Jean Claude Constantin always excels at what he does. His puzzles are some of the most amazing concepts you'll ever find out there and a lot of them are as challenging as they come. Puzzle Locks and n-ary puzzles are a perfect combination and here, with the Schloß Dick, Constantin delivers a great looking and interesting puzzle.

This is a rather small puzzle, measuring only 10.5cm x 6.8cm (4.13" x 2.68"). I would've liked a slightly bigger puzzle, since it can be more difficult to manipulate those small sliding platforms. Nevertheless, the movement of the puzzle is still good, despite it being made from laser-cut wood (plywood).

The Schloß Dick is essentially a n-ary sequential movement puzzle, more specifically a 5-ary (quinary). It sounds intimidating, but in all honesty this feels like a binary puzzle (2-ary if you want to be specific), and therefore it's not as difficult as it looks. The puzzle consists of four sliding platforms that move vertically, while you slide a pin horizontally to match the path of each platform. The puzzle will only be open when all four pieces are slid to the bottom.

This is rated as a level 4/5, but if you're used to sequential movement puzzles, this is easily a level 3/5 or a 7 in a scale of 10. I managed to solve it within 5 minutes, and it took me even less time to put it back together. The four platforms are all different (each has ever larger paths than the previous), but once you know the sequence it's just "rinse and repeat" until you open the lock - It's recursive mathematics, so you should be OK, even if mathematics aren't your forte.

Closing Comments:

I really liked the Schloß Dick by Constantin. It's not a frustrating puzzle, and by solving it in such a short amount of time, you can solve it anytime you want a quick puzzle fix. The only fault, really, is its short size. Definitely worth a try.

Availability: You can buy a copy of the Schloß Dick at Brilliant Puzzles for $25.95 USD. For other Constantin designs click here.

Links:

Check out Goetz Schwandtner's website if you want to know more about n-ary puzzles.

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The Hexagon has quite an interesting design, and contrary to many other Cast Puzzles, its goal is pretty clear right from the start (remove the three pieces from the frame). However, just because its mechanism isn't ambiguous it doesn't mean that it's not a difficult puzzle. Classified as a level 4/6, you can be sure that this isn't a puzzle you'll be solving in just a couple of minutes.

When seen in its initial state, all three pieces form a shape that resembles three hexagons put together. Moreover, even before you've made your first move, the pieces look like they have the same overall shape. That's not the case, as you'll soon verify after the first two moves - all three pieces have a different configuration.

Solving the Cast Hexagon requires creative thinking and finding the correct sequence. It requires a total of 24 moves to remove all three pieces, but I reckon you'll need a few more on your first time, as it also happened to me. The pieces slide quite easily around the frame, although they're locked inside the small area until you remove them. The empty space is very small, so you'll have to keep those pieces moving and rotating them quite a bit to make room for the next move. It may sometimes be a little frustrating finding that there's no space for a move you wanted to make, but just keep trying until you remove the first piece. After that it's a piece of cake to remove the remaining two.

Putting the puzzle back together can be even more difficult if you don't have a guide. Be sure to know the order the pieces were removed and you'll eventually will be able to put it in its original state.

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Hanayama never disappoints when it comes to their flagship series, and the Cast Hexagon is no different. I was a bit skeptical at first, because of its unusual design, but after playing with it, I have nothing negative to say about it, and I can recommend it to anyone who likes Cast Puzzles.

Availability: I got the Cast Hexagon from the Spanish store PuzzlesdeIngenio.com. Others in the series can also be bought here.

If you're a cat lover, like myself, you're in for a treat, as Creative Crafthouse's new Picture Frame Puzzle designed by Dave Janelle, the Cat Lovers, promises to deliver a good dose of fun and feline puzzling. Ten different breeds of cats are represented in this puzzle in various sizes and poses, and one unlucky little mouse, which found himself trapped among this clowder. Your task is to find a way for all of these little pranksters to get along inside the tight space of the frame. There's only one way to do this, so get creative...

