When you like chess but you don't want to play chess

 So yes it's about chess, but not the game itself. It's about the chess pieces!

Basically there are 6 differents pieces in a chess game. The design and mechanism were initially created by Marcel Gillen and several firms produced the chess pieces. Actually they are puzzles :)

The set here is produced by Hanayama with a high quality standard and nicely packaged. The finish is nice and the look of the pieces are stunning.

For each, you need to open them and get your reward (a small piece inside).

They have different clever mechanism, so each open in a different way even if they share some common features. I quickly solved the pawn but it took me more time on the rook or on the king and queen. After all the pawn is weaker than the queen :)

Maybe you will solve them with a bit of luck but once opened you can understand fully the mechanism and try to reproduce the solving process.

They are very enjoyable puzzles and I do recommend them for any puzzle collectors. Moreover, the price is not expensive for the puzzle experience you will get!

So is there any difference between these "copies" and the original design by Marcel Gillen? Yes there are many:

• First of all, the original pieces are way bigger and are not molded as they were made on a lathe. So the quality of the original is way better.
  
• Secondly, the mechanism is different for several if not all (basically I cannot comment as I have not played with all the original pieces). The steps are a bit different for the original pieces and, in my opinion, a bit more enjoyable
  

To conclude, go at grab them asap :)

You can find them on eureka website

Nosey puzzle

This puzzle was entered in the Puzzle Design Competition at the International Puzzle Party in 2018 and won an honorable mention as one of the top 6 puzzles in the Jury Awards. 

It was designed by Alexander Holroyd and if made of plexi.

The goal seems simple (actually it is!): put the pieces inside the frame.

 

Now with all the devilish packing puzzle designers such a Yuu Asaka, Bozo Stimac (8cats, Ugly4), MINE (newly made GoLeGo), then you should now be prepared for the "unusual" packing puzzles and you should now be able to "think outside the box". Are you?

Despite being pretty much prepared now, I feel always stupid to be stumped for long time on unusual packing puzzles. They always have something new and this is why I like them a lot! :)

Nosey puzzle is just an innocent 9 piece-puzzle but it will puzzle you because you will wonder why you always have one piece left. It was a challenge, less challenging than Bozo or Yuu puzzles, but still a nice challenge. And a doable one by any puzzle I feel.

Remember: if the technique you're using does not work, change your perception and do something crazy. Maybe that thing will work !

I highly recommend Nosey puzzle! A colorful and challenging puzzle that you should not miss !!

You can buy it on Puzzle Master Webshop

They even have the solution: HERE

Quick news regarding puzzle makers

 Quick news regarding some famous puzzle makers, that will impact the price of their puzzles

Trevor Wood is dead some time ago

He is famous for crafting exquisite wooden puzzles with quality wood species and accurate precision.

Rocky Chiaro won't be making anymore (nor selling) puzzles

His website is shut down

He is famous for his brass trick bolts. All are well made and pretty tricky. 

Even if trick bolts are usually not difficult, his are the most difficult ones

Stephen Chin won't be making anymore puzzles

He is famous for his handmade wooden puzzles made in small batch. They usually have a twist in them. 

Solitaire chess

Solitaire chess is a very interesting concept: it gathers the goal of the solitaire game and adds the chess rules.

As for the solitaire; the goal is to have only one piece left at the end.

As for the chess rules: well you have the pawn, knight, tower, king, queen and fool. The pieces move in the same way as the chess game. Some exceptions: "check" does not exist, so the king can be close to the queen. The pawn does not convert in any piece if they reach an edge of the tray. And last rule: each time you move a pice you have to eat another piece. So you cannot move a piece without eating.

Of course if you end with more than one piece in the tray you did not perform well the steps :)

I love chess game so I can only like this game !

There are 60 challenges from easy to very difficult. I have almost finished all the challenges, but for the moment I am a bit stucked. So expect to spend hours and hours with Solitaire Chess :)

The solutions step-by-step are not included, but there are tips like: which piece has to move first, which piece has to be eaten first and which piece should be the remaining piece on the tray.

I truly recommend Solitaire Chess, you won't (and cannot) be disappointed.

You can buy it from Puzzle Master webshop !!