PuzzleMaster

IQ Blox

Posted on Aug 21, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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IQ Blox is the latest addition to my favorite logic game series, the IQ by Smart Games. Designed by Raf Peeters, these are convenient pocket-sized games that you can bring with you anywhere, as they're presented in a plastic box that closes and keeps the pieces from being lost. What's more, these puzzles will give your brain a boost and put your skills to the test.

The IQ Blox uses a clever new feature: small U-shaped walls that block some of the pieces from being placed at certain positions. With these restrictions, you'll have to find alternative ways to find the correct solution which, like most other games in the series, have only one solution per challenge.

(Click to Enlarge) - Starter Level, Challenge 20

Besides the inclusion of the four walls, the game contains seven distinct pieces, each in a different color and shape. There are two types of pieces, tetrominoes and pentominoes. When a challenge is complete, all the pieces will occupy the entire area of the game board. There's a stationary piece of a single unit that sits at the top left corner of the board, since it wasn't possible to fill the board entirely with the seven pieces. You can use both sides of the pieces interchangeably.

(Click to Enlarge) - Expert Level, Challenge 58

To start any challenge you will have to place in the tray one or more walls, depending on the difficulty of the chosen challenge (the harder the challenge the less walls are used). The board has numbers on each spot to easily set up a challenge. Also depending on the level (Starter), there could be some pieces already in place when you start a challenge. You complete a puzzle when all the pieces fit neatly inside the game board.

Although a bit different from other games in the series, the IQ Blox is not much harder than its predecessors. The walls give it a slight increase in difficulty, but at the same time it tells you right away if a piece will fit in the board or not. You will constantly rearrange the pieces as you go until you find the correct solution, but in the end it's on par with any of the other games by Raf in terms of difficulty.

(Click to Enlarge) - Wizard Level, Challenge 105

Closing Comments:

The IQ Blox is a challenging game, but it never reaches levels of frustration capable of making you give up on it. The inclusion of the walls give it that bit of originality and novelty that will satisfy any packing puzzle fan. With 120 challenges and five levels of difficulty, there's something for everyone, beginners and experts alike.

Availability: The IQ Blox is available at Amazon and other major puzzle stores around the world.

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Quadstair

Posted on Aug 19, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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I love Philos' puzzles. This German company always manages to manufacture nice puzzles at affordable prices, and each one offers a different challenge. They are mostly built from hardwood, which enhances their natural look and high quality. The company works with many international puzzle designers and with the Quadstair, this is no exception. Designed by Oskar van Deventer, one of the most prolific puzzle designers in the world, the Quadstair is a superb puzzle that few will be disappointed with.

Made from four identical pieces, each in a different wood color, this interlocking puzzle is quite an intriguing object when you first try to solve it. The pieces seem to be all glued together in a spiral with a square shape and a hole in the middle. Whichever way you pull on the pieces, they just won't budge a millimeter. However, there's a way to separate the four pieces. You just have to keep trying until you succeed. Be careful not to apply too much force, though. It's not needed for the solution, and even though the pieces are glued together at key spots, you might end up breaking the puzzle.

Usually, interlocking puzzles are quite a challenge for me. Even more when I try to reassemble them. Fortunately, even though it looks intimidating at first, the Quadstair is not that difficult. After spending about 10-15 minutes to separate the pieces, I'd say this is about 7/10 in difficulty. Reassembling it is actually easier, which is not common for an interlocking puzzle. I guess the fact that the pieces are all identical makes it easier to visualize it solved and connect the pieces in the right way. Once you know where to pull, the puzzle is very easy to disassemble and reassemble.

What I really liked about Oskar's Quadstair is that its simplicity and perfect harmony among the pieces makes for a surprising and rewarding feeling when you finally discover its secret. This is a great puzzle for any puzzle fun, since there aren't any special tricks involved, just clever designing and utter brilliance.

