Mr Puzzle has created puzzles in select woods, with particular emphasis on native Australian varieties, and finished them with extra attention to detail so they truly qualify as CRAFTSMAN made products. In each of these puzzles every piece has been individually pencil arrised and many have additional fancy detail on the ends.
Despite quite spectacular colours none of the woods used in this range have been stain enhanced... this is their natural look. Click here for details of Queensland Blackbean or Queensland Silky Oak, just a couple of the timbers we use in some of our Craftsman Range puzzles.
Craftsman Range puzzles are only available from Mr Puzzle Australia directly and the Art & Soul Gallery in South East Queensland.
The concept for this original design was found by accident during the manufacture of our TWISTED puzzle. Even though it appears to be similar to the TWISTED puzzle TWISTED'S SISTER is VERY different; the moves to disassemble this puzzle are nothing like it's sister puzzle. The only similarity with the old nails puzzles is it's simplicity and the fact that once you pick it up you can't put it down until you've solved it.
Brian has known about the puzzle for a number of years but only recently has he worked on a design that does not come apart or go back together the same as the original puzzle.
Presented on a Torii Gate stand in keeping with the theme of this year's puzzle party held in Japan. The nails are Gold plated.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Marti Reis. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Stuart Gee.
The puzzle is to assemble the bracelet into a self supporting and stable rhombic dodecahedron.
Puzzle made from Western Australian Jarrah. Size: 40mm x 40mm x 40mm.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Prague, Czech Republic, August 2008 Presented by Karst Nauta. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Karst Nauta.
The puzzle is to separate the two halves of the cube.
Hint: Karst is a type of terrain characterised by sinkholes, caves and the like. Karst processes tend to be secretive and imperceptible because most development occurs underground over long periods of time.
Puzzle made from Queensland Silver Ash. Size: 60mm x 60mm x 60mm.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Patrick Major. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Brian Young.
The simplest maze in the world, or is it? Simply get the ball bearing from START to FINISH.
Puzzle made from Queensland Blackbean. Size: 147mm x 50mm x 20mm.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - San Francisco, USA, August 2009 Presented by Brian Young. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Brian Young.
The object of the puzzle is to take a drive down Lombard Street, from Hyde Street to Leavensworth Street. Manoeuvre the ball bearing from tile to tile, starting at Hyde Street and deliver it to Leavensworth Street. Beware, a wrong move can cause a crash, forcing you to start all over again at the top. To do this you will need to complete this dexterity slide puzzle.
This sliding block puzzle is very different to others. Firstly, you cannot touch the tiles that you must slide because they are behind perspex. You must use dexterity to do this. Generally more than one block at a time will be moving which means you must think many moves ahead. Secondly, you use the blocks that you are sliding to deliver the ball bearing from top to bottom of the puzzle. This is like a maze because at the same time you are sliding the blocks you are forming the maze-like track that the ball bearing must take to arrive at the bottom. Most of the pieces are different; that is the tracks in each tile that carry the ball bearing are different.
There are many different ways of solving the puzzle, some with more or less dexterity, but Brian intended that the ultimate solution would be to manipulate the ball bearing with very little dexterity; ie: a minimum number of block movements.
There are two choices of wood for the tiles. Either 1. Western Australian Jarrah (dark red type timber) or 2. Queensland Blackbean (brown steaky wood). Click small photo for a more detailed page showing the colours.
Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange - Gold Coast, Australia, August 2007 Presented by Brian Young. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Brian Young.
The object is to get the 10c inside the parking meter. Make sure you reassemble the parking meter with the 10c correctly inside. Getting money out of a parking meter is usually illegal so please don't try to do that with this puzzle!
This puzzle does not easily slot into one of the regular Hordern or Slocum categories so we have called it a Sequential-Discovery puzzle. Yes, it is a Take-Apart puzzle. It is also a Put-Together puzzle. There are a number of different challenges you will have to complete to do the puzzle. In this case the reassembly of the puzzle is a different puzzle to taking it apart. No external tools are necessary for disassembly or reassembly of the puzzle, although you will have to find tools within, and determine how to use them, to complete the puzzle.
Puzzle made from Yellow Leichhardt. Stand made from Mackay Cedar. Yellow Leichhardt was used because of it's distinctive bright yellow colour to try to match the golden colour that parking meters on the Gold Coast are painted. Size: 160mm x 30mm x 80mm.
