New year, new Constantin puzzles. I can't get enough of these cute little packing puzzles. This little devil is called Ghostbuster, and if you're not afraid of ghosts then you should be afraid of these ones, as it's quite challenging to pack them all inside the frame.

Ghostbuster is made from laser-cut wood (plywood), and the design is quite intriguing, featuring five ghostly-shaped figures with unusual contours. Unlike some of the more well-known Constantin puzzles, where many types of woods are used to create a colored palette, this one has only one plain color, which is a shame, considering the level of quality and presentation the designer has accustomed us in many previous occasions. Nevertheless, the design is still quite interesting and unique.

This packing puzzle is a little different from what you might be used to. The pieces don't occupy the entire area of the frame, but when solved no holes can be seen within the perimeter occupied by the pieces - only on the edges of the frame. This type of puzzle can be easily compared to the Picture Frame Puzzles, where you have to make the most out of the area you're given and try to fit all the pieces inside, even if at first sight it looks impossible.

Rated as a difficulty level 8/10, you can expect some challenging moments as you try to solve it. The pieces can only be used on one side, since the other side doesn't have the details engraved on it. This will only make things more difficult than they already were, given the odd shape of the pieces. Of the five ghosts, only two are identical twins - not that it matters much for the overall difficulty of the puzzle. Not counting rotations, I believe there's only one solution for the Ghostbuster - a very difficult solution.

Closing Comments:

Ghostbuster by Jean Claude Constantin is surely a nice puzzle, but presentation-wise it could've been better. He raised the bar for incredibly beautiful puzzles, so it's only natural to ask for the best when it comes to one of his designs.

Availability: You can get a copy of the Ghostbuster puzzle at PuzzleMaster for $18.99 CAD. As always, PuzzleMaster has a wide variety of puzzles from Constantin - the hard thing to do is choosing.