Sshhh! Don't tell the missus - I've bought another!

I think I have a disease! I can't help myself! The voices, the voices! They keep saying:
"Buy, buy, buy! You need more puzzles!"

I couldn't blot out the voices so I caved in and ordered a Danlock. This is a padlock (unlike many puzzle locks on the market this is made from a genuine normal Israeli made Nabob padlock) which has been altered by Dan Feldman from Israel to make a really interesting puzzle.

It consists of a padlock with the key attached to the haft and another key separate but snapped in two. The problem is first to open the lock (which is apparently not too hard) and after that to put it back the way it came. Reputedly it is the second part of the puzzle which is very tough and requires several steps. It is reportedly one of the best trick locks there are. It has been reviewed by Edward Hordern here, by Oli here on his blog and here by another blogger.

Someone suggested that one buys 2 locks and the key from one will open the other!!! This doesn't take into account the fact that these are REAL padlocks and so will have different keys for each.

It does come with a solution - sealed so you have to make a positive decision to look at it.

Whilst I would just love to buy a Popplock or two but at £200 and £120 respectively they are just a bit too much for me at the moment. Maybe if I save my pennies?
The Danlock is a much more reasonable price ($100 incl P&P). At least that is my story and I am going to stick to it!!??!?????

The puzzle is available from a number of sources - direct from Dan's son Boaz. If you prefer buying from a UK store it is available from Grand Illusions in the UK.

I will review it when it arrives. Now where is my strait-jacket?

The bronze revomaze

The bronze is the 3rd in the series and now they are getting serious!!

This is a real test. This is not a simple straight line path from beginning to end like the previous two - it adds to the experience with curves (even the traps are curved!). It also has traps which have no apparent means of resetting (known as the pool and the jacuzzi!!). This means that your previous ability to map and plan based on straight lines, 90º turns and traps you can easily restart from is not always helpful in this puzzle. It takes a while to work out the secret of the "swimming areas" - in fact after a while you realise that it is possible to stay dry completely (although this is quite difficult to accomplish!). The next shock you are in for is that paths seem to end nowhere - the result of which is that you are TRAPPED. It appears impossible to get out of the first section of the maze!

Creative Crafthouse - Soma cube (craftsman edition)

Another puzzle I bought from Creative Crafthouse was a rather nice medium sized Soma cube made from rubberwood, stored in a matching well made box.

All puzzle collections should include a Soma cube!

Creative Crafthouse - Muscle cube 2 tone

I placed an order for several puzzles from Creative Crafthouse in Florida a few weeks ago and they delivered some really well made wooden puzzles very quickly indeed. I can recommend them as a supplier, Dave is a pleasure to deal with.

My favourite puzzle that I received from them is the Muscle cube. It is available as a plain or a two tone version (I preferred the look of the 2 tone although I suspect that this version is made easier by the clues from the different colours). CC rate it as a very difficult or level 5 puzzle (on their scale up to 5+). I don't actually think it is that difficult - I would rate it a 3.5!
Despite this it is still a very pleasing puzzle to play with and is formed from a LOT of pieces which make a lovely, if disconcerting, pile!!

Vinco's Tetrahedron 2

I received the tetrahedron 2 at the same time as the dual tetrahedron. It is a beautifully tactile shape with a lovely mixture of light and dark woods. Unlike the other puzzle it is impossible to see the seams where the 4 parts join. To open it there are only so many places to grab so it is just a matter of holding it in each hand and pulling apart. When you have the right orientation then it suddenly pulls partially open.

Vinco's dual tetrahedron

Today (at the same time that I ordered some new ones from the Vinco site) postie arrived with my previous order from Vaclav Obsevic.

I was aware of what to expect but was not really ready for the breathtaking craftsmanship that has gone into making these objects of beauty. Even if they weren't puzzles they would be worth owning just to be lovely wooden ornaments. I started with the Dual Tetrahedron 12

Oooh! Shiny! More stuff coming!!

I had hoped to give the bank account a rest really but I can't stop surfing around other puzzle blogs and on line stores!

Today whilst at work, I noticed that Vaclav Obsivac, a tremendous artisan puzzle maker, from the Czech Republic had put some new puzzles up for sale on his site. You have got to see this stuff! The quality is second to none.

The last order has not yet arrived and I had to buy something from the new selection. I have ordered  4  (make that 5) new puzzles....

The next instalment - the green revomaze

I managed to avoid starting the next revomaze for.... at least 24 hours!! My these are addictive! The info on the website states that most people who have done the blue will manage the green in about 3-4 hours. I am obviously not particularly bright because it took me another 10 hours!! Blush!

The aim is the same - so getting started was easy. Understanding the first traps came naturally. I started with a line map from the outset and very quickly this proved to be inadequate. The reason is that the green maze is not linear - whilst the blue has a single pathway through with some detours off to blind ends or traps, the green has a pathway that winds around in intersecting paths and you can find yourself back at a place you have been before without realising it. Hence the requirement for an accurate map. After about 2 hours of wandering around and plotting paths and traps I couldn't find any further places to go.

Bill Cutler's Wausau '83

The other part of my package from Bill Cutler is one of his special rectilinear burrs. These are part of a series of a series of 4 burr  puzzles which he designed to be difficult to dismantle. On his site, Bill claims that the '83 is the "best" of them. Since I am rapidly bankrupting myself I could only have 1 and it had better be the best! I really really want the cube but at $500 I can't afford it!

More Stuff - She's going to kill me if this continues!!!

Wil Strijbos, a brilliant Dutch puzzle designer and seller, sold me two new puzzles! They arrived last night and are absolutely beautiful!

The Green Apple Puzzle - a small aluminium apple (complete with stalk) which needs to be split into 2 halves. The apple has a horizontal seam across the middle and 4 dovetail joints each at 90° to each other. How is this possible. Something seems to rattle around inside. It comes with instructions but I refused to look at them - it took about 15 minutes of thought to work out how it should come apart, but when I tried it wouldn't budge. There is a second part to the puzzle which took me an extra 10 minutes to solve. There is a nice surprise inside!

The Aluminium Cylinder Puzzle. This is his second run of 100 of these - they are an silver aluminium cylinder withe a lid which is sprung and sits about 1mm proud of the top. The lid can spin and when depressed it releases several loose objects within the structure. I have a few ideas how to solve this but have only played for a very short time. It doesn't come with instructions but they are available from Wil on request. Searching the various puzzle sites shows that this is a VERY difficult puzzle and most who have solved it have done so partially by accident! I will give it a good shot.

Wil also sent me a freebie! A 3 Card Burr - this is 3 playing cards with various slots cut into them and obviously the intention is to have them interlock at 90° to each other - Very cool looking. Not tried it yet.

If you want to see the secret of the green apple then click the read more.
It will reveal another picture with it open showing how 4 90° dovetails can be opened as well as what makes the rattling.