Lattice, the last one in the anodized metal series by PuzzleMaster and designed by Jerry Loo. This time, I saved the best for last, which is to say, the hardest to last. It's a magnificent puzzle that should be played by anyone interested in puzzles.

Superbly presented in a beautiful chrome blue, the Lattice will surely capture the attention of even the most distracted. Consisting of just eight pieces, compared to the similar 12-piece Dirty Dozen, this puzzle is actually more difficult to solve, since the eight pieces are not identical like those in the Dirty Dozen. A true test to your solving skills.

One of the coolest things about these puzzles is how they open (or stretch), so to speak, without having the pieces fall apart. You can clearly see how they interlock, but also carefully analyse where to remove the first pieces... At least in theory. In fact, it's not that easy to remove the first piece, since it involves a less straightforward movement than just sliding it off. After that, the rest of the puzzles can be disassembled pretty quickly without much effort.

As you may have guessed, the real challenge comes when you try to put the puzzle back together. Since you have different pieces this time, it's not as easy to assemble as the Dirty Dozen. You need some planning to see how to connect each piece, and in my case, some trial and error. Rated as a level 10, you should expect a great challenge, but also a fun one.

Closing Comments:

Lattice is definitely a great puzzle that anyone should try. Even if it's difficult, the movement of the interlocking pieces is so satisfying that you'll want to play with it anyway. Still trying to put mine back together, but I'm in no rush, since it's fun to play with it.

Availability: The Lattice is available at PuzzleMaster for just $24.99 CAD. Check out the anodized series for more metal puzzling.

Denksport, a cleverly designed puzzle by Jean Claude Constantin for the sport enthusiasts. With multiple solutions, it will keep you entertained for a while. You won't be exercising your body, but instead your brain.

Denksport has a different twist on the 2D puzzle principle, where instead of just randomly placing polyominoes on a frame, you'll need to think ahead and strategize how each pieces is used. With eight pieces and a 6x6 frame, there will still be six empty units around the frame. With those empty spaces, you have to come up with a solution where after placing all the pieces, only identical images are shown. It's more difficult than it looks, but a very interesting concept nonetheless.

At the bottom of the frame, different images related to sports are shown scattered around. Each type of image has duplicates at different positions, so when you decide which image you're going for, the pieces have to cover all other images and leave six identical images. There are six different solutions, one for each sport represented.

This puzzle can be really challenging, since the area you can use for the pieces is always invisible and you have to picture it in your mind. You might want to actually draw the grid in a piece of paper and black out the squares that belong to the images you selected. That way you'll be able to work out better the solution.

Closing Comments:

Denksport is a really nice puzzle with multiple solutions. Although challenging, it remains fun since there are many ways to do it. It makes for a great gift for the sports fan.

Availability: Denksport is available at PuzzleMaster for $26.99 CAD. You can also browse many other interesting puzzles by Constantin.

Another member joins the family of the anodized metal puzzles, this time the Victory in its glorious emerald green. Despite its complex structure with four unique pieces, the puzzle is actually easier to solve than you might think. A lovely puzzle that will surely delight even the most casual puzzler.

The four pieces comprising this interestingly-shaped puzzle will move only up to a certain point, blocked by their own shapes. By carefully studying how the pieces are interlocked will allow you to remove them one by one sequentially. From what I've seen, there's only one possible solution, but don't let that discourage you. I found it quite easy to disassemble it, actually.

One thing that I usually pay attention to when solving this kind of puzzles is the order in which they are removed and the orientation of each piece in relation to the puzzle. Doing this will get me into less trouble when trying to reassemble the puzzle back to its original state. You can even take pictures during each stage of the disassemble process, depending on the size of the puzzle. Since the Victory puzzle, in particular, is not that complicated you can easily memorize the position of each piece.

Being a relatively easier puzzle to solve was actually quite fun, since it gives you the confidence to deal with harder puzzles after this. This one is rated as a level 7/10 in difficulty, but I think a level 6 wouldn't be a wrong rating, given that it's easily solvable within 5 minutes.

Closing Comments:

The Victory puzzle is a great starting point for those that aren't too familiar with this type of puzzles. With only four pieces there aren't that many possibilities to get it wrong and not discouraging you to try more difficult ones. If you've solved this one, why not go for a more challenging one in the anodized metal puzzle family, like the Lattice puzzle?

