Oskar’s Blocks

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Oskar’s Blocks, also known as Oskar’s Cubes is another design by Oskar Van Deventer, can be found in both wood and metal versions. This version is made by Bits and Pieces from chrome plated metal and is available from Puzzle Master. Thanks to Puzzle Master for sending me this puzzle to review.

Oskar's Blocks

Oskar's Blocks

As you can see, this is a good looking puzzle from the well known and prolific designer Oskar Van Deventer. It’s a fairly small puzzle, with each of the three cubes measuring 15/16″ in size, to give a fully assembled size of just under 1.5″. Given that the puzzle is metal, it has a good weight for its size, and while the pieces aren’t a tight fit, they do hold themselves together well enough to not fall apart when you place it on a single cube.

Oskar's Blocks

Oskar's Blocks

With only three pieces, you might be forgiven for thinking this is an easy puzzle. Puzzle Master ranks it as Level 7 – Challenging (out of 10), and I have to say it’s spot on. This isn’t the most challenging puzzle you’ll come across but take the pieces apart, roll them across the floor, come back in half an hour, and you’ll find it a challenge to put back together unless you’ve memorised the slots on each piece.

Oskar's Blocks Pieces

Oskar's Blocks Pieces

With each of the pieces being dissimilar, it does add to the challenge of this puzzle. Given the number of ways that each of the pieces can interact with each other, getting the first two pieces in place to allow the third to slide in and lock the puzzle together is a good challenge. I spent around 15 minutes after having scrambled the pieces, and left them for a while to put it back together. The more times you solve it, the easier it becomes, but I think that is true of many puzzles out there. The puzzle comes simply packaged from Bits and Pieces in a white cardboard box, with a solution included if you’re really stuck.

Overall, this is an excellent puzzle. It’s well made, solid and nicely finished. With a price tag under $15, this is well worth picking up. Despite being pocket sized, I’d advise against keeping it there given the sharp corners.

Wunder Puzzle Series

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In a recent sale on Cubic Dissection, Eric Fuller had a number of interesting puzzles available. I missed most of the items there, but did spot the Wunder Puzzle Series. Initially, I purchased only the #2, which was listed as the hardest of the set, but having the puzzle in my hands (and not having solved it after 2 weeks of trying) I realised that was a mistake and ordered the other two puzzles.

The Wunder Puzzle Series from Eric Fuller

The Wunder Puzzle Series from Eric Fuller

The story behind this set of puzzles is an interesting one, but rather than me try to retell it, here’s what Eric has to say about the series.

“I saw a picture on facebook of an interesting variation on the classic joint puzzle…Peter Wiltshire of Canada had scored it on Ebay. I shot him a message and he was kind enough to lend me the original (shown on a white background below) so I could make some copies. When I got it in my hands, I started thinking about various different locking mechanisms that could be used, and decided to make the original plus two very different variations.”

The Original Wunder Puzzle

The Original Wunder Puzzle, image from Cubic Dissection

As I mentioned at the start, I had only ordered #2, thinking to myself, I’m an experienced puzzler, I can solve the hardest one. At the time I couldn’t justify all three, so why buy an easy puzzle, right? I’m pretty sure I’m not the only puzzler out there who things like that. (See what Allard has to say in his review given that he did the same as me)

Well I started trying to take #2 apart, and all I could make it do was one end cap would spin, and it would squeak slightly. I played on and off for around 10 minutes a night for nearly two weeks and made little progress. I did find that it was possible to get the end to ‘lock’ but that didn’t seem to help me open the puzzle. Slightly frustrated, I’d put it back on the puzzle shelf each night, and left it until the next night.

When I was at Stan Isaacs puzzle party last month, I spotted that he had all three puzzles sitting on a desk. I picked up what turns out to be #1, and solved it fairly quickly. I didn’t have attempt to open the original Wunder puzzle, but decided to order the remaining two puzzles I didn’t have as I really liked the mechanism on #1.

