PuzzleMaster

Cast Chess - Bishop

Posted on Mar 27, 2018 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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With half the Cast Chess puzzles already reviewed, it's safe to say that this is becoming my favorite Hanayama series. The Bishop is my latest acquisition, and I absolutely love it. Each of the six puzzles is unique in its design and mechanism, and that's exactly what gets me excited whenever I try another one. My only disappointment so far is that there's only six of them and I'll soon have tried them all. These puzzles were all designed by the French Marcel Gillen.

The Bishop is just as impressive as any other in the Cast Chess series. It's made with polished and shiny metal, which makes it look like a piece from an expensive set of chess, except this one is just a puzzle - A gorgeous puzzle at that.

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From what I experienced so far, the Bishop has the most elegant solution. The top of the piece has a pin attached to a spring, which of course is part of the solution, but I won't give it away. You still have to find out how that pin works with the rest of the mechanism, and it's not as easy as you'd expect. However, when it comes to hidden mechanisms, you shouldn't expect an easy puzzle anyway. There's always something that will surprise you...in a good way.

As far as difficulty goes, the Bishop is the most challenging Cast Chess puzzle I tried so far (I have 4). Even though that pin gives part of the solution away, it's still difficult to work out how it relates to the locking mechanism. The base of the puzzle rotates, but the effect is useless on it own. When you finally solve it, it gives you a rewarding and satisfying feeling that only hidden mechanism puzzles can give you.

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Solution: To download the solution, click here.

Closing Comments:

What can I say? Hanayama never ceases to amaze me. With each puzzle I try from the Cast Chess series, I become more excited for the next. The Bishop has exceed my expectations and it's equally as wonderful as any of the others in this special Hanayama collection.

Availability: The Cast Chess Bishop is available at PuzzleMaster, as well as all the others from the Cast Chess series.


Cast Chess - Knight

Posted on Mar 13, 2018 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Hanayama certainly knows how to make great puzzles, and the latest Cast Chess series is proof of that. Six puzzles, each representing a chess piece, and all in silver, make up this exquisite collection. Originally designed by Marcel Gillen, Hanayama hasn't disappointed in their version of the French designer's puzzles.

The Knight is yet another wonderful puzzle made by the talented craftsmen at Hanayama, with a clean and polished surface. This is possibly the most beautiful and elegant of the Cast Chess series, in my opinion. It is so well made that it could be mistaken by a decorative object, which only the most astute could find out that this is even a puzzle. It's like a well disguised small safe, as the interior hollow allows you to hide a small coin or any other object of the same proportions.

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The mechanism is similar to the other Cast Chess puzzles, but has its own unique way of opening it. It's like having identical locks, but you need different keys to open them. And there lies the beauty of these puzzles. You might suspect how they are locked, but you have to study them in detail to really find what distinguishes them from the others.

Difficulty-wise, the Knight is about the same level as its brethren. It's difficult enough to have you guessing for several minutes, but not as difficult to provoque a frustrating feeling. It actually has the right amount of challenge that might leave you satisfied once you solve it.

Solution: If you get stuck, click here to download the Solution.

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Closing Comments:

The Knight is my favorite Cast Chess puzzle so far. It's beautiful and challenging, and the hidden mechanism is very well designed. If you like Cast Puzzles, then it's a safe bet you'll love this or any other from the Cast Chess series.

Availability: You can find the Cast Chess Knight and all the others in the Cast Chess series at PuzzleMaster. For more Cast Puzzles, check out this page.


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