Mechanical Puzzles
Jim Storer

Table Of Contents

Burrs - 22

Knot Shaped Three Piece Burrs
Wood Knot - 28
Grooved Three Piece Board Burr - 29
Cross Keys (a.k.a. Three Piece Puzzle) - 30
Knotted Cube - 31
Oskar's Blocks - 32
Shaekel Knot - 33
Cheers - 34

Standard Shaped Three Piece Burrs With A Single Trick
Segerblom Knot - 35
Slideways Burr - 36
Sonneveld Three Piece Burr - 37
Triple Play - 38

Standard Shaped Three Piece Burrs
Just The Three - 39
Just 3 - 40
3 Piece Burr Yamaosa - 41
Three Open Windows - 42
GigaBurr & GigaBurr II - 43
Cubie Burr & Cubie Burr #2 - 44

Burrs With Four Pieces
JA6PB - Just Another 6-Piece Burr - 45
Accordion - 46

Burrs With Five Pieces
Disguised Burr - 47
Switch Board Burr - 48
Rift - 49
La Taupe - 50
Octo Burr - 51

Standard Six Piece Burrs
Simple 6-Piece Burr - 52
The Puzzle (a.k.a. Double Cross) - 54
Mikado Block Puzzle - 56
Yamato Block Puzzle - 58
Devil's Knot - 59
Misfit Puzzle - 60
Coffin's Improved Burr - 62
Bill's Baffling Burr - 63
L5 Notchable - 64
Computer's Choice 3-Hole - 65
Computer's Choice 4-Hole - 66
Eight Is Enough - 67
Compter's Choice 5-Hole - 69
The Piston Puzzle - 70
Computer's Choice Unique-10 - 71
L46AA Notchable - 72
Mega Six - 73
Love's Dozen - 74
139 Burr - 75

Non-Standard Six Piece Burrs
Twelve Points To Insanity - 76
Dragon Fly - 77
Butterfly - 78
Explode-A-Burr - 79
Programmer's Nightmare - 80
Holey Astigmatism - 81
NOS No. 7 - Seizaine - 82
U-Nam-It Burr - 83
Bill's Ball Bearing Burr - 84
Blind Burr - 85
Luxemburr - 86
Brass Monkey 2 - 87
Around The Bend - 88
Frantix - 89
Dovetail Burr - 90
Lock Nut - 91
Three Pieces Puzzle - 92
Tri Again - 93
Zauberflote - 94
Zig-Zag Knot - 95
Amulet - 96
Combined Burr - 97
Knotted Burr - 98

Six Piece Plate Burrs
Chen's Six Board Burr - 99
Chocolate Dip Burr - 100
Gordian Knot - 101
Bent Board Burr #2 - 102

Burrs With More Than Six Pieces
Japanese Shape Burrs (a.k.a. Kumiki Puzzles) - 103
Drueke Burrs - Bill's and Marian's Puzzles - 105
Missing Notch - 106
Uranus - 107
Gaia - 108
Elena's Burr - 109
Miyako Wooden Puzzle - 110
The Aeroplane Block Puzzle - 111
Sydney Harburr Bridge - 112
Bill's Ball Buster - 113
Hectix (a.k.a. Hexsticks, Notched Hexagonal Sticks) - 114
Locked Blocks - 116
Block Puzzle Senior - 117
Satellite Burr - 118
H Burr - 119
Sears Tower - 121
Wausau '81 - 122
Wausau '82 - 123
Wausau 83 - 124
Wausau 84 - 125
Burry Joint - 126
Lassen Risti - 127
Old Oak Of England - 128
Lattice - 129
Quadlock1 - 130
The Pacco Puzzle - 131
Q.E.D. - 132
Miyako 21-Piece - 133
Binary Burr - 134
Visible Burr - 135
SM24 Burr - 139

Multi Burrs
Fusion Burr - 148
Four Burr Stick - 149
Four Burrs - 151
Lost Day (a.k.a Eight Burrs) - 152
Berserk BurrCirc - 153

Framed Burrs
Oskar's Cube - 155
Two Piece Oddity - 156
Pair Dance - 157
Three Sticks Trapped - 158
Three Trapped Sages - 159
Trapped Duo - 160
Pandora's Box (a.k.a. Internal Combustion) - 161
Spacemine - 164
Locked Sticks - 165
Two Halves Cage - 166
Constrained Burrs - 167

Burr Sets
Simple 6-Piece 6-Solutions Burr Set - 168
Burr Set JCC - 169
CCH Level 1 Key Piece Burr Set - 170
Interlocking Puzzles Burr Set - 172
Interlocking Puzzles Burr Set #2 - 177



Cube Assembly - 180

Pieces Made from Unit Size Cubes
Soma Cube - 181
Half Hour - 182
IP Five Piece Cube - 183
Coffin Quartet - 184
Four X - 185
Bedlam Cube - 186
Century Cube - 187

Pieces Made from Rectilinear Non-Cubic Shapes
Patio Block - 189
Patio Block MPA - 190
Splitting Headache - 192

Pieces Based on Polyhedral Dissections
Quadro Cube - 193
Diagonal Cube - 194
Slideways - 195
Apparently Impossible Cube - 196

Pieces With Interlocking Connections
Cubes And Pegs - 197
Cubes And Pegs Version B - 198
L-Bert Hall - 199
Five Minute Puzzle - 200
Corner Block - 201
Pieces Of Eight - 202
Groovy Cubes - 204
Twenty Cube - 205
Rik's Kiddy Wrapping - 206
Play2CubePart2 - 207
Liberal Cube - 208

Manipulation of Connected Cubes
Folding Cubes - 209
Hinged Cubes - 210
Kev's Cubes (a.k.a. Snake Cubes, Serpent Cubes, Cubra Cubes) - 212
Cubra Cubes - 214

Misc Cube Assemblies
Helix Cube - 215



Packing (including 2D Shapes) - 216

Checkerboard Puzzles
Checkerboard (a.k.a. All Square Novelty Puzzle, Check-A-Board, ...) - 217
Sectional Checkerboard Puzzle - 218
Chequers (a.k.a. Famous Bug House Puzzle) - 223
The Bug House Puzzle - 225
Famous Baffling Checkerboard Puzzle - 226
XceL Checkerboard Puzzle No. 1 - 227
XceL Checkerboard Puzzle No. 2 - 228
Gyro Checker Board Jig Saw Puzzle - 229
Draught Board Puzzle (a.k.a. Krazee Checkerboard Puzzle, Zebas Puzzle,...) - 230
Adams Idiot's Delight Checkerboard Puzzle - 233
Japanese 19 Piece Checkerboard Puzzle - 234

Richter Tangram and the Other 36 Anchor Stone Puzzles
Anchor Puzzle Tangram (a.k.a Caricature, Cut-Up Square ... Richter No. 8) - 235
The Nine (a.k.a. All Nine, Richter No. 1) - 245
Lightning Conductor (a.k.a. Richter No. 2) - 247
Egg Of Columbus (a.k.a. Columbus' Egg, Columbian Puzzle, Richter No. 3) - 251
Patience Prover (a.k.a. Richter No. 4) - 254
Trouble Killer (a.k.a. Richter No. 5) - 257
Heart Puzzle (a.k.a. Richter No. 6) - 261
Kobold (a.k.a. Richter No. 7) - 267
Circular Puzzle (a.k.a. Richter No. 9) - 269
Cross Puzzle (a.k.a. Richter No. 10) - 272
Not Too Hasty (a.k.a. Richter No. 11) - 276
Pythagoras (a.k.a. Richter No. 12) - 279
Tormentor (a.k.a. Richter No. 13) - 285
BeQuiet (a.k.a. Richter No. 14 /3) - 290
Sphinx (a.k.a. Lott's Stone Puzzle, Richter No. 15 / 16) - 293
Magic Egg (a.k.a. Miracle Egg, Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 16 / 17) - 297
Wrath Breaker (a.k.a. Richter No. 17) - 299
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 23 - 303
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 26 - 304
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 27 - 305
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 28 - 306
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 29 - 307
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 30 - 308
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 31 - 309
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 35 - 313
Richter Anchor Stone Puzzle No. 36 - 314
Richter Summary - 315

Some Other Richter Puzzles and Games
Richter Piccolo Nr. T1 (a.k.a. Richter Picco Nr. T1) - 323
Richter Hamleys - 324
Richter Trench and Zoo Puzzles (a.k.a. Schutzengraben, Zoologischer-Garten) - 325
Richter Star Puzzle - 328
Richter Puzzle Mosaic No. 3 - 331
Richter Meteor 1 - 332
Richter Meteor 6 - 333

Other Tangram-Like Puzzles
The Classic Tangram (a.k.a. Richter Anchor Puzzle) - 334
Daddling - 335
Pythagoras - 336
Voodoo - 337
HiHo - 338
Sherlock Holmes - 339
Scrambled Egg - 341
121 Puzzles - 342
ELZZUP - 343
PIC-TUR-ETT - 348
King Tut's Puzzle - 350
HIQU - 351
Shape By Shape - 352

Other 2D Puzzles With Polygonal Shapes
Four F's (a.k.a. F Puzzle) - 353
Four Piece Square (a.k.a. Magic Square) - 354
Double Square (a.k.a Square Me, Five Block Puzzle, Madagascar Madness) - 355
Red Circle Puzzle - 358
Missing T (a.k.a. T Puzzle, Magic T, Cut-Up T, Pa's T Puzzle, etc.) - 359
What's Your Score - 362
FPuzzle (theF) - 363
H Puzzle - 364
Pie Without E - 365
Make A Square - 366
Major War Problem - 367

Other 2D Packing Puzzles
Checking In - 368
Decoy Puzzle - 369
Batee Baseball - 370
Blockade - 371
Four T Puzzle - 372
Pencil Puzzle - 373
Pearl In The Shell - 374
Czech Farms - 375
Seven - 376

Pentominoes
Pentominoes (a.k.a Polyominoes) - 377
Twin Box Pentominoes - 385

3D Box Filling
Block Head (a.k.a. Sneaky Squares, Stark Raving Cubes, Square Fit, KUBI) - 386
Three Piece Block Head (a.k.a. The Third Degree) - 387
Coffin's 271A - 388
Log Stacker - 389
Dice Packing Box - 390
Chaotic Cube - 391
Pack It In - 394
Cube Root Blocks - 395
Parcel Post - 396
Bermuda Hexagon - 397



Matching - 398

2D Matching
Rubik's Tangle 3x3 (a.k.a Rubik's Mini Tangle) - 399
Rubik's Tangle 3x3 Double Sided - 400
Rubik's Tangle 5x5 - 401
Cluzzelei - 402
Crazy Puzzles - 403
McDonald Land Guzzle - 404
Infants Hospital - The Magic Line - 406
Krazee Links (a.k.a Endless Chain) - 407
Lost Rope - 408
Drive Ya Nuts - 409
Circus Seven (a.k.a. Mind Exerciser) - 410
Circus Puzzler (a.k.a. Color Matcher) - 411
Color Match - 412
Thinkominos - 413
Match The Colors - 414
Triazzle - 415
Bee - 416
Invisible - 417
Snake Pit - 418
Frog Pond - 419
Tool Trouble - 420
Transposer 6 & Bonbons - 421
Transposer Kaboozle - 422
Tantrix Discovery - 423
Tantrix Extreme - 424
Great Gears - 426
Spectra - 427

Instant Insanity Family
Instant Insanity (a.k.a Katzenjammer, Great Tantalizer, Face-4, ...) - 429
The Grand Army Puzzle - 442
The Allies Flag Puzzle (a.k.a. The Allied Flags Puzzle) - 443
The Allies Flags Puzzle - 444
Tantalizing Ten - 445
Cuss - 446
Iribako - 447
Drives You Crazy - 448
Boer War Puzzle - 449

Other 3D Matching
Bolygok - 451
Double Disaster - 452
Mental Blocks - 453
Disney Cubes - 454
Make A Dice (a.k.a. Spots Puzzle) - 455
Twice Dice - 456
Loony Tunes Blocks - 457
Smarts Pyramid - 458
Smarts PyramidJr - 459
The Rock - 460
Einstein Cube - 461
Rubik Triamid - 462



Other 3D Shape Assembly - 463

Convex Polyhedral Shapes
Two Piece Pyramid (a.k.a. Magic Pyramid) - 464
Three Piece Tetrahedron - 465
Four Piece Pyramid, Version 1 - 466
Four Piece Pyramid, Version 2 - 467
Four Piece Tetrahedron - 468
Truncated Tetrahedron - 469
Five Piece Tetrahedron - 470
Truncated Octahedra - 471
Truncated Cubes - 472
Garnet - 473
Y-Knot - 474

More Complex Polyhedral Shapes
Three Cubes Puzzle - 475
Three Piece Block - 476
Three Boxy - 477
Three Bunnies - 478
118-X - 479
Three Pairs - 480
Augmented Four Corners - 481
Turnabout - 482
Triumph - 483
Fusion Confusion - 484
Rosebud - 485
Twelve Piece Separation - 486
Crystal Pyramid - 489

3D Jigsaw Puzzles
Four Piece Jigsaw Puzzle - 490
Four Piece Jigsaw Cube - 491
Wonder Puzzle Block - 492
3x3 Chinese Zigzag - 493
3x4 Chinese Zigzag - 494
Wonders Of The World Cube Puzzle - 495
Jigsaw Dog - 496

Misc. Shape Assembly
Oskar's Matchboxes - 497
Pin-Hole Puzzle (a.k.a Pegged Puzzle) - 498
Wood Star - 499
Saturn Ring - 500
Rubik's Snake - 501
Yin And Yang - 502
Wooden-Do-It (a.k.a. Construction Cigar, Cigar Puzzle) - 503
Gumball Keychains - 508
Hartley's Humpty Dumpty - 509
Almost Impossible Heart - 510



Rubik's Cube Etc. - 511

Rubik's Cube - The Two That Started It All
Rubik's 2x2x2 Pocket Cube - 512
Rubik's 3x3x3 Cube - 523

More Rubik's Type Cubes
Rubik1x2x2 - 539
Rubik 1x2x3 - 540
Rubik 1x2x5 - 542
Rubik 1x2x9 - 543
Rubik 1x2x13 (a.k.a. Unlucky Twist) - 544
Rubik 1x3x3 Floppy Cube - 545
Rubik1x3x3 Floppy Mirror Cube (a.k.a. Magic Floppy Cube) - 546
Rubik1x3x3 Scramble Cube - 547
Rubik 2x2x2 Bandaged - 548
Rubik 2x2x2 Double Bandaged - 549
Rubik 2x2x2 Nested (a.k.a. Rubik 2x2x2 Super Square) - 550
Rubik 2x2x2 Cubes Fused - 551
Rubik 2x2x2 McDonalds - 552
Rubik 2x2x3 Tower Cube (a.k.a. Slim Tower, Franken Tower) - 553
Rubik 2x2x4 Tower - 554
Rubik 2x2x4 Nested (a.k.a. Rubik 2x2x4 Super Square) - 555
Rubik 2x2x23 (a.k.a. Overlap Cube) - 556
Rubik 2x3x3 Domino - 557
Rubik2x3x3 Layered - 558
Rubik 2x3x4 - 559
Rubik 2x4x4 (a.k.a. WitEden 2x4x4) - 560
Rubik's Color Blocks - 561
Rubik 3x3x3 Mirror Cube (a.k.a. Mirror Block, Yong Jun Cube) - 562
Rubik3x3x3 Fisher Cube (a.k.a. Square King) - 563
Rubik 3x3x3 Void Cube (a.k.a. Holey Cube) - 564
Rubik 3x3x3 Edges Only (a.k.a. Cornerless Void Cub) - 566
Rubik 3x3x3 Fourth Dimension - 567
Rubik 3x3x3 Scotland - 568
Rubik 3x3x3 Layered - 569
Rubik's 3x3x3 Perpetual Calendar - 570
Rubik 3x3x3 Bandaged (a.k.a. Bicube) - 571
Rubik 3x3x3 Patched (a.k.a. Fused Cube) - 572
Rubik 3x3x3 Brick (a.k.a Brick Cube) - 573
Rubik 3x3x3 Latch Cube - 574
Rubik 3x3x3 Constrained (a.k.a. TomZ / Tom's Constrained Cube) - 575
Rubik 3x3x3 Treasure Box - 576
Rubik 3x3x4 - 577
Rubik 3x3x5 - 578
Rubik 3x3x5 X - 579
Rubik 3x3x5 Cross - 580
Rubik 3x3x9 - 581
Rubik 3x3x9RoadBlock - 582
Rubik 3x4x5 - 583
Rubik 4x4x4 - 584
Rubik 4x4x4 Patched - 592
Rubik 4x4x4 Brick - 593
Rubik 4x4x5 - 594
Rubik 4x4x6 (a.k.a. TomZ 4x4x6 Cuboid) - 595
Rubik 5x5x5 - 596
Rubik 6x6x6 (a.k.a. V-Cube 6x6x6) - 599
Rubik 7x7x7 (a.k.a. V-Cube 7x7x7) - 600
Large Rubik Cubes - 601
Huge Rubik Cubes - 602