This is where I have a gripe with the woods Eric chose. The original Wunder Puzzle was a very dark wood, with a very light wood as you can see from the photo above. It’s hard to tell if the original puzzle was walnut or some other dark wood, or if the wood on one half was stained. Anyway, when Eric re-made the original mechanism, he chose a lighter bubinga and made the #1 mechanism from walnut. Personally, I think it would have been nicer to make the original in walnut, and his variation in the other woods. Yes, it’s a small gripe, but I am constantly confused as to which is which!

Eric's remake of the original Wunder puzzle

Eric's remake of the original Wunder puzzle

So back to the puzzles themselves. Each of the puzzles is 1″ x 3.4″ long, and are really beautiful pieces. They all have very precise geometry and dimensioning, such that the parts come apart perfectly smoothly, but require you to move them in exactly the right way or they will stay firmly locked in place. Limited to 30 of each puzzle, this is a fairly small run of puzzles, and looking at the work that went into them, I can see why.

The Original Mechanism has been recreated by Eric in Carolina Ash and Bubinga (see my small gripe earlier). Looking at the joint on the side of the puzzle, there really seems like no way this can come apart. The puzzle seems almost like a solid piece which has been glued together. I can assure you that no glue was used to hold the pieces together. The locking mechanism on this puzzle is fairly simple, but fairly clever. Many people who play with it may not find how to unlock it as there are virtually no external clues, unless you have a compass handy! There are still a few available here at the time of writing if you’re interested.

Wunder Puzzle #1 by Eric Fuller

Wunder Puzzle #1 by Eric Fuller

The first variation that Eric created is probably my favourite of the series. Made from Carolina Ash, Black Walnut and Sapelle, it’s a much simpler mechanism that the original or #2, and for my money has the nicest movement. Most people who pick this one up will solve it, and probably fairly quickly. Don’t let that put you off, this is a beautiful puzzle, and the look on someone’s face when the parts separate is worth it. At the time of writing, there are still a few of these available from Cubic Dissection and I’d highly recommend it to anyone. At under $50, this is a great puzzle.

Wunder Puzzle #2 by Eric Fuller

Wunder Puzzle #2 by Eric Fuller

So back to Wunder Puzzle #2. Made from Carolina Ash and Paduak, the bright red of the Paduak really makes this puzzle stand out. It’s no Wunder, given it’s appearance, and the claim of being the hardest of the set, this puzzle sold out fairly quickly. Just a small side note, the Paduak version while a beautiful vibrant red colour currently, will gradually darken to a dark brown over time with exposure to light. Interestingly, the insides of the puzzle will remain that vibrant red, so you’ll get a nice surprise when you open the puzzle!

After a day of doing fairly well at solving puzzles, (I’d opened the Box with a Tree, Chip and Free Dial – reviews coming soon) I decided to go back to #2. After all, I was on a roll! Well, after about 15 minutes I had it open! The mechanism on this puzzle is devilish. It’s not easy to open, and very easy to relock when you’re trying to open it. Eric has made a very clever variation, which takes the original a few steps further. It’s a nice puzzle, but certainly not my favourite. This will keep you guessing for quite some time, until that ‘Aha’ moment, and things come apart.

As it happens, I did manage to open #2 before the others in the series arrived from Eric, however I am happy to have the full set. It’s a nice progression of puzzles, and they look great. I’d personally say that the order of difficulty is #1, followed by Original, followed by #2.

This is a great set of puzzles, and very nice to see new life being given to what was clearly a very old puzzle. I’d highly recommend these to anyone looking for something a little different for their collection.

Note: When I was proof reading this review, I noticed something interesting. If you look closely at the Original puzzle Eric copied, and the remake, the angles used are not the same. Eric’s version while similar isn’t a copy of the original puzzle. If you look closely, you’ll see the angles are inverted.

Cast Loop

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This entry is part 1 of 8 in the series Hanayama Cast Puzzles

Cast Loop is the second newest puzzle in the Hanayama Cast series of puzzles, designed by Finnish puzzle designer Vesa Timonen based on an original puzzle ring he created for his girlfriend. It is available from Puzzle Master along with many more puzzles from the Hanayama cast series. The object of the puzzle is to create a closed loop. Thanks Puzzle master for sending me this puzzle to review.

