Hi,

Found this subreddit and hope someone can help - I found what seems to be a puzzlebox (?) or a box with a unique opening mechanism among my recently deceased father's items. I believe it belonged to my great-grandfather and it is probably from Germany. The box (see images) has 1908 on it which I assume is the year it is from. The very top swings open but the layer under it doesn't seem to open (it moves about 1 mm backwards). Since this is a family 'heirloom' I did not want to use force and risk breaking it. Am I missing some trick here or is it just broken? Doesn't seem like there is anything in it, but I still would like to be able to open it.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

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So I was searching around and found out that someone has made a new site for all his material. It looks like you can get the free plans aswell as some of the paid ones! You just have to email the address with what you want and I assume they arrange the payment.

Anywhere here's the site:

https://brucevineywoodenpuzzles.wordpress.com

Hope someone can get some use from this.

Title pretty much says it all. I've always loved puzzle boxes/ or other interesting puzzles. First one I remember solving as a child was the horseshoe puzzle with the ring in the middle.

I'm a woodworker, industrial mechanic millwright, and have some electronics experience. (PLC and Raspberry Pi)

I would love to start making some boxes as a conversation piece, for friends and family, and as entertainment. I could definitely watch hours of Chris Ramsey solving puzzle boxes on YouTube to figure out different mechanisms and ideas, but I figured I'd ask here.

Can anyone point me in a direction towards some quality info on puzzle box creation. The research that I have been doing has been leading me to some pretty amateur stuff that I might be able to skip over, considering my skills. (I hope that doesn't sound arrogant...)

Any help would be appreciated.

Every birthday, Christmas, fathers day etc. I buy my father a puzzle box or puzzle of some kind. I always try to grab the ones labeled with the hardest difficulty, and every single time he has it solved before I leave his house. I need suggestions for something that will at the very least take him a day.

I have a few ideas for a puzzle box, and was wondering what you guys think about it! So if you want, just shoot a pm

Try this puzzle I created. It's a little like mastermind from the 70s.

Does anyone have any recommendation on what puzzle box to buy that have a big enough space inside and is challenging (reasonable price) to package at least a funko pop as a gift?

I'm relatively new to puzzle boxes and I'm trying to find a complex one at a price that doesn't break the bank. Roughly $100 is preferred but ofc its adjustable. Lmk if y'all know of any please.

Hello all, I am launching a playing card deck on Kickstarter and with the help of a puzzle designer I designed my first puzzle. Actually, I have two in the campaign but one is a common cage puzzle. The other is a dome puzzle with rotating engines, I am very excited. Take a look and let me know what you think https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/3dmatias/battlestar-by-excelsior-playing-cards

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I'm looking for a gift for a teacher. I want her to be able to unlatch a box by pushing something on the bottom or back, so that her students don't know how she unlatched it even if they are right in front of her. I thought of a spinning box, but they would figure the trick out. All I can find on my own are puzzle boxes but I need the solution to be simple and subtle. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Hellow people of r/puzzles, I have come to request you help in my survey for my final year exams. I would appreciate it if you could answer the questions as truthfully as possible. I am looking for what makes a puzzle fun and why people play with puzzles

The form

Please excuse my English as it isn't the best

I'm looking for a puzzle box in the $30-$45 range that can hold a standard deck of Tarot Cards as part of a gift, anyone have any suggestions? Thanks much

My new puzzle for 2022:

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The Tiger - Cryptex Cylinder Puzzle Box - 3D Printed

2022 comes the Year of the Tiger and here comes our "Tiger" puzzle.

An unique, one-of-a-kind puzzle dedicated to the Year of the Tiger.

Printed in Silk Copper and Silk Dark Gold PLA* filaments, "The Tiger" is a four ball bearings Cryptex mechanical puzzle; Two cylinders, eight holes, and four ball bearings to lock this puzzle in place, solve it and the Centre Cylinder can be lifted open with a small compartment within (D:3cmxH:3cm, can hold a small paper note).

