A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
A Spirited Way
The Karakuri Creation Research Group of puzzle box artisans are beloved for their fanciful secret opening boxes, which are often quite magical.
Safe Keeping
I’m always curious how people come up with their ideas, and how they see them to production. Akhil Sudeep, a designer from India, recently shared his story and the origins of his new puzzle box with me.
Brick by Brick
“We are hoping to spread the word that we make the best LEGO PB out there and try to create more great puzzles in the future.”
Cosmic Buddha
According to Mr. Puzzle (the original), the mountainous, momentous objective of this puzzling object “is to get Mt Fuji to blow it's top and find the Buddha of All-Illuminating Wisdom, the Dainichi Nyorai.
Mass Appeal
“I guess we all need to try being optimistic and keep striving to make things better. After all, there is really no other choice. At least that is the way I see things.”
- Stewart Coffin, Reflections, 2022
Paleolithic Puzzling
The Paleolithic era Tuc d'Audoubert cave is located in the south of France. The masterpieces of this cave are two clay bisons, the best preserved examples of clay modellings in the whole of European cave art. They are 15,000 years old, and have become iconic.
Dew the Suze
Sometimes, you just want a soda. Sure, you know it’s bad for you, basically sugar-water and chemicals, and that you really shouldn’t indulge. But life is too short for the ascetic life, right?
Booker Prize
It’s always a good time for reading here at Bookses and Booze. I’ll take any excuse, and March 2 was “Read Across America Day”, which counts in my book.
Looping In
I’m unlocking another episode of “Locks and Libations” this week on the blog to visit with our old friend Boaz Feldman, heir to the DanLock legacy and a brilliant puzzle maker in his own right.
Rex of Flex
Few puzzle makers in the world have less need to prove themselves than Kagen Sound, who is widely considered to be one of the great artisans of the artform. Yet here he is, flexing for us.
Fish Tales
Eric Fuller’s lasting legacy is well encapsulated in many ways within his final box, the last puzzle he personally had a hand in both designing and crafting.
Lunar Landing
With Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos hot on his tail, little ol’ Leisure Luke B. from Minnesota has beaten them to it and gone off to the moon on his own.
Heart of the Matter
The Golem is a pervasive mythical guardian which appears time and again in various fantasy lore, originating with Jewish myth and mysticism.
Stuff of Legends
So sets the stage to start this new year off on an incredible adventure …
It’s About Time
It’s that time of year again, when we all get to reminisce about a year gone by, and contemplate what’s next on the horizon, if we are lucky and fortunate to still be here.
Get a Clue
Membership in the Cambridge Philosophical Society, the preeminent scientific organization at the distinguished English University, will cost you twenty pounds.