The description of an Interlocking Burr puzzle as "an interlocking geometrical puzzle, composed of notached rods, possessing a high degree of external symmetry" is attributed to Bill Cutler, a prolific and well know designer of very difficult burrs. Brian's (alias Mr Puzzle's) favourite type of puzzle.
This category has some of our most difficult puzzles and many of our own designs. Complex hard puzzles to really challenge, with a couple of easy puzzles thrown in for fun.
These puzzles also showcase the woodworking skills of the manufacturers represented here including Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle, Václav Obšívac from Vinco's puzzles and Jakub Dvorak and Jaroslav Svejkovsky from the Pelikan studios.
News: Back in November we took orders for a series of Stewart Coffin burr designs. Brian had a very limited amount of hexagonal stock to make these puzzles and stopped taking orders early in January. All finished orders have now been shipped and he has just one or two of some of these designs he can now list to sell on the website.
The puzzle is to disassemble and reassemble the 3 piece framed burr.
Designed recently by Turkish designer Yavuz Demirhan in early 2013 this puzzle is unlike the type of framed burr you might be used to doing.
The frame is made of two towers fixed on a base and the puzzle has 2 congruent pieces that can be removed and reinserted into the frame.
There are 4 possible assemblies but just one solution which is a level 9.9.That means that it will take 9 moves to remove the first piece then another 9 to remove the second piece.
The puzzle is to remove the 2 burr pieces from the frame.
Designed by Turkish designer Yavuz Demirhan in 2012 this puzzle is one of a number of versions of this very unusual type of burr with pieces inside a frame by this amazing new puzzle designer.
The frame is made of three towers fixed on a base and the puzzle has 2 congruent pieces that can be removed and reinserted into the frame.
There are 6 possible assemblies but just one solution which is a level 12.5.That means that it will take 12 moves to remove the first piece then another 5 to remove the second piece.
The puzzle is to remove the 4 burr pieces from the cross frame.
Japanese designer Osanori Yamamoto has been publishing his puzzle designs since the start of 2003.This is one he released in 2012.
The frame is a symmetrical crossinto which the 4 burr pieces fit.They can be removed and reinserted into the frame.
There is a unique level 30.6.3 solution.That means that it will take 30 moves to remove the first piece then another 6 to remove the second piece and still 3 more to get the third piece out.
The puzzle is to remove the 3 burr pieces from the cube frame and insert them again.
Designed recently by Japanese designer Osanori Yamamoto in early 2013 this puzzle has a very complex level 16.3 solution to solve it with a symmetrical colour pattern.
When the puzzle is completed with the symmetrical light colour bars in place on each face there is just one solution from possible assembles. If the colour pattern is ignored there are 2 solutions from 3 possible assemblies.
The level 16.3 solution means that it will take 16 moves to remove the first piece then another 3 to remove the second piece.
The puzzle is to disassemble and reassemble the 4 piece interlocking framed burr. The four piecs are made up of just 3 burr pieces that fit inside a single fixed frame.
Designed by Turkish designer Yavuz Demirhan in 2011 this puzzle is an amazingly complex design with a level 14 solution from this solved state. When the puzzle is completed with the symmetrical light colour squares in place on each face there is just one solution and one possible assembly. If the colour pattern is ignored there are 3 solutions from 5 possible assemblies.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Washington DC, August 2012 Presented by Frans de Vreugd. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Stephane Chomine. Only 200 of these puzzles ever made. 100 sent to IPP32 for the Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange. 100 for sale exclusively on this website.
The puzzle is to assemble the 6 pieces so that you make what looks like a framed burr. The Vice comes in two pieces and then the 4 other pieces intersect in two directions through it. We've presented the puzzle disassembled which raises the difficulty level. Whilst at the same time being just 6 pieces the challenge to solve is not unrealistic. Nevertheless it will be hard to do without resorting to the solution.
9 hexagonal sticks & 9 dowels. Some different lengths. Four stick-dowel pairs joined to form elbows. Four stick-dowel pairs joined to form cross pieces. 3 different elbows. 2 different cross pieces. 10 pieces in total.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Berlin, Germany August, 2011 Presented by Karst Nauta. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Junichi Yananose.
Status: 30th March 2013. Only 7 left. Once sold we won't make this puzzle again.
The Burrliner Kruse is a 12 piece plated burr based on the Altekruse type burrs.