Made from at least four different types of hardwood, which results in several different colors, the puzzle is a beautiful showcase of the craftsmanship achieved at Creative Crafthouse's shop in Florida. Each cat is a close representation of its living counterpart, made with spots and stripes by delicately carving the wood with subtle lines. Their Picture Frame Puzzles are also quite big and look great on display, measuring about 19.3cm (7.6") in diameter. The puzzle also comes with its own lid so you won't run the risk of losing any piece - it will only close when completely solved.

The Cat Lovers puzzle features a total of 10 different cat breeds, some of them quite exotic and rare, which I even didn't know existed. These are: Maine Coon, Korat, Kao Manee, California Spangled, Nebelung, Bengal, British Shorthair, Aegean, Persian, Peterbald. The rest are kittens, and of course there's the lonely mouse for a total of 12 pieces.

As expected from this type of puzzle the level of difficulty is very high, so you can be sure to be challenged to the limit of your skills and then some... The cats, and mouse, won't occupy the entirety of the frame's area, but the empty spaces between them will be very small. The trick here is to maximize the waste of space by finding parts of pieces that can be joined together as much as possible, as if you were solving a jigsaw puzzle. Leave the mouse for last, since it won't have any real impact in the solving process and can be fitted in one the remaining empty spaces.

Closing Comments:

Picture Frame Puzzles can be easily picked up by anybody, since the concept is very easy to understand. However, few will be able to solve one of these, as their high level of difficulty can bring along some frustration. If you happen to solve one, then you'll experience a great rewarding feeling. The Cat Lovers puzzle is the ultimate gift for all cat lovers out there.

Availability: I got the Cat Lovers puzzle from PuzzlesdeIngenio.com, in Spain.

Trick Locks have always been a favorite of mine. I love to discover their secret combinations, finding out what mechanisms keep it locked. It's always a mystery when you're trying to solve one, you never know how much time it will take you until you finally open it. Today's Trick Lock is certainly one of those that's still keeping me from uncovering its secret - but that's a good thing, it means it's a good one.

The Lock and Key puzzle is one of four Trick Locks from the IQ Locker series by Mi-Toys. These puzzles are made from laser-cut wood, to keep the final cost affordable, but they function pretty well, considering their price. The Lock and Key comes with a key (as its name suggests) and your goal is to open the lock - Simple, no? Well, not quite... This one is actually the most difficult of the series to solve, and so far I have no clue how to open it.

At the bottom of the puzzle you'll find a keyhole, but soon you'll find out that it's not as straightforward as putting the key inside and turn. If you do shake the puzzle you'll hear something jiggling inside, letting you know that there's more to it. The description of the puzzle mentions a maze, but even knowing that it still doesn't help you that much. The key seems to push something inside with an elastic, but it doesn't look like it produces any visible results.

Compared to the other puzzles in the series, this one is by far the most challenging. The others, I had no problem solving them, mostly because their mechanism was easier to figure out. This one gives you very few hints, so you'll need some creative thinking to unlock it.

Closing Comments:

The IQ Locker series was a pleasant surprise, because at that price I wasn't expecting much. Turns out these are very interesting puzzles, with intriguing and original designs that you can purchase for about $10.

Availability: The Lock and Key puzzle, as well as the other puzzles in the IQ Locker series, is available at Brilliant Puzzles.

SmartGames has a new series of games that were specially made for those that like to have some fun while travelling. This Magnetic Travel Games series consists of several games in the form of a small notebook that closes with a clasp and has a magnetic board and pieces, so they don't get lost. It's a very convenient way to bring your favorite games along with you and to brighten your trips.

Based on the hugely popular game Penguins on Ice, Penguins Parade by Raf Peeters also has a unique concept for a packing puzzle and, despite being smaller, it's certainly not inferior, in terms of fun, than its predecessor. What you get is 48 challenges in four difficulty levels that promise to put your skills to the test. The game is classified for ages between 5 and 10, but make no mistake, some of these challenges can puzzle the most clever adults. I know I got my share of puzzling.