Availability: The Victory puzzle is available at PuzzleMaster for just $19.99 CAD. Check out the other puzzles in the anodized metal series.

I've reviewed so many puzzles by Jean Claude Constantin over the years that I ran out of adjectives to classify his unique designs. Probably one of the most prolific puzzle designers/manufacturers in recent history, each puzzle you try from him is bound to leave a positive impression on you. So, what to say about today's featured puzzle, Ella Propella? To put it simply, yet another impressive design.

Ella Propella - That's a pretty nice name right off the bat. And the design is something that catches your attention right away. Including a propeller, magnets and a metal sphere. What else to make this a very unique and interesting puzzle... You're gonna need some dexterity, a good amount of trial and error, but in return you'll get a high dose of fun.

The puzzle may seem confusing at first, as the movement is somewhat stuck by a pin that keeps the propeller moving. You can see what's going on below through the acrylic disc, but you have to figure out a way to make the pin drop and rotate the propeller so that the opening for the sphere can be seen. This movement is a bit of a hit or miss, because the two magnets below repel the natural movement of the puzzle. So you have to keep trying until the pin finally drops and the propeller is free.

Another good thing about the puzzle is that it has a high replay value, since you can't always solve the puzzle at your first try (you probably never solve it at your first try), so it's kind of a fun puzzle to keep around and play to release your stress. As far as difficulty goes, the level 7 is an appropriate classification, as it's challenging but not overly complex that would drive away casual puzzlers.

Closing Comments:

Ella Propella is a really nice little puzzle (just 7.5cm or 3" in diameter), and it's an intriguing puzzle that will keep many occupied for hours. Puzzles and magnets always make for a nice combo, and this time is no different. A definite worthy choice for your collection or just to have a good time.

Availability: Ella Propella is available at PuzzleMaster for just $23.99 CAD. Check out the large collection of Constantin's puzzles also available to purchase.

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Mazes have intrigued and fascinated us since the dawn of civilization. In fact, the Egyptians are thought to be the first ones to come up with this incredible concept over four millennia ago (around the time of the first ancient pyramids). Mazes have come a long way since the era of the Pharaohs. They have evolved in countless different ways and have many different uses, but the approach is the same: to baffle and perplex anyone that witnesses this incredible feat of human inventiveness and ingenuity.

Many people use the terms Maze and Labyrinth interchangeably, and that's probably correct in most cases. However, personally, I prefer to use the word Maze when referring to puzzles. Why? Because a maze always has dead ends and other red herrings, commonly used in puzzles, and a labyrinth is not always used as puzzle, which implies a solving process with a beginning and an end.

Today you can see mazes everywhere in your daily life, but I want to focus particularly on the mechanical maze puzzles, the ones that you can touch and play with, the ones that make me glad I'm a puzzle enthusiast, collector, solver...and writer... There's an array of different types of mazes that can please even the most uninterested of puzzle fans. They can go from simple ball-bearing puzzles, like the popular money puzzles, for the casual puzzler, to more complex structures, like the Perplexus puzzles. Whichever type of puzzle you choose, a maze always has the ability to entertain and satisfy our needs for a good mental challenge.

With so many types of mazes available, how do you choose the best ones? It all depends on what you like most about maze puzzles. One popular type of maze, usually used as an original gift, is the money mazes. This type of puzzles have a wide range of shapes and sizes. The goal is to navigate a ball bearing through a maze and unlock the mechanism that opens the puzzle so you can retrieve what's inside. You can put inside the puzzle anything not thicker than a few sheets of paper, which can be money, gift certificates, event tickets, etc.

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Double mazes are also fascinating in the sense that you have to keep in mind your progress on both of them simultaneously. There are many good examples, and Jean Claude Constantin is a craftsman that knows very well how to make a good maze puzzle, especially when two, or more, mazes are involved. His puzzles have a great complexity, and are mostly appreciated among expert puzzle enthusiasts for their unique designs and mechanisms.

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Final Thoughts:

Mazes have evolved so much over the centuries that it's unfathomable to even think of how they will continue to baffle us in the coming decades. Judging by what history taught us time and time again with new inventions, it's safe to say that mazes are here to stay for as long as civilization exists. It's part of we are, part of our curious minds, and it's essential to our development as an intellectual species. I sincerely hope that, after reading this, you'll be more inclined to try a maze puzzle - any maze - and see for yourself how fascinating these puzzles can really be.