The puzzle is a completely new design by Junichi Yananose, who took his inspiration from the original and well-known Altekruse Puzzle. It was a 'by-product' of the analysis he did to create the Windmill Burr that we made in the 2010 Limited Edition series.
You can choose to have the burr sent assembled or apart. It's challenging to take apart (Level 4-2-3) but receiving it in pieces really makes it more tricky. If you're comfortable doing burrs this is still difficult but doable (and it comes with a very detailed printed solution if you get really stuck).
Junichi originally name it New Altekruse Type 04 but Karst named the puzzle as a reference to the historical inventor William Altekruse and to the International Puzzle Party in Berlin.
The puzzle is made from Australian Rose Alder. Size: 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Osaka, Japan July 2010 Presented by Frans de Vreugd. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by David Rousseau.
The object of the puzzle is to take the burr apart and reassemble it. Just six pieces but beware it's a level 8.3.2.2; that means it takes 8 moves to remove the first piece, then three more for the next piece, then two more, then two more before it will all fall apart. The challenge is then to put it back together again. There are 105 theoretical assemblies, otherwise known as false assemblies, but only 1 of them can actually be put together. For an extra challenge the puzzle come disassembled.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Laurie Brokenshire. Made by Václav Obšívac. Designed by Václav Obšívac.
Difficulty 5/5+ The puzzle is to assemble the six differently shaped pieces into this very complex interlocking burr. This puzzle is one of the hardest that Vinco has ever invented and because of the way it has to be assembled it is not possible to solve this puzzle using a computer program.
This puzzle really does show a case of 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. It may look like other six piece burrs on the outside but it is DEFINITELY not. The puzzle is incredibly more complicated than the commonly known six piece puzzle. This photo shows the Mega Six when it's about half way together or apart).
Bill Cutler first used a computer program to analyse six piece burrs in 1974 but it took until 1990 to analyse all possible six piece burr combinations.
Mega Six is the result of that search for the maximum number of moves for a six piece burr with a unique solution. This does not mean it has a unique assembly, due to the number of internal voids. In theory the pieces should fit together in 20 different ways however, the reality is that you can physically only put the puzzle together in one of the 20 assemblies.
Not only OUR hardest six piece burr but THE hardest six piece burr!
Covered by Australian Design Registration No 151844 and is made under license to Bill Cutler.
This puzzle is also available in our Craftsman Range in Jarrah, Blackbean or Silver Ash (Click here).
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Prague, Czech Republic, August 2008 Presented by Grant Smith. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Junichi Yananose.
The object of the puzzle is to assemble the 6 piece interlocking burr. After he designed this level 5-4-2-2 burr Junichi described it as a mediocre level of difficulty; that translates to difficult for most other puzzlers.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Prague, Czech Republic, August 2008 Presented by Frank Potts. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Frank Potts.
Status: 30th March 2013. Only 20 left. Once sold we won't make this puzzle again.
The object of the puzzle is to disassemble the burr and then reassemble. It's a level 9,3 burr but the challenge may not just be about the number of moves to disassemble the burr.
This 13 piece interlocking burr puzzle in the shape of an elephant has been made by Josef Pelikan since 1992. The level of difficulty is kept to medium because some of the pieces take on the obvious form of an elephant. A truly beautiful piece of puzzle sculpture that would enhance anyone's puzzle collection. This puzzle is finely crafted and shows the level of attention to detail that Pelikan is famous for, right down to the choice of wood to get the right colour for the right piece.
The Pelikan workshop uses a selection of both European woods including maple, walnut, birch, ash, apple, pear, cherry, oak, beech, plum, and acacia as well as some more exotic woods like mahogany, ebony, begging, wenge, walnut, American, padank, rosewood, amaranth, Bubinga, owango, jarah, meranti, and iroko.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Paul McDermott. Made by Paul McDermott and Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Paul McDermott.
Status: 30th March 2013. Only 17 left. Once sold we won't make this puzzle again.
The object of the puzzle is pull down and reassemble the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
This level 6 burr (that is 6 moves to remove the first piece from the puzzle) is two separate burrs that work in conjunction with each other. The puzzle has 10 pieces in total.
This puzzle really does show a case of 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. It may look like other six piece burrs on the outside but it is DEFINITELY not. The puzzle is incredibly more complicated than the commonly known six piece puzzle.