The game consists of just six pieces of different shapes (their edges resemble broken ice) and the goal, unlike you may think, is not to fill the game board - it's a little more complicated than that. Four of the pieces have a penguin on them, placed in a different spot. The pieces have to be placed on the game board so that the penguins form a straight line (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) and they all are facing you in the same direction. In other words, you can't have a penguin facing sideways or upside down. Also, no pieces shall overlap, but you can leave "icebergs" on the board (isolated pieces). Only the penguin pieces need to be connected without any empty spaces in between them.

The challenges start out very easy and simple. At first you can see two penguins already in place and two blank pieces, but slowly, as you progress, you'll see only the two blank pieces in the board, and you have to figure out where the penguin pieces go. I did find it a bit easier than other previous games, but I believe that any puzzle fan will find it challenging enough, or at least make your trip much more interesting.

Closing Comments:

It's a real pleasure to play this type of games. Whether you play them occasionally, to kill the boredom, or you're just addicted to them, like me, you'll always find something to challenge your mind and to help you relieve the stress of daily life. You can try to get other games of the Magnetic series, so you always have a variety of choice whenever you have to travel.

Availability: You can find any game from SmartGames at your usual puzzle places, from Amazon to PuzzleMaster.

Links:

SmartGames Official Website

Jean Claude Constantin has raised the puzzle designing standard so high that it's difficult to find other designers that not only are as prolific, but also as successful as the German craftsman. I've move than 100 different puzzles from Constantin, and so far I've loved each and every one of them. Today, however, may be the first day that I've seen one of his puzzles that I truly didn't like that much. The culprit? The Bee Box...

The Bee Box is essentially a trick box, which features a hidden mechanism that one needs to figure out before being able to open. This box is beautifully made from two contrasting types of laser-cut wood in the shape of a beehive. While laser-cut wood is far from being a quality material, it actually keeps the price down without losing too much in the visual and presentation department. So far so good... But the positive aspects stop here.

What I love about puzzle boxes is the fact that I get to discover their secrets, how their mechanism works. Well, this one is nothing like that. As soon as I picked it up to inspect it, it opened right in front of me almost by itself and presented itself to me with a handful of balloons. At first, I thought the mechanism or some other part of the puzzle was broken. How can this be? Is that all there is? Is there anything I'm missing? Indeed, there was, but not what I was expecting.

Turns out, after some investigating, this is a puzzle you prepare for others to solve, not for you to enjoy. The goal is to fill one of the included balloons with air or water - yes, water is suggested, which is a great idea if you want to preserve your wooden puzzles - and put it inside the box so it will engage the lock and prevent it from being open. Now, the other person has to find a toothpick that's hidden in the outer casing of the box and puncture the balloon through one of the holes in the bottom and release the pin that's securing the lid. That's it.

Closing Comments:

For me, puzzles are something I enjoy doing on my own. Because of this, I didn't find anything to like about Constantin's Bee Box but the fact that I collect puzzles and this one looks nice. It's a shame the puzzle's description doesn't mention any of this, otherwise I wouldn't have got it. Nevertheless, the idea is clever and if you like to present your friends with challenging puzzles, this may be a good choice. If you're like me, though, and you prefer your puzzles to be a challenge for you and not others, then you should skip this one. Sorry, Jean Claude.

Availability: You can get a copy of the Bee Box at Brilliant Puzzles for $34.95 USD. If you like Jean Claude Constantin's puzzles, you can find more here.

Links:

Jean Claude Constantin - Official Website

Jean Claude Constantin at Puzzle Place

Robrecht Louage has already accustomed us with very original designs year after year. As an avid IPP contestant, Robrecht always enters his new puzzles at the yearly International Puzzle Party, and this year's Ottawa event was no different. Even though it didn't earned any award at the competition, Robrecht's latest creation, the 8 Stars Labyrinth, deserves all the credit for its originality.

If you have followed the Belgian designer's work over the last few years, then you'll immediately notice something's missing in his new design. That's right, there's no coin to be freed this time around, but even so there's no excuse why you shouldn't try this one out. For lovers of labyrinths, mazes and hidden paths, the 8 Stars Labyrinth offers you a perilous journey through an obstacle-ridden trail, which only the most adventurous puzzlers will be able to overcome.