Cast Loop

Cast Loop

The puzzle is packed in the standard Hanayama black and gold packaging, and is held in the box in the position seen above. By shipping it this way, you’re not given any clues as to how to solve the puzzle, as separating the pieces doesn’t show you how to solve it. If anything it may mislead you, and trick you into not seeing the solution. Quite a clever way to package the puzzle. It also ships with a leather thong, so that once solved, the puzzle can be worn as a necklace. It does hold together well, so this would be a possibility, but we’ll get to that.

This is a great looking puzzle, with the chrome plated finish really making the puzzle stand out. The puzzle is around 2 3/4″ in diameter so sits nicely in your hand, and being a cast puzzle has a solid weight to it. This really feels like a high quality puzzle.

Cast Loop Magnets

Cast Loop Magnets

Taking the puzzle apart, you’re left with what looks like two mirror image pieces. The magnets on the angled ends are strong enough to hold the puzzle pieces firmly together, so there’s no worries about the puzzle accidentally coming apart once solved unless you want it to. To that end I think it would be possible to wear the puzzle as jewellery, just don’t expect to see me wearing it any time soon.

Cast Loop Symmetry

Cast Loop Symmetry

One of the things I love about this puzzle is the symmetry when solving it. Even though there are minimal moves needed, the puzzle looks great throughout. This is listed as an easy puzzle both by Hanayama where it is a 1 on their scale (1-5) and 5 on Puzzle Masters scale (5-10). It is an easy puzzle, but the beauty is that it is designed in such a way that you need to really think about what you’re doing to be able to solve it. The obvious way to combine the pieces won’t get you a solid loop.

Knowing how to solve the puzzle, I found myself idly playing with it, opening and closing the loop without really looking at it. Sitting in long meetings at work, it gave my hands something to do rather than just spinning my pen.

Cast Loop Solved

Cast Loop Solved

This is a stunning puzzle, and is one you really should have in your collection. If you don’t already, then go buy this, you’ll not regret it!

X Marks the Spot

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X Marks the spot is Puzzle Masters version of the Duallock Cross Puzzle invented by Nobuyuki Yoshigahara. Thanks Puzzle Master for sending me this puzzle to review.

X Marks the Spot

X Marks the Spot

The Object of the puzzle is to remove the cross from its wooden cage, something that at first glance seems impossible. The ‘X’ seems firmly fixed together, and there is no way that the arms can be removed through the wooden square without breaking one or the other. This illusion adds to the beauty of this type of puzzle, as it is seemingly impossible to solve.

The puzzle is approximately 8″ long for the cross section and 3″ high at the central loop which the ‘X’ sits inside. The difference between the Puzzle Master version and the original is that Puzzle Master have added the Wooden square around the main puzzle, for an added challenge. I have seen other versions of this where a steel hoop is in place of the wooden square, as well as the originals with no central element. The addition of the square does not change the solution, but it makes the re-assembly slightly more difficult. The square is held together with glue and brad nails, so it’s not the most elegant joinery, but it creates a solid puzzle, and ensures that the square isn’t going to fall apart.

All sorts of possible solutions will ‘spin’ through your mind as you try to come up with a way to remove the cross from its cage. Picking up the puzzle, you’ll notice that something rattles inside, giving a clue as to the hidden mechanism that makes solving this puzzle possible.

X Marks the Spot opened

X Marks the Spot opened

Puzzle Master ranks this as a Level 6 – Tricky puzzle. If you don’t know the solution, then I’d say this is about right. It’s a great puzzle to leave lying on the coffee table or your desk, and let the idle passer by pick it up and play. Very few will find the solution without having some knowledge of this style of puzzle. The solution is very simple which I think adds to the appeal of this puzzle.

Puzzle Masters version is a solid puzzle for a good price. If you don’t have a version of the Duallock cross puzzle in your collection, this is as good as any to own. A version is also available from Wood Wonders, without the extra loop.

Box with a Tree by Hiroshi Iwahara

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Yet another of the Karakuri puzzle boxes on loan to me from Derek Bosch is “Box with a Tree” designed by the very talented Hiroshi Iwahara. Originally made in 2005 using Japanese Walnut and Oak as the members Christmas Present, it has been remade several times with different external plates since then. First in 2007, then again in 2011.