Click this link to view some photos from IPP27 Edward Hordern Puzzle Exchange. Brian generally stives to theme puzzles relating to where IPP is being held and because he was close to home this year he was able to go "all out" by having Sophie, a Gold Coast Meter Maid, as his very capable (and popular) exchange assistant.
Meter Maids were first seen in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in 1965 to try to help beat the bad image created by the installation of parking meters. Gorgeous girls in gold bikinis fed coins into expired parking meters to prevent tourists from being fined, causing quite a controversy at the time. They are still seen in Surfers today although they are generally hired by local businesses these days.
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.
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.
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.
Puzzle made from Queensland Silky Oak (Called Lacewood in other countries. Click here to read more about Silky Oak) Size: 160mm x 60mm x 80mm (pieces made from 20mm x 20mm stock)
The object of the puzzle is find the T inside the Boston Tea Chest.
The differences between this puzzle and the Standard Range (click here) version which was the Exchange Puzzle presented at IPP26 in August 2006 are: - The puzzle is crafted from exotic Australian hardwoods. - The locking mechanism is much more complex and therefore more difficult in this version.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - San Francisco, USA, August 2009 Presented by Grant Smith. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Grant Smith & Brian Young.
Like most interlocking burr puzzles the T Burr puzzle should be more difficult to assemble once apart. However, the T Burr has a unique set of moves to take this puzzle apart so we decided to sell it assembled and give the puzzler the very interesting challenge of disassembling it.
This multi-level six piece burr is quite unusual in its disassembly because it is not always just a single piece that moves at each level. The minimum number of moves to remove the first piece is four.
Grant had the idea to design a burr that looked like a letter T on each end. He and Brian then collaborated to refine the basic shape to include more complexity in the actual assembly of the burr.
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.
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.
The hint is in the name... think movies.... although working out exactly what that hint tells you about the puzzle may prove just as difficult as doing the burr itself.
Puzzle made from Vitex (otherwise known as Papua New Guinean Teak). Size: 60mm x 60mm x 60mm.
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. However, to be sure the puzzle presented a worthy challenge, and so you can fully appreciate Junichi's unusual design, we have packaged it apart and you must assemble the burr.
Puzzle made from Vitex (otherwise known as Papua New Guinean Teak). Size: 60mm x 60mm x 60mm.
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: 1. Queensland Silver Ash 2. Queensland Blackbean 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. One way, without the decorative routing symmetrical, is how the puzzle is presented when sold. You will have to completely take it apart so that you can then put it back together with all the routing symmetrical. This is a lot more difficult than it may first appear. A very elegant design by Bill Darrah who is well known for designing very difficult puzzles.
Puzzle made from Mackay Cedar. Size: 100mm x 100mm x 100mm
There is an interesting sequence of 13 forward and backward moves required to disassemble this puzzle... Yes, that’s 13 moves to get the first piece out and that’s not the trickiest part of the puzzle.
Once completely apart, there are 5485 false solutions (in other words, false assemblies), meaning the puzzle looks like it should go together but you can’t get the last piece in. Only the specific sequence of 13 moves will allow you to insert the last piece and solve this puzzle.
This puzzle is made under license to Goh Pit Khiam. Goh Pit Khiam invented this twelve piece puzzle in December 1999 without the use of a computer. We’ve given the puzzle a rating 9 out of 10 because it’s sold assembled. To solve the puzzle from a disassembled state without clues it could definitely be worthy of a rating 10!
Click here to see the Decemburr in Jarrah as it's coming apart.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - San Francisco, USA, August 2009 Presented by Frans de Vreugd. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Jack Krijnen in 2008.
Jack Krijnen has invented a number of different 18 piece burrs in the past few years but this one stood out from the others. The puzzle has 29467 possible assemblies.
To assemble the puzzle in this symmetrical colour combination the puzzle has a unique solution. This solution is a level 62 disassembly; this means that it will take a minimum of 62 moves in exactly the correct order to remove just the first piece. The puzzle requires a total of 105 moves to remove all pieces and take it completely apart. The number of moves to remove each piece in order is first piece - 62 next piece - 4 next peice, then 21 next piece 1 and so on - 2.2.1.1.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.2.
We cannot stress enough how hard this puzzle really is - that's 105 moves in exactly the right order as a computer would solve it and along the way you will find that there are many, many moves you can make which will lead you in completely the wrong directiion.