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Closing Comments:

When you combine a good puzzle company and a genius puzzle designer like Oskar, the result will certainly be amazing. This is an affordable puzzle that any collection should have and any fan, beginner or expert, should try.

Availability: At the time of writing, the Quadstair is unavailable at PuzzleMaster. You can keep checking regularly or try the other great puzzles offered by Philos.

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Redstone Box (Hide the Redstone)

Posted on Aug 12, 2015 by Gabriel | 7 comments
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Bernhard Schweitzer is a German puzzle designer with lots of great puzzles under his name. The Redstone Box is a fine example of his ingenuity and, coupled with Creative Crafthouse's high quality manufacturing and polish to their products, is sure to satisfy even the most demanding collectors and puzzle enthusiasts alike.

The Redstone Box is a 3D Packing Puzzle where the goal is to hide an extra piece (the red block) inside the already apparently filled box. You need to reassemble the pieces in a way so that the volume of the extra piece can be accommodated in the box and still be able to slide the lid and close it. To my knowledge, there's only one solution for this, excluding rotations. This is definitely not a puzzle for beginners and can be extremely challenging.

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It comes unsolved in its box, with the red block placed in its special slot. The lid slides off, so you can store the pieces in the box without worrying about losing them. The box measures 11.6cm x 7.8cm x 6.6cm (4.6" x 3" x 2.6"), so it's a nice sized puzzle, made with hardwood and very well built.

The puzzle consists of eight pieces with different sizes and shapes, plus the red block. Some of the blocks have the same height, but besides this there are no two identical blocks. This packing problem is, in a way, quite similar to the classic Calibron 12, except the latter is in 2D. But the different sizes of the pieces and the solving process is somewhat similar.

What I did find similar is that both puzzles are among some of the most difficult puzzles I had the pleasure to play with, but not the satisfaction of solving. To solve a puzzle like this, one must have a mathematical approach to it, which I don't have. There's no way you can solve these puzzles by trial and error, at least in a timely manner, or you'd be the most lucky person in the world.

To get the puzzle back to its original state you have several ways to do it, although I found none so far. It's still a difficult puzzle, whether you do it with the red piece or not. It's good that there are various solutions (without the red piece), so you can enjoy it many times over.

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Closing Comments:

The Redstone Box is a superb puzzle. Yes, I can enjoy and appreciate a puzzle that I failed to solve. I love puzzles, both easy and difficult alike, and this one deserves a chance, even if you think you won't solve it. It's a great addition to any collection.

Availability: I got the Redstone Box from PuzzleMaster, available for about $20 CAD. More from Creative Crafthouse can be found there as well as some others from Bernhard Schweitzer.

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Pillow Dino

Posted on Aug 5, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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The Pillow Dino by Calvin's Puzzle (designed by Evgeniy Grigoriev) is an interesting color variation of the well-known Dino Cube, invented by S.Y. Liou back in 1995. Since the original is so rare nowadays and currently fetches hundreds of dollars whenever a copy is available for auction, most of us will have to settle for a more affordable option, like Calvin's Dino and others. I also have a very nice variation by Smaz, with a very original sticker design. But, today's review is all about the Pillow Dino, so read on.

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A nice thing about Calvin's Pillow Dino is that it's parts are stickerless, except for the designer and manufacturer's transparent stickers on two white pieces. The puzzle features three colors (black, blue and white), which are great to form patterns, aside from the main one. I'm not sure how many you can create, but it depends on what you call a pattern, if it has to be symmetrical or not. Nevertheless, it's good to have more than one option.

The movement of the puzzle is smooth, but I'd say it's too lose. The pieces often get stuck on top of one another, making the puzzle difficult to turn sometimes. In terms of movement, I prefer the Smaz Dino Cube, which is much more stable.

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The mechanism has an 8-armed ball core and the puzzle moves by rotating its corners. Solving the puzzle is not difficult, but there's more to it than the apparent lack of challenge it offers. Its simplicity, with the three colors, which by the way, in my opinion, are a great match, is nice for just fiddling with it, trying to come up with different patterns. It doesn't need to be challenging to be appreciated and enjoyed.

