Dirty Dozen, a fitting name for a real challenging puzzle by designer Jerry Loo. This puzzle is part of the anodized metal collection, produced by PuzzleMaster and one of the most difficult in this series. Get ready to put your solving skills to the test.

The Dirty Dozen puzzle is made from 12 identical pieces, forming a 6x6 grid, which is quite surprising seeing as the pieces interlock in such a way that they look almost impossible to take apart. Made from bright orange anodized metal, it is a sturdy puzzle that will take your frustrations without a hitch. When assembled, the puzzle measures just 6.5cm x 6.5cm x 3cm (2.6" x 1.2").

I must admit, puzzles like this are quite intimidating to solve, especially when they're so visually attractive, because part of me thinks it's a shame to take them apart and then not being able to put them together again. But since this wouldn't be a review if I didn't "dirtied" my hands, I must tackle it without fear.

As expected, this is a very challenging puzzle, even when trying to take it apart. Don't be fooled by the identical nature of the pieces, since they are very well interlocked. This is really a superb design. I was able to take the first piece relatively easy. Maybe in the first 5 minutes or so. Still, the next pieces didn't go without a fight. You need to constantly shift the pieces up and down until you find an opening and slide the piece off the grid. I was able to solve it quicker after removing the third piece. All this took me about 20-25 minutes.

The real challenge though, is putting it back together. That is still a work in progress as of writing this review. It's always a challenge to take it apart and pay attention to how each piece was removed and then try to reverse the process. The reassembling is as difficult as you'd expect in a puzzle of this caliber. But I must keep trying to get it back to its former glory.

Closing Comments:

The Dirty Dozen is as good as they can get, as far as challenging puzzles go. Plus, it's a gorgeous design made from high quality materials. One of the best in the anodized metal collection (along with Lattice). Well done, Jerry!

Availability: You can get a copy of the Dirty Dozen puzzle at PuzzleMaster for just $24.99 CAD. Check out the other puzzles in the anodized metal collection as well.