What remains common from other previous designs is the use of Trespa - An unusual but strong material made by combining Kraft paper and phenolic resin, resulting in this light-brown color seldom seen in any other puzzles, but in reality it's a great fit for an otherwise unusual puzzle itself. The top of the puzzle is covered with a semi-transparent polycarbonate sheet, which gives this foggy appearance to the labyrinth, as if you were roaming around in an eerie mist.

To start your journey, you must insert the small metal sphere in the "IN" hole found at the right of one of the sides. I believe the name of puzzle has something to do with the number of traps you can find scattered throughout the path, which is eight, if I'm not mistaken: right after you insert the sphere there's another one by the entrance, preventing you from going back in case you ever regret entering this fiendish labyrinth; following this welcoming committee is a blacked-out stretch of the path that doesn't let you see what type of trap you're facing. Here, like the other three similar traps that await you, you need to figure out how to advance to the next obstacle unscathed. Each of these four "black" traps is unique and present you with a different challenge, so proceed with caution as you approach them; farther in, you'll see another trap just like the one you encountered when you first entered the maze. You'll need some dexterity skills to pass through this one, but it shouldn't give you much trouble; one of the hardest parts of the puzzle is the hidden labyrinth at the bottom. Most of the path is covered by a plaque full of small holes that only let you see the sphere at certain points. You have to navigate through this maze mostly by instinct until you find the exit, just before passing through the last black trap; there's a final trap close to the exit, so you need to move the sphere slowly in order to avoid the pitfall ahead.

I was intimidated at first by all the traps found in the puzzle, especially the black ones, where I didn't know what to expect. Turns out, it was easier than I thought and I was able to solve it within 10 minutes or so. The most challenging parts were the black trap in the middle (the second blacked-out stretch) and the hidden maze at the bottom. Some trial and error should take care of it, so if at first you don't succeed...

Closing Comments:

I must commend Robrecht for not being afraid to leave his comfort zone in terms of puzzle designing and to take a chance at trying different concepts other than the usual "free the coin". The effort certainly paid off, because the result, as you can see, is absolutely brilliant and the execution of the overall concept is, as always, perfect in every way.

Availability: To get a copy of the 8 Stars Labyrinth, please contact Robrecht at: rlouage(at)telenet(dot)be. Note that the e-mail is presented that way to avoid spam. You just need to change what's inside the brackets.

If you find yourself struggling with the heat outside, SmartGames has the perfect solution for you with an icy adventure through the Antarctic. Designed by Raf Peeters, Penguins on Ice is a packing puzzle with a twist - a pentomino twist.

Being a packing puzzle fan, I was very excited to discover the original way the designer found to change an apparently simple game into a rather dynamic one, with its pieces constantly changing the landscape of the board, while at the same time providing a really good challenge for puzzle lovers.

The game is very well made, just like any other from SmartGames. The pieces are transparent-blue, to give the effect of ice blocks, and the penguins are attached to one particular spot on each one. You can rotate the penguins in 360º, but this is not relevant for the solutions, because only their relative position within the game board is important.

The game consists of only five pieces, each one with the ability to change into three or four different pentomino shapes by sliding the two parts back and forth until you find the desired piece. The sliding movements can only be made in two opposite directions (a straight line). The pieces have a locking mechanism that alert you with a click when it's in place. Also, the game board is neatly divided into a 5x5 grid, with raised contours around each square, so the pieces fit perfectly without moving. You can see in the example below one of the pieces with its three different positions.

The rules are simple: Just choose any of the 60 included challenges in the booklet and heed the position of the penguins in the picture - Note that the penguins are stationary within each piece. The only way to change their positions is to rotate horizontally any given piece. Next, you need to find a way to arrange all five pieces inside the game board, while still making sure that the penguins match the same positions of the corresponding challenge. You can choose the positions of the penguins that don't appear in the challenge you're currently solving.

The first challenges start off quite easily, with the shape of all the pieces already outlined in the game board and a couple of penguins in place. As you work your way through the 60 challenges and four difficulty levels you'll see that fewer pieces remain outlined and more penguins start to show up for the party. The last challenges are really tough, and you'll find yourself continually changing the shape of the pieces to see which ones fit in a particular spot. All challenges have only one possible solution.

