Mysterious Chinese Secret Box – Four Seasons Series

Description

The series has four different boxes in this series. There are four different puzzle solutions. They are of similar difficulty rating although difficulty can be quite a subjective thing.

Each puzzle box has beautiful graphics in colours representative of seasonal change and they all have multiple compartments.  So when someone thinks they’ve opened the box your stash is still safe in the other compartment deeper inside the puzzle.  This is a type of misdirection that is often used in puzzle boxes that have their origins in functional items and the history of Chinese puzzle boxes certainly shows that they were originally intended for use as document safes and the like.

Details of size and space inside each box is explained below.

Each puzzle box is made from plywood which is quite stable and each has a different patterned transfer applied to the outside. The patterns on the transfer represent patterns similar to what you might see on Japanese puzzle boxes that are decorated with a type of wooden marquetry called Yosegi. Of course, they are not made this way. Only master craftsmen in Japan make these types of puzzles (also sold on this website) but the decoration is still quite lovely and the patterns very pleasing.

In saying that we stress the pattern is a transfer, not actual marquetry. For all the complexity of these puzzle boxes they are still a budget Chinese puzzle box line and as such some of the transfers are not perfect the way you would expect Japanese yosegi to be.

As an extra measure of quality control, each box has been opened and tested here at Mr Puzzle to ensure they are all in good working order.

Size: 151mm x 80mm x 55mm
Each box is packaged with a solution in a plain white cardboard box.

Autumn  

This is a two-compartment box and both compartments will be tricky to discover. The colours are the golds and browns of the changing leaves of Autumn
Size inside: Chamber 1-134mm x 65mm x 30mm  2-130mm x 50mm x 12mm

Summer  

This Chinese puzzle box has a compartment in the top and a single drawer in the bottom to open. Working with MI Toys who manufactured the puzzles, here at Mr Puzzle we have made our own modification to this puzzle box to make what we consider a more interesting solution. The wood is stained the rich dark green of Summer and the transfer has lovely geometric patterns on it in green tones.
Size inside: Chamber 1-130mm x 65mm x 30mm  2-125mm x 50mm x 12mm

Winter 

There are seven steps in total to open all the compartments of the Winter Chinese puzzle box.
Working with MI Toys who manufactured the puzzles, here at Mr Puzzle we have made our own modification to this puzzle box to make what we consider a more interesting solution with more steps to solve.
The wood is stained dark brown and the transfer has geometric patterns that includes tinges of blue and white to represent the very cold winters that China suffers.
Size inside: Chamber 1-115mm x 63mm x 35mm  2-125mm x 50mm x 13mm

Spring 

The Spring box has more moves to open than any of the others. As well as a main compartment there are two separate drawers that also need to be opened.
 Here at Mr Puzzle we have worked with the manufacturer MI Toys to make what we consider a more interesting solution with more steps to solve. 
The wood is stained light green and the transfer shows the patterns of flowers of Spring.
Size inside: Chamber 1-65mm x 55mm x 30mm  2-65mm x 55mm x 35mm  3-53mm x 53mm x 13mm  4-53mm x 53mm x 13mm

Chinese legends about the seasons appear in ancient Chinese astronomy, they adorn the files of the Chinese game of Mah-jong that relate to the seasons, so why not have a puzzle box collection where each box represents a season?