Eligibility

Anyone may submit his or her own mechanical puzzle design, independent of Puzzle Party affiliation. (The puzzle does not need to be part of an Exchange, nor does being part of an Exchange qualify or disqualify an entry. Participation in the Puzle Design Contest does not entitle the designer to a Puzzle Party invitation.) 

To be eligible, a puzzle must be a new design or an inventive application of a known principle, and must be first manufactured or otherwise made public no earlier than June 2024 (two years prior to the Puzzle Party). All types of mechanical puzzles are eligible for the competition.

Entry

Entries must be received no later than April 15, 2026, approximately two months prior to the Puzzle Party. You must provide two copies of the puzzle, a complete written description, and a one-page solution (see the competition rules for details). There is a separate entry fee for each submission, with a maximum of three puzzle designs per designer.

Judging & Awards

There are two judging categories. The "Puzzlers' Award" will be selected by the Puzzle Party attendees, who will be able to review the puzzles during the Puzzle Party. Additionally, there will be a number of Jury Prizes, as determined by a select group of judges. Depending on the number of entries and other factors, the Jury may perform a first round of judging prior to the Puzzle Party. (Based on recent trends, the jury will not reduce the number of public entries to less than 60.)

All judges will be asked to consider the following criteria, balanced by their personal preferences: innovation, physical design, and the fun of solving the puzzle.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners at the Puzzle Party. The winning puzzles will also be shown in the Puzzle Party Souvenir Booklet and on the competition web site. 

See the Judging and Awards page for more information.

Organizing Committee

The Organizing Committee is chaired by Nick Baxter. The committee members/jury also include Brian Pletcher, Louis Coolen, and Oskar van Deventer. The committee is responsible for all aspects of the competition, including the selection of the judges for the juried prizes.