Camouflage Cubes / Evil Cuboids
Camouflage Cube 3x3x3 - 603
Camouflage Cube 3x4x4 - 604
Evil Cuboid 2x3x4 - 605
Evil Cuboid 3x3x3 - 606
Evil Cuboid 3x4x5 - 607

Crazy Cubes
Crazy Cube 2x3x3 - 608
Crazy Cube 3x3x3 - 609
Crazy Cube 3x3x7 (a.k.a. WitEden Super Magic Cube) - 610
Crazy Cube 4x4x4 - 611
Crazy Cube 4x4x4 Two - 612

Other Rectangular Shapes
Mixup Cube - 613
Ghost Cube - 614
Pocket Cube - 615
Axel Cube - 616
Skewb - 617
Holey Skewb (a.k.a. Void Skewb) - 619
Pitcher Insanity Cube - 620
Golden Cube - 621
Six Spots - 622
Dino Cube (a.k.a. Dinosaur Cube) - 623
Blue Magic (a.k.a. Black Flower Cube, Star Cube, Rex Cube) - 624
Mosaic Cube - 625
Square 1 (a.k.a. Super Cubix, Cube 21) - 626
Helicopter Cube - 634
Curvy Copter - 635

Geared Shapes
Geared 1x1x4 - 636
Geared 2x2x2 (a.k.a. David Gear Cube) - 637
Geared Mixup - 638
Gear Cube - 639
Gear Barrel - 640
Gear Cube Extreme - 641
Timur Gear Skewb - 642
Gear Shift - 643
Gear Pyraminx - 644
Gear Pyraminx2 (a.k.a. Gear Mastermorphix) - 645
Gear Minx - 646
Gear Change - 647
Gear Octahedron (a.k.a. Timur Gear Corner Turning Octahedron) - 648
Gear Ball - 649

Pyrmid and Diamond Shapes
Pyraminx - 650
Master Pyraminx - 655
Pyraminx Duo - 656
Pyraminx Diamond - 657
Jing's Pyraminx (a.k.a. Rounded Halpern-Meier Pyramid) - 658
Crazy Pyraminx (a.k.a. Crazy Tetrahedron Plus) - 659
Tetraminx - 660
Professor Pyraminx - 661
Vulcano - 662
Megaminx (a.k.a. Supernova) - 663
Holey Megaminx - 664
Crazy Megaminx - 665
Kilominx (a.k.a. Flowerminx) - 666
Master Kilominx - 667
Gigaminx - 668
Teraminx - 669
Pyraminx Crystal - 670
Helicopter Dodecahedron - 671
Skewb Diamond - 672
Super Skewb Diamond (a.k.a. Diamond Octahedron) - 673
Skewb Ultimate - 674
Skewb Kite - 675
Skewb Fourteen - 676
Pyrastar - 677
Pyramorphix (a.k.a Figurenmatch, Distortion Demon Square) - 678
Starburst (a.k.a. Star of David, Sterns Puzzle) - 679
Mastermorphix (a.k.a. Master Pyramorphinx) - 680
Dinomorphix - 681
Pillow Cube (a.k.a. Cushion Cube) - 682
Enhanced Pillow Cube (a.k.a. Polish Cushion) - 683
Confused Pillow Cube - 684
Hungarian Diamond - 685
Rhombi Diamond (a.k.a. Diamond Style Puzzler) - 686
Octahedron (a.k.a. Magic Octahedron) - 688
Full Octahedron - 689
Flowered Jewel (a.k.a Jewel Puzzler, Christopher's Magic Jewel, ...) - 690
Ghost Extreme - 691

Disc Shapes
Rubik's Cheese - 692
Rubik UFO - 693
UFO Cheese - 694
Rubik Cheese Cake - 695
Puck Puzzle (a.k.a Hockey Puck Puzzle) - 696
Saturn - 697
Hungarian UFO (a.k.a. Varia Disk) - 698
Tricky Disky (a.k.a. Tricky Disk, Mind Trapper) - 699
Smart Alex (a.k.a Alpa-2-Go) - 700
Netblock UFO / Sando Ring (a.k.a. King Ring) - 701
Octo (a.k.a. Meeting Colors, Disco Puzzle) - 702
Gerdig UFO - 703
Brain Ball - 704

Ball Shapes
Rubik 2x2x2 K-Ball - 705
Rubik 3x3x3 Ball - 706
Rubik 3x3x3 Apple - 707
Master Ball (a.k.a. Duo Master, Geo Master) - 708
Skewb Puzzle Ball (a.k.a Creative Puzzle Ball) - 711
Impossiball - 713
Dogic - 714

Misc Shapes
Rubik House (a.k.a. Eight Planets Bermuda Cube) - 715
Time Machine - 716
Rubik Barrel - 717
Cuboctahedron - 718
Rainbow Cube - 719
Rainbow Nautilus - 720
Pentahedron - 721
Pentahedron 5 Layer - 722
Crazy Pentahedron - 723
Dino Star - 725
Alexander's Star - 726
Platypus - 727
Skewb Egg (a.k.a. Golden Egg, Silver Egg, etc.) - 728
Brain Twist - 729
Roundy - 730



Other 3D Manipulation - 731

Panel Puzzles
Rubik Mini Magic Panels (a.k.a Rubik Magic Junior) - 732
Rubik's Magic Panels - 737
Rubik Magic Panels Create The Cube - 745
Rubik's Master Magic Panels - 747
Rubik Magic Cross Panels - 749
Rubik Super Magic Panels - 750

Towers Of Moving Balls Or Tiles
Whip-It Towers (a.k.a. Genius Puzzle) - 752
Varikon Towers - 753
Whip-It Ball - 755
Babylon Towers - 756
Calendar Bank - 757
Thai Tower (a.k.a. Clever Toys Tower) - 758
Numbers Barrel - 759
Missing Link - 760
Reduced Missing Link - 762
Extended Missing Link - 763
Doubled Missing Link - 764
Mini Missing Link - 766

Other Puzzles With Moving Balls or Tiles
Magic Rainbow Ball - 767
Hungarian Globe (a.k.a. Equator Ball, Magic Sphere, IQ Ball) - 768
Bolaris - 770
Magic Sphere - 771
Touchdown - 772
Twister (a.k.a. Wooden Screwball, Clever Toys Natural) - 773
Atomic Chaos (a.k.a. Kaos) - 774
Entrapment - 775
Pakovalec (a.k.a. Stupid Cylinder) - 776
Ten Billion Barrel (a.k.a. Billion Barrel, Tumbler Puzzle) - 777
Russian Revolver (a.k.a. Russian UFO, Soviet UFO, Russian Flower, Festival Flower) - 778
Back Spin (a.k.a. Loophole) - 780
Sliding Piece Can Puzzle - 781
Sliding Piece Can Puzzle - 782
Brain Racker - 783
The Orb (a.k.a. Orb-It, l'ORBS) - 784
Rubik's Shells - 785
Astrolabacus - 786

Movement of Pieces by Tilting or Pushing
Varikon Box 2x2x2 - 787
Varikon Box 3x3x3 - 788
Inversion - 789
Peter's Black Hole / Vadasz Cage (a.k.a. Inside Out, Magic Jack, IQ Cube) - 791
Mad Marbles - 792
Dice Box - 793
Clark's Cube - 794
Pionir Box (a.k.a. Pionir Cube) - 795
Rubik Dice - 796

Movement of Discs and Rings
Towers Of Hanoi (a.k.a. Pyramid Piling Puzzle, Rainbow Puzzle, Brahma Puzzle) - 797
Chinese Rings (a.k.a. Cardan's Rings, Baguenaudier) - 800
Spinout - 804
Hexadecimal Puzzle - 805
WanderRings - 809
Panex - 811

Manipulation Of Positioned Balls, Levers, Buttons, Etc.
Cmetrick - 812
Cmetrick Too (Hard) - 813
Planets - 814
SaturnLD - 815
Orbik - 818
Rolling Cubes - 819
Cross Teaser - 820
Rubik's Clock - 821
Cerebral Rings Puzzler - 823
Simultaneous Maze - 824

Misc.
Wisdom Ball (a.k.a. Mind Twister) - 825
SpongeBob PuzzlePants (a.k.a. SpongeBob Cube) - 826
Flip Side - 827
Kabalabda - 828
Rubik's Rabbits (a.k.a. Rubik's Hat) - 829
Enigma - 830
Brain Puzzler - 831



Sliding Pieces and Other 2D Manipulation - 832

Square Pieces
Fifteen Puzzle (4x4 squares, 15 tiles) - 833
RO-LET (4x4 squares, 15 tiles) - 882
Unocando (4x4 squares, 15 tiles) - 883
Missionary Puzzle (4x4 squares, 16 tiles) - 884
Sixteen Puzzle (4x4 + 1 squares, 16 tiles, a.k.a. Flintstones, Escher) - 885
Moving Day (2x3 squares, 5 tiles, a.k.a. 5-Block Puzzle, Lodging House Difficulty) - 886
Eight Puzzle (2x4 squares, 7 tiles, a.k.a Super Solitaire) - 887
Nine Puzzle (3x3 squares, 8 tiles, a.k.a. Superman, Tweety, Simpsons, etc.) - 888
Mystic (3x3 squares, 7 tiles) - 893
Magic Square 3x3 (3x3 squares, 9 tiles) - 894
Great Fifty Puzzle (4x4 squares, 16 tiles, a.k.a Magic Square 4x4) - 895
Panama Canal Puzzle (2x6 squares, 11 tiles) - 896
Bull's-Eye (3x4 squares, 11 tiles, a.k.a. Bullseye, Target, Zot) - 900
Good Luck (4x3 squares, 11 tiles) - 906
Ditho (3x5 squares, 14 tiles) - 907
Twenty (3x7 squares, 20 tiles - 910
Double Trouble Puzzle (5x5 squares, 24 tiles) - 911
Twenty Seven (4x7 squares, 27 tiles) - 912
Scrabble Pocket Puzzle (4x7 squares, 27 tiles) - 914
Cornell Crossword Puzzle (4x7 squares, 28 tiles) - 915
Thirty One (4x8 squares, 31 tiles, a.k.a. Jumble, TWIDL) - 916
Frog (4x8 squares, 31 tiles) - 917
Maps (4x8 squares, 31 tiles) - 918
SKOR (4x8 squares, 31 tiles) - 919
ScribeO (4x8 tiles, 31 tiles) - 920
Octopix (4x8 squares, 31 tiles) - 921
Forty Nine (7x7 squares, 48 tiles - 922
LINGO (4x14 squares, 55 tiles) - 923

Square Pieces With Obstacles
Grandpa's Car (a.k.a. Slide-Blocked Sliding Block) - 927
Time Puzzle - 928
Work Or Golf (a.k.a. Motor Garage Puzzle, Parka Car, Sputnik, E Peg Puzzle) - 931
Honor And Glory (a.k.a. Black And White) - 934
One Fish Another Fish - 936
Russian Rows - 937
Nite and Day(s) (a.k.a. Ride or Walk) - 938
Ride or Walk (a.k.a. Nite and Days) - 939
1234 Puzzle (a.k.a. Nite and Days, Ride or Walk) - 940
Fish or Dive - 941
Work or Golf Abridged - 942

1x2 Pieces and (in most cases) 1x1 pieces
Get My Goat (a.k.a. Kapture The Kron Prinz, Boogie Man, Center Point, ...) - 943
Line Up The Quinties - 949
Johnson City Puzzle - 951
Four Suits 2 - 953
Puzzle Contrast - 954
Sliding Arrow Through The Bottle Puzzle - 955
Slidem WWII Puzzles - 956
Monarch - 960
Sliding Chess Mate 36 - 961
Straight Arrow - 962

Dad's Puzzler Family - 4x5 Trays and Multiple Shapes Rectangular Pieces
Dad's Puzzler (a.k.a. Moving Puzzle, Tit-Bits Teaser 1, Pennant Puzzle, ...) - 963
Dads Puzzler - Humdinger Version - 999
Dad's Puzzler - Exchange Version / Infants' Hospital - 1006
Quzzle And Quzzle Killer - 1013
Nine Block - 1017
Red Donkey, with Simple TJ, Century, Super Century (a.k.a. L'Ane Rouge, ...) - 1020
Traffic Jam / Let Me Through - 1030
Century Puzzles - 1035
Grand Master With Little House - 1041
Ushi And Ushi-Flipped - 1044
Hole In One With Royal Out and King Out - 1047
Fence The Cow - 1050
Dad's Puzzle Family Set With Fujiwara 15/22/25 and Super Compo - 1052

Dad's Puzzler Family With Obstacles and Non-Rectangular Pieces
D209 - 1057
Super Dries - 1058

Beyond Dad's Puzzler Family
Sunbeams Rainbow Puzzle - 1059
Infants Hospital Puzzle (a.k.a. Infants Progress Puzzle) - 1060
Trans-Atlantic (a.k.a. Ten Block Puzzle, Traffic Cop Tangle) - 1062
Happy Couple (with Ten Block and The Hughes Puzzle) - 1064
Flying Puzzle (a.k.a. Starry Puzzler, Tit-Bits Teaser No. 2, Ching Foo, ...) - 1070
Technocracy - 1080
George Washington Puzzle - 1081
Presidential Puzzle - 1084
Tit Bits Teaser No. 5 - 1086
Century Of Progress (a.k.a. South Pole Expedition) - 1091
Sliding Block Puzzle (a.k.a. Fifteen Block Puzzle, 1-2-3 Puzzle, ...) - 1093
Slide A While & Model Garage - 1098
Tokyo Parking / Rush Hour - 1103
Moota-Kun - 1107
Pink and Blue - 1109
Adam & Eve (a.k.a. Comic Scramble Game) - 1112
RunAway II - 1114
Neo Pink And Blue - 1116

Further Beyond Dad's Puzzler Family - Non-Rectangular Shapes
Ma's Puzzle (a.k.a. Spirit of '76, Wooden Puzzle, Rectangle Puzzle) - 1120
Dad's and Ma's Stumbling Blocks (a.k.a. Dad's Puzzler + Ma's Puzzle) - 1127
Mini Ma - 1128
Traffic Jam Puzzle (a.k.a. Tit-Bits Teaser No. 4) - 1129
Naoyuki Iwase 2012 - 1136
Naoyuki Iwase 2014 - 1138
Triple Tango - 1140
Clouds And Sheep - 1141
Slider (a.k.a. Hole In One) - 1142
Heart-In - 1143
Soap - 1144
Block Ten (a.k.a. Apple) - 1145
Climb 15 - 1151
Stumbling Block - 1157
I Want You - 1159
Neo Black And White - 1161
Just Six Pieces - 1166
Solo - 1167
Angel And Satan - 1168
Kuroko And Dairu - 1169
Windmill - 1170
Two Sliding Squares - 1173

Sliding Pieces Non-Standard Movement - Multiple Layers
Fence the Sheep - 1174
Two Butterflies - 1178
Moon and Star - 1179
Get My Sheep - 1186
Two Eggs - 1188
Sliding Cross - 1198
Football Match - 1207

Sliding Pieces Non-Standard Movement - Rotations and Turntables
Egg (a.k.a. Dinosaur Egg, Dragon's Egg) - 1210
Enjoy Life - 1216
Dustin Puzzle - 1225
Easy - 1228
Easy 1989 - 1230

Sliding Pieces Non-Standard Movement - Capture Movement
Sliding Eight 2 (Sliding Eight II) - 1232
Shimokita - 1234
H-Slider - 1242
My Towers of Hanoi - 1244
Sliding Three - 1251
Sliding Three Square - 1257
Neo Slide-9 - 1262
RunAway - 1264
Easy Trap - 1266
Trap - 1269
Tricky - 1278
Dog and Cat - 1286
My Dog - 1289
Two Dogs - 1291
Stacking Cups - 1294
Train Puzzle - 1297

Sliding Pieces Non-Standard Movement - Miscellaneous
African Mask - 1298
Who's The Boss - 1306
Fusion - 1312

Movement of Buttons, Balls, Numbers, etc.
New Fifteen Puzzle - 1313
Perplexity Puzzles (Perplexity, Automobile, This is Jonah, Panama Canal) - 1314
One To Ten - 1315
Good Luck Railroad Puzzle Game - 1316
Rotos - 1317
Puzzler Novice / Challenge / Avenger (a.k.a. Turnstile, Twinspin, ...) - 1318
Rotascope (a.k.a. Taquinoscope) - 1319
Rashkey - 1321
Hungarian Rings - 1322
Hungarian Rings Triple - 1323
Hungarian Rings Quad - 1324
Hungarian Olympic Rings - 1325
One Circle Two Circles - 1326
Billiards - 1327
Billiards 9-Ball - 1328
Flower - 1329
Trio - 1330
Trio 2 - 1331
Butterfly - 1332
Subway Shuffle - 1333

Movement of Tokens
Eight Peg Puzzle - 1339
TeeZ / Brain Buster - 1340
Peg Puzzle - 1341
Hopper (a.k.a. Downsize) - 1342