In almost 20 years of manufacturing puzzles for a living Brian says that Condor's Peeper is up there as one of the hardest puzzles he has ever had to assemble. The only one that he remembers being harder is Puzzlers Cage http://www.mrpuzzle.com.au/category103_1.htm which he made as a Limited Edition in 2002. At least he only had to make and put together 24 of those!
19 directional moves to remove the first piece from an 18 piece burr!
This puzzle was designed by Brian (alias Mr Puzzle) without the use of a computer. It was however analysed using a computer program by Andreas Roever (see the end of this detail page) and he found an even more difficult assembly of the puzzle, being a level 14.10.3.2.5.11.10. That makes 65 moves for complete disassembly.Read more details....
Click here to see the Coming of Age MkII as it's coming apart (puzzle shown in photo is Craftsman Range puzzle not Standard Range puzzle). Click here to see a video clip of Brian putting the Coming of Age MkII together. Puzzle shown is Craftsman Range. Check out these different solutions to the Coming of Age MkII on YouTube; thanks to Barry. Level 14.10.7.3.5.12.10 assembly. Level 16.3.1.1.3.4.1.1.2 assembly.
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”.
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.
The puzzle is to build a solid cube from the eight pieces.
Rick Eason invented this puzzle and presented it as his Exchange Puzzle at IPP24 in Tokyo in 2004 and it is with his kind permission that we make this puzzle.
All eight pieces of the puzzle are different which increases the degree of difficulty of the puzzle. There are four possible solutions but three of them are false solutions. A false solution is when all the pieces look like they will fit together, but there is no order of assembly that allows the puzzle to go together completely.
To achieve the only possible correct solution you must find the unique combination of dovetails and grooves, and the correct order to assemble them, that allows the pieces to fit together to form the solid cube.
The puzzle is crafted from Burdekin plum. Burdekin Plum is a very widespread species ranging in rainforests throughout north east Queensland and extending south to the Mary River in SE Queensland. The heartwood ranges from pale to dark reddish-brown, usually streaked with darker coloured bands, close and ususally straight grained.
Packaged Disassembled for extra puzzling enjoyment. Size: Each cube 30mm x 30mm x 30mm. Final puzzle 60mm x 60mm x 60mm.
Currently we do not have stock of this puzzle. We intend to make them later in 2008. Click here to be added to our waiting list to be notified of new stocks of this puzzle.
Edward Hordern IPP Puzzle Exchange - Prague, Czech Republic, August 2008 Presented by Brian Young. Made by Brian Young @ Mr Puzzle Australia. Designed by Brian Young.
Sputnik Returns from the stars, 50 years on..... History generally has accepted that Sputnik 1 was launches on October 4th, 1957 and orbit decayed on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere on 4th January 1958. This momentous event was celebrated by FUN Incorporated's Mystic Peg Puzzle #1 called the SPUTNIK PUZZLE which was released in 1958.
The truth is that for the past 50 years Sputnik's charred remains have been on an Australian property at Tamborine and we're now able to re-release it to the world. Only the 4th antenna could not be retrieved; it appears lost forever.
Your challenge is to disassemble and reassemble the 9 charred remaining pieces of the new Sputnik puzzle. When properly assembled one of the three surviving antennas is fixed and the other two move freely in and out 30mm.
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.
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.
To do this you will need to find just one of the 240 different assemblies of the Soma Cube. Why? In this puzzle the Soma Cube has a unique solution. One piece of Soma Cube is attached to one of each of the pieces of the diagonal burr. When you assemble the burr you will need to assemble the Soma Cube inside it at the same time. Don’t forget you also need to fit the loose seventh piece of the Soma Cube in as well..... The concept of putting the two puzzles together came to Brian after seeing a puzzle by Phillipe Dubois made with a single cube loose inside it.
Size 95mm x 95mm x 95mm (Each piece of burr 95mm x 30mm x 30mm Each cube of Soma Cube 14mm x 14mm x 14mm)
Packaged DISASSEMBLED for your puzzling enjoyment! You must rely on the photograph on the accompanying Presentation Card to know what shape to assemble the blocks in. This ensures you'll get the maximum value from the puzzle. REMEMBER - for when all else has failed we enclose a professionally printed solution sheet.
The object of the puzzle is to disassemble the thirty pieces and reassemble into this attractive collection of stellated rhombic dodecahedrons. There are 288 saw cuts in this puzzle.