Closing Comments:

The design of Penguins on Ice is pure genius. It's incredible how such a simple concept of sliding two parts to make different shapes can turn an ordinary game into an extraordinary one, becoming a great brain exercise in the process, while providing a completely fun and cool experience. This is now one of my favorites from SmartGames.

Availability: You can find any game from SmartGames at your usual puzzle places, from Amazon to PuzzleMaster.

Brainwright has been issuing lots of great puzzles lately. I commend their creative department for discovering and bringing these magnificent puzzles to the masses, which otherwise could remain unknown for many of us. Fortunately for me, I already know about Kate Jones' work and her fantastic contributions to the puzzle community over the last few decades. First produced by Kadon Enterprises, the Iamond Hex puzzle is now reissued with a new look, more affordable, but all that made it a great puzzle is still present in all its glory.

Made with 12 dissimilar acrylic pieces in three colors (yellow, red and blue), the Iamond Hex  puzzle features all kinds of shapes made possible by joining six equilateral triangles at different angles (hence the name Hex). No two pieces are the same and they all interact with each other in different ways. This makes the puzzle quite versatile, so you can create countless patterns and figures beyond the main puzzle featured in the provided tray.

There are many solutions for the main petal-shaped puzzle. By mixing and combining the colors in different patterns, you can find a total of 55 solutions, some of which are very difficult to solve, like getting all three colors grouped. Kate Jones' puzzles are always a joy to play with, because of their many solutions and possible shapes you can create with the puzzle's given pieces - They give you a lot of bang for your buck, and are worth every penny.

The Iamond Hex comes packed with lots of challenges, like symmetrical shapes and other interesting puzzles using only some of the pieces. For example, with just four pieces you can create double-sized models of each of the 12 hexiamonds. Which pieces to use will of course be up to you to find out. An even more difficult challenge is to make a tripled model of 9 of the hexiamonds, since three of them are not possible. Doing all of them will certainly keep you busy for a while, if you don't give up by then.

The most interesting challenges, however, are the symmetrical shapes you can create out of the tray. There are hundreds of possibilities to discover, and included in the booklet are 15 for you to solve. Be warned, though, these are very difficult, because you won't have the tray to guide you by limiting the edges of your puzzles. This is why the symmetrical shapes are so challenging, but also so addicting.

Finally, if you like to play strategy games, you can play a couple of them, included in the booklet. Rules and explanation of the games are easy to understand, so anyone will be able to enjoy playing with friends.

Closing Comments:

Whether you like to play solo or with someone, you can be certain that you will thoroughly enjoy Brainwright's Iamond Hex. There are hundreds of challenges and solutions here to make any puzzle fan happy for a while, and for under $20, it's difficult to find a better choice to occupy your free time in the next few weeks.

Availability: I got my copy of the Iamond Hex puzzle from PuzzleMaster, which is available for just $16.99. Check out many other interesting puzzles from Brainwright.

Links:

Brainwright's official Website

Kadon Enterprises Official Website

The Cerebral Rings by Mag-Nif is actually a version of a puzzle believed to be around since the 17th century. It is said that the original, or an early version was found among the effects of astronomer Johannes Kepler. It is not clear, however, if he is the actual designer of the puzzle or if it was one of his colleagues.

This is an interlocking puzzle made by just three identical pieces. They are so well joined that you need the correct sequence of red buttons (one of four positions) in order to separate the pieces. The puzzle consists of a circle made by six stacks of rings, which at first sight seem to be impossible to separate. The buttons, or plungers, can be pushed up or down along the length of the stack to allow the pieces to be unlocked and separated. The movement of the puzzle is quite smooth, but it releases this strange paste that is probably used as lubricant. You will need to wash your hands afterwards, that's for sure.

The solution is quite intriguing, since there isn't any indication or any form of a hint as to whether you're pushing the buttons in the right positions or not. It's a bit frustrating at first, because the puzzle doesn't give you any feedback - It's like going through a labyrinth completely blind. Even though this seems discouraging and intimidating, I actually found it easier than I was expecting.