Mechanically Assisted Sliding Pieces
Top Spin / No. Crunch - 1344
Turnstyle (a.k.a. Tom's Turnstile) - 1345
Line Art - 1350
Colour Match - 1351
Magic Cross (a.k.a. Zauberkreuz) - 1352
Rubik's XV (a.k.a. Rubik's Fifteen) - 1353
Tsukuda's Square (a.k.a. It, 4x4 Four By Four Puzzle) - 1354
Uriblock (a.k.a. Mix Box) - 1355
Trillion - 1356
Port To Port And Triple Cross - 1358
Switch Back - 1362
SwissMad - 1363
Modern Times - 1364
Mad Triad Challenge (Twisting Tri-Side Puzzle) - 1365
Mad Triad Handy (Twisting Tri-Side Puzzle) - 1366
La Cerradura Doble - 1367
Elemental Neon - 1368
Fluorine - 1370
SF PP STAR 29 - 1371



String and Wire Puzzles - 1372

Move or Remove a Ring
Horse Shoes - 1373
Ball And Ring (a.k.a. Ball And Chain) - 1374
Moving Rings (a.k.a. Moving Beads, Tiger Cross, Wizzard Wedding Ring) - 1375
Wits End - 1376
Single Loop Wit's End - 1378
Loop Trap - 1379
Parallel Dimension - 1380

Disengage Two Pieces
Nails - 1381
Wire U's - 1382
Wire P's - 1383
Wire Heart - 1384
Cast Loop - 1385
Cast Ring - 1386
Vortex - 1387
Simple Knot 47091 - 1388
EZ Atom 47092 - 1389
Lucky Clover - 1390

Misc.
Rod and Loop - 1391
Hide The Knots - 1392
Beer Bottle Puzzle - 1393



Other Puzzles - 1394

Mechanicl Challenges
TakitaparT (a.k.a Take It Apart) - 1395
Double Puzzle - 1396
Rook Puzzle - 1397
Bolt And Ball - 1398
Spark Plug Puzzle (a.k.a. Bougie, Get Charged) - 1399
Cage Puzzle - 1400
Nut Case - 1401
Drive The USA - 1402
Screwball - 1403

Dexterity Puzzles
Abercrombie & Fitch Dexterity Puzzles - 1404
A Ward In The Infant's Hospital (a.k.a. The Little Patients Puzzle) - 1405
ElsieCow - 1406
Reiss Style 393 - 1407
Crazy Maze - 1408
Metro - 1409
Perplexus - 1410

Puzzle Boxes
Parrot Box - 1411
Spin Box - 1412
Coffin's Double Play X-48 - 1413
Stickman Grandfather Clock - 1414
Stickman Oak Wood Slide Box - 1420
Stickman Fulcrum Box - 1426
Pirate's Wallet Box (a.k.a. Stickman No. 27) - 1427
Stickman Burr Tile Box - 1436
CruciBox - 1443

Misc
Jigsaw Heart - 1445
Infants Hospital Jigsaw Puzzle - 1446
Magic Chalice - 1447
What's Your Age - 1448
The Amazing Dr. Nim - 1449



Games - 1459
Goblet - 1460
Quixo - 1463
Quarto - 1464
Othello - 1465
Nine Mens Morris (a.k.a. Mill, Muhle, Merelles / Merilles, Mulino) - 1466
Tablut - 1468
Senet - 1470
Nannon (a.k.a. Nano Backgammon) - 1474
Make Numbers - 1475
Write a Self-Printing Program - 1476



Books - 1478

Hoffmann Related Books
Hoffmann's Puzzles Old and New (1893) - 1479
Hordern's Edition Of The Hoffmann Book (1993) - 1485
Het Puzzle-Boek (1900) - 1487
Hoffmann Posthumous Books (1925) - 1488
Hoffmann's Best Math Book (2007) - 1489
Hoffmann Patience Games Book (1892) - 1490
Hoffmann's Magic Trilogy Books (1920) - 1491
Hoffmann Study Book (1977) - 1492

Other Books from Before 1960
Robert Merry's Books Of Puzzles 1-3 (1866) - 1493
Excursions Into Puzzledom (1879) - 1495
Everybody's Puzzle Book (1890) - 1496
Richter Company U.S. Brochure (early 1900's) - 1497
New Book Of 200 Puzzles (1908) - 1504
Dudeney Books (1920's) - 1505
Dudeney Posthumous Books - 1506
Sam Loyd's Cyclopedia Of Puzzles (1914) - 1507
Sam Loyd and His Puzzles (1928) - 1508
Wyatt's 1928 and 1946 Books - 1509
Johnson Smith Catalog (reprinted from 1929) - 1510
Hirschberg Book (1930) - 1511
I-X-L Puzzle Book (1938) - 1512
Filipiak Book (1942) - 1513
Everythings A Puzzle (1953) - 1514

Books 1960 - 1999
Bell's History of Board Games (1960) - 1515
Murray's History of Board Games (1978) - 1516
Delft And Botermans Book (1978) - 1517
Winning Ways Books (1982) - 1518
Hordern's Sliding Puzzle Book (1986) - 1519
Slocum and Botermans Books (1986) - 1520
Cutler's 6-Piece Burr Books (1986) - 1521
The Mathematics Of Games (1989) - 1522
Coffin's Book On Polyhedral Dissections (1990) - 1523
Coffin's Puzzle Craft Books (1992) - 1524
The Puzzle Archade (1996) - 1525
Gabarchuk's Sliding Block Puzzle Book (1996) - 1526
Frederickson's Dissections Book (1997) - 1527
G4G Tributes To Martin Gardner (1999) - 1528

Books 2000 - 2020
The Follette Puzzle Design Book (2001) - 1529
Frederickson Books (2002, 2006, 2017) - 1530
The Tangram Book (2003) - 1531
Haubrich's Checkerboard Puzzles (2005) - 1532
The Fifteen Book (2006) - 1533
A Visual History of The S.S. Adams Co. (2006) - 1534
The Self and Lensch Puzzle Design Book (2006) - 1535
Boardman's Puzzle Projects Book (2007) - 1536
The Cube Book (2009) - 1537
Hess Mathlete Book (2009) - 1538
Diaconis and Graham Book (2012) - 1539
Stickman Book (2012) - 1540
The Anchor Puzzle Book (2012) - 1542
Coffin's AP-ART Book (2014) - 1544

Books after 2020 - save a tree and go paperless!

Burrs

Pieces are formed by removing unit cubes from rectilinear solid pieces. A burr is notchable if it can be made with just straight cuts. Some burrs have a "key" piece that slides out. More complex ones have a number of internal voids (called holes), where removing the first piece may require sliding several pieces. An assembly of a burr is a solved shape. An assembly is a solution if it can be achieved by starting with the pieces apart and making legal moves. The level of a solution is the minimum number of moves required to remove the first piece (or separate the puzzle into two parts). The level of a burr is the lowest level of its solutions. Note that to compute level, we use Cutler's definition, where the movement of several pieces together, or the consecutive movement of pieces in the same direction, counts as a single "move". Burr level can be expressed with more than one number; e.g., 3.7.2 means 3 moves to remove the first piece, 7 moves to remove the second piece, and 2 moves to remove the third piece.

The most well known burr is the standard 6 piece burr, with 2 x 2 x 6 unit pieces (or sometimes 2 x 2 x 8). For example, the figure above shows Coffin's Improved Burr, which requires 3 moves to remove the first piece (letters show how pieces fit, numbers indicate an order in which they can be disassembled).

The number of holes in a standard 6-piece burr:

• Volume of six solid pieces = 6 x 24 = 144 (or 192 for 2x2x8 pieces).
  
• Volume of a solid burr = 24+24+16+16+12+12 = 104 (or 152 for 2x2x8 pieces).
  
• Volume difference = 40.
  
• Holes = (total number of unit cubes removed from the six pieces) - 40.

Standard 6-piece burr records, from the computer work of Bill Cutler:

• Highest level for unique solution with 3 holes = 7.
• Highest level for unique solution with 4 holes = 8.
• Highest level for unique solution with 5 holes = 9.
• Highest level with a unique solution (uses 7 holes) = 10.
• There are no standard 6-piece burrs of level 11.
• Highest possible level (its the only one, but has non-unique solution) = 12.
• Highest level for unique notchable (has 7 holes) = 5.
• Highest level for notchable with non-unique solution = 10.

• Fractional or rotation moves.
• Non-rectangular cuts.
• Solutions with exposed holes.
• Ball bearing(s) inside that may have to move during solving.
• Additional moves to remove the second piece require more moves than the first.

Non-standard 6-piece burrs have six pieces but don't adhere to standard construction rules. Burrs in the theme of the standard 6-piece burrs but with more pieces can be difficult, especially when combined with non-standard constructions. Burrs with as few as 3 pieces can also be quite difficult (e.g., the Cuter Level 8 GigaBurr). Three piece "knots" fit together in a simple but non-obvious way. Some three piece burrs require unusual twists or diagonal motions.

The basic idea of a burr is quite old. The 1893 Hoffman book presents a wood knot as "Cross Keys" and a 6-piece burr as "The Nut". The Slocum and Botermans New Book of Puzzles, on page 52 discusses the Spears Puzzle knots manufactured in Bavaria in 1910 and marketed in England; it is also mentioned that six piece burrs appeared in Bestelmeier's 1803 Toy Catalog. The 1929 Johnson and Smith Catalog, on pages 254-255, shows a 6-piece burr, a two burr stick, and related wood puzzles. The Puzzlers' Tribute book, on page 260 cites a 6-piece burr called the Devil's Hoof and a 24-piece burr called the Large Devil's Hoof in a Catel's catalogue of 1785, and credits David Singmaster's example of a 6-piece burr in a 1733 Spanish book by Pablo Minguet E. Irol; also, on page 262 it credits the Mikado Puzzle as shown in the 1915 C. J. Felsman Catalogue:

The 1942 Filipiak book has a substantial discussion of burr puzzles; here are figures it shows of a 3-piece wooden knot, a 6-piece burr, and a 6-piece burr set:

There have been many burr patents; for example, here are the figures from the 1890 Altekruse and 1917 Brown patents:

Chandler Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 393,816
Altekruse Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 430,502
Porter Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 524,212
Nelson Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 588,705
Ford Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 779,121
Curtis Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 781,050
Erickson Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 985,253
Banic Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,099,159
Brown Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,225,760
Keiser Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,261,242
Senyk Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,350,039
Schenk Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,455,009
Kramariuk Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 1,542,148
Turner Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 2,836,421
Pidgeon Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,148,489
Derouin Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,880,238
Dykstra Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 5,040,797

Rob's Puzzle Page, from: http://home.comcast.net/~stegmann/interlocking.htm
Cutler's Holey 6PB Booklet, from: http://home.comcast.net/~billcutler/docs/H6PB/index.html
Cutler's Computer Analysis, from: http://home.comcast.net/~billcutler/docs/CA6PB/index.html
IBM Burr Page (edited), from: http://www.research.ibm.com/BurrPuzzles
Curfs' Page, from: http://home.tiscali.nl/~bcurfs/homepage/burrs/burrs-e.htm
Math Games Page, from: http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_08_02_04.html
Wikipedia Burr Page, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burr_puzzle
Mathematische Basteleien Page, from: http://www.mathematische-basteleien.de/devilsknot.htm
Mr. Puzzle Page, from: http://www.mrpuzzle.com.au/category129_1.htm
Source Forge Page, from: http://burrtools.sourceforge.net/gui-doc/BurrDesignTools.html

Interlocking Puzzles, circa 2000. (3 wood pieces, 2.75")

Daniel C. Alsmeyer 2006, Sabriday Puzzles. (3 wood pieces, 3")

"Triple Cross", Puzzles & BT 2006. (3 wood pieces, 3.2")

Three examples of the wood knot that was patented by M. P. Rao in 1980. Here are the directions that were sold with the Sabriday version:



Further reading:
Rao Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,198,053

Designed by Kouki Kusumi, Made by Eric Fuller 2022.
(Zebrawood, Wenge, and Maple, each piece 3" x 1.75" x 1/2")

Three identical pieces make a more difficult puzzle than a traditional Wood Knot. Each piece has a groove on its long edge and a pin on the inside. The pins slide nicely in the grooves and it is natural to assume that the solved puzzle has all three pins in a groove. The key to solving is that only 2 of the three pins end up in a groove, where the third pin ends up in a piece gap.

Begin with the pieces in their solution orientation as shown in the first photo below (the left piece pin is at the bottom, the middle piece pin is at the back, and the right piece pin is at the right). Then sliding the pieces together comes naturally:

a.k.a. Three Piece Puzzle
Purchesed from Puzzles and Brain teasers Ebay Store 2006.
(three wood pieces, 3.75 inches;
described on pages 106 and 139 of the 1983 Hoffmann book)

Designed and made by Interlocking Puzzles, circa 2000.
(walnut, paduk, and hard maple, 3 inches square)

Unlike the common three piece wood knot, there are no identical pieces:

Designed by Oskar Van Deventer, purchased from Bits And Pieces, 2008.
(metal, 1.4 inches)

Here are photographs of the three pieces being disassembled:


Here is the solution sheet that was sold with the puzzle:

Designed by Oskar van Deventer 1983.
Made by Tom Lensch.
Sold by Cubic Dissection 2005.
(three wood pieces and solution figures, 3 inches)

Designed by Ronald Kint-Bruynseels, made by Eric Fuller 2006, Level 8.
(wood, 3 inches)

Here are the 8 assembly steps:

Designed by Wilhelm Segerblom in the late 1800's.
(three wood pieces, 2.25 inches)

The IBM Burr page cites the April 1899 issue of Scientific American as publishing this puzzle. Three identical pieces each have outer dimensions 2 by 2 by 6 units. Each has all of the center 2 by 2 by 2 portion removed except for a 1 by 1 by 2 rod that is beveled at 45 degrees (a total of 7 units of wood has been removed from each piece). To assemble, all three pieces have to be slid together simultaneously (an outside surface of the rod slides perpendicular to one piece while the beveled surface slides over the corner of another). It is not possible to put two pieces together and then slide the third one in. The figure below shows the three identical pieces in the orientation to be put together.



Further reading:
IBM Burr Page, from: http://www.research.ibm.com/BurrPuzzles/

Designed by R. Stanton, made by E. Fuller 2008.
(Curly Maple, 3 inches)

Three identical piece slide together simultaneously to make a 3-dimensional cross.

Assembly: Hold one piece vertically and determine how a second piece fits (there are only a few possibilities; look for the one where two faces sit nicely together), then carefully slide it out and put that piece down on the table without disturbing its orientation, then do the same for the third piece. Now that you have determined the orientation of the three pieces, hold them in their orientations so that they are just on the verge of engaging, line everything up, and then just squeeze the three together.

Disassembly: Randomly jiggle and push on the pieces until you can get it to come apart just a bit. You can keep doing this until the puzzle comes apart, but as it comes apart a bit you should be able to find the right way to hold on to and push two of the pieces so that the puzzle slides apart, and you can just push and pull to make it expand and contract, where the third piece is being controlled by the movement of the other two that you are holding.

Here are two views of the puzzle in a partially expanded state:

Designed by Dic Sonneveld, made by Tom Lensch, circa 1990.
(Walnut, 2.25 inches)

Three identical pieces come apart in simultaneous motion:

Designed by Jim Gooch,
made by Eric Fuller,
purchased from www.cubicdissection.com.
(three wood pieces, 2.9 inches)

At first this appears to be a three piece burr made with excess play in the fit. However, the extra play is just enough so that these three identical pieces come apart with a non-rectilinear movement.

Designed by J. Krijnen, made by E. Fuller 2008, unique level 7.
(Quilted Sapelle, 3 inches)

Here are steps ito dissassemble:

Designed by Noah Prettyman, made by Eric Fuller 2018, level 8.
(Zebrawood, 3 inches square)

The pieces are precisely made, while the puzzle overall is very loose (where in only in some positions can it be stood up without a piece sliding down). Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"Just Three is from the brilliant mind of young prodigy Noah Prettyman. The level 8.4 solution is quite tricky for an interlocking burr with only three pieces. Beautifully crafted from milled zebrawood and maple, this puzzle looks great when solved! Construction is very precise, with a bit of room left for humidity expansion as it's very dry in the workshop this time of year."

Here are six positions in an assembly; note that for the final photo, the left-to-right piece has been offset slightly so that it does not (by gravity) slide down a unit distance:

Designed by O. Yamamoto, made E. Fuller 2008, unique level 4 with a twist.
(Walnut, 3 inches)

Here are steps ito dissassemble (there are two photos for the second step, which is a twist):

Designed by T. Jolly, made by E. Fuller and sold by Cubic Dissection 2008, level 6.
(Bloodwood, Wenge, Holly, 3 inches)

When assembled, one can look through the center holes in any of the three directions. Here are photographs of the six steps to disassemble, where step 2 is a twist:

Designed by Bill Cutler 1999, made by Jerry McFarland, level 8.
(left: GigaBurr -Walnut, 2.2 inches; right: GigaBurr II - Cherry, 2.2 inches)

The 250 billion puzzles of this type were enumerated with a computer by Bill Cutler. The highest level (moves to remove the first piece) was 8, of which there were 80 different puzzles, where only 3 had only 9 internal voids. Two of these are the GigaBurr and GigaBurr II, and the third is a symmetric version of the GigaBurr II. To solve, two pieces can go together only one way, and then visualize the third piece in its final position to determine how to get it in and out. Here are photos of solving (the third sequence shows the symmetric GigaBurr-2 made by someone else):

Designed and made by Bill Cutler and Jerry McFarland 2001, level 6.
(left: Poplar / Walnut, 2.2 inches;
right: Cherry / Walnut / Wenge, 2.2 inches)

The basic design of the 3-piece GigaBurr and GigaBurr-2 was expanded to a 5x5x5 cube by gluing on edge and corner pieces. Cutler's computer search yielded three basic level 6 puzzles, of which these are two.