(Click to Enlarge) - Different Patterns

Closing Comments:

Calvin's Pillow Dino is definitely a nice addition to any Twisty puzzle collection. Also, because it's easy to solve, anyone can try it and have a feel for what Twisty puzzles can offer. It's not the best Dino Cube variation, but definitely not the worst.

Availability: The Pillow Dino by Calvin and Evgeniy is available at PuzzleMaster for about $20 CAD.


Dial and Turn Lock

Posted on Aug 3, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Another great design from the IQ Locker Series by Mi-Toys, the Dial and Turn Lock is a relatively easy puzzle lock for anyone interested in this type of puzzles, but not yet ready for the more advanced and demanding designs that Trick Locks can offer.

I've previously reviewed other puzzles from this series and, without exception, I was pleasantly surprised by the originality of their designs. They are mainly made from various types of wood, a material that is not very commonly seen in trick locks, but even so they are nicely built, and unless you apply excessive force they won't otherwise break.

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The Dial and Turn Lock has an odd and intriguing design. Unlike the traditional padlock design, the shackle is a straight bar that stretches across most of its length, and scattered through its wooden body you can see five dials. These dials can be turned in any direction, but only one position is the correct for each of them. To release the shackle you have to pull on the handle that is located on one of the sides of the lock, but unless you have the right combination for the dials, it won't budge. There's also a key and a slot to fit the key at the opposite side of the handle. It's up to you to find out the use of the key.

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At first, the lock seems quite intimidating with its five dials, all with its unique position. Nevertheless, with careful manipulation of one dial at a time, you'll sense when you've hit the right spot where it may release the shackle. Without much effort, I was able to open the lock within a couple of minutes. A bit disappointing for the lack of challenge, but also quite satisfying to be able to open it quickly.

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Closing Comments:

I was left with some mixed feelings about the Dial and Turn Lock, but in the end it's still a nice and interesting puzzle to have a go, especially if you're a fan of trick locks and hidden mechanisms. It's a pretty affordable puzzle, so you can easily get the whole series and experience different levels of difficulty between all the designs.

Availability: You can find the Dial and Turn Lock, as well as the IQ Locker Series, at Brilliant Puzzles for $10.95 USD.

Mirror 2x2x2 Cube - Gold

Posted on Jul 15, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Invented by Hidetoshi Takeshi and produced by Rubik's since 2008, the Bump Cube (also known as the Mirror Blocks) has seen several different variations over the years. From Double Cubes to Siamese Cubes, with different sizes and different colors, the Mirror Cubes are here to stay and to delight the Twisty puzzle fans.

The latest in my collection is the Mirror Cube Gold with a 2x2x2 mechanism. Its solving process is similar to a traditional 2x2x2, but it's slightly more challenging, since you solve it by shape instead of colors. As you twist and turn the cube, you'll see that it constantly changes its shape until it's no longer resembling a cube. This one is produced in China by Cube Style - In fact, most of the packaging is in Chinese, but who needs instructions for these? Just enjoy it and have fun.

The cube features metallic gold stickers, which gives this extra shiny effect. The stickers seem to be high quality, as they don't peel off that easily, although they are prone to scratch with little effort. Its movement is super smooth, thanks to the pre-lubricated mechanism. I believe it can be used for speedcubing, because it seems to cut corners with ease.

The level of difficulty of the Mirror 2x2x2 is rather easy if you're used to Twisty puzzles. Yes, it can be more challenging than a regular 2x2x2, but there's no need to learn super hard algorithms to solve it. Since it's fairly easy to solve, even for beginners, you can try to beat your own times. No need to be a speedcuber to enjoy a little challenge.

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Closing Comments:

The Mirror 2x2x2 Cube is a great starting point for a novice to enter the world of the Twisty puzzles. With a different challenge than the classic six color cubes, you can be sure to have your money's worth with this nice cube. When you're confident enough you can go for the Mirror 3x3x3.