Availability: Most of the puzzles above mentioned are available at PuzzleMaster.

For someone who, up until recently, only had one Cast Puzzle design in his portfolio (Cast U&U), this last year has proven to be quite a good one, as designer Kyoo Wong saw two of his latest creations been added to the Hanayama flagship series. The first one, Cast Snow, was already reviewed by me a couple of weeks ago, and this time the Cast Rotor takes the center stage.

The Cast Rotor, as the name suggests, consists of two rotor-shaped pieces that are interlocked and need to be separated. From what I saw, both pieces seem to be identical, but that's not something to be happy about, since this is Hanayama's highest level of difficulty. The design is superb, and of course, the build quality is outstanding taking into account that these puzzles are rather affordable.

The puzzle makes justice to its name, as the solution requires you to rotate both pieces countless times as you try to find a way to solve it. It will need a lot of trial and error, but it never feels frustrating to the point of becoming boring. Quite the opposite, actually. The Rotor was super fun to solve and even though it took more time than I cared to count, it still felt rewarding and satisfying.

The solution requires a minimum of 35 steps to solve, but that's when taking the optimal path, which is very difficult to achieve. I most certainly made over 100 steps to finally separate both pieces, but I didn't mind. Apparently, there are multiple ways to solve this, and that makes it even more interesting, since it has a lot of replay value.

Closing Comments:

The Cast Rotor is another magnificent puzzle by Hanayama and Hong Kong designer Kyoo Wong. It never ceases to amaze me how Hanayama can maintain such a high level of quality with its designs for decades. The Cast Rotor is definitely one of the best Cast Puzzles ever made... For its design, the elegance of its movement, and the multiple solutions combine to make a near perfect puzzle.

Availability: You can get a copy of the Cast Rotor at PuzzleMaster for $15.99 CAD. Many other Cast Puzzles are also available.

It's been a while since I reviewed one of my all time favorite puzzle series, the Hanayama Cast Puzzles. Taking the spotlight this time is the Cast Snow, designed by Kyoo Wong, who also designed the Cast U&U and Cast Rotor.

If you ever saw the shape of a snowflake, you know how unique and beautiful they can be. For that, the design of the Cast Snow alone is reason enough to get it. The Snow comes as a two-piece maze-type puzzle, where you need to navigate through multiple routes in order to separate the pieces.

This puzzle is simple enough to understand and despite being a level 2/6, considered pretty easy in terms of difficulty, I actually find it quite challenging. At first inspection, the holes at the extremities seem identical, but they can't be, because you need to separate the pieces through these holes. You'll find that each piece has a hole slightly larger in diameter than the others, but the trick is combining the only two larger holes with each other at the same time to solve it. Not so easy...

Surprisingly, I truly enjoyed solving this, as I was expecting a very easy challenge. It's not as frustrating as the higher difficulty Cast Puzzles, but you'll find it just as satisfying. It's one of those puzzles that even after you solve it, you can still do it multiple times, because it's not that easy to memorize the correct path. Just fidgeting with it is quite enjoyable.

Closing Comments:

The Cast Snow is a really delightful puzzle. One of my favorites in recent years. Great design, nice challenge, smooth movement, very well built, just as we've come to expect from Hanayama. Highly recommended.

Availability: The Cast Snow is available at PuzzleMaster for $15.99 CAD. Also, check out many other interesting puzzle in the Cast family.

The anodized metal puzzle family has a new member, and this time it's a VIP (Very Interesting Puzzle). Designed by Yavuz Demirhan from Turkey and produced by PuzzleMaster, the Chiasma has everything that makes a great puzzle, and some more. It's not a puzzle for novices, so be prepared for a serious challenge.

Surprisingly, the Chiasma is made from four identical pieces, which you might not notice until you disassemble it. It's made from a textured surface, which apparently is more is more resistant to markings and scratches, and from what I've seen, it is indeed much better in that department. The texture does feel more comfortable to the touch, so that's a welcome feature for future puzzles in this line.

In its assembled state, the puzzle has this stylish and exquisite shape further enhanced by the contrasting metal pieces, which by the way come in five different color combinations that you can choose before adding it to your cart. It's indeed a beautiful design.