Designed by Bill Cutler.
(Walnut, 3.5 inches)

Four irregular shaped pieces and two ball bearings, which when assembled, look like a 6-piece burr. Falls apart easily.

Designed by William Hu, made by Eric Fuller, 2014.
(4 pieces, White Oak, Chakte Viga, 2" x 2" x 3")

This is what the puzzler maker says about the puzzle:

"This seemingly simple puzzle uses a very interesting and difficult type of rotation. Ultra tricky and not like anything I've tried before. Level nine and fun...watch out, this one will have you pulling your hair out! Construction was tricky...the solid side spine and endgrain key pieces were fun to make, but very labor intensive. Fit is excellent; may be difficult to solve in highly humid environments due to the very close tolerances involved."

At first it looks like there is no way for it to come apart. If we number the pieces 1, 2, 3, 4 going from left to right, the trick to dissassembly is to tilt piece three and rotate piece two 90 degrees (clockwise as you look through the puzzle from left to right). The puzzle generally has a nice loose fit, but it is a tight fit at the point of the rotation.

Designed by Emil Askerli, made by Eric Fuller 2016.
(5 pieces, Cherry & Walnut, 2+5/8 inches square)

In the photo above, the dark piece is not a single piece; the front portion is attached to the top right and the back portion is attached to the top left. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"I had already chosen the puzzles for the next update when Emil posted the Disguised and Camouflaged burr designs. I immediately contacted him for permission and squeezed them into the schedule because I thought the idea was so unique. Take a regular six piece burr but chop a piece or two in half and secure them. BOOM, now you have a traditional looking six piece burr puzzle that behaves very differently than usual. I used contrasting woods to give a visual hint of the unusual nature of these two. Disguised Burr has a level 7.2.2 solution. Construction of this puzzle is our usuall burr quality (outstanding!) with milled pieces and a precise yet accommodating fit."

Designed by Jim Gooch, made by Eric Fuller, level 9.
(Pau Amerillo / Wenge / Bocote, 3 inches)

The pieces consist of a "block", two identical "rods" in symmetric orientations, and two identical "plates" in symmetric orientations. Orientate the puzzle as shown on the left below (the right rod will drop down as shown if the puzzle is not too tight), exchange the plates by passing them through each other, then the right plate (which was the left plate) can be twisted (in two ways) and removed (or without twisting it can be slid out together with the right rod).

Designed by Tim Alkema, made by Eric Fuller 2017.
(5 pieces, Granadillo & Ash, 2+9/16 inches square)

Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"Rift is such a simple design it's elegant. Three burr pieces and a two piece cage that dances around the assembly. The moves are so unconventional that the level 8 solution is tougher than you would expect. Disassembly has a trick to it as well. This is an excellent puzzle, I'm glad I made it, and I'm looking forward to its big brother "Schism" in the next update. Construction of this puzzle is excellent. Fit is dead on."

Starting with the puzzle as pictured above, for the first four moves can be (1) the left center pushed out to the left, (2) the top center pushed up, (3) the right center pushed in to go out the back, and (4) the front top left corner of the puzzle pulled out, and then three more moves as shown below leave the puzzle apart (for a total of 8 moves after lifting the final piece off):

Designed by Alfons Eyckmans, made by Eric Fuller 2016.
(5 pieces, Wenge & Zebrawood, 2+5/8" x 2+5/8" x 1.75" inches)

Three standard burr shaped pieces fit into a box formed by the two Wenge (dark) pieces. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"La Taupe is a fairly simple puzzle with a level 9 solution but I found the shape and concept so interesting that I had to try making it. I'm glad I did, the solution is fun and more confusing than you might imagine with a mere five pieces. The contrast between the Wenge and Zebrawood is beautiful. This guy is a little gem! Construction of this puzzle is outstanding, with shouldered board construction and solid milled burr pieces. Fit is excellent."

Designed byStewart Coffin, purchased from Cubic Dissection circa 2006.
(five wood pieces, 3.5 inches)

The 5 pieces give the appearence of four sets of two. The solution is not unique.

Old design, level 1, no holes, notchable.
(six wood pieces, 3 inches)

The basic idea of level 1 with a key piece is described on pages 106 and 139-140 of the 1983 Hoffmann book. This one is even simpler. Pieces 1, 2, and 3 are identical, pieces 4 and 5 are identical, and piece 6 is a simple solid "key" piece that comes out first.

1.	2.	3.
4.	5.	6.

Assembly:

1. Place pieces 1 and 2 together to form an empty rectangle shape.
2. Lay piece 3 in the bottom of the empty rectangle.
3. Place pieces 4 and 5 on either side.
4. Slide in piece 6.

Made in Indonesia 2004. (wood, 3 inches)	Made in Indonesia 2004. (wood, 3.2 inches)
Purchased in the 1970's. (plastic, 2.5 inches)

a.k.a. Double Cross
Made in Japan, circa 1930?, level 1, no holes.
(six wood pieces, each 5/16 inches square by 2.4 inches long)

Another example of a Simple 6-piece Burr. Also in the theme of pages 106 and 139-140 of the 1983 Hoffmann book, but also simpler. Two identical pieces form an empty rectangle, a double notched piece goes in the bottom, two identical pieces go on each side, and the key piece slides in:

Old design, level 1, no holes, notchable., circa 1960s-1980s??
(six aluminum pieces in a cardboard box, 2+3/8" x 2+3/8" x 1/2";
directions on the back of the box are shown above)

"Made by U.N. Co. N. Y.", circa 1920?, level 1, no holes, notchable, 2x2x8 pieces.
(cardboard box, 3.2 by 2.2 by 5/8 inches, and six 1/2" x 1/2" x 2" wood pieces)

Along wth the Yamato Block Puzzle, this puzzle is discussed on page 262 of the Puzzlers' Tribute Book in a chapter by Jerry Slocum and Rik van Grol on antique Japanese export puzzles. They show a picture from the 1915 C. J. Felsman Catalog of a Mikado puzzle saying "A problem of problems ...", and note that the sililar language here, "The puzzle of puzzles ...", is further evidence that although it says NY, it may in fact be a Japanese import. Here is what is on the cover and the inside of the cover:

"Made by U.N. Co. N. Y.", circa 1920?, level 1, no holes, notchable, 2x2x8 pieces.
(cardboard box, 3.2 by 2.2 by 5/8 inches, and six 1/2" x 1/2" x 2" wood pieces)

Along wth the Mikado Block Puzzle, this puzzle is discussed on page 262 of the Puzzlers' Tribute Book in a chapter by Jerry Slocum and Rik van Grol on antique Japanese export puzzles. Here is the solution sheet that came with it and a photo of another one of these puzzles where someone has labeled the pieces:

Made in Germany, level 1, circa 1940's?
(six wood rods, 3/8" square by 2+3/8" long, with solution sheet, in cardboard box)

"Pheno-Caffein Co.,Worchester, MA, circa 1910.
(wood, 2.1 inches)

The Pheno-Caffein Co. also made the Sectional Checkerboard Puzzle, and like that puzzle, one could obtain a solution:

Designed by Stewart Coffin level 3, 3 holes.
(six wood pieces, 3.5 inches)

Designed and made by Bill Cutler 1984, unique level 5, 7 holes.
(Red Oak, 3 inches; 24 assemblies with a unique solution)

Discovered (by computer) and made by B. Cutler 1987, unique level 5, 7 holes.
(Mahogany, 3 inches)

Discovered (by computer) and made by B. Cutler 1988, unique level 7, 3 holes.
(Cherry, 3 inches)

Discovered (by computer) and made by B. Cutler 1988, unique level 8, 4 holes.
(Maple, 3 inches)

Designed by B. Cutler, made J. McFarland 2009, unique level 8, 7 holes.
(Maple / Walnut / Cherry, 2.8 inches)

Here are the first six steps:




Now the leftmost piece can be lifted up and out:

Discovered (by computer) and made by B. Cutler 1988, unique level 9, 5 holes.
(Walnut, 3.5 inches)

Designed by P. Marineau, made by J. McFarland 1986, unique level 9, 7 holes.
(Walnut, 3 inches)

Designed by Bill Cutler 1990, unique level 10, 7 holes.
(Mahogany, 3.5 inches)

One of 18 similar unique level 10 burrs discovered by Bill Cutler with a computer program. It can be disassembled by moving (1) C /E forward 1 unit, (2) F up 2 units, (3) A back one unit, (4) D /F right 1 unit, (5) F down 2 units, (6) F forward 1 init, (7) D left 1 unit, (8) A/E back one unit, (9) B/C/F right one unit, (10) B down one unit. Note that some would consider this 11 moves since for "move" 8, both A and E can move back without dragging the other. To assemble, rather than inserting B into the pieces appropriately oriented, it may be easier to orientate things with CD facing up, and hold A/D/E (appropriately positioned) in your left hand and B/C/F (appropriately positioned) in your right hand to perform steps 10 and 9.

Discovered (by computer) and made by B. Cutler 1987, level 10, 9 holes, notchable.
(Maple, 3.6 inches)

Non-unique with solutions below level 10, but made to be unique level 10 by drawing diagonal lines on the pieces that must form a loop around the puzzle when solved.

Designed by Brian Young, made by Mr. Puzzle Australia, level 10, 8 holes.
(4.7 inches)

Unique Level 10 solution. One more hole than Computer's Choice Unique-10, with 20 assemblies instead of 7. Here is the solution that was sold with it:

Designed by Bruce Love 1987, made by Bill Cutler, level 12, 9 holes.
(Maple, 3 inches)

According to Bruno Curfs' page, Love's dozen has 89 solutions ranging from Level 3 to one of the solutions being level 12; this puzzle made by Bill Cutler has a big D drawn on a pair of the ends that forces the level 12 solution.



Further Reading
Curfs' Page, from: http://home.tiscali.nl/~bcurfs/homepage/burrs/burrs-e.htm

Designed and made by Bill Cutler; can't be disassembled.
(Red Oak, 4.5 inches)

From his computer analysis, Cutler determined that 139 was the largest number of states that a standard 6 piece burr could have without having a solution, and then he chose the simplist of these for this puzzle. So this burr is made to the dimensions of a normal 6-piece burr, has lots of movement, but can't be disassembled (it was made by gluing two portions of a piece together during assembly). Here is his diagram of the pieces:

Purchased from Mr. Puzzle Australia 2006, level 1, no holes.
(six wood pieces, 3.5 inches)

Mr. Puzzle Australia credits this puzzle as being sold as early as 1875, and as having been sold under a number of names, including the Cluster, the Gem Cut Puzzle, the Chestnut Burr, and the Snowflake. When assembled it looks like a standard version of the Simple Six Piece Burr (where pieces have a diamond cross section). However, it actually is composed of six identical pieces where two assemblies of three slide together.

Made in Japan circa 1930?, level 1.
(cardboard box and 6 wood pieces, 3.75 inches;
box cover similar to other vintage Japanese exports like the Yamato Puzzle)

Made in Japan circa 1930?, level 1.
(cardboard box and 6 wood pieces, 3 inches;
box cover similar to other vintage Japanese exports like the Yamato Puzzle)

Here is the solution sheet that came with it:

Designed by Bill Cutler 1965, purchased circa 2000, level 1.
(six wood pieces, 3.5 inches)

Six identical pieces with some angled internal cuts that slide apart simultaneously.

Discovered (with a computer) and made by Bill Cutler 1989, level 5, 7 holes.
(Maple, 3.5 inches)

A programmer's nightmare because disassembly requires a twist. Move F up 1/2 unit, rotate A 90 degrees, move A up (pulling F with it by 1/2 unit), move D up, slide D out. Note that although the 1/2 move is needed theoretically, there is enough play in the puzzle that F can initially be moved up a full unit (this does not change the level since A has to be moved up in any case). This puzzle is hard for a person too, because according to Cutler's computer analysis, there are 102 assemblies (ways these pieces can exist in space in the solved shape) with only this one solution (the only way that is achievable starting with the pieces apart).

Designed and Made by Bill Cutler 1994, level 7, 4 holes, notchable.
(Cherry, 2.25 inches)

Bill Cutler credits Stewart Coffin with the idea of making burrs with slanted pieces in a way that restricts the number of possible assemblies. Cutler then found a non-unique level 7 burr from his computer analysis which became unique when made with slanted pieces. Slide F forward, slide E left (pulling D with it), slide E forward, push D right, slide F back, slide F right, remove A:

Designed by Gregory Benedetti, made by Eric Fuller 2017.
(6 pieces, Ambrosia Maple, 3 inches square)

Many angled cuts for an unusual assembly. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"With the invention of the NOS (New Old School) puzzle series, Gregory took the six piece burr format and turned it on its head. The only thing more noteworthy than the uniqueness of the series was how difficult they are to make. When he originally send me the plans, I turned him down because it just looked like a nightmare to manufacture. I changed my mind after handling a couple 3d printed prototypes. These look like traditional six piece burrs but are nothing like them. The angled internal geometry allows for some outrageous movements. They are very confusing and wonderfully different. This is the final three designs to complete the set. Construction was very challenging, requiring the creation of several new jigs and techniques. "Seizaine" is the seventh and final of the NOS designs and has the highest level. A full sixteen moves; Greg says he used "Love's Dozen" as the base but all I see is crazy angles and some woodworking challenges that were VERY difficult. Fit is very good, a little loose to account for dry conditions during the period in which it was made. This puzzle is delivered assembled."

Designed by Bill Cutler.
(Walnut, 3 inches)

Slide F back and then remove the three pieces A, C , E simultaneously by expanding them out to the upper left:

Designed by Bill Cutler1986, spin + level 3.
(Red Oak with two steel ball bearings, 3.5 inches)

Spin the puzzle in the orientation shown (around the axis defined by E and F) to position the balls, and then the two halves A,C,F and B,D,E can slide apart with three moves:

Designed by Gregory Benedetti, made by Maurice Vicourouz 2012.
(Purple Heart, 3.25 inches)

Pieces are a small cube trapped in the center, three identical "simple pieces", and three identical "complex" pieces. Assembly is relatively easy, where the three complex pieces and the cube are put compactly together as shown on the left in the figure below (rubber bands keep them together for the photo) and then the three simple pieces slide simultaneously over the exposed corner:



Disassembly requires simultaneous motion to move the three complex pieces together into the "key position" shown on the left below. One first has to identify which three are the complex pieces and then carefully jiggle and push to get all three to push in flush. In the middle is this position lit up from the back (where the serial number of the lower in-out piece can be seen), and on the right is shown the top three pieces coming apart simultaneously. The puzzle's name comes from the fact that when you don't know what is inside this puzzle, disassembly may be achieved by accident when randomly shaking and pulling on the puzzle.

Designed by Matti Linola, made by Eric Fuller 2010.
(Yellowheart and Wenge, 3 inches)

Once one sees how to solve the three piece burr formed by the light colored pieces, the dark pieces don't change the puzzle very much, but the construction and fit is terrific.

To solve:

1. Take out the dark pieces, to first solve the 3-piece burr.
2. Start with the simple U shaped piece and see that because each piece has to slide over one of the other two, there is only one way the other two can go, and then assemble the three pieces.
3. Now look down each end, and it can be seen that there is only one way the dark pieces could possibly fit.
4. Then take apart the three light pieces, insert the dark pieces, and push everything back together, moving the dark pieces in and out as needed.

Here are photos of the assembly progressing:

Designed by Steve Nicholls and Ali Morris, purchases 2019.
(7 brass cylinders, where two go together to make a total of 6 cylinders, each 2.75" long)

A combination of a trick take-apart puzzle and a 6-piece burr. Looks like a 6-piece burr when assembled, but it is actually 7 pieces where half of the key piece unscrews (not a burr move). The other half of the key piece is held in by a pin so it does not fall out and is not the first piece to be removed (not a standard burr feature). Here are photos of the puzzle being assembled:

Designed by Frans de Vreugd 2005, purchased from Mr. Puzzle Australia.
level 5, 3 hole, notchable, six 2x2x6 pieces with end caps.
(Queensland Silver Ash with Queensland Blackbean ends, 3.125")

A variation of the standard 6 piece burr where end caps have been added to the pieces; highest level for this type of burr with notchable pieces. Here is a diagram of the puzzle and the pieces (numbers are the order they can be removed):

Designed by Stewart Coffin (puzzle no. 9), made and sold by Interlocking Puzzles 2000.
(wood, 6 identical pieces and 6 corresponding identical pieces, 2.6 inches)

A variation of the 1890 Altekruse burr with pins and holes for some of the notches; shown on page 79 of the Coffin Book. Below are photos of one way for inserting pieces 3 through 11; piece 12 is then added to complete the two halves as shown above, which then slide together.

