Topless Box

Sep 2

Puzzle Prescriptions: Apothecary Part I

“True apothecary thy drugs art quick.” - William Shakespeare

I’d like to invite you to join me on a tour of a dozen special puzzle boxes over the next few weeks. Fear not, this apothecary will not hasten your untimely death like Romeo and Juliet, but there may be true love to be found. You can choose from any or all of the twelve unique, beautiful and rare creations which are all housed together inside the final masterpiece, a treasure trove of legendary status. Collaborations between puzzle makers are not uncommon events but are rarely seen at this level and magnitude. A new such collaboration, currently in the final stages of completion, which brings together fifteen artists from around the world and celebrates the stories of Lewis Carroll, provides a fitting opportunity to revisit and admire the work which inspired it. The Apothecary Chest is the brainchild of Robert Yarger, who envisioned the design, orchestrated the collaborations, and ultimately executed the production. We’ll get to that story in just a moment, but first let’s explore the individual “drawers” in this incredible chest.

Topless Box by Eric Fuller

Getting down to puzzling business is hard work, at times – North Carolina puzzlesmith Eric Fuller might even suggest you take your shirt off. At least, his Topless Box would suggest it. I’ve actually written about the Topless Box before, and will direct you to that original rendition here while briefly summarizing. One of the first puzzle boxes you can retrieve is Fuller’s creation, a lovely cube with contrasting quilted maple on the ends and dark sapele in the center. Exploration reveals that the ends can be removed, no secret there, revealing bright, bold and beautiful red paduak details. Ironically, this is one of the harder boxes in the chest and may take you some time to solve. Like most of Fuller’s boxes, it relies on a unique and incredibly clever mechanism which is so elegantly executed. To toast this delightful box I paired it with a modern classic cocktail apropos of both the puzzle and its maker, the “Naked and Famous”. If you’ve never tried this drink, do yourself a favor.