Bill Cutler first used a computer program to analyse six piece burrs in 1974 but it took until 1990 to analyse all possible six piece burr combinations.
Mega Six is the result of that search for the maximum number of moves for a six piece burr with a unique solution. This does not mean it has a unique assembly, due to the number of internal voids. In theory the pieces should fit together in 20 different ways however, the reality is that you can physically only put the puzzle together in one of the 20 assemblies.
Not only OUR hardest six piece burr but THE hardest six piece burr!
Timber varieties: 2. Queensland Blackbean (sorry these are no longer available - 1. Queensland Silver Ash 3. Western Australian Jarrah)
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Bill Darrah. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Bill Darrah.
The puzzle is to disassemble and reassemble the 12 piece burr so that all the decorative routing is symmetrical. The puzzle can go together in two different ways. A very elegant design by Bill Darrah who is well known for designing very difficult puzzles. As well as being a burr it is actually a box with an inside space of 45mm x 45mm x 45mm.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Chicago, USA, August 2003 Another completely new design by Brian Young.
The puzzle is to take the SEARious burr apart. Modelled on Chicago's tallest building, the Sears Tower, Brian created this 13 piece interlocking burr. But it's so much more than just an interlocking burr; incorporating the use of tools supplied as part of the puzzle it's biggest challenge is to open the secret lock. It will take 13 moves to unlock the secret internal mechanism. (The elegant solutions does not involve force, or banging, or hitting against another surface).
Considering it has no gravity pins or magnets Brian considers it to be the hardest progressive move discovery puzzle he's designed so far.
DIFFICULTY RATING 7The object of the puzzle is to disassemble the 14 piece rectilinear burr.
This puzzle was designed by Bill Cutler in 1983 as a continuing part of his Wausau series of burrs. There are 11 moves to remove the first piece from this puzzle. Once the series was completed in 1984 Bill described this third puzzle in the series of four , Wausau '83, as the “best of the Wausau series”.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Tokyo, JAPAN, August 2001 Designed, made and presented by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle.
Brian created a working model of the IPP logo created by Gianni Sarcone in 1999. It has 14 interlocking pieces and takes 13 directional moves to remove the first piece.
The puzzle is a completely new design invented by Brian Young for IPP.
The puzzle is presented in Queensland Silver Ash timber. A permanent ink is used to colour the IPP logo.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Helsinki, Finland, August 2005 Presented by Brian Young. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Stuart Gee.
The object of the puzzle is to disassemble the eleven pieces and reassemble them into the twin burrs.
An Aussie puzzle friend, Stuart Gee, found many interesting shapes could be made using square stock cut on a 45º diagonal whilst experimenting with puzzles made from folded paper pieces. Click here to see some of Stuart's experimenting with paper pieces.
The puzzle is made from Red Silky Oak, a native Australian wood.
Status: 20th February 2013. We have 5 of these puzzles still available.
For the top part of the puzzle Brian was looking for a complex but rare burr that could attach to the main shaft of the puzzle without coming apart accidentally. He decided to use Stewart Coffin's design called Triple Slide. Although Stewart does not seem to have allocated this puzzle it's own number in his system he did describe it as "having a most unusual action to assemble". Bill's Cutler's analysis in the late 1980's found it to be a unique level 3 solution.
Brian created a new design to wrap around a central post by using 4 six piece burrs that must work simultaneously. The 16 piece burr is a level 5-5-22 burr; very solvable, especially when you have 200+ international puzzlers in your backyard! In fact the giant puzzle was taken apart and reassembled by a group of enthusiastic puzzlers on the IPP27 Giant Puzzle day. A copy of BurrSolver solution file for both upper and lower burrs can be supplied upon request.
The object of the puzzle is to dissassemble the 13 piece rectilinear burr.
This puzzle was designed by Bill Cutler in 1982 as part of his Wausau series of burrs. Prior to this he had worked mostly with the standard six piece burr but this series was an experiment in different patterns of rods along the 3 axes. Bill describes this second puzzle in the series, Wausau '82, as one of his favourite designs, saying it uses a lock picking technique.
Two of the most popular puzzles ever made and sold in the world have been used to make this unique puzzle. The puzzle is to assemble both the Soma Cube and the six piece diagonal burr at the same time.
Mr Puzzle - We've got puzzles! 
