2018 Puzzle Design Competition Entries

2018 Puzzle Design Competition

Entries

The Design Competition Guide (same content: photos, instructions, and notes) is available here.

The following is a summary of the 67 entries in the 2018 competition (click on images for larger photos).

All designs are copyrighted and are the intellectual property of the designer. All rights are reserved.

Auzzle A2 Designer: Ilya V Osipov Goal: Collect all the magnets drawn to each other along the equator. Materials: Wood, plastic Classification: SEQ-GRP Purchase: Contact the designer by or Facebook. A few pieces produced; $100.
Bermuda Rhombus Designer: Vladimir Krasnoukhov Goal: To pack all 10 elements (including the little rhombus) inside the frame. Materials: Acrylic, plastic Classification: [1.1] 2Dimensional assembly / Paradox Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Box with Two Balls Designer: Christoph Lohe Goal: Remove the two balls from the box, and get them back to the starting position. Materials: Bolivian rosewood, yellowheart, padauk, wenge, acrylic Classification: Interlocking, gravitational maze, dexterity Purchase: Available in 2019 at rombol.de. IPP version available at WoodWonders.
Casino Designer: Volker Latussek Goal: Pack six discs into the box. Materials: Dark oak and light false acacia Classification: Disentanglement Purchase: Available at rombol.de, starting October 2018.
Chocolate Box Designer: George Bell Goal: Pack the six pieces into the box and close the lid. Materials: Wood (box), 3D-printed nylon (pieces) Classification: 3D Assembly
Chorazin Designer: Yael Meron Goal: Put all parts inside the frame. Materials: Plastic and brass Classification: [1.2] 3-Dimensional assembly
Cube Wrapper Designer: Iwahiro (Hirokazu Iwasawa) Goal: Wrap the cube steadily with the fabric bag so that all the faces of the cube are completely covered. Materials: Fabric and wooden cube Classification: (Slocum 1.3) Miscellaneous put-together
Cubemaker Designer: Volker Latussek Goal: Find the two arrangements to form four dark cubes on the table. Materials: Jacaranda and maple Classification: Disentanglement Notes: The arrangements are perfectly stable without outside support. Purchase: Available at rombol.de, the blue challenge of the puzzle called Touch me.
Disks Designer: Roy Leban Goal: Find the hidden message. Materials: Acrylic Classification: PAT-DISS
Double Checkered Designer: Guy Loel Goal: Pick six pieces out of the seven pieces and assemble a 3x3 checkered cube with black corners. Pick six pieces out of the seven pieces and assemble a 3x3 checkered cube with white corners. Pack all seven pieces into the box. Use all seven pieces to make a 3x3x4 tower with a hole through the middle. Materials: Wood Classification: 1.2 3-Dimensional assembly Notes: All goals have a unique solution. Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Double Tumbler Designer: Jon Keegan Goal: Release the cap from the housing. Materials: Aluminum, bearings Classification: Take-apart Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Duck Pack Puzzle Designer: Stuart Gee Goal: Pack all five ducks and the egg inside the box so they all sit flat on the bottom of the box Materials: Jarra, Tasmanian oak Classification: 3D packing Purchase: Contact the designer by .
5L Box Designer: Hajime Katsumoto Goal: Put five identical pieces in the box and close its lid completely. Materials: Wood,MDF, acrylic Classification: 3D assembly Notes: There are two blocking cubes inside the box, including one attached to the inside of the sldiing lid. Purchase: Available ONLY in Japan at PUZZLE of MINE * WEB-SHOP. But the timing of sale is undecided.
4-Directional Trapsticks Designer: John and Jane Kostick Goal: Surround a rhombic dodecahedron with the nine pieces. Materials: Wood (beech and bubinga) Classification: Interlocking Purchase: Order from kosticks.com or by .
Free Me 6 Designer: Joe Turner Goal: Free the coin from the puzzle. Materials: Wood, metal rods/springs/nails, steel balls, coin Classification: Take-apart Purchase: Contact the designer by for details.