Designed by Frans de Vreugd, purchased from Bits and Pieces 2007, level 6.
(wood, 3.75 inches)

Designed by Stewart Coffin (design number 105)
Sold in 2006 by Cubic Dissection (www.cubicdissection.com)
(left Bocote / right Cocobola, both 3.25 inches)

Can be solved in two ways using the same pieces; the left above is solved using coordinate motion (all pieces moving together at the same time), and the right above is solved by halving two halves that slide together. The hardest part is trying to visualize what it should look like together once it is apart. Here is what the two solutions look like when starting to come apart:

a.k.a. Triple Play
Purchased from Bits and Pieces 2007.
(wood, 3 inches)

Looks like three pieces but is actually a level 1 non-standard 6 piece burr (six pieces (three light wood and three dark wood pieces). Here is the solution that came with the puzzle:

Designed by F. Potts, made by E. Fuller 2008, purchased from Cubic Dissection.
(Walnut and Maple, 3 inches)

Six pieces with magnetic tips assemble to look like a three piece burr (e.g., Just The Three). The pieces are all identical; here are photos of different views of them:


Here are photos of pulling apart the whole assembly and an assembly of four:


The solution is almost as much of a dexterity puzzle as a logic puzzle, where there is only one way to put two together that will lead to a solution, then it is easy to spread them apart and put in the next two, then harder to spread apart the four to get in the fifth, and then after pushing everything back together, a bit tricky with only two hands to get in the sixth piece. Here is a photo of the assembly of four with the two remaining pieces still to be put in:

Designed by Gregory Benedetti, made by Eric Fuller 2011.
(Acrylic, Yellowheart, 2.25 inches)

Here is what the puzzle maker said about this puzzle in the sale listing:

"Reminiscent of Padaung Rings, this nifty little pocket puzzle is a lot of fun to solve. With a level 14.4.2 it's tricky but not impossible ... once you get the correct alignment and piece selection, it flows fairly quickly."

Copyright ThinkFun 2010.
(plastic, 2.75 inches square)

Comes with a solution booklet that has 37 steps to disassemble reading forward and 37 steps to assemble by flipping over the booklet and reading in the other direction.

Further Reading
Booklet pages.

Designed by Adin Townsend, made by Eric Fuller, 2017.
(Wenge, Canarywood, Granadillo, Maple, 4" x 4" x 2")

Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"Amulet is a tricky and interesting variation on the standard six piece burr. To quote Allard's blog post about it: "He’s fiddled around with a standard six-piece burr and added a few constraining voxels around the middle and shorted one of the axes… adding those voxels makes all the difference it turns out – without them there’d be 144 solutions, with them the solution is unique… and quite tricky!" Construction of this puzzle is excellent, with a nice fit that will tolerate a fair amount of movement."

Designed by Noah Prettyman, made by Eric Fuller, 2018.
(6 pieces, Ash and Wenge, 2.24 inches square)

Two standard looking 6-piece burr pieces, two plate burr pieces, and two irregular pieces, one of which is the first to come out, as shown on the upper right above. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"Combined Burr is just a crazy puzzle that I had to make. Six pieces come together to form the familiar burr shape. Two standard stick pieces, two board pieces and two very unusual "I'm not sure what's going on here" pieces. With a whopping level 4.18 solution, this one will keep you guessing during assembly and disassembly. Crafted with Wenge and Ash, this burr is precise and well made. Shoulder joints along the length of the board burr pieces allow for the color contrast necessary without compromising strength."

Designed by Noah Prettyman, made by Eric Fuller 2017.
(6 pieces, Black Limba, 3 inches square)

Six irregular pieces form a shape like a plate burr. Here is what the puzzle maker said: Here is what the puzzle maker said:

Noah Prettyman designed this wonderful new burr puzzle with the intention to recreate the standard six piece burr shape using puzzle cube type pieces. A very unique idea, and a successful one given the unique level 6.3 solution. Knotted burr is a lot of fun to solve and is quite difficult despite its reasonable seeming number of moves. I'm looking forward to whatever he comes up with next!

Designed by Chi-Ren Chen, made by Eric Fuller 2012, unique level 2.
(Walnut, Ash, American Mahogany, 3")

Designed (with a computer) by Bill Cutler and Frans de Vreugd 2001, level 13
(Hard Maple and Jatoba, 2.25 inches)

Two 1x4x6 pieces in each dimension. Making top dark wood and the bottom light wood makes the level 13 solution unique. The number of "holes" (internal voids) is 13 because the volume of assembled shape if it was solid is 104, and adding up the volume of the six pieces gives 91. Here are sheets that came with the puzzle (copyright by and courtesy of Bill Cutler).

Purchased from ThinkFun 2006. (plastic, 6 pieces, 2.75 inches)

Made by D. Alsmeyer 2007, Sabriday Puzzles. (6 different woods, 3.5 inches)

The booklet that comes with the retail plastic puzzle shows 65 steps to completely take the puzzle apart. McFarren's Page shows a solution that removes the first piece in 28 steps, and completely takes the puzzle apart in 35 steps.

Further reading:
McFarren's Page, from: http://www.geocities.com/abcmcfarren/math/gordian.htm
Sabriday's wood description (Mahogany, Maple, Cherry, Purpleheart, Walnut, Paduk).

Designed and made by Franz de Vreud 2003, unique level 16.
(Maple and Granadillo, 2.9 inches assembled)

These were made in Japan and owned by J. A. Storer in the 1960's. The Cleverwood Page credits these simple types of burrs to Tsunetaro Yamanaka (born 1874) and his descendants; here is a diagram of a cube from the 1942 Filipiak book, and an inexpensive circa 2000 plastic ball:



Further Reading
Cleverwood Page, from: http://www.cleverwood.com/kumiki.htm

Wm. F. Drueke & Sons, Grand Rapids, MI, circa 1940's?
(wood pieces in cardboard box, 2+5/8" x 2+5/8" x 2+5/16" high)

Examples of some classic relatively simple burrs that have been made by many over the years (e.g., see the Japanese Shape Burrs). Historical acounts indicate that Bill and Marian were Drueke family names.

Further Reading
Drueke Family History, from: www.peterspioneers.com/WRSD.htm
Drueke Directory, from: www.peterspioneers.com/WRSDdir.htm
C. Bloom Grand Rapids Press Article, from: www.peterspioneers.com/WFD.htm
Cribbage Board Article, from: http://www.cribbageboardsonline.com/article2005b.pdf

Designed by Stewart Coffin, Made by Eric Fuller 2012.
(7 pieces, Canarywood, a 13/16" cube and 6 pieces 3" long by 13/16" square)

Six burr pieces assemble with coordinated motion into a standard 6-piece burr shape with the cube trapped in the middle. t is a non-standard 6-piece burr design with the 7th cube piece added by the puzzle maker to stabilize the puzzle. I found the maniputlation of these pieces not as pleasant as I expected and gave up (for now). Here is the description quoted from the puzzle maker's page:

"This puzzle was Jarry Slocum's exchange puzzle at IPP18. I was recently visiting a puzzle friend and saw it on the shelves. Spent some time working with it and finally solved it... HAD to make it. Since John Rausch did such a nice job writing up a description on his site, I think I'll plagarize from it directly:

"Four of the six pieces have diagonal notches on both sides of the large, simple notch. Two pieces have them on only one side. Normally, a six-piece burr consisting only of pieces with a single, large, simple notch could not be assembled. With the diagonal notches described, it becomes a coordinate motion puzzle - a difficult one! Number 129a in Stewart's numbering system. He made 100 in 1998."

I have modified the design a little bit based on Nick Baxters advice - instead of two pieces having only one notch, one piece does (leaving the other five with double notches). After some experimentation I felt that this configuration was the trickiest, and really made the solver grasp the concept behind the puzzle. Finaly, this puzzle is by nature very loose when solved. It's just a function of the notch location. I hate loose puzzles, so I included a 7th piece, which is an internal cube with magnets. This doesn't really add to the assembly, but it keeps the puzzle nicely together once solved. Happily it also makes the puzzle much more difficult to disassemble!"

Designed by Junichi Yananose, made by Eric Fuller.
(7 wood pieces, 3 inches)

Looks at first like a standard 6-piece burr. However, one of the apparent pieces is really two pieces (the one marked with a red dot in the above photo). Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"At first glimpse this puzzle looks like another 6 piece burr iteration. However, disassembly will show that it holds a surprise! One of the pieces has been split, creating a very unique 7 piece burr with quite a tricky solution. Internal voids make this a level 6 burr and also create many unassemblable solutions that will frustrate the solver. This is a difficult puzzle to solve."

Designed by Yavuz Demirhan, made by Eric Fuller 2018.
(Paduak frame, 2 Wenge pieces, 2 Holly pieces, and two Acrylic pieces,
7 pieces total, 1+3/8" x 1+3/8" x 1+1/8" inches)

A tiny puzzle that came in a little pink bag. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"As soon as I saw the Gaia design I knew I wanted to make it. The structure is very unique, incorporating stick pieces and board pieces with a constraining cage. The unique level 11.2 solution is not as difficult as you would think, making this a fairly approachable puzzle. When solved the acrylic nicely sets off the three wood combination. Fit is very precise, and the cage features rabbited joinery for strength. Stick pieces are milled from solid wood."

Designed by Aleksandr Leontev, made by Eric Fuller 2016.
(8 pieces, Wenge, Zebra, Quartersawn White Oak, 2+9/16 inches square)

Looks like 12 pieces with four in each direction, but actually there are four standard burr shape pieces and four T-shaped pieces that join two rods together. Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"Elena's burr is an interesting variation with a lot of tricky movement. The level 13.7 solution will keep you very very busy. Disassembly alone is a feat, with lots of dead ends. Reassembly without directions is extremely difficult. Elena's burr is an elegant design, and the ability to come up with a unique solution at such high levels with such simple pieces is an achievement. I really enjoyed making and playing with this one! Construction of this puzzle is superlative. Fit is dead-on and the pieces slide with the perfect amount of friction. I really like how this one turned out....it's possibly the best of the update."

Made in Japan, circa 1930?, level 1, no holes.
(cardboard box, 2.6" x 2.1" x 7/16", 9 wood pieces, and solution sheet;
box cover similar to other vintage Japanese exports like the Yamato Puzzle;
this puzzle was also made in a 22-piece version)

Here are photos of basic solution steps:

"Patent number 35588, Made In Japan", circa 1920's?
(10 wood pieces in a 3.75" x 2.4" x 1/2" cardboard box)

Easy to see how it goes together, but a bit of a dexerity puzzle to put the final piece in; two of the rectangle pieces have bevels to make that work (on on the inside middle and one on both edges).

Designed by P. McDermott, made by B. Young and P. McDermott,
purchased from Mr. Puzzle Australia in 2007, level 6.
(wood, 10 pieces, 3.25 by 6.25 by 2.5 inches)

Here are the directions and solution that were sold wih the puzzle:

Designed by Bill Cutler.
(wood, 3.5 inches, 11 pieces and 5 ball bearings)

Eleven pieces in a 2-4-5 configuration. Takes 5 balls (it came with 4 inside and you are asked to put the 5th in). Two are in a notch near the top of 11. The other three can be in a portion of the bottom part of piece 11 when it is pushed up, but in order to get 11 in place, they must be shaken out into other places that lock up the other pieces. Number the ends as follows:



Disassembly:

1. Jiggle the balls if necessary and move 11 up.
2. Two balls are always in a notch near the top of 11;
   jiggle the other three so that they are in a cavity at the bottom of 11.
3. Slide 8 up (1 and 2 get dragged with it).
4. The balls will now all fall out.
5. Slide 5 out.
6. Slide 11 out.
7. Slide 3 and 10 out.
8. Remove 7 and 9.
9. Remove 4.
10. Remove 6.
11. 1, 2, and 8 now come apart.

Assembly:

1. Assemble the puzzle without the balls by reversing the disassembly.
2. Slide 11 and 8 up (8 gets 1 and 2 dragged with it).
3. Put the two balls in the top and then slide a pencil through
   the puzzle to keep them from coming out.
   Then turn the puzzle over and put the other three balls in.
4. Slide 8 down (dragging 1 and 2 with it) as you carefully remove your pencil.
5. Shake the three balls so they leave the bottom of 11; then slide 11 down.

a.k.a. Hexsticks, Notched Hexagonal Sticks
Patented by S. Coffin 1973, made by 3M 1970,
also discovered independently by B. Cutler.
(12 plastic pieces, 3.5 inches)

Three solutions for assembling the twelve notched sticks are described on pages 116-118 of Coffin's book. The package is shown above; it has the directions on the bottom (also shown above) and inside is a hexagonal shaped solution booklet. Below are two panels from each side (other three are shown on the next page):

Further Reading
Coffin Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 3,721,448
Cutler's Hectix Page, from: http://home.comcast.net/~billcutler/stock/hectix.html
Cutler's Hectix Revisited Page, from: http://home.comcast.net/~billcutler/stock/revisited.html

S.S. Adams Co., 1961.
(12 plastic pieces, each 1.5 by 3/8 by 3/8 inches)

S.S. Adams Co., 1961.
(12 plastic pieces, each 1.5 by 3/8 by 3/8 inches)

Purchased from Bits and Pieces 2007.
(10 wood pieces with solution sheet, 4.5 inches;
shown as "The Mystery" on pages 107-108, 141-142 of the 1893 Hoffmann book)

Copyright 1991-2007 Junichi Yananose, purchased in Japan 2010.
(aluminum, 12 pieces, 3.5 inches square)

Here is the box and the text on the front and back:



The puzzle slides apart in two halves and a free piece:

Designed by Bill Cutler and made by Jerry McFarland 2003.
(Walnut, 12 pieces, 2 by 2 by 8 inches)

Here is the sheet that came with the puzzle (copyright by and courtesy of Bill Cutler):

Designed by Bill Cutler 1981.
(Maple / Walnut / Cherry, 3.7 inches, 12 pieces)

Designed by Bill Cutler 1982.
(Maple / Walnut / Cherry, 4 inches, 13 pieces)

Designed by B. Cutler in 1983, made by Mr. Puzzle Australia 2008, level 11.
(Queensland Silver Ash / Queensland Blackbean / Mackay Cedar, 14 pieces, 4";
sold with directions and solution shown above)

Designed by B. Cutler 1984, made by E. Fuller 2008.
(Maple / Walnut / Mahogany, 15 pieces, 4 inches)

Designed by Bill Cutler and made by Jerry McFarland 2000.
(wood, 3 inches, 13 pieces + 2 pins)

Looks like the Wausau '82 puzzle, but different inside; here are excerpts from the puzzle sheet (copyright by and courtesy of Bill Cutler):

1. Position the puzzle on a table so the group of three are vertical and the group of six with the dot is facing you, with the dot on the right (upsidedown from the figure).
   
2. Give the puzzle a hard spin clockwise to move the pins into their holes.
   
3. Simultaneously, the center rod of the three goes up, the rod with the dot comes out toward you, and the rod to its left goes back away from you. You will see the pins in the ends of the rod with the dot and the one next to it (take them out so you don't lose them).
   
4. Now the puzzle comes apart.

Designer unknown, made by Eric Fuller.
(Purpleheart / Maple / Lacewood, 13 pieces, 2.25 by 3 by 3.75 inches)

Here is what Eric Fuller says:

"This 13 piece interlocking burr puzzle was published in the magazine Soumen Kuvalehti number 11 in 1926. There are 2 possible solutions, both very similar. Despite its not being a high level puzzle, the solution is surprisingly tricky, probably because of its unusual shape. Ishino Keiichiro posted it on his site and Matti Linkola discovered the magazine."

Level 1, circa early 1900's??
(4" wood box with directions and 18 wood pieces, 3.6 inches assembled;
right vertical piece in photo above is solid key piece.)

Designed by Bill Cutler 1975.
(Maple / Walnut / Cherry, 3.6 inches, 18 pieces)

Designed 1992 and made by Jerry McFarland, purchased from cubicdissection.com 2008.
(Walnut, Mahogany, Maple, 19 pieces, 3.5" by 2.6" high, 7/8 inch square sticks)

Disassembly involves manipulating the central 4 pieces like opening a lock.
Here is the diagram of the pieces from the solution sold with the puzzle and photos of removing three pieces:



Further Reading
Solution that was sold with the puzzle.

"Made in Japan K.K.", circa 1920's?
(20 wood pieces, 4 inches;
box cover similar to other vintage Japanese exports like the Yamato Puzzle)

Two pairs of identical 4" pieces, four identical 2.5" pieces, eight identical 1.3" pieces, and four identical 1.3 inch solid pieces assemble to a somewhat two-dimensional snowfake arrangement; here is a photo of the box and the solution sheet:

Purchased from Pentangle Puzzles 2007.
(wood, 7.5 inches, 20 pieces)

Made in Japan, circa 1930?, level 1, no holes.
(cardboard box, 4.1" x 3.4" x 1/2", 21 wood pieces, and solution sheet;
this puzzle was also made in a 9-Piece Version)

Designed by Bill Cutler and made by Jerry McFarland 2003, level 85.
(Cherry / Walnut, 21 Pieces, 3 by 3 by 3.6 inches)

The Binary Burr functions like the Chinese Rings puzzle:



There are six "ring" pieces that must be manipulated in order to remove the "bar" piece; the remaining 14 pieces don't move and form the "cage' that constrains the movements. It basically takes two moves for each move of the corresponding Chinese Rings puzzle.

