Puzzling Pastimes

Welcome to my puzzles page

Hello! My name is Justin, and this is my puzzle collection (and a few non-puzzles). I gravitate more towards vintage puzzles, and enjoy discovering the history behind the puzzles. You can tell a lot of my tastes by what puzzles I have the most. This is my attempt to catalog all my puzzles, in hopes that others might find it useful as well. I've learned a lot from others' puzzle websites and enjoy talking with other puzzle enthusiasts. This site is spoiler free - you should be able to browse, without accidentally getting any hints to how to solve the puzzles. I am starting a blog section as well, where I might go into some more details on a puzzle, but I'll be sure to warn of any spoilers. Happy puzzling!

----- Recent Pickups -----

Here are some puzzles I've recently added to my collection.

The Panama Cone Puzzle


Maker The Panama Cone Puzzle Co., Waterbury, Conn

Tower of Hannoi

Columbus: A Puzzle. 1492-1892


Date 1892
Maker Milton Bradley Co

Mysto-Peg Puzzle


Date 1958
Maker S.P & P (Japan)

Chain Gang


Date 2025 (purchased)
Maker Puzzle Master
Designer Dick Hess and Alan Stein

Originally developed by Dick Hess and called Outrageous Rings. Adapted for Puzzle Master by Alan Stein. String version created by Markus Götz.

Hunt's Perfect Baking Powder Puzzle


Date circa 1900
Maker The Tablet & Ticket Co., Chicago and New York
Ad Hunt's Perfect Baking Powder
Designer Bertram H. Saunders
Patent US557895

Appears to be Pres. McKinley

Wabash Railroad Square Puzzle


Ad City of St. Louis Streamliner, Wabash railroad

Red Goose Shoes Card and String


Ad Red Goose Shoes

Treasure Chest


Maker either Puzzle Master or Bits & Pieces
Designer Rocky Chiaro
 

----- All Puzzles -----

Sword-in-the-Stone


Date 1983
Maker The Grail Inc.
Designer James F. Hand
Patent US3958807

Patience (wood)


Date 1990s

Famous Number Puzzle


Jeu des Grenouilles


Maker WX Paris

Wooden Number Slide


Appears to be handmade

Wooden Number Slide with Lid


Appears to be handmade

The Number 7 Puzzle


Maker James H. Hawes MFG Co

Tower of Hannoi

The Panama Cone Puzzle


Maker The Panama Cone Puzzle Co., Waterbury, Conn

Tower of Hannoi

Rainbow Puzzle


Tower of Hanoi

Columbus: A Puzzle. 1492-1892


Date 1892
Maker Milton Bradley Co

Tunbridge Tangram


Wit's End


Maker Reiss company (distributor)

Egyptian Coin Trade


Maker Project Genius
Designer Oskar van Deventer

Trammel of Archimedes


traces path of ellipse

Hexadecimal


Maker Binary Arts
Designer William Keister
Patent US3637216

The Cat


Date 1985
Maker Binary Arts
Designer William Keister

One of Binary Arts' first products, along with Hexadecimal and The Horse

The Horse


Date 1985
Maker Binary Arts
Designer William Keister

One of Binary Arts' first products, along with Hexadecimal and The Cat

Bird in the Nest


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Vladimir Krasnoukhov and James Dalgety

99 piece Pagoda


Maker Arjeu

Confounding Coin Removal


Maker Bits & Pieces

Shackman Painted Doll


Maker Shackman

Dovetail


Maker Reiss

Knit-Wit


Date 1974
Maker Romany
Patent US3695617

Oskar's Matchboxes


Designer Oskar van Deventer

Dragon's Egg


Maker Creative Crafthouse

Blockade


Maker Bits & Pieces

Haselgrove Box


Designer Jennifer Haselgrove

Ultimate Burr Set


Maker Creative Crafthouse

Described in 'Creative Puzzles of the World', based on work by J.H. de Boer

The Pacco Puzzle


Nankai


Also sold as The Classic Cube Conundrum by Bits & Pieces #07-G7909

Roly Poly Puzzle


Maker W.R. Maxwell

Pigs in Clover


Date 1889
Designer Charles Crandall
Patent US410956

Balls different sizes/colors so possibly not all original. Appears restitched.

T Puzzle from Germany


Treen Puzzle Bank


Open the bank.

Dodeca


Date 1996
Maker Design Science Toys Ltd

Quad Rhom


Date 1996
Maker Design Science Toys Ltd

Twist and Shout


Date 2021
Maker Creative Crafthouse

Six Panel Bank


I believe it's an impossible object rather than disassembly.