Fric Cube Designer: Chirag Mehta Goal: Disassemble the cube into the four identical pieces. No physical strength is required; with the correct movement the pieces should fall apart. Once the pieces have fallen apart, reassemble the cube. Materials: 3D-printed nylon, wire Classification: Slocum 2.1 & 6.4 Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Garland Puzzle Designer: Alexander E Holroyd Goal: Arrange all 30 pieces in a circular ring. Adjacent pieces must interlock (but may have small gaps where two sockets line up with each other). Materials: Acrylic Classification: Slocum 1.1 Purchase: Contact the designer by or at Anteater Toys. Limited quantity available, US$40.
Gear and Wrenches Designer: Andrei Ivanov Goal: Take apart and put together. Materials: Stainless steel Classification: Disentanglement Purchase: Available at Metallofactura.
GSP Designer: Ilan Garibi Goal: 18 wood tiles are connected with paper hinges, each at a certain length. The objective is to stack all tiles one on top of the other, so no hinge is loose or stretched. Materials: Wood and Tyvek Classification: Folding
Gyrotwisty Designer: Diniar Namdarian Goal: Take the pieces apart and put them back together Materials: PLA Classification: 2.1 Slocum Purchase: Contact the designer by . Will cost 15 euros.
Happy Ending! Designer: Frederic Boucher Goal: Assemble the four pieces in a "happy ending" way. Materials: Wood Classification: Put-together
Hide the Gold Designer: George Sicherman Goal: Arrange the pieces so that the gold (light) parts are surrounded by the red (dark) parts. Materials: Redheart and yellowheart. Classification: Slocum 1.2 : 3-Dimensional Assembly
Hydrant Designer: Stephan Baumegger Goal: Find the fire hose. Materials: Various woods, metal (screws, spring, magnets) Classification: Slocum 2.1 Purchase: Contact the designer by or Facebook.
IQ Lolly Designer: Patrick Chan Goal: Arrange scrambled blocks into sequential order. Materials: PLA Classification: Sliding pieces Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Jenga Block Designer: Haym Hirsh Goal: Place all the pieces so they fit inside the box. Materials: Jenga blocks, barn wood Classification: Interlocking Solid
Jenga^3 Designer: Haym Hirsh Goal: Take the puzzle apart into its four pieces, mix them up, then reassemble them back into a cube. Materials: Jenga blocks Classification: Interlocking Solid
Jewel Thief Designer: Jon Keegan Goal: Use thimble cipher and coded message to unlock combination lock. Free the jewel thief Retrieve the jewel Materials: Aluminum, brass, steel, acrylic Classification: Take-apart Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Jigsaw Puzzle 29 Designer: Yuu Asaka Goal: Put all the pieces into the frame. Materials: Acrylic Classification: Put-together Purchase: Contact the designer on Facebook.
Leftovers Designer: Laszlo Molnar Goal: Put the pieces together into a cubic shape. Materials: Ziricote , brass Classification: 1.2 3-D assembly Purchase: Available at WoodWonders.
Loopy Lattice Puzzles Designer: Namick Salakhov Goal: Release the looped rope from the lattice or branch, and then embed it into the start position Lattice: the deepest compartments indicated by red pointers Branch: the root compartment in the top end Materials: Vinyl, rope with clasp Classification: 4.3 String puzzles, 5.6 Miscellaneous sequential movement Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Lucida Designer: Osanori Yamamoto Goal: Assemble two pieces fully inside the frame. Materials: Wood Classification: Interlocking
Magnetic Madness Designer: Jerry McFarland Goal: Remove the key piece Rescue (remove) princess figure from inside of puzzle Materials: Wood, magnets, metal pins Classification: Interlocking
Mesh Designer: Volker Latussek Goal: Weave the stripes to a 4x4 grid. Materials: Horween shell, cordovan, and brass Classification: Interlocking Purchase: Order from Ross & Rind or by .
Mini Lock Designer: Christoph Lohe Goal: Remove the blocks and shackle from the frame, and return the pieces to the starting position. Materials: Ash, purpleheart Classification: Interlocking
Mischief Designer: Jerry Loo Goal: Fold the handkerchief into a square, with 1-2 (in order) on on side, and 3-4 (in order) on the other. Both sides of the handkerchief can be used, but all the numbers must be right side up. Materials: Polyester Classification: Folding Purchase: Available at JL Puzzles. Price per piece US$24.95 plus S&H.