Designed by Bill Cutler 1978, made by J. McFarland 2012.
(24 Maple, Walnut, and Cherry 3/4" rods, 5.25" square assembled)

Designed by Bill Cutler 1978, made by J. McFarland 2012.
(24 Maple, Walnut, and Cherry3/4" rods, 4+3/8" square assembled)

PDesigned by L. Kleinwaks, made by Eric Fuller 2013.
(Walnut, Cherry, Maple, 2.25" x 2.25" x 4")

Purchased from Interlocking Puzzles 2000.
(wood, 2.5 by 2.5 by 9.8 inches)

Four standard 6-piece burrs that share one dimension. Pieces 4, 8, and 10 are identical, pieces 1, 5, and 15 are identical, pieces 12 and 16 are identical, pieces 11 and 14 are identical, and pieces 9 and 13 are identical:

Designed by Wayne Daniel 1982, made by Interlocking Puzzles.
(wood, 4.8 inches)

a.k.a. Eight Burrs
Designed by David Bruce, made by Interlocking Puzzles 2000.
(wood, 24 pieces, 4.8 inches)

The basic idea is to combine two eight piece assemblies and then add eight "outer" pieces. Here are diagrams of the pieces from the solution that came with the puzzle:

Assembly A pieces:


Assembly B pieces:


Outer pieces pieces:


Further Reading
Lost Day solution that was sold with the puzzle (pdf 9 pages).

Purchased from Interlocking puzzles 2002.
(13 ply Baltic Birch rings 7.2", Australian Jarrah rods 2.25", 18 pieces)

Four 6-piece burrs connected in one dimension by a pair of rings. Requires multiple counter rotations of the rings to disassemble or assemble. Interlocking Puzzles said:

"The eight radial pieces have slightly angled notches and can be sorted into four right handed and four left handed pieces. The eight axial pieces have normal notches. The four unique higher level burrs are distinctly different. The lengths of the burr rods are greater than 6 units. If these were four stand alone burrs they would require five, four, or three moves to get the first piece out. One of them would also require three moves to get the second piece out. It is a fun challenge to assemble each individual burr onto the rings and then remove it before facing the larger challenge of the whole puzzle."

Purchased circa 2000.
(plastic, 2.25 inch cube with 3D cross)

Similar idea to the Two Piece Oddity, with a frame and a 3D cross like piece that has to be removed.

Designed by Tom Jolly, made by Eric Fuller circa 2000.
(T'Zalam, 3 inches)

A frame and a 3D cross like piece that has to be removed.

Designed by Osanori Yamamoto, made by E. Fuller 2013, Level 14.
(Jatoba and Purpleheart, 2.25" x 1.5" x 1.8")

To disassemble, exchange the two trapped pieces, maneuver a bit, and then the two can be manipulated out of the cage; here are some selected positions:

Designed by Stephane Chromine, made by Eric Fuller, 2011.
(Walnut and Yellowheart, 3" x 2.25" x 1.5")

The top two pieces are identical. Different assemblies are possible depending on how the top two pieces are rotated. In their easiest positions, the bottom piece can be removed in 8 moves. However, in one configuration, 12 moves are required to remove the bottom piece (given a reasonable way of counting rotations). Below are 9 of the positions for disassembly starting with the top piece rotated as the puzzle was shipped. Although the middle piece starts in its correct rotation for the final steps of disassembly, after pulling out and tilting down the bottom piece, the middle piece is rotated and drops down to allow the top piece to be rotated, and then the middle piece can be pushed up and rotated back so that the top two pieces are together and up to allow the bottom piece to be removed. Note that it now takes only 8 steps to put the puzzle back together by leaving the top two pieces in their existing rotations.

Designed by Ramos & Abad, made by Pelikan 2006, level 13.
(wood, 2.4 inches)

Designed by Tyler Hudson; made by Eric Fuller 2023.
(Macacauba frame and two Bocote pieces, 2+5/8 inches)

Remove the two pieces from the frame; here is what the maker said on the puzzle web page:

"Trapped Duo is a very fun three piece burr puzzle designed by Tyler Hudson, creator of Parasitic Burr from our recent release. Two sticks waltz around each other inside the shouldered frame with a level 12.3 difficulty."

a.k.a. Internal Combustion
Designed by Tado Muroi early 1990's.
(left: "Pandora's Box", Mr. Puzzle Australia, Queensland Blackbean, 3.5x3.5x2.25";
right: "Internal Combustion", Bits and Pieces, Aluminum, 2.25" x 2.25" x 1.5";
described in Boardman's book)

Four burr pieces (two of which are identical) in a frame. Below is a 9-step assembly (6 steps to remove the first piece) based on the piece orientations shown on the right above (except in the photo above the left two have been flipped upside-down for better viewing):

1. 2. 2.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.

A 12-step assembly where the piece labeled 3 is reversed from the 9-step assembly shown on the preceding page:

A 15-step assembly (see also the Boardman book):

Designed by Yavuz Demirhan, made by Eric Fuller 2013.
(Sapele and Imbuya, 2.25" square, level 4)

Purchased from Bits And Pieces, 2008.
(wood, 3.4 inches square assembled by 7/8 inches thick, with solution sheet)

Designed by Gregory Benedetti, made by Eric Fuller 2012.
(Sapele and Wenge, two halves of the cage and 6 pieces, 2+5/8" square)

Designed by Logan Kleinwaks, made by Eric Fuller 2013.
(right, "Bookend Burr", Holly, Walnut, Ash, 2.5"x2.25"x2.75", level 10;
(middle, "Clamped Burr", Holly, Walnut, Ash, 2.25"x 3"x2.6", level 15;
right, "Cornered Burr", Walnut, Cherry, Ash, 2+5/8" square, level 14)

Beautifully made with high levels for rectlinear moves solutions. Shorter solutions may be possible with non-rectilear moves. For example, to remove a piece from the Cornered Burr with just three moves and some additional twisting, start by sliding the top piece to the right (if it looks like on the left below, re-orient the puzzle so it looks like the right photo below), then slide the front piece left, then up, and now, although it is easier by first sliding the bottom piece to the right, it can be twisted out without any further movement of other pieces.

Sold by Interlocking puzzles 2000.
(wood, 2.5 inches)

The only set of 6 notchable pieces that can be assembled into 6 different level 1, no-hole, standard six piece burrs. Here is the solution that was sold with the puzzle:

Designed and made by Jean-Claude Constantin, purchased used 2006.
(13 pieces, set is 6.25" x 3.25 x 2.5 inches, each piece is 3/4 x 3/4 x 3 inches)

A set of 13 pieces to make 40 different notchable 6 pice burrs; the same set of 6 is sometimes used for several different problems (pieces in different positions). Each piece is 2 by 2 by 8 units.

JCC's 40 Problems:

1. ADFIKL 2. ADFIKL 3. ABDKLM 4. ABDKLM 5. ABDKLM 6. ACDKLM 7. ACDKLM 8. ACDKLM

09. ADGHKL 10. ADEJKL 11. AFGIKL 12. AFIJKL 13. AEGIKM 14. AFHJLM 15. ADHIKM 16. ADEFLM

17. ACGKLM 18. ACGKLM 19. ACJKLM 20. ACJKLM 21. ABGKLM 22. ABGKLM 23. ABJKLM 24. ABJKLM

25. ADEIKM 26. ADEIKM 27. ADFHLM 28. ADFHLM 29. AGHIKM 30. AGHIKM 31. AEFJLM 32. AEFJLM

33. BCFIKL 34. BCFIKL 35. BEFHIM 36. BEFHIM 37. BEFHIM 38. BEFHIM 39. BEFHIM 40. BEFHIM

JCC's Solution Hints:

1. AK-LI-FD 2. AL-KF-DI 3. AM-IK-BD 4. AL-MK-BD 5. AK-ML-DB 6. AD-MC-KL 7. AD-KC-ML 8. AD-LC-KM

09. AL-KH-GD 10. AK-LE-DJ 11. AK-GF-LI 12. AL-JI-FK 13. AK-GE-MI 14. AL-JH-FM 15. AD-IH-KM 16. AD-FE-ML

17. AL-KC-GM 18. AM-KC-GL 19. AK-LC-MJ 20. AM-LC-KJ 21. AK-MG-BL 22. AK-LG-BM 23. AL-MJ-KB 24. AL-KJ-MB

25. AK-ME-DI 26. AM-KE-DI 27. AL-MH-FD 28. AM-LH-FD 29. AM-IH-KG 30. AK-IH-MG 31. AM-FE-JM 32. AL-FE-JL

33. BI-LC-FK 34. FB-CK-LI 35. BE-HF-MI 36. BH-EI-FM 37. FH-EM-BI 38. EI-MH-FB 39. EH-FM-BI 40. EH-MI-FB

Purchased from Creative Craft House 2007.
(wood box 3.4" x 9.25" x 4.1" with 27 wood pieces, each 3.1" long by 3/4" square)

This set has 27 2x2x6 unit standard 6-piece burr pieces numbered from 0 to 26, where piece 0 is the solid piece. A total of 69 different level 1 standard 6-piece burrs can be selected, where all use piece 0 as a key piece, and the other 5 pieces are specified with a tic-tac-toe notation:

Made by Interlocking Puzzles 2000.
(7 x 6 x 3.4 inch Jarrah box with 42 Chechen pieces, each 3/4 x 3/4 x 2.4 inches)

25 distinct notchable 2 x 2 x 6.5 unit pieces, indexed from A to Y, a total of 42 pieces including duplicates, which can be used to assemble the 314 different level 1 six piece burrs that have no holes. The set comes with five puzzle cards and five solution clue cards that list the pieces in order from 1 to 6 according to where they belong in the diagram above. This set does not contain all possible notchable pieces; just has the pieces necessary (and enough copies) to make all 6-piece notchable burrs with no holes. Also, some higher level burrs can be constructed with this set; for example, L5 Notchable is OODXNL and Holey Astigmatism is TYLLUM. Note that because the pieces are more than 6 units long, there are some higher level burrs that don't quite work, but would if the pieces were exactly 6 units long.

1. Puzzle Descriptions 001 ALLXXX 022 CDPPYY 043 ADDVYY 002 BBTYYY 023 CDPPYY 044 ACMXYY 003 AHTYYY 024 CDPPYY 045 ADMXYY 004 AKTYYY 025 ALPXYY 046 AILOUY 005 ALLUXY 026 ALSVYY 047 AILOUY 006 BBXXYY 027 ALSWYY 048 AJLNUY 007 BETYYY 028 BCPXYY 049 AJLNUY 008 AKXXYY 029 BCPXYY 050 AKVXYY 009 ALSXYY 030 BDPXYY 051 AKWXYY 010 ACLUYY 031 BDPXYY 052 AMMXYY 011 ACLXXY 032 ELPTYY 053 BCPWYY 012 ADLUYY 033 AFLRYY 054 BCPWYY 013 ADLXXY 034 AGLQYY 055 BCPWYY 014 ALTUYY 035 ALMXXY 056 BDPVYY 015 LLPPXX 036 ALTVVY 057 BDPVYY 016 ACCXYY 037 ALTWWY 058 BDPVYY 017 ADDXYY 038 BBVXYY 059 CLPPXY 018 ALMTYY 039 BBWXYY 060 CLPPXY 019 AMSYYY 040 BLPXXY 061 DLPPXY 020 BLPTYY 041 LPPSYY 062 DLPPXY 021 BPSYYY 042 ACCWYY 063 ACLWXY

1. Puzzle Solution Clues 001 XXAXLL 022 PYPDCY 043 VYAYDD 002 YYBBTY 023 YPPCDY 044 XYAMYC 003 YYAHYT 024 YYPPCD 045 XYAMDY 004 YYAKYT 025 PXALYY 046 UYALOI 005 UXAYLL 026 YVAYSL 047 UYAOLI 006 XXBBYY 027 WYAYSL 048 UYALJN 007 YYBEYT 028 XPBCYY 049 UYANJL 008 XXAKYY 029 XYBPYC 050 XYAKYV 009 YYAXLS 030 PXBDYY 051 XYAKWY 010 UYAYLC 031 YXBPYD 052 MMAXYY 011 XYAXLC 032 YYPELT 053 YPBCWY 012 UYAYDL 033 RYALFY 054 YPBCYW 013 XYAXDL 034 QYALYG 055 YYBPWC 014 YYAULT 035 XXAMLY 056 PYBDVY 015 XXPPLL 036 VYAVLT 057 PYBDYV 016 YYAXCC 037 WYAWTL 058 YYBPVD 017 YYAXDD 038 XYBBYV 059 XPPCLY 018 YYAMLT 039 YXBBWY 060 XYPPCL 019 YYAMYS 040 XXBPYL 061 PXPDLY 020 YYBPTL 041 YYPPLS 062 YXPPLD 021 YYBPYS 042 WYAYCC 063 WXAYCL

2. Puzzle Descriptions 064 ADLVXY 085 AGLOVY 106 ANPQYY 065 AJRTYY 086 AFLNWY 107 ANPQYY 066 AIQTYY 087 AFLNWY 108 AOPRYY 067 AMPYYY 088 ANOSXY 109 AOPRYY 068 ANQSYY 089 ANOSXY 110 AOPRYY 069 ANQSYY 090 ANOSXY 111 BHNOTY 070 ANQSYY 091 BBVWYY 112 BLPVXY 071 AORSYY 092 BNQTTY 113 BLPWXY 072 AORSYY 093 BORTTY 114 LNPQTT 073 AORSYY 094 ANOTUY 115 LOPRTT 074 BCFRYY 095 ANOTUY 116 ACNOUY 075 BDGQYY 096 ANOTUY 117 ACNOUY 076 BFRTYY 097 BQRSYY 118 ACORXY 077 BGQTYY 098 BQRSYY 119 ACORXY 078 BMMUYY 099 ACNOXX 120 ADNOUY 079 ALNOUX 100 ADNOXX 121 ADNOUY 080 ALNOUX 101 ALMVXY 122 ADNQXY 081 ALNOUX 102 ALMWXY 123 ADNQXY 082 ALPVYY 103 ALQRXY 124 AINOOU 083 ALPWYY 104 ALQRXY 125 AJNNOU 084 AGLOVY 105 ANPQYY 126 AMNOTY

2. Puzzle Solution Clues 064 VXAYLD 085 VYAOLG 106 PYANYQ 065 RYAJTY 086 WYALFN 107 PYAYNQ 066 QYAIYT 087 WYANFL 108 OPAYYR 067 MPAYYY 088 NOAXSY 109 PYAORY 068 NQAYSY 089 NYAXSO 110 PYAYRO 069 QYANYS 090 OYAXNS 111 ONBHYT 070 QYAYNS 091 YYBBWV 112 XYBPVL 071 ORAYYS 092 QNBTYT 113 YXBPWL 072 RYAOSY 093 ORBTYT 114 QNPTLT 073 RYAYSO 094 NOAUTY 115 ORPTLT 074 YRBCYF 095 NYAUTO 116 NUAYCO 075 QYBDYG 096 OYAUNT 117 UYANOC 076 YRBFYT 097 QYBRYS 118 RXAOCY 077 QYBGYT 098 YRBQYS 119 RXAYCO 078 MMBUYY 099 NXAXCO 120 OUAYND 079 UXALON 100 OXAXND 121 UYAODN 080 UXANOL 101 XYAMLV 122 QXAYND 081 UXAOLN 102 XYAMWL 123 QXANYD 082 PYALYV 103 RXALQY 124 NUAOIO 083 PYALWY 104 QXALYR 125 OUANNJ 084 VYALOG 105 NPAYQY 126 NOAMTY

3. Puzzle Descriptions 127 AMNOTY 148 BDQRXY 169 BPQRYY 128 AMNOTY 149 CDPQRY 170 BPQRYY 129 BNOPTY 150 CDPQRY 171 BNOSUY 130 BNOPTY 151 CDPQRY 172 LNOPST 131 BNOPTY 152 CDPQRY 173 NOPPSY 132 BNOSTY 153 ENOPTY 174 NOPPSY 133 CFLPRY 154 ENOPTY 175 NOPPSY 134 CLPPWY 155 ENOPTY 176 AFNNOW 135 DGLPQY 156 HLNOPT 177 AGNOOV 136 DLPPVY 157 ACMVYY 178 AMNOXX 137 FLPRTY 158 ADMWYY 179 ANNQQX 138 GLPQTY 159 ALORVX 180 AOORRX 139 LMMPUY 160 ALORVX 181 ANOTVV 140 AIOTVY 161 ALNQWX 182 ANOTWW 141 AJNTWY 162 ALNQWX 183 ANOSVY 142 ANOPXY 163 AMQRYY 184 ANOSVY 143 ANOPXY 164 AMQRYY 185 ANOSWY 144 ANOPXY 165 BMPVYY 186 ANOSWY 145 BCQRXY 166 BMPWYY 187 COPPRY 146 BCQRXY 167 BFIORY 188 COPPRY 147 BDQRXY 168 BGJNQY 189 COPPRY