Availability: You can find the Gold Mirror 2x2x2 Cube at PuzzleMaster for $15CAD. If you like Mirror Cubes, you can try these as well.

Tangoes

Posted on Jul 14, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Do you have a knack for Tangram puzzles, the ancient 7-piece dissection puzzle? If so, these two puzzles by SmartGames will delight the most avid fan and put your wits to the test.

Tangoes is SmartGames answer to a travel-friendly type of puzzles that are practical and easy to take with you anywhere. Both puzzles, Tangoes Animals (blue) and Tangoes Paradox (red), have been designed with the utmost care and attention to detail, always with the concept of convenience and fun in mind. What you get is two great products that will appeal to both adults and kids alike.

The Tangoes puzzles come in a cool notebook design with snaps lock and spiral rings to keep everything in place. The instructions are printed on the inside of the notebook and the challenge booklet is embedded in the spiral rings, so you won't have to worry about loosing anything. The pieces of the puzzles (seven in each set), the most important component, have been built with a magnetic material and a foam substance to keep the pieces malleable but still resistant and strong. The magnetic pieces stick to the right side of the notebook, thus allowing to play with it on the most uneven surfaces without loosing any piece. Perfect for those long car journeys.

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Both puzzles come with 48 challenges, divided into four levels of difficulty and grouped in pairs. The challenges start pretty easy, with most of the edges between the pieces showing. As you progress , however, you'll see that most challenges don't show any inner edges. Some of the puzzles can be a little challenging, but since I'm quite a fan of Tangram puzzles, I found most challenges easy enough to breeze through all of them in no time.

There's a major difference between the classic Tangram an the Tangoes. One of the pieces, the parallelogram, can only be used with its colored side facing up. There's no flipping it here. This, in turn, will reduce the number of possible solutions for each challenge, even though there's still more than one solution for most challenges. This is true only for the Tangoes Paradox, as the Tangoes Animals only have one solution per challenge.

Another interesting fact done in the Paradox puzzle is the inclusion of similar shapes in each challenge. The idea is to have two nearly identical shapes, except for one tiny extra detail. This will make the puzzle more challenging and much more interesting, as you try to assemble both shapes with the same seven pieces. Studying closely the relationship between all the pieces will make this task easier, but until you master this you'll have to sweat a little.

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Closing Comments:

I really liked the Tangoes puzzles. They are extremely fun to play with. The magnetic pieces, the convenient design and the additional challenge of the Paradox, my favorite of the two, makes for quite an enjoyable experience. Ready for a Tangoes session?

Availability: The Tangoes are available at most major toy and puzzle stores, like Amazon.

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Glückspiel

Posted on Jul 8, 2015 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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Glückspiel is a Constantin puzzle that requires a lot of dexterity and hand-eye coordination. German for "Gambling", the name of the puzzle is indeed a gamble if you're not used to disentanglement puzzles. You'll find yourself struggling to put some order into the chaos caused by four mere pieces that just don't like to be close together. Can you reassemble the puzzle after you separate the pieces?

The Glückspiel feels very much like a Cast Puzzle. Although a little bigger than the average Hanayama flagship series, the design and build quality is quite similar. There are four identical pieces, made from thick metal and coated in a silver finish, just like any regular metallic puzzle. At the center of mass is a metal pin with two wooden discs at each extremity, which keeps the pieces from naturally collapsing.

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The first part of the challenge is to remove this pin and have the pieces move around each other freely. Next you'll need to find a way to separate every single piece from each other. At first, this is not an easy task to figure out, because the pieces are very well entangled - This reminded of the Cast Devil, with a similar solving process. After you have all pieces free from each other, you have to reunite them and form the original shape...And here lies the real challenge. This is a level 8/10 puzzle, and I partly agree, if not for the tough reassembly. I would say around 8.5-9/10.