Given the unique design and shape of the pieces, the puzzle only allows for one solution, said to be 26 moves (16 for the first piece, 4 for the second and 6 to separate the final two pieces). I probably made way more than 26 moves to separate all the pieces, which indicate the high number of useless moves or wrong ones on my part. It's a really satisfying feeling to disassemble the puzzle, because of how the pieces move and the different moves, sometimes needing rotations. It's not just an elegant puzzle in appearance; the solution is nothing short of amazing and rewarding.

Still, any interlocking puzzle needs to be returned to its original shape, and that's when the level 10/10 comes kicking. At this stage, I always feel like those kids that have a knack to disassemble everything but then can't, for the life of them, return them to their former glory. It will take much more than 26 moves to put this back together...

Closing Comments: 

Chiasma is a gorgeous puzzle, even more distinguished by its unique solution and overall feel of the puzzle. The different colored metal versions make justice to the original wooden version. And whichever color version you choose, you'll definitely find it very worth it of your time and money spent on it.

Availability: The Chiasma metal puzzle is available exclusively on PuzzleMaster.

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.

Jean Claude Constantin makes great maze puzzles and proof of that is in some of his earlier creations, like the Two Keys, the Blumenlaby, the Scheibenlaby or even the Labynary. Each one has its own unique characteristics which make them a joy to play with. The Labylong is another interesting design, made as a double-layer maze - Double the fun.

The Labylong is made from laser-cut wood and acrylic. Even though these are cheap materials, the puzzle itself is well built and feels sturdy. Measuring 10.4cm x 6.5cm (4.1" x 2.6"), the puzzle is small enough to carry along with you anywhere, and easy enough so that anyone can try it.

In this puzzle, a small metal sphere moves inside the two mazes, navigating through small holes that connect both mazes. Not all paths will lead to the exit, but that's expected in a good maze. Before making the sphere advance you should study the path ahead and see where it leads. Starting from the exit to the current position will help to avoid dead ends. To navigate the sphere you need to tilt the puzzle back and forth, since the mazes are stationary, and sometimes you need some dexterity to get the sphere where you want it.

Difficulty-wise, I was expecting a tougher challenge, since this is rated as a level 8/10, but I was able to solve it in just a few minutes. Or maybe I'm getting better at maze puzzles... If you've solved one of these, let me know how long it took you.

Closing Comments:

The Labylong is a nice puzzle that even casual puzzlers will like it. If you found it too easy, try to solve it in a different orientation from the one you solved it, or try to go from the exit to the start. It's a fun puzzle to play with, but don't expect a difficult challenge here. Remember, not every puzzle needs to be difficult to be fun.

Availability: The Labylong is available at PuzzleMaster for $18.99CAD. Many more interesting puzzles from Constantin are waiting for you here.

(My modest Trick Lock collection)

So, this time I want to focus this article on Trick Locks, a much beloved type of puzzles with very dedicated aficionados, some of them committed only to collect these puzzles and nothing more. Now, I'm no big authority on the subject of Trick Locks, but I'm a curious and informed enthusiast with many impressive designs in my collection, and I hope I can get you interested in the subject if you're not already a fan or a connoisseur.

The specific origin of Trick Locks (also called Puzzle Locks) is not exactly known, but they date back several centuries. The first ones may have been manufactured in China and Japan, which has a long history of producing furniture and other objects with secret compartments and other locking devices. India has also been a major producer of Trick Locks for a long time now and, in the process, it's also a country brimming with talented designers and avid collectors.

One of the most well-known Trick Lock collectors is Dr. Hiren Shah, a native from Ahmedabad, India, who turned his house into a museum (a Houseum) with a few thousand Trick Locks from around the world, spanning centuries of cultures and other influences. It's one of the most impressive Trick Lock collections in the world.

Trick Locks were invented more as a mean to lock other people's possessions, and not as much as a traditional puzzle. With Trick Locks it's much more difficulty to tamper with their mechanism, since many of these locks don't even need a key to be opened. To discover their solution one must find hidden clues around the lock, like a sliding part that reveals a hidden keyhole, or a well disguised button you need to push, a hidden mechanism you need to uncover...Anything out of the ordinary could just be a red herring or yet another clue to unlock the puzzle.

Other mechanisms simply work by using the force of gravity, as you need to tilt the puzzle in different directions to unlock certain elements. Everything about Trick Locks is made so the solution is always a mystery to the casual observer, as if it were impossible to open them without resorting to brute force.