The Cerebral Rings are described as having hundreds of possible combinations but only 8 solutions. I wasn't able to find all eight, but found two without much effort just by fiddling with the puzzle for about half an hour. As you move the buttons around you have to keep checking by trying to pull the pieces apart until they give in. I found that trying to put the puzzle together as one piece is a little easier, but still a challenge. If you don't change the positions of the buttons it's easy enough, but if you do move the buttons after you separate the pieces it can be quite difficult to put it back together.

Closing Comments:

The Cerebral Rings by Mag-Nif is a different kind of interlocking puzzle, but it's an interesting one. I wouldn't say it's a great puzzle, because of the lack of feedback it gives as you're trying to solve it, but considering the design and how different it is from everything else out there, it's definitely worth a try.

Availability: You can buy a copy of the Cerebral Rings at Brilliant Puzzles for about $15 USD.

Links:

Mag-Nif's Official Website

It's been 20 years since the first Wisdom Ball was mass-produced by Dr. Toyz. Invented by Yang Ju-Hsun, the Wisdom Ball is a sliding puzzle with a moving hole mechanism. This type of puzzle is probably the most popular among sliding puzzles for its simple and easy to understand design, which can appeal to a broader range of puzzlers, both beginners and experts alike.

But why am I talking about a 20 year old idea, you might ask? Well, because Mr. Yang Ju-Hsun has decided to revive his beloved puzzle with a new and improved design, completely changing the inner mechanism so it has a smoother movement. In this new process the designer created two additional variations, both of them more challenging than the original, but also quite addictive to play with.

I've known the mechanics of the Wisdom Ball for some time now - maybe from the early days of my collection which is about 7 years - so I was quite familiar with the new designs. The original Wisdom Ball was a little smaller and the sliding mechanism wasn't that smooth, since it jammed frequently whenever you tried to move the tiles from one disc to the other. This doesn't happen with the new versions, or at least much less frequently (you do have to align the discs for the tiles to move smoothly). Also, with a slightly bigger size, the new Wisdom Balls feel much better to hold in your hands. The tiles are bigger and look brighter. In short, everything seems better and improved from the original design, which is in itself quite a big incentive to acquire these new versions.

I'll write next a brief description on each of the three new versions and their unique characteristics.

Wisdom Ball - Inspiration

This is basically the same design as the original Wisdom Balls, but with an improved mechanism and overall appearance. This time, the body of the ball is white instead of black, which gives it a sense of simplicity and easiness. The ball comes semi-solved, and what I'm trying to say is that, even though it seems solved (the numbers are in sequential order), the colors of the tiles don't actually match with the discs'.

This is you goal: rearrange all eight tiles in each of the six discs so that tiles and discs share the same colors. All you have is an empty space at a time which you have to constantly be moving across the ball to get each tile to where it's supposed to be. You can move a tile from any of the four adjacent discs relative to the disc you're seeing. The sequence of the numbers is up to you. They come with a counter-clockwise order, but while solving it I preferred to do it clockwise. You have to watch out for parity problems or tiles that are upside down. Note that the numbers should always face you and not inwards to the center of the discs.

It took me about 20 minutes to solve this easier version. I really liked it, because despite being easy to solve (in theory), it's still challenging but never frustrating - just pure fun. The movement of the puzzle is smooth as butter and when solved provides you with quite a rewarding feeling. After you've solved it you can go for another challenge and do it with a different sequence - Maybe alternating colors or numbers.

Video: Check out the movement of the Inspiration version.

Wisdom Ball - Advanced

The Advanced is the intermediate level, and prepares you for the most difficult challenge, the Wisdom.

The body of the Advanced is black, contrasting with the Inspiration version, and the colors of some discs are also different. This mostly serves as a way to distinguish between versions, but for me, as a collector, I also appreciate the subtle differences that makes each version unique.