I was able to separate all the pieces within a couple of minutes. It's not hard to figure out how the pieces interact with each other or how they should be separated. The problem, however, is to get all the pieces in the correct orientation and position in order to keep the central pin in place and stable. This took me about half an hour.

I found it very difficult to find the right orientation of each piece, because even if you know how they should appear when assembled, it's hard to visualize how they should be positioned at the point of entry. This was more or less a trial and error exercise until I found the correct position for every piece. In the meantime, I was also struggling to keep the pieces in the right configuration at all times, since they were always collapsing after almost every slight movement. This is why a great level of dexterity is needed. After this, getting the pin to fit in place is a walk in the park.

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Closing Comments:

Glückspiel by Jean Claude Constantin is a little different from his other more popular creations, but it's still a superb design and intriguing enough to give it a try. Again, Constantin proves that he's a jack of all trades who can design and build any kind of puzzle.

Availability: I got the Glückspiel at PuzzleMaster, but as of writing this review it's out of stock. Check back soon to see if it will be available again. Nevertheless, you can always check out other fascinating puzzles by Constantin.


Mephisto

Posted on Jul 2, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Mephisto. Sounds like a scary name...And it should be, since it's one of the chief demons in German literature. It's a fitting name, because this puzzle is quite a difficult task to achieve. Can you vanquish this mighty demon?

The Mephisto puzzle is made by Siebenstein-Spiele, one of the leading companies in Germany producing wooden puzzles. The company founder, Jürgen Reiche, is responsible for the creative department and has designed almost all puzzles launched by them. He's indeed a very prolific craftsman and his puzzles are the delight of many serious collectors and aficionados alike.

This puzzle is a really interesting and fascinating design. The perfect balance of materials, wood and acrylic, make it stand out among many other wooden puzzles and captivate your attention right away. 10 acrylic strips are lined up in two layers, five pieces each. One layer has vertical strips, the other horizontal, and each strip has four pairs of symbols. When perfectly combined, the puzzle displays four identical symbols for each of the 25 squares in a 5x5 grid. It's a very challenging and at times, frustrating task - definitely not for beginners.

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The puzzle has three different sets of symbols: stars, circles and squares. It would've been interesting to see more symbols, like five, for example: one for each individual square. Another, probably even more demanding challenge, would've been to have no identical squares with the same symbols on the same column or row.

Since the puzzle is quite difficult as it is, maybe Jürgen went for a less complex design without making it impossible for the puzzler to solve it. After mixing the pieces it becomes extremely difficult to combine the right strips, so to solve it properly you have to use a "special" technique, which is very common in packing puzzles called "trial and error". Yes, there's no easy way to do this, so lots of patience and perseverance are needed in order to succeed. It took me over an hour to solve it.

(Click to Enlarge) - Solved State
Closing Comments:

In the end, the Mephisto is totally worth your time, after all it's a fantastic puzzle and I enjoyed playing with it very much. It's a different kind of packing puzzle and may be of interest to anyone who enjoys puzzles, albeit a frustrating one.

Availability: You can find the Mephisto puzzle at Brilliant Puzzles for $27.95. You can find here other Siebenstein puzzles as well.


Feliks Pillow

Posted on Jul 1, 2015 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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Ever since the original Rubik's Cube there have been so many variants that it would be a daunting task listing them all. From sticker variations to shape modifications, the possibilities are almost endless, and choosing the right one for you might be a rather difficult task. So, why not do it like me? Don't choose, collect all of them, or the most you can.

The cube you see above is called the Feliks Pillow. It's a slight shape modification of a regular cube, and the pillow shape is great to see five colors simultaneously. The internal mechanism is a little different from a standard 3x3x3 cube, with a spherical center core, and supposedly lets you do shortcuts, or corner-cutting, without popping. I'm not the best person to test this claim, since I'm not a speedcuber, but I trust its maker, Meffert's, as it can produce high quality puzzles.

