A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
Borg Box (Stickman No. 5)
There is a particular puzzle box on my shelf which has been sitting there for a while, beckoning me. It’s particularly stunning to look at, composed of a tapestry of wooden shapes and types, so it’s marvelous simply as a piece of art. But that’s not why it beckons.
Soba (Buckwheat Noodle)
In many parts of Japan the New Year’s Eve celebration includes a very traditional dish of soba noodles, called “toshikoshi”, which translates as “climbing” or “jumping” from the old year to the new.
Wrapping Box
A great example of one of these annual puzzle box treats with a sense of humor is the “Wrapping Box” by Kyoko Hoshino. It was created to resemble an actual present, wrapping paper and all, complete with a ribbon and little bells. Hoshino likes to incorporate cloth and other unusual materials into her designs. In this case, the puzzle box is all wrapped up in festive cloth. You can feel the box inside, but you can’t unwrap it. How will you open it?
Rotary Box II
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a seven year old boy went to the movies with his grandparents on his birthday. He was just as thrilled as everyone else, watching what would become one of the icons of popular culture in our time.
Secret Base
Would you like to hear a secret? Who doesn’t like to be in on a good secret? Mysteries, codes, hidden treasures, all excite because in part they hold a secret which we might be able to access, if we are clever enough. The allure of the puzzle box relies on the secret, on knowing there is a hidden way in, and on finding it if we can.
The Monkey’s Palanquin
It’s hard to imagine how a simple wooden box can surprise you. Most of the time, it's just a box, with a lid that comes off, just like you would expect. But you still want to open it. The fact that it is a box implies its opening function, and something inside you is compelled by that function. So you try to open it, lift the lid, turn the latch, swing the hinges.
Brothers
Einstein first presented his theory of general relativity on November 25, 1915, in front of the Prussian Academy of Science, which makes this Thanksgiving season one with some serious gravity. General relativity upped the ante from “special relativity”, which he introduced 10 years earlier, by adding acceleration to the mix.
Ambidextrous Hexduos
Get ready to exercise both sides of your brain for this installment. You’ll need the logical left side and the artistic right side to fully appreciate this particular puzzle pair pairing and potion pair pairing, and puzzle and potion pairing.
Writer's Block
At the risk of becoming boxed in, I present a box which turns things inside out for me, as I find myself inside of it. The creative woodworker Tracy Woods Clemons, from Rochester, New York, has been making her designs in wood for many years.