Wooden Puzzles

Peter Friedrich Catel, a merchant in Berlin, decided to publish a mail order catalog of 'mathematical and physical cabinet of arts' in 1790. In that catalog there were many wooden puzzles. And more than 225 years later people are still being puzzled and perplexed by wooden puzzles and brainteasers.

There are almost 150 different wooden puzzles on our website, from the cheapest to the most expensive puzzles on the website, from the easiest to the hardest, across more than 20 different manufacturers.

Many different types of puzzle really lend themselves to being made in wood. Aesthetically people enjoy the feel and colours of wood, especially when some sort of sculptural element is used in making the puzzle. From early examples in Catel's catalog of the Small Devil's Hoof, to the very high level Bill Cutler burrs made here at Mr Puzzle, wood has been the medium of choice for many puzzle makers creating interlocking burr puzzles. And many kids have made the famous three piece knot puzzle in woodworking class at school.

Wood and rope brainteasers are another category often seen in wood where the puzzler usually has to remove a wooden ball, or a metal ring, from the rope tied in complicated ways through the wooden base. Often ending up with a very knotty problem!

Dissection puzzles are usually made of wood too. Whether than be 3D like the Soma Cube type puzzle or 2D like the Tangram puzzle there are many examples of these puzzles in wood.

And puzzle boxes too of course! Japanese puzzle boxes with their very fine marquetry type woodwork decoration have been amazing puzzlers for generations. But we're also now seeing less elaborate and complicated wooden puzzle boxes from China coming to the market. Great new ideas born out of functional boxes used to store documents and valuables.

Puzzlemakers have been creating puzzles and brainteasers out of wood for hundreds of years. And puzzlers have been collecting and enjoying wooden puzzles for just as long and look like continuing to do so for a long time yet.