Today, Trick Locks have a very dedicated following, and since their traditional use is no longer needed, or less used, curious people find them fascinating and become eager to unravel their secret, but only the most cunning and observant will succeed. Trick Locks are a type of puzzle that intrigues people, and even the non-enthusiastic about puzzles will find these objects quite interesting and will try their luck by attempting to open them.

There are so many types of designs for Trick Locks that a single article would not be enough to describe all of them. Instead I will only scratch the surface by pointing out a few of the most interesting and important mechanisms, and at the end providing you with enough information to help you make your own research.

One of main issues about many Trick Locks, if we mention the most sought and the higher quality. is their high price tag. Many of these puzzles can easily reach hundreds of dollars, due to their high quality materials and the fact that many of them are hand-made, one at a time. These are the ones serious collectors go after - The most prestigious designs. If money is no object to you, I highly recommend taking a look at a few ones.

In the high-end spectrum of Trick Locks, one of the most respected designers is Rainer Popp. His Popplock series is extremely popular among enthusiasts and collectors all over the world and, of course, the price matches the expected high quality of his creations, as each one is painstakingly turned and milled by the designer himself.

(PoppLocks (Courtesy of popplock.com))

(Splinter Locks)

In the mid-range of Trick Locks you can find a whole different selection, and with completely unique mechanism that require dozens of moves to be opened. I'm talking about the n-ary puzzles, and in the Trick Lock (or Puzzle Lock) category there are some really impressive designs by Jean Claude Constantin. The trick to open them is also a bit different, as it has more to do with finding the correct sequence of moves rather than finding out how the hidden mechanism works. One of such puzzles is the Generation Lock with a whopping 340 million + moves. If you find that a bit excessive, you can settle for a more modest choice, the Lock 250+ (with...you guessed it...250+ moves).

(Generation Lock & Schloss 250+)

(Antique Trick Locks (Courtesy of liveauctioneers.com))

Final Thoughts:

Trick Locks have been around for several centuries, and judging by how much they're appreciated by collectors and aficionados alike, I bet they'll be around for many more centuries to come. This is a type of puzzle that can capture the attention of any curious-minded person and can be a great way to entertain a group of friends and family.

Availability: Many of the puzzle locks here mentioned and many more can be found at PuzzleMaster.

Quad L, a member of the anodized metal puzzle family, is quite an attractive visual design. Designed by Mr. Gong, this puzzle is made with four different colored L-shaped pieces that are joined together inside a black frame. A nice challenge that can keep a puzzler entertained for a while.

In its solved state, the Quad L has its four pieces joined around the center of the frame and some leeway to move the pieces about. The goal is to remove the pieces, one by one, by sliding and rotating the pieces around the frame until you can make room to remove the first piece. Once that's accomplished, the others will be easily removed.

Although the pieces appear to be all identical, only two actually are. Because of these differences you need to carefully analyse each piece and understand how they can be moved around the frame. It's an interesting concept, akin to what you'd expect in a Cast Puzzle, for example.

Taking it apart, as usual in this kind of puzzles, is much easier than the opposite. Be sure to memorize the order in which the pieces are removed, so you can invert the process to put it back together. I did find it a little challenging, although nothing to be frustrated about. This is a difficulty level 9/10, but I'm not sure it's that difficult. It will vary from person to person.

Closing Comments:

The Quad L is the perfect level for a nice and enjoyable time, but don't expect the hardest of challenges. Just a thought: should an enjoyable puzzle need to be extremely difficult to be fun? - Fun and difficult don't always need to be together in the same sentence.

Availability: The Quad L is available at PuzzleMaster for $19.99 CAD. Check out the other anodized metal puzzles.

The #1 Puzzle is yet another interesting member of the anodized metal puzzle family by PuzzleMaster. This shiny emerald green puzzle looks like a scary one, but it's actually not that difficult when you attempt to solve it.

Comprised of four different flat pieces, the #1 Puzzle sort of resembles the classic Gordian's Knot puzzle, one of my favorites. It's not that complex, though, because the classic version has six pieces. The pieces move in a certain direction, but only to a point, as it's blocked by the others. You have to figure out how the cuts in the pieces work and how to disentangle them.