3. Puzzle Solution Clues 127 NYAMTO 148 QXBRYD 169 YPBQYR 128 OYAMNT 149 QYPDCR 170 PYBRYQ 129 NYBPTO 150 QYPRCD 171 ONBUYS 130 YOBPTN 151 YRPCDQ 172 ONPSLT 131 NOBPTY 152 YRPQDC 173 NOPPSY 132 ONBSYT 153 NOEPTY 174 NYPPSO 133 YRPCLF 154 NYEPTO 175 YOPPSN 134 YPPCLW 155 YOEPTN 176 OWANNF 135 QYPDLG 156 ONPHLT 177 NVAOGO 136 PYPDLV 157 YYAMCV 178 MXAXNO 137 YRPFLT 158 YYAMDW 179 NNAXQQ 138 QYPGLT 159 VXALOR 180 OOAXRR 139 MMPULY 160 VXAOLR 181 NVAVTO 140 VYAIOT 161 WXANQL 182 OWAWNT 141 WYAJTN 162 WXALQN 183 VYANOS 142 PXAONY 163 MRAYYQ 184 NVAYSO 143 PXANYO 164 MQAYRY 185 OWAYNS 144 PXAYNO 165 MPBVYY 186 WYAOSN 145 XRBCYQ 166 PMBWYY 187 POPRCY 146 XRBQYC 167 ORBIYF 188 PYPRCO 147 QXBDYR 168 QNBJYG 189 YOPPCR

4. Puzzle Description 190 CLPQRX 211 AORTWY 232 ACNOWX 191 CLPQRX 212 AORTWY 233 ADNOVX 192 DLPQRX 213 BNPQWY 234 BCQRWY 193 DLPQRX 214 BNPQWY 235 BCQRWY 194 DNPPQY 215 BNPQWY 236 BDQRVY 195 DNPPQY 216 BNPQWY 237 BDQRVY 196 DNPPQY 217 BOPRVY 238 BIOPWY 197 LPQRSY 218 BOPRVY 239 BJNPVY 198 LPQRSY 219 BOPRVY 240 LNPPQX 199 ACQRYY 220 BOPRVY 241 LOPPRX 200 ADQRYY 221 FILOPR 242 ACNQXY 201 AFNORY 222 GJLNPQ 243 ADORXY 202 AFNORY 223 ILOPPW 244 AMNOUY 203 AGNOQY 224 JLNPPV 245 BNPQXY 204 AGNOQY 225 LMPPVY 246 BNQSWY 205 AMNQXY 226 LMPPWY 247 BOPRXY 206 AMNQXY 227 LNOPSU 248 BORSVY 207 AMORXY 228 LPPQRY 249 CNOPPX 208 AMORXY 229 LPPQRY 250 DNOPPX 209 ANQTVY 230 ACIOWY 251 ANOPVY 210 ANQTVY 231 ADJNVY 252 ANOPVY

4. Puzzle Solution Clues 190 XRPCLQ 211 ORAWYT 232 WXAOCN 191 XRPQLC 212 RYAWTO 233 VXANOD 192 QXPDLR 213 NYBPWQ 234 YRBCWQ 193 QXPRLD 214 YPBQWN 235 YRBQWC 194 NPPQDY 215 PNBWYQ 236 QYBDVR 195 NYPPDQ 216 NPBQWY 237 QYBRVD 196 YPPQDN 217 YOBPVR 238 OPBIYW 197 QYPRLS 218 OPBVYR 239 PNBJYV 198 YRPQLS 219 PYBRVO 240 XPPQLN 199 RYAYCQ 220 POBRVY 241 PXPRLO 200 QYAYRD 221 ORPILF 242 NYAXCQ 201 ORANYF 222 QNPJLG 243 OYAXRD 202 RYANFO 223 OPPILW 244 MUAYNO 203 NQAOGY 224 PNPJLV 245 XPBQYN 204 QYAONG 225 MPPVLY 246 QNBWYS 205 MNAXYQ 226 PMPWLY 247 PXBRYO 206 MYAXNQ 227 ONPULS 248 ORBVYS 207 MOAXRY 228 YPPQLR 249 XOPPCN 208 MYAXRO 229 PYPRLQ 250 NXPPDO 209 NQAVTY 230 WYAOCI 251 NPAOVY 210 QYAVNT 231 VYANJD 252 PYAONV

5. Puzzle Descriptions 253 ANOPWY 274 BNOPWX 295 ANOQRV 254 ANOPWY 275 LMNPQU 296 ANOQRW 255 BMNQUY 276 LMOPRU 297 CDQQRR 256 BMORUY 277 LNPPQW 298 CDQQRR 257 ACNQWY 278 LOPPRV 299 CDQQRR 258 ACNQWY 279 ACORVY 300 CDPQRY 259 ADORVY 280 ADNQWY 301 CDPQRY 260 ADORVY 281 AMNQWY 302 CFNOPR 261 ANQQRY 282 AMORVY 303 CNOPPW 262 ANQQRY 283 BNQQRW 304 COPQRR 263 AOQRRY 284 BOQRRV 305 DGNOPQ 264 AOQRRY 285 COPQRR 306 DNOPPV 265 LNPQSW 286 DNPQQR 307 DNPQQR 266 LOPRSV 287 BMQRVY 308 FNOPRT 267 ALQRWY 288 BMQRWY 309 GNOPQT 268 ALQRVY 289 LMPQRV 310 NOPPQR 269 AMNOVX 290 LMPQRW 311 NOPPQR 270 AMNOWX 291 AINOQW 312 NOPPQR 271 ANOQRX 292 AJNORV 313 NOPQRS 272 ANOQRX 293 AMNQVY 314 NOPQRS 273 BNOPVX 294 AMORWY

5. Puzzle Solution Clues 253 OPANYW 274 NXBPWO 295 NRAOVQ 254 PYANWO 275 MNPULQ 296 OQANRW 255 MNBUYQ 276 OMPULR 297 RQQDRC 256 OMBUYR 277 PNPWLQ 298 RQCRDQ 257 NWAYCQ 278 OPPVLR 299 RQCDRQ 258 WYANQC 279 RYAOCV 300 RPQDYC 259 OVAYRD 280 QYANWD 301 PQCRDY 260 VYAODR 281 MWAYNQ 302 RNCPOF 261 NRAYQQ 282 MVAYRO 303 PNCPOW 262 RYANQQ 283 NRBQWQ 304 RPQROC 263 OQAYRR 284 QOBRVR 305 OQPDGN 264 QYAORR 285 QOPRCR 306 OPPDVN 265 QNPWLS 286 NRPQDQ 307 PQQRDN 266 ORPVLS 287 MRBVYQ 308 RNFPOT 267 QYALWR 288 QMBWYR 309 OQPGTN 268 RYALQV 289 MRPVLQ 310 PPQRON 269 NXAMVO 290 QMPWLR 311 PNQPOR 270 OXAMNW 291 NWAOIQ 312 OPPRQN 271 QXAONR 292 OVANRJ 313 RNQPOS 272 RXANQO 293 NYAMVQ 314 OQPRSN 273 XOBPVN 294 OYAMRW

A	B	C	D
E	F	G	H
I	J	K	L
M	N	O	P
Q	R	S	T
U	V	W	X

Puzzle number 305 is {D,G,N,O,P,Q}. The solution hint 305 lists the order {O, Q, P, D, G, N). Looking at the burr figure we can make the correspondence:

1 = O 2 = Q

3 = P 4 = D

5 = G 6 = N

With this correspondence, one can see from the figure where each piece goes in the solved puzzle (but not which way to flip or rotate it), and this can make it a fun, but still not too easy, to solve the puzzle. The trick for this one is to first see how the pieces must fit together when solved, and then realize that the only way to put it together is to put three together into one half, three together in the other half, and then slide the three halves together:

Made by Interlocking Puzzles 2000.
(6.6 x 5.75 x 3.2 inch wood box with 42 wood pieces, each 3/4 x 3/4 x 2.25 inches)

35 distinct notchable 2 x 2 x 6 unit pieces, indexed with numbers in the range 0 to 56 (as shown above), a total of 42 pieces including duplicates, which can be used to assemble most of the level 5 standard 6-piece burrs. Uses David Winkler's numbering. Four puzzle and clue cards that list the pieces in order from A to F according to the diagram above.

00	01	02	03	04
05	06	07	08	09
10	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	28
29	30	32	33	34
35	38	39	40	44
45	46	49	53	56

Cube Assembly

Assembling a cube shape from pieces is so common it merits its own category. Most of these puzzles leave you with a bag of pieces when unassembled, but a few, such as Hinged Cubes and Kev's Cubes are manipulation puzzles where you can pick it up, play with it, and put it down unsolved to continue later.

Copyright 1966 Piet Hein,
produced in Denmark by Skj0de of Skjern for Parker brothers, No. 1050.
(4" box with wood pieces, metal base, and instruction booklet, 3.1" assembled)

Six of the 7 pieces are formed from 4 unit size cubes and the last piece isformed from 3 unit size cubes; the goal is to assemble them into a 3x3x3 cube. This is a relatively easy puzzle with many solutions. John Rausch credits the invention of this puzzle to Piet Hein in 1936.

Further reading:
Stewart Coffin's book, from: http://www.johnrausch.com/PuzzlingWorld/chap03a.htm
McFarren's Page, from: http://www.geocities.com/abcmcfarren/soma/soma.htm
Lagoon Solution, from: http://www.give-me-a-clue.com
Johnson 1988 Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,784,392
Johnson 1989 Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,844,466

Designed by Stuart Coffin circa 1975, made by Cubic Dissection 2002.
(6 pieces, bocote, 2.25 inches square assembled)

Here is what Coffin says in The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections:

"The six-piece version of the 3 x 3 x 3 cube will be considered first. For aesthetic reasons, one might prefer that all the pieces be the same size, but this is impossible, so the nearest approximation is to use three four-block pieces and three five-block pieces. It is also desirable that all pieces be non-symmetrical but this is likewise impossible so two of the four-block pieces will have an axis of symmetry. All pieces will of course be dissimilar. Of the several thousand such combinations possible the author tried several that proved to have either multiple solutions or no solution, until finally finding one with a unique solution."

Here is the solution hint that was sold with the puzzle:

Designed and made by Interlocking Puzzles circa 2001.
(5 pieces, 3 inches square assembled)

A similar theme, but not the same set of pieces as the 5 piece version of the 3x3x3 cube suggested by Stewart Coffin in Figure 55 of The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections.

Designed by Stuart Coffin (circa 1975), Made by Interlocking Puzzles (circa 2001)
(4 pieces, 3 inches square assembled)

The photo on the right above shows the four pieces in their relative orientation for assembly. Here is what Coffin says in The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections:

"With puzzles of this type, there are an optimum number of pieces; and as you tinker with them, you soon gain an intuitive sense of what that number is. There is no way that a four-piece version can be very difficult, although the one shown in Fig. 51 does have the intriguing property of being serially interlocking, meaning that it can be assembled in one order only. Is a five-piece serially interlocking version possible?"

Made by AussieStuff Puzzles, purchased from Mr. Puzzle Australia, 2006.
(13 pieces, wood, 6 inches)

Thirteen pieces, each designed from unit cubes, are assembled into a 4x4x4 cube; can also be assembled into a 4 x 16 rectangle. Here is the solution that was sold with the puzzle:

Purchased from UK3, 2006.

Here is a photo of the other three sides:

Purchased from Creative Craft House 2007.
(wood, 3.1 inches)

Named because the designer's wife commented that it would take a century to solve; here are the first few steps of dissassembly:

Designed by Stewart Coffin circa 1975, made by Interlocking Puzzles 2001.
(8 pieces, maple and bloodwood, 2 inches square assembled)

The wood used to make this puzzle gives a clue to the solution with symmetric color shown above; the photos below show three basic steps to this solution:


It is not unique, here are two views of another solution:


Stewart Coffin, in his book The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections, describes the derivation of this puzzle as starting with all possible pairs of joined 1x2x2 blocks (where the resulting 10 pieces can be assembled into a 4x4x5 solid in 25 different ways) and then eliminate the two rectangular pieces (the 1x2x4 piece and the 2x2x2 piece) to see if the remaining 8 pieces can be assembled into a cube. He then goes on to say that they cannot be so assembled, but that one can be eliminated and one duplicated to make a set that can. He also notes "an interesting pattern of symmetry" in the solution.

The 1986 patent of Guenther describes puzzles where pieces are formed from pairs of rectangular solids.

Further reading:
Guenther Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 4,534,563

"Just a Little Packing Problem #1",
made by Mr. Puzzle Australia, purchased 2006;
basic idea by Stewart Coffin circa 1975.
(8 pieces, Tasmanian Oak, 2 inches square assembled)

Like the Stewart Coffin Patio Block, puzzle, but with a slightly different set of pieces. The three photos below show basic solution steps:

Designed by Bill Cutler 1991, made by Cutler / McFarland / Peterson.
(wood, 2.5 inches)

Pieces formed from black and white unit cubes and half unit cubes (starred above) must be assembled to a 3x3x3 cube with a checkerboard pattern on all sides. The solution is unique and does not follow the checkerboard pattern in the hidden center.

Designed by V. Genel, sold by Puzzleman.com, circa 2000?
(Zebrawood and Walnut, 2+5/8 inches)

Four beautifully cut pieces come apart in pairs:

Designed by S. Coffin 1971, made by T. Lensch 2008.
(Marblewood and Brazilian Blackwood, 2.2 inches;
sold with a piece diagram piece diagram and an assembly diagram)

Described in Coffin's book, six identical pieces are augmented to make 6 different non-symmetric pieces, where two groups of three slide together diagonally:

Designed by Lee Krasnow, Pacific Puzzle Works, published August 29, 2018.
(Printed on a Monoprice Mini V1 3D printer, from Thingiverse thing 2975065, 2019,
PLA plastic, 1+7/8" square)

Three identical pieces slide together in a simultaneous symmetric motion to form a cube. Below on the left shows the other three faces of the assembled cube and on the right the pieces.



Further Reading
Slideways Thingiverse Page, from: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2975065
Slideways Metal, from: http://www.etsy.com/listing/617915791/slideways-cube?ref=shop_home_active_16

Design and Copyright by Hirokazu Iwasawa, 2003.
Left: 3D print design by Richard Gain, thingiverse no. 23279, 2012, 1.5" square.
Right: Crafted from walnut by Alex Storer, 2022, 2+5/8" square.

The puzzle can be assembled with a simultaneous motion in two dimensions on the surface of a table. Observe that there are two identical pieces and two identical mirror images of them. Arrange one of the pairs back to back. Then, holding the the other pair back to back and upside down, place them perpendicular to the other pair. The slide all four together together with a symmetric simultaneous motion.

Here are the steps of assembling a printed plastic puzzle listed as simply "Apparently Impossible Cube" at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:23279; this one fabricated on a Monoprice V2 printer in 2021, PLA plastic, scale 120%, infill 22%, resolution 0.175mm:



Here are the steps of assembling the walnut puzzle (made by constructing a jig for making table saw cuts with a flat top blade):

Basic idea by Stewart Coffin, made by J. Storer 1989.
(purple heart with light wood dowels, 3 inches)

Stewart Coffin proposed this class of puzzle to make a 2x2x2 cube from 8 unit cubes, where each has three mutually perpendicular holes, and a total of 12 dowels are inserted into 12 of the 24 holes. He observed that the holes have one of two "reflexive forms", and that puzzles could be made by having all pieces of one form or having 4 with one and 4 with the other. The cubes of this puzzle all have the left form; the photos show basic solution steps:

Basic idea by Stewart Coffin, made by J. Storer 1989.
(top: purple heart with dowels, 3 inches;
bottom: rosewood with dowels, 2.25 inches)

Like the Cubes and Pegs puzzle, except here 4 pieces have one form and 4 the other (the pattern of pegs in the soluton to this puzzle is different from Coffin's Book Fig. 193):

Designed by Ronald Kint-Bruynseels, made by Eric Fuller 2007.
(walnut box and 9 cocobolo pieces with pegs, 2.5 inches)

Nine identical 3-unit L-shaped pieces with pegs added to assemble in a unique solution to a 3x3x3 cube. Here are basic solution steps:

Patented by Andy Turner, made by Eric Fuller 2010.
(Oak box 2.75" square by 2.1" high, Bubinga puzzle 2.2" square)

Don't read any further; have some fun first. This puzzle is quite hard until one sees the trick, and then it is almost impossible to forget how to solve it.

The two 1x2 pieces have double holes at one end that naturally entices one to use them, but in fact these two faces butt against each other in the unique solution (no pegs going between them), and then the puzzle solves easily. Here are four photos in sequence of assembly:

Designed Stewart Coffin, made byInterlocking Puzzles 2000.
(7 pieces, bloodwood and aluminum, 3 inches)

There are a total of 7 pieces; 2 pieces formed from 5 unit cubes with holes and rods, 4 pieces formed from 4 unit cubes with holes and rods, and one 3 unit long rod. They must be assembled into a 3x3x3 cube (there is a unit void in the center). Stewart Coffin proposed this class of puzzles and suggested this particular selection of pieces as one that has a "satisfactory" set of two solutions. Below are two stages of a solution for which the last piece placed before the rod is the T, and two stages of a solution for which the last piece placed before the rod is the Z:

Designed Stewart Coffin; left Interlocking Puzzles 2005, right Coffin circa 1980.
(left: mahogany, eight pieces, 3.25 inches,
right: mahogany, walnut, szjo, eight pieces, 2.75 inches;
right is one of 6 puzzles purchased during a visit with the designer in the early 1980's)

Featured in a December 1991 article in Fine Woodworking Magazine. Described in Stewart Coffin's book The Puzzling World of Polyhedral Dissections; here is some of what he says in the directions that came with the puzzle:

"Special version - only one made. No half-pieces, so ignore puzzle problems that require half-pieces. The cube has only one solution in which all sides have matched wood and grain symmetry."