To make it more challenging, the Advanced features four tiles in a row across the middle on opposite discs. The tiles that located in this line don't interact with the tiles within the same disc. If, for example, you want to swap a tile from the middle line with one from the edges on the same disc, you need to move it through an adjacent disc and again though another in order to place it in its correct spot. Again, you need to make sure it has the correct orientation (facing you).

When solved, the Advanced ball will show the numbers from 1 to 8 in sequential order on four discs, and the other two opposite discs with numbers from 1 to 4 on the edges and the rest in sequential order from 5 to 8 (or 7, counting the empty slot).

Because this one is much more difficult and needs more patience, I haven't been able to solve it yet. From my experience, this can be done within an hour, but I'll have to test it to see if it requires more time.

Video: Check out the movement of the Advanced version.

Wisdom Ball - Wisdom

This one is quite an intimidating puzzle. The Wisdom version has a straight line of tiles across the middle of all six discs. This is quite a challenge and one that needs to be tackled when one feels confident enough to spend (or waste - depending on your skill level) a couple of hours without too much stress (if that's even possible).

The Wisdom version has a purple body and a mixture of colors from both of its predecessors. It also comes semi-solved, so you have to reorganize the tiles into their respective disc colors. To move the tiles in the middle across the whole perimeter of the ball, you have to align all four discs from top to bottom and rotate the entire line of tiles. This requires a bit of dexterity, but can be easily done.

When solved, the Wisdom ball is pretty much the same as the Advanced for two of its discs: numbers from 1 to 4 on the edges and 5 to 8 (or 7, because of one empty slot) on the middle lines.

If the Advanced version is already a pretty good challenge, you can certainly imagine what this one really is when it comes to solving it. Even the process of mixing the tiles is a challenge in its own right, but quite fun, I might add. After that, though, the fun stops and frustration settles in... If you're a beginner, this one is not for you. But you can always practice with the other two and eventually you'll be able to do it on your own. Are you courageous enough?

Video: Check out the movement of the Wisdom version.

Closing Comments:

The new and improved Wisdom Balls are a great addition to any collection or to any puzzle fan who likes a good challenge. This is what the improvement to an old version looks like when done right. Everything behaves and looks as it should be. As for me, I'll continue to have lots of fun with the other two Wisdom Balls until I'm able to solve them.

Availability: The Wisdom Balls will soon be available at HKNowStore and PuzzlesdeIngenio.com. The official Wisdom Ball website will also be live in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for it.

Funzzle is a collection of four bamboo interlocking puzzles, quite challenging and affordable. These puzzles are made by Y. Gong, and even though it says on the box that he is the designer, I have to warn you that they are based on original works by Stéphane Chomine, Yavuz Demirhan and Tamás Vanyó. They were made without the consent of their original designers, so it's up to you to decide if they are worth it, because these are cheap copies.

Leaving the copyright issues aside for a moment, I'll move on to the actual puzzle. The model you see above is called Beta and it's based on Stéphane Chomine's Quadripole. It's made entirely from bamboo wood, which gives it this lighter color and makes it lighter in weight as well. I like the appearance of bamboo in some puzzles, but in all honesty, it does make them look cheap and low quality.

Made with just four pieces and locked tightly inside a wooden frame, the puzzle is as hard to solve as they come. To solve the puzzle you need to remove the pieces one at a time by shifting them around the tight space of the frame. You also have a hole at the bottom to help you move the pieces. Rotations will be needed, as you struggle to find the correct arrangement to remove just the first piece. As soon as this is accomplished, the other three pieces will, more or less, be easily removed.

I spent some time to solve the first part of the puzzle (taking it apart), but so far the reassembly has taken the best of me. The process is just the reverse of the first part, however it has to be done with more planning and a good analysis of each piece. I'm not very good at interlocking puzzles, so this will probably be left as is. It's definitely not a puzzle for beginners. If you like them extremely challenging, this one's for you.

Closing Comments:

The Beta puzzle by Funzzle is an average puzzle at best. The quality is not very good and the fact that it's a copy of the original by Stéphane Chomine is enough to stay away from it. If you don't care for any of this and like difficult puzzles, then it's an affordable way to get a good challenge.

Availability: The Beta puzzle is available at PuzzleMaster for $15 CAD.