A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
Something or Nothing
Popular opinions about the possibility of alien life suggests that our mysterious Universe-mates are either omniscient and wise, intent on contacting us to provide enlightenment, or just the opposite, hostile and violent, hell bent on killing us and taking our planet for their own.
UFO Box
Benno de Grote has produced a number of clever puzzle boxes over the past few years, and has both building plans and fully constructed puzzles available on his website. More recently he has acquired his own laser cutter and is releasing new designs, including this cute and clever UFO.
Spring Camera
Hideaki Kawashima, a member of the Karakuri Creation Group of puzzle box artists located in Hakone, Japan, loves cameras. He is an accomplished amateur photographer, and has a fondness for vintage film cameras. He has even let his passion influence a few of his puzzle box designs.
Monolith
Just when I was beginning to get melancholy for having to say goodbye to Wonderland and head back through the looking glass to reality, aliens have landed to distract me. A giant silver monolith has appeared out of nowhere and may hold the secrets of the Universe, if only we are clever enough to decode them.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
They were standing under a tree, each with an arm round the other’s neck, and Alice knew which was which in a moment, because one of them had “DUM” embroidered on his collar, and the other “DEE.” “I suppose they’ve each got ‘TWEEDLE’ round at the back of the collar,” she said to herself.
Late for Tea
“There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!” (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat-pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet”
Down the Rabbit Hole
Canadian cinematographer Peter Wiltshire is an incredibly creative and artistic individual. As a hobbyist woodworker, he has nonetheless created a few incredibly professional and award winning puzzle box designs over the years. When he decides to make something new, you can bet it will be incredible.
Queen of Hearts
Greek puzzle artist Mike Toulouzas creates some of the most interesting, beautiful and devious puzzles in the world. He has produced many types of puzzles, including interlocking take apart / put together designs, fiendish packing puzzles, and occasionally, a stunning puzzle box too. While he is technically a hobbyist wood worker, his skills are far superior to most mere mortals and he has won many international awards for his creations.
The Hatter’s Box
Kagen Sound is a full time artist from Colorado who is world renown for his award winning complex secret opening boxes and gorgeous woodwork. He holds a mathematics degree and typically applies those principles to his work, which is famous for its use of geometric patterns that shift and change in surprising, elegant and beautiful ways.
