Some more 3D printed puzzles !!

Here are the latest 2 puzzles by Creative Workshop, a Canadian company specialized in 3D printed puzzles. I review several of their puzzles, have a look :)

So here comes the Arcturus, a spherical puzzle with many tiny bits inside. Not really a surprise from these puzzle makers!

The goal is to open to puzzle and yes, you have to open both halves....not yet a surprise. On Puzzle Master webshop, a guy wrote a comment stating he solve the puzzle in 2 minutes. This is not possible, even with luck. Basically I think I had luck when I managed to opened the puzzle because even if you can try to deduce some things through the small openings, you cannot see all the traps and locks. So yes basically I think a bit of luck is involved. Well, I must admit a more logical solution will be applied for the most seasoned of my viewers ! :)

I think this is a clever puzzle (and a big fidget toy if you cannot open it). No new mechanism but a clever way of using ball bearings. It may keep you busy for a while. Before closing the ball, just study carefully the locks, not only to reassemble in the correct way the puzzle, but also to manage to open it again later on.

The second puzzle is called Traffic Light

This is more a sequencial discovery puzzle as you will find tools to use. The puzzle is pretty big, well bigger than I imagined !

The goal is to take out the 3 lights and open the box. You can open the box only after taking out the lights.

There are pins and magnets. You know what you have to do when it's about pins and magnets? Well then you should manage to solve some steps. The 3 lights don't open the same way, and the difficulty is increasing. Don't loose your tiny bits you will get, they may be helpful somehow somewhere. 

This is a challenging puzzle and I see well how people will be puzzled with it. The use of the tools is clever, and this is why I like this puzzle.

This is the only SD puzzles among the other puzzles from Creative Workshop. So whether you like SD puzzles and/or their puzzles, don't hesitate and go for it ! :)

Nice little puzzles

Here is a quick post with a selection of puzzles for high puzzling value and low price.

Yeah you asked for it, now you get it !

Labyrinth

 

A nice puzzle made by Jean-Claude Constantin. The goal is to free the ball bearing. Easy? At a first glance, yes. When looking more carefully...not that much. Because you need to take into account several parameters: the top plate rotates and there are several hidden paths.

The quality is awsome, so I don't have much negative things to say. Suitable for children and for seasoned puzzlers. If you're completely lost and want to start from the beginning, just unscrew the screw, open the puzzle, free the ball and play again!

Crazy crescents

This is not a puzzle but more a toy and the goal is to make different shapes. I like a lot the screwing process. It's fun and can be considered as a fidget toy. And it's colorful !!

Rubix's cube secret box

Well the correct name is: Oskar's treasure chest, but the idea is that you have a box in the shape of a rubix cube. And this is clearly a rubix'scube that you solved with the existing algorithms of the rubix's cube.

I need to tell you it's not a professional rubix's cube so you cannot perform the "corner cuttings".

Valentine puzzle

A nice plexi puzzle with several challenges created by Russian designer Vladimir Krasnoukhov.

Task 1: Using all five elements of the set, make different silhouettes as pictured in the instructions.  Elements can be flipped and turned, but they must not overlap.  You can make more than 100 different symmetrical polygons with different number of angles.  The hardest one to make seems to be a polygon with 13 angles.

Task 2: Using all five elements of the set, make two congruent shapes simultaneously (ie. equal in form and size).  There are 2 solutions.

Task 3: Prove that using this set of elements one can tile an infinite plane.

I think this is a fun puzzle because you can being entertained for several hours. You don't get only one puzzle, but many!

I think there is one missing challenge (easy): put all the pieces in the tray

Perplexus

Well known game: many traps, many path. You need dexterity, patience and nerves to solve it. Don't be in a hurry to move slowly the ball from start to end!

You can find the puzzles on Puzzle Master webshop (click on the name and there will be a link that put you direcly to the puzzles

Labyrinth

Perplexus

Rubix's cube secret box

Valentine's puzzle

Crazy crescents

Nice little puzzles by Doug Engel

Doug Engel is a prolific puzzle designer. He has an etsy shop where he sells his designs made out of 3D printers. Note that he made one metal puzzle and this should be a limited edition, so grab one while you can :)

Atome 

The easiest in the series. It's looking great and display well. Not super difficult. A nice warm-up. Don't forget that usually disassembling a puzzle is easier than reassembling it. So keep track of what you do.... :)

 

Saturn puzzle

No need to explain the name I guess :)

The goal is to seperate the pieces. A nice fidget toy as well as a puzzle. Not super difficult but rewarding. In my opinion, this would make a nice level 1 or 2 hanayama puzzle. Hope the designer thought about asking Hanayama to produce it !

Now more challenging: Six Circles

Way easier to disassemble than reassemling as reassembling ca be pretty much confusing with all those circles. Note that the solution is displayed for this puzzle on the product page, so don't be tempted to look at it !

Finally: the Borromean Cage

Tricky as there are many moving parts. The goal is to free the 4 star constellation inside.

Note that the solution is displayed for this puzzle on the product page, so don't be tempted to look at it !

Many of these puzzles were presented at past IPP. Even if they did not get a prize, they are preatty unique in their respective type and for the  soft price tag, I can only recommend to have a go !

Very suitable for beginners as well as for seasoned puzzlers.

If the links on my post don't work well, you can search on etsy: Puzzleatomik

And normally you should find easily the shop.... plenty of puzzles to buy !!!