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Most packing puzzles are made with polyominoes or custom-shaped pieces in its design, and we are so used to that notion we forget that everyday objects are just as good as the traditional designs. One fine example of this is the Ten Penny Puzzle by Creative Crafthouse. I've always been impressed with their designs, and this one is no exception.

The goal couldn't be simpler. You're presented with a small wooden tray and nine pennies already packed inside. Your task is to rearrange the pennies so that an extra penny can be packed along the other nine. Everyone can understand these simple instructions, but carrying out this challenge and solve it is another thing. It's a very nice puzzle that can entertain anyone.

At close inspection, it's hard to believe that an extra coin could fit inside such a small area, but if you think about all that wasted space by the nine coins, it's just a matter of finding the right arrangement that wastes less space. Symmetrical solutions are out, since you can't get 10 coins inside with that kind of arrangement. That leaves odd solutions only, and those are the most difficult to find.

For the record, all pennies are identical in size. There's no tricks involved in the solution or any particular order in which you should pack the coins. For me, it was more of a lucky find than logic. After so many tries, some of which by less than a millimeter short of a solution, I managed to solve it. Not sure if there's only one solution, but by looking at the one provided, it did match the one I had. It's not an extraordinarily difficult or frustrating puzzle to solve. It's actually quite therapeutic to be playing with coins. Rated as a level 7/10, the difficulty is just right for even a casual puzzler.

Closing Comments: 

Incorporating coins into puzzle designs is not that uncommon to see. There's even puzzles where you have to free a coin. This design however, while being simple, makes it all the more elegant, and the fact that you have to pack an extra coin adds to the curiosity factor and just makes you want to give it a try.

Availability: The Ten Penny Puzzle is available at PuzzleMaster for just $12.99 CAD. Be sure to take a lot at some other interesting puzzles by Creative Crafthouse.