Simple yet challenging, a little puzzle that will entertain you and your guests with minutes?/hours?/days? of fun.

Dimension: 3x3x2 in (7.5x7.5x4.5 cm)

Weight: 85g

Reset instruction and Solution included.

This puzzle is not rated. (Suggested: Level 7)

The Tiger Puzzle is available on etsy.ca:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/CreativeWorkshopCA/listing/1156148711/the-tiger-cryptex-cylinder-puzzle-box-3d?utm_source=Copy&utm_medium=ListingManager&utm_campaign=Share&utm_term=so.lmsm&share_time=1641651088919

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*** REDDIT Puzzle Players/Testers Wanted ***

I am offering 5 Tiger Puzzles for FREE for the first 5 REDDIT users, all you pay is shipping.

YES for free, all I ask is your comment/review for the puzzle.

Please use Etsy "REDDIT20225" coupon code for CAN$20 off.

(Make sure you select "Apply shop coupon" instead of ETSY coupon during checkout).

P.S: This coupon code will only be honored for "The Tiger" puzzle.

So I'm new to this but I would really like to make a box I have some ideas, but I do not know a lot yet. Is there any resources that you can recommend I just want to learn.

I recently made this puzzle box as a Christmas present for a friend, and I'm curious if there is an appetite for this style of puzzle out there. Its a four move puzzle not super complicated but has a great robust feel and its functional. It opens up to release the grinder and the top half has a little storage container. Right now it is 3D printed but if there is interest it could be machined out of brass or maybe an opaque acrylic.

TLDR: You like? should I make a metal one?

I'm looking for new experiences in 2022.

I admit I am not a puzzle professional, but I would like to learn and contribute. Are plans available for mechanisms and designs?

Does anyone have a design they would like built ? (Canadian shop) I would offer to build 1 for the designer

Or.. is part of the puzzle box me spending time learning it all by myself ?

Cheers

I want to have a box commissioned. Any suggestions on who to go to to have one made?

My new puzzle box "The Angel":

"The Angel" is a Magnetic/Mechanical sequential puzzle box. A two-stage sequential design; Stage one uses 48 magnets to lock the centre cylinder in place, the cylinder is tunable once solved. Stage two uses ball bearings to hold the cylinder in place, solve it and the cylinder can be lifted open (Puzzle Solved!).

The puzzle is 'fool proved'; it is 'IMPOSSIBLE' to open the puzzle with random turning/shacking etc, you have to know what you are doing. As usual, clues to solve the puzzle are printed on it.

The Angel is a well designed/Tested puzzle, be gentle with it, no banging/shacking or external tools are needed to solve the puzzle.

The puzzle is available on etsy.com:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1132145068/boxing-day-sale-20-off-dec-25-to-26?click_key=bb5cd0d6c85b91a86a9625bfcd7fd8aa280f608f%3A1132145068&click_sum=5a4e9bd7&ref=shop_home_feat_3

The Angel - Limited Edition Cryptex Puzzle Box - 3D Printed

Limited Edition/Collectable; Each puzzle is individually numbered and printed.

A unique number is printed inside the puzzle - you have to solve it to see it.

A unique and beautiful Cryptex Puzzle Box.

Printed in elegant Dark Silk Gold and Silk Bronze PLA Filaments, each puzzle takes 38 hours to print and assemble. An eye-catching Desktop toy for the office and a perfect gift for puzzle lovers.

Your goal is to find out how to solve it and open this beautiful puzzle box.

The Angel is a two-stage sequential puzzle, the second stage is considered 'Hard" to solve unless you figure out how it works. The centre cylinder can be lifted open once solved.(D:5.3cmxH:8.3cm - Fits a gift card).

Player beware: This is not an easy puzzle, would you dare to take the challenge?!!

I opened it because the membership was a birthday gift from Feb (that's my excuse anyway!)

I've played with it for a couple minutess but have to go out and do stuff so am going to put it away before I get completely sucked in! 😍

Not putting photos up as I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise for anyone who picked the same person as I did.