Lewis Carroll Puzzle Project

The Lewis Carroll Puzzle Project

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you ca’nt help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”

The Lewis Carroll Puzzle Project is an international collaboration of puzzle box artists who were invited to create a unique box in their own style based on a character or theme from the books Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Original plans for the boxes to be housed inside a Jabberwocky themed puzzle chest locked with a bespoke puzzle chest lock have stalled, but the individual puzzle boxes exists and a few rare sets from the project reside with some of the makers. I’m pleased to offer a rare glimpse at these rare gems.

Featured

King of Hearts

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;

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.

There Goes Bill!

“Oh! So Bill’s got to come down the chimney, has he?” said Alice to herself. “Shy, they seem to put everything upon Bill! I wouldn’t be in Bill’s place for a good deal: this fireplace is narrow, to be sure; but I think I can kick a little!” - Lewis Carroll

The Mouse’s Tale

Dr. Nightingale is so successful at creating puzzles that boggle and delight because he is drawn to elegant designs with a set of basic requirements that often may seem impossible to achieve. He prefers his designs to look very simple. He won the coveted “Puzzler’s Prize” at the International Puzzle Design Competition for both his “One Piece Packing Puzzle” and his “NOBOX” – two puzzles that don’t appear to be anything of the sort.

Rose Tree

A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and just as she came up to them she heard one of them say, `Look out now, Five! Don't go splashing paint over me like that!’

Cheshire Cat

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don't much care where –" said Alice.

"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.

Eat Me

Once of the more memorable scenes from Alice in Wonderland (and there are many) is her intrepid sampling of strange food and drink, each labeled with entreaties to try them. They lead to all sorts of occurrences and you would think that Alice would learn her lesson but there she goes again.

Father William

‘I have answered three questions, and that is enough’

Said his father: ‘Don’t give yourself airs!

Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?

Be off, or I’ll kick you down-stairs!’

Humpty Dumpty

Over the next few weeks I’ll be taking you on an adventure down the rabbit hole. Many have heard tales of this fabled project, and it is time to celebrate the makers. It all begins at Christ Church, Oxford, in the afternoon on Jul 4, 1862.

Through the Cocktail Glass

A companion book to the series

Go down the rabbit hole