For its price range, the puzzle is actually quite well built. These metal puzzles are usually prone to scratches, but my copy is, so far, more or less scratch-free. Sometimes the best option for these puzzles is to get two copies - one for playing and another for displaying...

I thought this was going to be quite a challenge, as it's rated as a level 8/10, but surprisingly it wasn't that hard. Taking it apart was pretty easy and done within seconds, but like every puzzle in this category, the hard part is putting it back together. While it wasn't particularly as easy as it was to take it apart, I was able to solve it in a few minutes. Either I'm getting better at this sort of puzzles or the puzzle wasn't as challenging to begin with. I'm inclined to go for the second option, since I was never that good at solving this kind of puzzles.

Closing comments:

I have some mixed feelings about this puzzle. On one hand, I was pleased to solve it fairly quickly, for a change, but on the other hand I can't say I'm not a bit disappointed by how easy it was. For an 8/10 puzzle you'd expect a tougher challenge than this. Nevertheless, it's still quite a great-looking puzzle.

Availability: You can find the #1 Puzzle at PuzzleMaster for $19.99 CAD. Check out the other anodized puzzles in this series.

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Made with laser-cut wood, C'est la Vie! is quite a big puzzle, measuring about 13cm in diameter. The designer not only created a challenging labyrinth to navigate, but also a beautiful pattern with curved shapes. Across the entire puzzle you see many indentations in the walls of the pattern, which serve as gateways for the metal ring to go from one section to another. Not all walls have one of these gateways, so you have to plan your moves strategically.

Curiously, this puzzle reminds of the popular Cast Plate by Nob Yoshigahara. Hanayama's version is a lot smaller, but the goal is quite similar, as you try to free a ring from a metal plate. Both puzzles are rather difficult, so I recommend any of them if you like a good challenge.

As you start to solve the puzzle you see the ring in its starting position at the center of the puzzle (Indicated by the letter S). The exit point is located at the left edge of the puzzle, but to get there you'll need to wander for a while, because the path is not a straight line. To get from one point to another you have to be constantly rotating the ring back and forth. Some points will feel a bit tight, as if it wasn't possible to go through there, but if you insist with a slight push the ring will surely pass through. Don't use excessive force, though, because the wood used in this puzzle is fragile and you could end up breaking the puzzle.

This is quite a difficult puzzle to solve. As an experienced puzzler, it took me over half an hour to solve it for the first time. Returning the ring to the starting position is probably a little easier, but still challenging.

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C'est la Vie! by Constantin is indeed a great puzzle and a must-have in any collection. It has a complex shape, but it's very easy to understand, so even a beginner can try to solve it. With a big size and a beautiful design this will sure capture anyone's attention wherever you take it.

Availability: The C'est la Vie! puzzle is available at PuzzleMaster for $31.99 CAD. Check out other puzzles by Constantin.

The Fortress is one of many anodized puzzles by PuzzleMaster's own brand. This time, no special color was used, but it doesn't mean it's less special than the others. This puzzle was designed by Mr. Gong, who also designed the Phantom and Quad L from the anodized collection.

The puzzle is well built from anodized metal, which gives it a shinier and smoother appearance. I've seen some reviews about this puzzle and they seemed a bit harsh. If you really know puzzles, you must know what you're buying. This puzzle is as advertised in terms of quality. I've seen bad Hanayama puzzles myself (e.g. Cast G&G - with scratches aplenty).

The goal is simple. Take it apart, which won't be difficult, and then reassemble it, which is a much challenging task. The puzzle has three main pieces and a small cylinder hidden inside. This cylinder will make your solving process a bit more tricky as you try to close the pieces while still trying to include the final piece. It's quite an interesting concept.

Solving it was surprisingly not as challenging as I was expecting, and that's maybe one of its flaws. The puzzle is rated as a level 9/10, but it's no more than a 7/10 in my opinion. At first this looks like it could be a coordinated motion puzzle, but the last piece has a different way of assembling, and the pieces are not fitted simultaneously. Other than that, the puzzle is fun to solve, so I would definitely recommend it.

Closing comments:

Don't expect more than the puzzle can offer, or you will be disappointed. This was maybe what happened to those who reviewed it negatively. It's a fairly moderate challenging puzzle, and it has a nice quality for its price range. Do this and you will certainly have fun with it.

Availability: The Fortress is available at PuzzleMaster for $19.99 CAD. Be sure to check the anodized puzzle collection.