Mobius Ring Designer: Aaron Wang Goal: Remove the rope and ring. Materials: Metal, rope Classification: Topological disentanglement Purchase: Contact the designer by . Price: $16/pc.
Mobius Triangles 540 Designer: Noboru Hayashi Goal: Disentangle the two parts. Materials: Bronze, stainless steel Classification: Disentanglement Notes: Steel piece has a straight gap; bronze piece has none.
Nail S&S Designer: Noboru Hayashi Goal: Disentangle the two parts. Materials: Steel nails Classification: Disentanglement
Nail Trinity Designer: Noboru Hayashi Goal: Disentargle the three parts. Materials: Steel nails Classification: Disentanglement
Nosey Puzzle Designer: Alexander E Holroyd Goal: Fit all nine pieces flat in the tray without overlaps. Materials: Acrylic Classification: Slocum 1.1 Purchase: Contact the designer by or at Anteater Toys. Limited quantity available, US$25.
Pack 012 Designer: Osanori Yamamoto Goal: Build the apparent 3x3x2 block into the box. Materials: Wood and MDF (color print) Classification: Interlocking
Pocket Designer: MINE (Mineyuki Uyematsu) & Koichi Miura Goal: Put the four pieces into the case (pocket) completely. Materials: Acrylic Classification: Put-together, sliding pieces Purchase: Available ONLY in Japan at PUZZLE of MINE * WEB-SHOP. But the timing of sale is undecided.
Pushbutton Burr Designer: Ken Irvine Goal: Disassemble and reassemble. Push the buttons to start the disassembly process. Materials: Canarywood and Indian rosewood Classification: Interlocking (geometric object)
Quadrupled Quadlooplet Designer: Namick Salakhov and Davud Salahov Goal: Start with the looped rope threaded through adjacent holes of the core plate. Release the rope, and then return it to the starting position. Start with the looped rope threaded through opposite holes of the core plate. Release the rope, and then return it to the starting position. Materials: Vinyl, rope with clasp Classification: 4.3 String puzzles, 5.6 Miscellaneous sequential movement Notes: Unscrew the clasp in the rope to change the starting position for the two goals. Purchase: Contact the designer by .
Quartet Box Designer: Junichi Yananose Goal: Open the box. Materials: Hardwood and metal Classification: 2.1 Trick or secret opening box Purchase: Available at Pluredro.
RDS Interlock Designer: John and Jane Kostick Goal: There are three types of puzzle pieces (Receivers (R) are composed of five sticks, Standard pieces (D) are composed of four sticks, Sliders (S) are composed of three sticks) and multiple challenges. Assemble 12 pieces around a rhombic dodecahedron: Use 4 R's, 4 D's, and 4 S's (11 solutions) Use 3 R's, 6 D's, and 3 S's (14 solutions) Use 2 R's, 8 D's, and 2 S's (3 solutions) Materials: Wood (bubinga, white oak, zircote) Classification: interlocking Purchase: Order from kosticks.com or by .
Rollercoaster Designer: Laszlo Molnar Goal: Put the pieces fully inside the box, without touching them inside the box. Materials: Acrylic, exotic wood Classification: put-together, dexterity Purchase: Available at Mr Puzzle Australia.
Rota Cube Designer: Lucie Pauwels Goal: Take apart and assemble. Materials: Wood Classification: 3.2 Interlocking geometric object
Sewing Box Designer: Diniar Namdarian Goal: Take the pieces apart and put them back together. Materials: ABS, PLA Classification: 2.1 Slocum Purchase: Contact the designer by . Puzzle will cost 15 Euros.
Siamese Snails Designer: Andrei Ivanov Goal: Take apart and put together. Materials: Stainless steel and glass Classification: Interlocking solid Purchase: Available at Metallofactura.
Six Mix Designer: Sam Cornwell Goal: Starting from the arrangement shown: Slide chains to make an inner orange circle. Slide chains to make an inner black circle. Make one color inner circle with outer colors sorted. Materials: Recycled wood and hardboard Classification: 5.3 2D sliding block
Slideways Cube Designer: Ray Stanton and Lee Krasnow Goal: Disassemble and reassemble. Materials: Aluminum, stainless, bronze matrix, maple, ebony Classification: interlocking coordinate motion Purchase: Available at pacificpuzzleworks (Etsy). Limited edition of 85 produced, $750 each.