Box With a Tree

Box With a Tree

One thing you will note about this box is that it is very plain. There’s little fancy about it, even the small tree which sits proud in the bottom corner is simple and not ornate. Some of the newer versions are made from more exotic woods, such as the latest version in Lacewood, but in general it is an unassuming puzzle box.

That plain exterior belies the complicated interior waiting for the unwary puzzler. The two end panels both move with little resistance, and there the motion mostly ends. The top with the tree will lift slightly after the end panels are slid out of the way, but there is no way the box is going to open.

With a lot of playing around, I found some strange things happen with the end panels depending on what you’re doing with the box. I played around like this for a good few days, seeing no real progress toward opening the box. It always seemed that there was something preventing the top from lifting fully, and I wasn’t doing anything differently enough to change that.

With insanity setting in as a result of trying the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result, I took a break from trying to open this box to try a few of the others I had on loan. When I came back to the box with a tree, I had a few different ideas, however none of them worked. I played idly for 10 minutes, only half looking at what I was doing, and, yes, you guessed it, opened the box. What had I done differently?

Clearly excited having opened this elusive mechanism, I closed the box back up and tried to repeat what I had done. And I couldn’t! The box remained firmly closed. Another 10 minutes of trying everything that I could and I finally had the box open again. This time I thought I knew what I had done, so confidently closed the box back up feeling quite satisfied…

And then couldn’t open it again! After another few attempts, I finally understood what I need to do to be able to open the box consistently, and I really love the mechanism. I take my hat off to Hiroshi Iwahara for designing such a clever mechanism.

So here’s the kicker. The mechanism isn’t visible when the box is open, and I really don’t think you get any clues from seeing this puzzle box open that will help you re-open it. So much so, that I opened this box in front of a few friends, let them see the box open, then closed it and challenged them to re-open it. And they couldn’t despite watching me open it in front of them.

This is a brilliant puzzle box, and probably my favourite of the boxes I was given a loan of and have opened so far. If you see this box for sale, I highly recommend adding it to your collection. Thanks again Derek for kindly lending me this puzzle.

KaraKuri Small Boxes #2, #4, #5 & #6

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Continuing in my reviews of the Karakuri puzzle boxes my friend Derek Bosch gave me a loan of, is this set of Karakuri Small boxes. I previously reviewed Small box #1 which Robert Yarger kindly sent me when I purchased his Stickman #2 puzzle box from him.

I really enjoyed the first in the Small Box series so I was keen to try to solve these boxes to see where the Karakuri creation group had taken the series. With each box having a unique mechanism, yet all being less than 2″ in size, there’s not a lot of room to be different in there. How wrong can you be. One of the things I love as a puzzler is that I am constantly surprised when I find a clever and almost always simple mechanism which can confuse and elude the solver. These boxes are no exception.

As a note, I have listed these boxes as best I can from the information I have from the Karakuri group. I accept that they may be incorrect. If you have better information, or can verify anything below, please let me know!

Karakuri Small Box #2

Karakuri Small Box #2

The second box in the series was made back on 2004 and is made from Cherry and Katura. This is listed as KK-2-2, which the same as the original #2, mechanism, just made with a single wood rather than the original box which had a Yosegi pattern on it. There are four versions of this box in total, however the mechanism to open them is the same.

The box itself is the of the usual Karakuri quality that I’ve talked about before. The fit and finish are excellent, adding to the challenge as there’s no obvious mechanism on show. Having tried the usual pushing and pulling on the edges of the box, I wasn’t getting anywhere. So as is always helpful, I tried something different. That turned out to be the key to opening this box. It’s a really simple mechanism, and is executed very well. It’s not my favourite of the series, but still a fun box. Can’t say much more than that without giving anything away.

Karakuri Small Box #4

Karakuri Small Box #4

Small Box #4 came out a year and a half after #1, 2 & 3 in 2005 and is made from Makore. A further version was made from Rengas in 2010.

