2D Packing Puzzles allow for some of the most creative works in puzzle design. This type of puzzles is so versatile that you can do almost anything you can imagine. A great example of such creative design is Martin Watson's Digigrams (also called Count on Me!).

Digigrams is comprised of 10 pieces representing the numbers in digital form from 0 thru 9. The goal is simple: just pack them into the provided tray. The solution is neatly packed to make the most out of the available space, due to the unusual shape of the pieces.

The puzzle is manufactured by Creative Crafthouse, and as you can read from some of my past reviews on their puzzles, their craftsmanship is superb. The hardwood they use is very high quality, and in this case there are two tones, light and dark. The size is satisfactory, with measurements of 14 x 12 x 2.5 (5.5" x 4.7" x 1"). Comes in the classic base and cover design.

The Digigrams is not an easy puzzle. It's actually quite challenging, although it never reaches frustrating levels like the Calibron 12, for example. Be warned, though, as the puzzle comes in its solved state. If you don't want to spoil your experience, open the box facing down.

It's very easy to "almost" solve the puzzle, since you can get the first five or six pieces pretty easily inside the tray. However, there's always some pieces that refuse to be packed. At first, it's hard to see how the pieces should be placed next to each other, but you'll soon understand how they interact - That's only a small part of solving the puzzle, because the hard part is discovering the actual solution. Just before when I was ready to be done for the day, I was able to finally solve it. It had taken me approximately an hour and a half to do it.

Solution: If you need help with the solution, you can see it solved here.

Closing Comments:

Packing Puzzles are easily among my favorite type of puzzles. The Digigrams is very close to the limit of what can be considered an extremely hard puzzle. PuzzleMaster rates it as a level 9/10, which is exactly what I think about its difficulty. The quality is remarkable, so if you're looking for a good challenge, this one is a perfect fit.

Availability: You can find the Digigrams (Count on Me!) at PuzzleMaster for about 20 CAD. For other puzzles in the Creative Crafthouse range check out their dedicated page.