4 March 2022 Sue Young

Wausau ’82 Bill Cutler designed burr

Craftsman Range burr made in June 2006.  130 made.  All sold.
Original Price: AU$80.00
In October 2024  one of these puzzles resold at Puzzle Paradise auction for USD 110.00 (at the current exchange rate that’s about AU$167.00)

The object of the puzzle is to disassemble the 13 piece rectilinear burr.

This puzzle was designed by Bill Cutler in 1982 as part of his Wausau series of burrs named while working on various mathematical and graphic programs for Wausau Insurance Company in Wisconsin. 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 as one of his favourite designs, saying it uses a lock picking technique.

This puzzle is made from a three different contrasting Australian hardwoods: Queensland Silver Ash, Queensland Blackbean and Saffron Heart. Saffron Heart is a rare tree restricted to sub-tropical rainforest areas in Queensland. It is a very dense wood with a striking, golden/yellow colour.

Size: 100mm x 100mm x 100mm

 

Tags bill cutler, cutler