The design of this box (and the next two) is slightly different to the previous boxes, in that it is like a small box with a bigger box ‘hat’. That gives it the appearance of floating when it’s sitting on a table thanks to the shadow cast from the top of the box. In each of these boxes, there is a small gap between the sides of the top and bottom of the box, which will allow the box parts to expand and contract without jamming or splitting. Even with this gap, don’t expect any of the boxes to give up their secrets.

The Karakuri group has this to say about #4: “These creations were all based on Kamei’s old works. “Karakuri Small Box #4” is based on “Box with a Ribbon (P-27)”. It’s a work that is a little unkind.”

The first box in this second generation of small boxes if you will, will be well known to fans of Akio Kamei. It is almost identical to his “Box with a Ribbon” but on a smaller scale, so will hold few surprises for some. I hadn’t previously seen Kamei’s older works so this was new to me.

The description is correct, this box is a little unkind. The only movement to be found initially is that the top and bottom will move around an eighth of an inch. There’s no rattle, to suggest a mechanism, and it seems solidly locked.

As ever with a puzzle box, everything is not as it seems, the answer is simple, and it does not open the way you would expect. In my mind that makes it a good puzzle. If it did what you expected, it would be easy! I spent around 20 minutes over several days playing with this box before I finally opened it . It turned out I had been close for quite some time, but didn’t see how to finish opening it.

Karakuri Small Box #5

Karakuri Small Box #5

The fifth box in the series came out at the same time in 2005, and is made from Camphor wood. A second edition of this mechanism was made in 2010 from Maple, however the version Derek gave me is a Walnut version. I’ve not found any information about this version from the Karakuri information I have, but from the mechanism, I am convinced it’s a #5.

Almost identical in shape to #4, this has a significant difference to #4. It rattles. For any seasoned puzzle box enthusiast, this is a good clue as to what is going on inside. As I expected, I was right about the mechanism in this box, and opened it on my first try. It’s a fun box, and I really like this despite opening it so quickly. When someone has been stuck trying to solve it for a while, the look on their face when you open it with no effort is priceless.

The image of the opened box below has been taken very carefully to make sure I give nothing away about the mechanism of this box.

Karakuri Small Box #5 open

Karakuri Small Box #5 open

The Karakuri Creation group have this to say about the box “Even though you try to open it “in your hands”, it isn’t easy to open. You may not think you need a desk, but it sincerely is helpful to solve the puzzle.

I hadn’t read the information from the Karakuri website before opening the box, but it did help in identifying which box is which as Derek couldn’t tell me.

Karakuri Small Box #6

Karakuri Small Box #6

The final box in the series Derek gave me a loan of is #6. Released along with #4 and 5 in 2005, the original is made from Walnut, however the version Derek has is a much lighter wood. I can’t find any information about this version, but I’m pretty sure it’s the right box.

From the Karakuri group comes the following information “People who know the “Top Box” will have already understood the answer. If you don’t know, perhaps it’s difficult to open. Can you imagine the answer from the title? Maybe you need a slight skill to open it, because we made it as a small size work. Maybe you also had better use a desk. If anything, you had better play on the carpet…”

Again I’m not familiar with the Top Box, and this box stumped me for the longest time. It rattles much like #5, but the mechanism isn’t the same. There’s a small amount of play between the base and top the same as the other two, but nothing I did seemed to help in opening the puzzle. When you move the box around, it feels as though there are two marbles locked inside, and if you pull on the base, as you rotate the box, the marbles seem to get stuck until you release the base and they start rolling around again.

This took me a good week to open playing on and off. In all I think it took me about an hour to open this one. Even after opening it, I had little idea how the mechanism works. I really don’t feel like I had an ‘aha’ moment with this one, and as such it’s probably my least favourite of the series that I’ve played with.

If you’re looking for a nice series of puzzle boxes which are affordable and give a good challenge, then I’d definitely recommend the small box series from the Karakuri group. They’re well made and affordable boxes, that look great and could all be used to store small items like a ring. So if you want an interesting way to give that special puzzler a gift within a gift, these would be a great idea. (No hints there to my fiancée at all 😉 )