The puzzle is made from different shades of Red Silky Oak, a native Australian wood.
Currently we have sold all puzzles made and have orders for more. With finishing our LE puzzles and making special designs for IPP28 we may find it difficult to deliver more Telephone Boxes until the last quarter of the year. If you would like to order one of these puzzles you can do so by paying this A$50.00 deposit. Puzzles will be delivered on a first ordered first delivered basis. We will keep you updated by email when delivery is expected.
This puzzle presents four different challenges: Challenge 1 - Pack all 8 blocks under the closed lid. 30 possible solutions. Challenge 2 - Make room for all 8 blocks and the gold rod under the closed lid (not in it’s packing position). 4 solutions. Challenge 3 - Make Room for all 8 blocks and the key (dowel) under the closed lid. Unique solution. Challenge 4 - Can you remember how the puzzle came packaged with the key in the lid? 3 solutions.
In 1997 Stewart Coffin originally designed Make Room and allocated it #127 in his numbering system although only one of these puzzles was made. At IPP21 in Tokyo in 2001 a larger version of the puzzle #127-A was given by Jerry Slocum as his exchange gift. That version had 14 separate solutions to fit just nine pieces in the box.
Brian had never made a packing puzzle before.... That all changed after IPP21 when he found himself playing with Jerry's exchange puzzle for many, many hours. He then got interested in redesigning the puzzle to include a challenge with a unique solution.The puzzle is made with the kind permission of Stewart Coffin.
Click here to see the legend of the different timbers used in this puzzle. Click here to see a photo of the pieces inside the box. Click here to view this original design by Stewart Coffin.
Currently we have sold all puzzles made and have orders for more. With finishing our LE puzzles and making special designs for IPP28 we may find it difficult to deliver more Telephone Boxes until the last quarter of the year. If you would like to order one of these puzzles you can do so by paying this A$50.00 deposit. We will keep you updated by email when delivery is expected. (Click here).
The puzzle is to open the telephone box to allow you to have fun with the packing puzzle inside. To open the telephone box you will need to solve a series of puzzles to find the required tools, and work out how to use them, to open the door.
The pieces packed inside the telephone box spell the words TELEPHONE box.
The box is a replica of a full size 1950's Queensland PMG telephone box. We have one here at home which Brian has restored. For the IPP27 Giant Puzzle day pieces have been made from cardboard to make this same packing puzzle inside the real telephone box.
The dimensions are 115mm x 115mm x 225mm tall. The telephone box is made from Sycamore wood. The letters of the telephone box are made from other exotic Australian timbers: T Blush Alder E Grey Gum L Queensland Blackbean E Grey Gum P Red Oak H Brown Quondong O Saffron Heart N Flooded Gum E Grey Gum b Red Oak o Black Wattle x Blackbutt
A unique framed burr design invented by and exclusive to MR PUZZLE.
The puzzle is to take The Collective apart. Unlike normal framed burrs the five piece burr encased in the twenty-four piece frame work as one in this puzzle. After you get the puzzle apart will you be able to assimilate the pieces again into one unit?
The 5 piece burr at the centre of the puzzle is crafted from Queensland Silver Ash. The frame consists of 24 individual interlocked pieces and is available from wither 1. Queensland Blackbean or 2. Western Australian Jarrah. Size 100mm x 100mm x 100mm Packaged ASSEMBLED
Click here to be added to our waiting list. We will email you when this puzzle becomes available.
We're sorry but we are currently out of stock of this puzzle.
The degree of difficulty of this puzzle lies in the fact that it has internal voids and no solid piece, therefore 7 sliding moves are required to position the last block in the puzzle.
Timber varieties: 1. Queensland Blackbean - 2. Queensland Silver Ash (Click here to see larger photo) 3. North Queensland Rose Alder
Your preference may be noted in the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION field in the Check Out process.
The puzzle is to assemble the six pieces into this unique shape.
This burr has a locking mechanism unlike any other that we know of. It was designed in 1999 by Brian and is covered by Australian Design Registration No 142132. This puzzle is EXCLUSIVE to Mr Puzzle Australia.
Mr Puzzle - We've got puzzles! 
Puzzles for the truly discerning collector.
This momentous event was celebrated by FUN Incorporated's Mystic Peg Puzzle #1 called the SPUTNIK PUZZLE which was released in 1958.