Symmetry 2345 Designer: Frederic Boucher Goal: You have four double-sided pieces from 2-5 units. For each possible group of three pieces, and using all four pieces, make a symmetrical shapes. The position and orientation of the triangle marks must also be symmetrical (8 solutions in all). Materials: MDF Classification: 2D assembly Notes: The position and orientation of the triangles are different on opposite sides of the pieces. Purchase: In Japan, order from puzzlein.com; outside Japan, contact designer by .
T Cube Designer: Yael Friedman Goal: Arrange the hinged parts on the magnetic cube so that they will completely cover it. Materials: 3D printed PETG, magnets, steel plate Classification: ASS-STRA
The Tao Designer: Kim Klobucher Goal: Move various sections of the box in the correct sequence until a piece can be removed to open the box. Materials: Resin infused douglas fir, brass inlay with bois de rose Classification: Slocum 2 Take-apart
10 Balls 1 Cup Designer: Chris Enright Goal: Completely fit all 10 balls into the cup so that no balls are above the top surface of cup (demonstrate this by then turning the cup upside-down on flat surface showing it is stable and does not teeter on the three supports). Materials: Delrin and ABS plastic, and nylon rope Classification: ASS-OTH
Three Cubes Designer: Ichiro Kohno Goal: Construct three cubes with three pieces. Materials: Nutmeg wood, magnets Classification: Put-Together Purchase: Contact the designer by .
TicTac's Tactics Designer: Eric Harshbarger Goal: Arrange the hinged tiles into a 3x3 square to form each of the four possible winning tic-tac-toe configurations: Gold X's Silver X's Gold O's Silver O's Materials: 3D-printed PLA plastic Classification: Hinged, manipulation
Transpa Color Wheel Designer: Dmitry Andreev Goal: Slide the pieces to transform the puzzle between two states: All four petals of each circle are of the same color All four petals of each circle are of different colors. Materials: Transparent and colored acrylic Classification: 5.3 3D sliding piece Purchase: Available at Pluton23 (Etsy).
Trinity Designer: Kyoo Wong Goal: Take apart and reassemble. Each each piece interlocks with two other pieces via an organic design. Materials: Zinc alloy Classification: Take-apart Notes: There are numerous ways of assembling. Purchase: Contact the designer by .
TriQuad Designer: Carl Hoff and Bram Cohen Goal: Mix up and restore the puzzle to the solved state. In the solved state each face is a solid color. There should also be two complete circles formed from cutouts in the tiles on each face (except for white). These circles allow the puzzle to be super solved. Materials: ABS (FDM) Classification: Sequential Movement - 5.4 Rotating piece puzzles Purchase: Available at Chewie's Custom Stickers, for $150.
Turf in Box Designer: Koichi Miura Goal: Pack the five pieces into the box. Materials: Acrylic, MDF Classification: Put-together Purchase: Available ONLY in Japan at PUZZLE of MINE * WEB-SHOP. But the timing of sale is undecided.
Unicum Designer: Norbert Galla Goal: Make a symmetric shape with the three pieces. Materials: Pink ivory Classification: 2D assembly
Wasp Coaster Designer: Carl Hoff Goal: Assemble the six interlocking bands into a coaster where all six bands lie flat on the table. Materials: Polished brass Classification: 1.3 Miscellaneous put-together Purchase: Available at Shapeways, in a variety of materials.
Wavelinks Designer: Rod Bogart Goal: Take apart the linked rings into four identical pieces, then put them back together. Materials: 3D-printed nylon plastic Classification: 3.6
X-Cage Designer: Frederic Boucher Goal: Pack the five X-shaped pieces inside the cage. Materials: Wood, acrylic Classification: Put-together Purchase: Available at Cubicdissection.
XOteric 2×2×2 Designer: Carl Hoff Goal: Mix up and restore the cube to the solved state. In the solved state each face is a solid color aside from the super-stickers/aches indicating the color of the adjacent face neighboring each circle piece. Materials: Polyamide (SLS), ABS (FDM), laser-cut acrylic Classification: Sequential Movement - 5.4 rotating pieces Purchase: Contact the designer by if you are interested in a finished puzzle.