally, let me wish all my readers a Merry Christmas. I hope Santa has been good to you and brought you many new puzzles to keep you busy through all the food that’s sure to fill you to the brim.

Perplexus Rookie

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A long while ago, I reviewed the Perplexus by Michael McGinnis, and at that time, it was a day or two before the release of two new puzzles in the Perplexus line, the Perplexus Rookie and Perplexus Epic. It’s been quite a while, and I’ve had them for some time, so I figured it was about time to review those two new puzzles. The first of two reviews will look at the simpler version, the Perplexus Rookie.

Perplexus Rookie

Perplexus Rookie

Much like its bigger brother the Rookie sticks to bold bright colours which will appeal to a younger audience, however it is a little smaller than the original at 6.5″ diameter. It also has less checkpoints from start to finish with only 70 stages. Again, unlike its bigger brother, there’s only one entry point to the maze rather than three, which certainly hints at this being a simpler version.

I’d certainly agree that this is much more of an introductory puzzle, and I was able to make it from the start to the end after only two attempts. Much faster than I was able to complete the original Perplexus! Despite the simpler nature, it’s still a very fun puzzle, and I have to admit that I really enjoyed solving it. Since solving it initially, I’ve gone back and resolved it a number of times, which really is the mark of a good puzzle.

The end of the puzzle has a really nice touch, in that the finish is surrounded by a clear plastic bubble. Clearly it’s there to prevent you just starting the ball at the finish and claiming you’re done, but it also serves as a focal point when the puzzle is solved. Since the start and finish are back to back with each other, it really finishes the puzzle nicely.

If you have younger puzzlers who watched you play with the original, or you’re looking to help with dexterity, this is a great item to have, and the kids will have problems putting it down. Amazon and Puzzle Master both carry the Perplexus line, so go on, pick up a copy!

Come back tomorrow to see what I have to say about the Epic.

Goliath

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Despite what its name may suggest Goliath, is not a large puzzle. In fact it’s the smallest puzzle box I have in my collection. Made by Kelly Snache, or Snake as he’s known, this diminutive puzzle box really is a lot more fun than its size might lead you to believe.

The Front of Goliath

The Front of Goliath

A view from the corner

A view from the corner


So the picture on its own shows that there’s a lot of detail in this box, despite it being less than an inch long, and half an inch wide. The Jewel on the top helps to hide the true scale, and the hand burned brackets on the corners add a fun touch to a tiny puzzle. Even the beveled edges on the puzzle give it character and detail, that is hard to believe on a fully working puzzle box at this scale.

While it didn’t take me very long to open the box, it is a true puzzle box. There’s two moves required to open it, and there’s a properly sliding lid to the puzzle. Not only that but there’s also a treasure hidden inside the box. It’s unlikely that you can use it for storing anything given how small it is, but it’s a great touch that Snake has thought to put something inside for you. I should note that the first time I opened the box, I nearly lost this little treasure and had to scramble around the floor to find it!

The tiny treasure hidden within

The tiny treasure hidden within

For those who are not familiar with Snake’s work, he only uses recycled woods or boxes to make his puzzles. As with his recent Cigar puzzle boxes, he took old cigar boxes, and retrofitted puzzle locks to them. This is a great idea, and gives all of his work a unique feel. Goliath is little different made entirely from the scraps of wood lying around his shop! Only four of these boxes were made, and I have number 3.

Some idea of scale

Some idea of scale

To give an idea of scale I’ve taken the picture above with Mr Puzzle’s Houdini’s Torture Cell which I recently reviewed and Scott Peterson’s Rosebud. I wasn’t kidding when I said this box was small. This little puzzle sits pride of place next to my Stickman #2. Now there’s a real David and Goliath matchup!