The pieces are the eight ways to glue together a basic U-shaped piece; below are the pieces of the Interlocking puzzle version, the one made by Stewart Coffin pulled apart, and his grain pattern:



The wood and grain restriction has only one solution, but on the other hand, you are given clues how to do it. For example, there is just enough walnut to go around (a total of 8 squares), and so the solution cannot have any of the walnut squares hidden in the middle. For the single wood version, here is one of the solutions:

For the single wood version, Interlocking Puzzles said that there are 7 solutions each with a symmetric version; here is the solution sheet that was sold with the puzzle:

Designed Rick Eason 2004, purchased from Mr. Puzzle Australia 2006.
(Burdekin Plum, 2.4 inches)

The solution is unique and made more difficult due to 3 "false solutions" (arrangements that could exist in a solved state but there is no order of assembly to achieve any of them). Below are photos of two steps in the solution and the sheet that came with the puzzle:




Further reading:
Winter Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 6,241,248

Designed by Rick Eason 2001, made by John Devost 2007.
(Bocote and Cherry, 4 pieces, 2.4 inches square;
as described on Rick Eason's Page, this puzzle was also mass produced as
"Confusion Puzzle Mental Block" shown on the right above - wood 2.9" square)

Four pieces formed from unit cubes and rods of dimensions 1/2 by 1/2 by 2.5 units.
The photos below show the four pieces positioned to be assembled, and pairs put together; the final step slides these two halves together to get the solved cube shown above.



Further Reading
Rick Eason's Page, from: http://www.mechanicalpuzzles.org/puzzles/index.html
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lagoon-CONFUSION-PUZZLE-MENTAL-BLOCK/dp/B004KYNB76

Designed by Kevin Holmes and Rik Van Grol, made by Eric Fuller 2009.
(Peruvian Walnut and Spalted Oak, 2.7 inches)

A beautiful and fun puzzle; here are photos of assembly:

Made by Takeyuki Endo, 1996.
(cardboard box, 14 oak pieces, direction / solution sheet, 2.75"square)

Four different types of pieces, each a flat piece connecting unit size cubes, which can be assembled in six different ways to solve to a cube.

Designed by Markku Vesala, made by Eric Fuller 2016.
(Purpleheart with nylon dowels, 3 inches square)

Here is what the puzzle maker said:

"The 3x3x3 cube is pretty played out. With only 27 units there are only so many things you can do with it. That's assuming tradition block glued to blocks...if you open up edge connections, a whole new world of complexity appears! Markku's excellent Liberal Cube makes good use of these dynamics, with a very confusing and difficult seven piece serial assembly. I would estimate that the difficulty is on par with Coffin's Convolution design which of course uses a 4x4x4 design format. This puzzle is a lot of fun and displays very well with the contrasting white dowels against the dark purpleheart."

Here are 6 photos (not to scale) of the puzzle coming apart:

a.k.a. Magic Cube
Circa 2000.
(laminated cardboard with Andy Warhol art, 2.75 inches)

Unlike the Hinged Cubes puzzle, this puzzle is trivial to solve and is more of a toy than a puzzle. The cube shown above, can be unfolded in two different ways to form a 2 x 4 array, and then in both cases that 2 x 4 array can be folded lengthwise to form another 2 x 4 array:

Copyright James A. Storer 2009; U.S. patent 8,393,623 March 2013.
(Kingwood with brass hinges, 2.25 inches square assembled)

Fold the eight cubes into a larger 2x2x2 cube; there are seven hinges:



Hinge 1 joins cube 2 to cube 1, on the front faces.
Hinge 2 joins cube 3 to cube 2, on the back face of 3 and the right face of 2.
Hinge 3 joins cube 4 to cube 3, on the top faces.
Hinge 4 joins cube 5 to cube 4, on the front faces.
Hinge 5 joins cube 6 to cube 5, on the left face of 6 and the right face of 5.
Hinge 6 joins cube 7 to cube 6, on the back face of 7 and the front face of 6.
Hinge 7 joins cube 8 to cube 6, on the top faces.

Fun but not too hard; people often spend 30 minutes or so to solve. Solid hinges suggest folding one cube at a time, which can lead to a position like the one shown on the right above.

Construction has four types of hinge cutouts:

Type A: Cube 1,7,8: Top-Right
Type B: Cube 2,5: Top-Right, Left-Up
Type C: Cube 3,4: Top-Right, Back-Up
Type D: Cube 6: Top-Right, Front-Up, Left-Right

The types can be arranged in this order and then rotated appropriately to attach hinges:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A B C C B D A A

Made by J. A. Storer, 2022 (2.25" square assembled; a 2" version was also made).
Prints the 8 cubes and then attaches the same brass hinges used for the original wood version, where precise cutouts and screw holes are made for the hinges.

Made by Andrew Soshea, 2022 (2.25" square assembled).
This clever design prints a fully working puzzle. The hinge pins have a tolerance around then so that no cracking of joints is needed after printing. The box is a separate fully working 3D print; writing on the box top and bottom is via a thin initial layer before changing colors.

a.k.a. Snake Cubes, Serpent Cubes, Cubra Cubes
Patented by Dryer U.S. 3,222,072 in 1965 and sold by Trench Puzzles circa 1985,
this one made by J. Storer 1988.
(bloodwood, 2.8 inches assembled)

Twenty seven cubes are threaded together with an elastic cord (the cord either pass through opposite faces or faces at 90 degrees). They can be folded up by rotating adjacent cubes with respect to each other to form a 3x3x3 cube (where none of the cord shows).





If the cube sequence was alternately colored red and black, then the solved 3x3x3 cube has red corners and face centers. Other puzzles are possible with different patterns or colors. The Kev solution is unique where the ends are face centers.

Further reading:
Jaap's Page, from: http://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/snakecube.htm
Mark Weston's Page, from: http://www.cs.uvic.ca/~mweston/snakes.html
Eryk Vershen's Page; from: http://cantaforda.com/cfcl/eryk/puzzles/chain_cube.html
Dreyer Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 3,222,072

With the standard corded version, a cube can rotate in place due to the cord stretch. This 3D print version eliminates the cord and requires mechanical rotation of adjacent faces. One often needs to pre-rotate upcoming attached portions before a fold, thus precluding strictly sequential folding, and making it harder to visualize and quickly try out possibilities.

Referring to the figures on the preceding page, is convenient to solve by first positioning the three triples 25/26/27, 21/22/23, 19/20/21 and then working back to Cube 1. Cube 25 is the "Start Cube" (S), Cube 1 is the "End Cube" (E), "Bend Cubes" (B) turn the cord 90 degrees, and "Pass Cubes" (P) sends the cord straight through.

Cubes ordering can be represented as a character string broken up into the places where a P occurs and there are three cubes in a line (3 characters at the start and two places where 5 characters make a pair of them) to make substrings of lengths 3, 1, 5, 11, 5, 2:



The parts, based on 7/8" cubes, are Start, Bend, Pass, End, Peg, Plug:



Pegs are pushed in as far as they will go (hole depth allows the head to protrude appropriately). A cube is attached by sliding its peg head into the slot of the adjacent cube and inserting a plug. Although glue could be used, tolerances are sufficiently tight for puzzle play. The tolerance of the peg heads allows a cube to spin freely (so long it is against a flat plane of cubes).

On the left below, the decorative version uses a second color for the plugs. On the right below, the solid color version uses a different print for the bend cube that hides the plugs; for the 5 pass cubes and the end cube the same color plug is used (and for the solved puzzle the 6 exposed plugs can be hidden by appropriately rotating those cubes).


Plastic, 2+5/8" square when assembled, copyright J.A. Storer, 2023.

a.k.a. Snake Cubes, Serpent Cubes
Same idea as Kev's Snake Cubes, but a different pattern.
(2 inches square)

The Cubra Cubes are the same idea as Kev's Snake Cubes, but come in a number of different patterns; this is the first pattern shown on Mark Weston's Page:

"A solution can be described by a string of "directions" that the cube follows when you wrap it into a cube, either Right, Left, Up, Down, Forward, or Back. So for example if a solution starts R R F L ... then put the end of the snake with the rest trailing off to the Right, then the next cube goes in the same direction (it must be a straight-through cube), the next cube (a corner cube) turns to point Forward, then it goes Left, etc."
Solutions:
R R F L U U F D D R U B B L L F D F U U B B R R F F
R R U L F F U B B R F D D L L U B U F F D D R R U U"

Unlike Kev's Cubes, a solution starts and ends in the corners, and is not unique. Here is a solution that is provided for the Lagoon version of this puzzle (the same as the first one above, with the directions R-L, F-B, U-D all reversed):



Further reading:
Mark Weston's Page, from: http://www.cs.uvic.ca/~mweston/snakes.html
Lagoon Solution, from: http://www.give-me-a-clue.com

Designed by Geoge Hart, published 2017.
(Printed on a Monoprice Mini V1 3D printer, from Thingiverse thing 2132796, 2019,
PLA plastic, 2" square)

Two pieces flow together to form a cube:



Further Reading
Helix Cube Thingiverse Page, from: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2132796

Packing
(including 2D Shapes)

Packing puzzles typically require one to fit pieces into a tray (two dimensional) or a box (three dimensional), although sometimes the problem is to fit the pieces into a particular shape. Perhaps the most well known example, which as been around for centuries, is the tangram, where the goal is to use the same set of simple two dimensional shapes to make many different shapes.

a.k.a. All Square Novelty Puzzle, Check-A-Board, Tyr & Do It,
Famous Checkerboard Puzzle, Weekly Telegraph Chessboard Puzzle
Left: Made 1940's by a relative of J. A. Storer who lived in up-state New York.
(wood cigar box and painted pieces cut from 1/4" masonite, with 1" squares)
Right two: J. F. Friedel Co., Syracuse, N.Y, circa 1940's.
(6.5 by 8 by 1" cardboard box and 12 cardboard pieces with 1+3/8" squares;
top edge says "Mfg. by J. F. FREDEL CO. Syracuse N.Y.";
bottom edge says "MFGS. REPRESENTATIVES POTTER & REAGAN")

Arrange the pieces to make a standard 8 by 8 checkerboard. There are 10 distinct pieces and two of the 5-unit Z's. Shown on pages 70-73 of the Haubrich book, which lists a unique solution (shown above). Here is another version made in Great Britian:

All Square Novelty Puzzle, Frederick Warne & Co., London and NY, circa 1930's? (6.25 x 6.25 x 13/16 inch cardboard box and 12 wood pieces based on 15/16" squares 1/8 inch thick; directions on the back of the box) Note: Frederick Warne & Co. is the publisher of the 1893 Hoffmann book.

Patented by H. Luers and made by Selchow & Righter, NY, circa 1880.
(8.5 inches square by 3/4 inch cardboard box and 15 cardboard pieces, 14 distinct;
pieces based on 1 inch squares can be arranged in the box;
on the cover and pages 217-219 of the Haubrich book,
which lists this puzzle having 6,013 solutions;
solution on the left above is from Haubrich, and right is from the Luers patent)

Left is a solution a previous owner drew inside the box bottom, right is the label on the box top, and below is the label inside the box top.

This version is nearly identical to the one shown on the previous pages, except the color of the label on the box top is a bit more brown than gray, and the pattern around the edge is a bit different (and this one has nothing inside the box top or bottom).

Phenyo-Caffein Co., Worcester, MA, circa 1900.
(5.25 inches square by 5/8 inch cardboard box and 15 cardboard pieces, 14 distinct;
pieces based on 5/8 inch squares can be arranged in the box;
also made with a wood box of the same dimensons and graphics)

The Pheno-Caffein Co. also made the Misfit 6 Piece Burr. The inside of the box bottom (on the right above) challenges the solver by stating that the dark square of the smallest piece can occupy any of the 32 dark squares. The sheet available from the company, on the next page, shows eight solutions (representing solution classes).

Further Reading
Luers Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 231,963

a.k.a. Famous 'Bug House' Puzzle
Feltham Co., London, Royal Letters Patent 16,310, circa 1889.
(cardboard box and 14 thick cardboard pieces, 5" x 5" x 1/2";
box bottom has add for Feltham's tennis bat;
has a sheet that is the same as what is on the inside of the box bottom;
shown on pages 165-174 of the Haubrich book,
which gives the date and lists this puzzle as having 84 solutions; one is shown above)

Franco, NY, circa 1948.
(cardboard box and 14 distinct metal pieces, 3.25" x 3.25" x 1/2")

The Bug House Puzzle, E.I.H. Co. and F&K, 1912.
(cardboard box and 14 distinct metal pieces, 2.1 by 3.1 by 1/2 inches;
inside box top gives directions and manufacture;
shown on the cover and on pages 150-151 of the Haubrich book,
which gives the manufacture date,
identifies "E. I. Horsman Co." and "Forsheim & Koningsberg", NY,
and lists this puzzle as having 141 solutions, one of which is shown below)



Note: There were a number of variations of this puzzle made. This one is the same as page 150-151 of the Haubrich book if the pieces with dots in the photo above are taken to be black; however, the dots shown in the Haubrich book are not in the same locations.

Vasen Mfg. Co., Davenport, Iowa, 1928.
(cardboard box and 14 distinct cardboard pieces, 4.25 by 4.25 by 5/8 inches;
inside box bottom says you can send 10 cents to get three different solutions;
shown on pages 158-164 of the Haubrich book,
which lists this puzzle as having 84 solutions, one of which is shown above)

Note: Pages 165-174 of the Haubrich book show puzzles that are the same except for the colors reversed, and pages 183-187 of the Haubrich book include the same box top where if the pieces for those puzzles have the colors reversed, they are the same except for one (and the same as Xcel Checkerboard Puzzle No. 1).

Doyle Puzzle Co., Buffalo, NY, circa 1920?
(cardboard box 5.1"x5.1"x7/8", and 14 distinct cardboard pieces with 3/4" squares;
same as the Famous and Baffling Checkerboard Puzzle with colors reversed;
also made in a 13 piece version, the New XceL Checkerboard Puzzle No. 2;
shown on pages 183-187 of the Haubrich book,
which lists this puzzle as having 84 solutions, one of which is shown below)



Note: The Chequers Puzzle shown on page 97 of the 1893 Hoffmann Book is the same as a mirror image of this puzzle, except that puzzle shows only 63 squares, and can be corrected to make one of the three 4-unit L's be a 5-unit Z.

Doyle Puzzle Co., Buffalo, NY, circa 1920?
(cardboard box 5.1"x5.1"x7/8", and 13 distinct cardboard pieces with 3/4" squares;
also made in a 14 piece version, the XceL Checkerboard Puzzle No. 1;
shown on page 122 of the Haubrich book,
which lists this puzzle as having 7 solutions,
5 of which a composed of two 4 by 8 solutions,
one of these 5 and one other are shown below,
where the black squares correspond to green and the white to black)

Gyro Checker Board Jig Saw Puzzle, undated.
(3.5 by 6 inch envelope and 14 distinct cardboard pieces based on 1 inch squares;
shown on page 196 of the Haubrich book,
which lists this puzzle as having 598 solutions, one of which is shown below)

a.k.a. Krazee Checkerboard Puzzle, Zebas Puzzle,
Banzee Island Checkerboard Puzzle, 59-444 Checkerboard Puzzle
Peter Pan Playthings, England, circa 1950.
(plastic box and 12 plastic pieces, 4.75 by 4 by 5/16 inches;
there are 11 distinct pieces, where there are two of the 6-unit L;
shown on pages 57-65 of the Haubrich book, which gives the manufacture date
and list this puzzle as having 11 solutions, one of which is shown above;
pages 60-65 show reflected with reverse colors patented by J. Avila-Valdez 1995)

Arrange the pieces to make a standard 8 by 8 checkerboard. Paper, shown below, is glued to the bottom inside of the box that gives a layout for quickly storing the pieces unsolved in the box. The bottom of the box is a non-transparent black plastic that does not allow you to see the back of the paper. However, by holding it up to the light one can see that the reverse side of the paper has instructions similar to the Krazee Checkerboard Puzzle, shown on the following page.



Further Reading
Avila-Valdez Patent, from: www.uspto.gov - patent no. 5,403,005

Krazee Checkerboard Puzzle, Plas-Trix Co., Jamica, NY, 1957.
(plastic box and 12 plastic pieces, 4.75 by 4 by 5/16 inches;
same puzzle as the Draught Checkerboard Puzzle shown on the previous page,
but the back of the box is clear to allow one to view directions;
also shown on pages 57-58 of the Haubrich book, which gives the manufacture date)

Zebas Checkerboard Puzzle, Plas-Trix Co., Brooklyn, NY.
(plastic box and 12 plastic pieces, 4.75 by 4 by 5/16 inches;
same puzzle as the Krazee Checkerboard Puzzle shown on the previous page,
and also made by the Plas-Trix Co., but with different packaging)


Banzee Island Checkerboard Puzzle, made in Hong Kong.
(12 plastic pieces in plastic bag with cardboard top, 6.25 by 6.5 inches;
same puzzle as the Zebas Checkerboard Puzzle shown above,
the back of the package top refers to Chief Zebas)