The design of the Feliks Pillow is a tribute to record holder Feliks Zemdegs, for solving a 3x3x3 cube. It was designed by Adam G. Cowan, and Meffert's started its production in 2011.

The movement of the Feliks Pillow is very smooth - no need to apply extra lube. It feels great on your hands due to the slight spherical shape. It actually feels better than a regular cube. The stickers are the standard Meffert's color scheme, bright and fluorescent colors. I prefer the classic scheme - the Rubik's scheme - but it's nice to have variety, so I'm not too disappointed by that. I do wish that the two orange tones used on this cube were a little different, though. When you're solving the puzzle in low light it can be a tad harder to distinguish both colors. Other than that, the puzzle is perfect and can be enjoyed by anyone.

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Closing Comments:

Whether you're a Twisty fan or a simply curious mind, the Feliks Pillow will surely please you. Its smooth turning and the different design approach to the classic cubic shape are more than enough reasons to give this one a try.

Availability: The Feliks Pillow is available at PuzzleMaster for just $17.99 USD. Others from Meffert's are also available.


Meiji Milk Chocolate

Posted on Jun 24, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Here's real proof that Hanayama can make really interesting puzzles besides the Cast Series. Their Meiji Chocolate Series has three types of chocolate: White, Black and Milk. My choice was the latter - you guessed it, it's my favorite. If I didn't know it's a puzzle I could've tried to take a bite, that's how real it looks.

The puzzle comes packaged just like your average chocolate bar: A box made of paper. Inside you'll find a clear box with 12 puzzle pieces. These pieces represent all possible pentominoes (5-unit pieces) and together they can form a 10x6 rectangle, but that's not all...Besides this rectangle, which is the exact size of the provided case, you can also try to build with the 12 pieces many other different shapes and figures. Are you up for the task?

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There's a slight issue with the puzzle's package - it's written almost entirely in Japanese - but even I, whose knowledge of Japanese is very close to zero, can decipher pretty much everything you need to know in order to fully enjoy this puzzle. The original shape (the 10x6 rectangle) has a whopping 2339 different ways to pack the pieces inside the frame. On the back of the box there's also a few other interesting shapes to build with the 12 pieces, and if that's not enough for you there's a small paper sheet inside the box with an extra 12 shapes to solve (again, all to be made using the 12 pieces).

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Difficulty-wise, the puzzle has a moderate difficulty. It's rated as a level 7/10, and I completely agree. The main challenge, to be solved using the clear case, is relatively easy, considering there's a lot of possible solutions. I was able to solve one of those 2339 solutions in under 5 minutes. Not all of them are as easy, though. I solved two other solutions, both between 5 and 10 minutes.

So far, I was unable to solve any of the other shapes. They are indeed much more challenging than the rectangle shape, mostly because you have to solve them without the help of a tray. This may not sound important, but having a frame with well-defined borders is a big help to visualize what you're supposed to achieve. Not having that visual aid is a really tough challenge, since you have to be constantly checking and counting the limits of your shape to see if you're doing it right. It's a great puzzle to improve your logic skills and hand-eye coordination.

Closing Comments:

I recommend having a real chocolate bar around for when you attempt to solve this puzzle, because it is really mouth-watering. If you overcome this small problem, then you will certainly enjoy every bit of Hanyama's Meiji Milk Chocolate without leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. Also, this is a perfect gift to pull a prank on someone with a sweet tooth.

Availability: You can find the delicious Meiji Milk Chocolate at PuzzleMaster - your favorite confectionery.


7 Sterne

Posted on Jun 17, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Here's another great Constantin puzzle that is pretty deceiving, in the way that it looks like a simple and easy puzzle, but in reality it can be much more difficult than expected. With a superb and mesmerizing design, this puzzle can lure you into a trap if you think it's a walk in the park.

