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This puzzle is quite big, measuring about 13.5cm in diameter, and it's made using laser-cut wood and acrylic. This is also a rather intriguing puzzle because of how its mechanism works. Between the two layers of the labyrinth there's an acrylic disc with three holes in it. These holes are placed at different distances from the disc's center, making it easier to go from one place of the labyrinth to another just by rotating the disc.

Starting from the entry hole, your goal is to guide a metal sphere through the double labyrinth until you can reach the exit hole on the opposite side of the frame. The name of the puzzle is very fitting, since its name in German means "Sliced Labyrinth". As you navigate around the maze, you'll find that each section is very short, and the only way to proceed is to rotate the disc and get the sphere through one of its holes and into another "slice" of the maze. You have to go though both mazes in order to successfully solve this puzzle.

Finding the exit is a little difficult, but I was able to solve it within five minutes. There are a few dead-ends here and there, but overall I think the difficulty is about 8/10. Some of you may spend some time going backwards or even returning to the beginning by accident - it happened to me as well - but it's not a frustrating exercise and you'll eventually find the exit if you insist and have a little determination.

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I really liked the Scheibenlaby. Constantin always finds new ways to build original and unique puzzles that give you lots of fun and are a pleasure to play. You don't need to be an experienced puzzler to enjoy this one.

Availability: You can find the Scheibenlaby puzzle at PuzzleMaster for $41.99 CAD. Check out other puzzle by Jean Claude Constantin.

Anodized metal puzzles have a really striking appearance, and the Phantom, with its shiny bright red, surely delivers on that front. Designed by Mr. Gong, this three-piece interlocking puzzle is tougher than it looks. It's indeed a scary phantom...

I've been reviewing several of PuzzleMaster's anodized metal puzzles, and I absolutely love them. The different colors make for a superb display of sheer beauty in any shelf. But so do their challenges, which you can experience with each and everyone of them differently.

The Phantom is simply a sphere made out of three different discs that interlock thanks to their notched cut outs. Their not put there randomly and they have a purpose, whether you're taking them apart or reassembling them.

The first time you pick up the puzzle, it gives you the impression that it's going to fall apart on the spot, but as you soon find out, its movements are limited and blocked by the others' notches. Granted, taking it apart is way easier than putting it back, since you're not worried about carefully positioning the discs to form the original sphere. It's putting it back that will truly put your solving skills to the test.

Difficult-wise, the Phantom is rather challenging, rated as a level 8/10. After taking it apart and trying to reassemble it, I strongly agree with the rating. It will depend on how well you do with interlocking puzzles. They're definitely not my strongest suit, but I still find them quite fascinating, especially as a collector.

Closing Comments:

The Phantom is a really fun puzzle to play with, even if you're just fidgeting with it. Together with the other anodized puzzles, the contrasting red color among others will certainly make it stand out. It's a lovely design and challenging puzzle that will not disappoint.

Availability: You can get a copy of the Phantom puzzle at PuzzleMaster for just $19.99 CAD. Check out the other puzzles in the anodized metal series.