The 7 Sterne (sterne is German for star) looks absolutely gorgeous with its impressive arabic-like pattern. Seen from above, the pieces form a circle with seven six-pointed stars. At first glance, it appears that the pattern is comprised of 30 identical pieces. That's an illusion, though, because it's actually 8 uniquely-shaped pieces, each a different configuration of those smaller pieces joined together at different angles. Not so simple now, right?

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Made with laser-cut wood, both tray and pieces, the puzzle feels very light in the hand. The pieces have a lighter shade tan the tray for maximum visual effect and the size is a little smaller than I would've liked, but still acceptable for a packing puzzle: it measures about 10cm in diameter (4").

Now, the difficulty is rated as a level 8/10, but I actually found it slightly tougher than that - over an hour and a half to solve it. For many, this could easily turn into quite a frustrating puzzle, given the unusual shape of the pieces. It's very difficult to see where each piece should go. Even so, the tray gives you a small help, since the edges have the same shape as the extremities of the pieces, making it a tad less difficult. Other than this, there's little to help you solve this puzzle. It's a hell of a challenge, that much I can tell you, and definitely not for beginners.

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Closing Comments:

7 Sterne is a magnificent puzzle! Yes, it's difficult, really really difficult, but the rewarding feeling you get you finally place that last piece is totally worth the extra effort. Also, for its beautiful design, it can be a great decorating object.

Availability: You can find the 7 Sterne puzzle at PuzzleMaster for about $17 CAD. Other interesting designs from Constantin are also available.

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IQ Candy

Posted on Jun 12, 2015 by Gabriel | 0 comments
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Here's a type of candy that's not harmless to your health in large quantities. In fact, the more you take the better for you. As advertised on the box, these candies are free of sugar and calories but contain 100% vitamin FUN. Made at SmartGames by confectioner Raf Peeters, the IQ Candy will be the delight for all kids and adults alike.

The IQ Candy comes in a different package than the others in the IQ series. A little bigger, but still practical enough to take it with you on your travels. The tray measures about 15cm in diameter (6"), and has a clear plastic tray to keep the pieces from being lost.

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The game consists of seven candy-colored pieces in different trominoes and tetrominoes shapes. All pieces fill an entire 5x5 grid with no empty spaces, but the grid itself has something different from the regular 2D packing puzzles, as about half of the 25 spaces have vertical and horizontal pins on it (12, to be exact). The pieces themselves have holes, but they're placed at different directions, like the pins, and will only fit on certain places.

What's great about the IQ series is that the games have very simple and easy to understand rules, so you will only need a couple of minutes to familiarize yourself with the game. First, before starting with any challenge, you have to make sure the game board is placed in the correct orientation (the only corner with a pin should be at the bottom left). Then, you just need to place the pieces as shown in any of the 60 challenges found in the booklet and solve the puzzles.

On the first challenges you only need to place a couple of the remaining pieces on the tray, but the harder ones will have just one or two pieces. There's only one solution per challenge. You can also try to solve puzzles that aren't on the booklet. Start with one piece and work your way until all pieces are placed on the game board.

You can place the pieces on the game board with either side and orientation. If a piece doesn't fit with a certain orientation, try flipping it. Besides the horizontal and vertical holes, each pieces also has a cross-shaped hole that fits on any pin, provided you place the piece as such.

The difficulty level of the IQ Candy is not as difficult as you might think. The pins actually reduce the number of possible configurations, which makes it easier to solve the puzzles. Mind you, easier doesn't necessarily mean easy. Just less difficult than other puzzle games.

Closing Comments:

IQ Candy is a superb puzzle game. The design is magnificent, made with bright colors, and the pins in the game board is a nice change from the more common packing puzzles, which is a welcome variation. The taste is a little "plasticky", but the IQ Candy is worth every minute you spend with it. Playing with candy never felt this good.

Availability: The IQ Candy is available from major online stores like Amazon.com or in Europe at Amazon.co.uk.

A few Challenges:

(Challenge 17 - Junior)

(Challenge 40 - Master)

(Challenge 53 - Wizard)


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