Karakuri New Secret Box #4


Maker Karakuri Creation Group

Karakui Small Box #2


Maker Karakuri Creation Group

Mysterious Ball Bandsaw Puzzle


See article in The Puzzle Museum

Zig-Zag


Solomon's Seal


Date 1969–1984
Ad Southwestern Bell

Date estimated from the logo

AT&T: The system is the solution


Ad AT&T

TakItAPart


Date 1938
Designer John D. Boyle
Patent US2181116

Pick-A-Peg


Designer John D. Boyle
Patent US2469364

Tri-N-Do-It


Designer John D. Boyle
Patent US2207778

I tried and did it! Pegs are slightly different from patent.

Twelve Piece Separation


Maker Moeller and Son, Artifactory Puzzles
Designer Stewart Coffin

The Three Pairs Puzzle


Date 1979
Maker Stewart Coffin
Designer Stewart Coffin

Four Corners Puzzle


Date 1971
Maker Stewart Coffin
Designer Stewart Coffin

Stamped "AP-ART (C) 1971 S.T.C" Nick Baxter said Coffin did that stamp early on, and maybe just 1971. Afterwards, he would inscribed in ink or pencil.

Waiter's Tray


Maker Project Genius
Designer Jean Claude Constantin

Hidden Corridor


Maker Project Genius
Designer Jean Claude Constantin

Cube in Cube


Maker Constantin

Crooked Box II


Maker Bill Cutler
Designer Bill Cutler

Gornergrat Edelweiss Box


Arabi Gun


Date circa 1900

Mentioned in Hoffmann's puzzle book

Canon and Ball


Date circa 1900

Mentioned in Hoffmann's puzzle book

Katzenjammer


Date 1900
Designer Frederick A. Schossow
Patent US646463

The original Instant Insanity puzzle

McLaughlin's Coffee XXXX


Ad McLaughlin's Coffee XXXX

The "Four-Allies Puzzle"


Maker from England

WWI. British, French, Russian, Belgian flags. Same as Instant Insanity, except for 2 opposite faces flipped on one cube.

Japanese Puzzle Box


Japanese Dice Box


Japanese 15-puzzle


Japanese Magic Box


Japanese Kumiki


Japanese Stack of Books


Japanese version of the Sorrento box

Barrel


Less common 8-piece version

Daruma Japanese Kumiki Barrel


Japanese Daruma dolls are modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen tradition of Buddhism. Paint one eye when making wish, and the other eye when wish is fulfilled.

Onietoiy Nine Ring


Maker Onietoiy

Naef Campanile


Date 1988
Maker Naef
Designer Manfred Zipfel, Cordula Von Tettau

Copyright 1979. Box stamped 02/88 so I assume made in 1988.

The Sliding Railroad Puzzle


Maker Bits & Pieces
Patent US332211

Whistle Stop Puzzle


Maker Pentangle

SOMA


Date 1966
Maker Skjøde of Skjern
Designer Piet Hein

Google SOMA


Ad Google
Designer Piet Hein

Received during interview at Google

Think


Date 1968
Maker Chadwick-Miller

Made in Japan. Imported and sold by Chadwick-Miller, a Boston company.

Spiral Wood Block


Maker C.F. White

Like Think Puzzle but with curve spiral rather than rectilinear.

Century of Progress


Date 1933-1934

Eskimo Pie


Ad Eskimo Pie

Frigidaire Jumble Puzzle


Ad Frigidaire

Dad's Puzzler


Date 1926
Designer J. W. Hayward

The Moving Puzzle


Poll Parrot


Ad Poll Parrot Shoes

Chinese Puzzle (Germany)


Le Taquin


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

George VI Coronation


Date 1937

Boss Puzzle


The 15 Gem Puzzle


Flying Puzzle


Flying Puzzle (Modern)


Get My Goat


Designer John I. Wiley
Patent US1112746

Blocks of Five President Harrison


Date 1891

Blaine is in. How can Harrison get him out?

Line Up the Quinties!


Riding off the popularity of the Dionne quintuplets

Time Puzzle


Maker Embossing Company
Designer Tom C Graham, Walter J Fletcher
Patent US1989411

Traffic Jam


Four Block Lock


Maker Toys From Times Past

Y-Knot Puzzle


Maker Toys From Times Past

What Four Puzzle


Maker Toys From Times Past

Do Nothin' Machine


Maker Toys From Times Past

Troon Vesta Box


Burns Vesta Box


Grindelwald Vesta Box


Wood Plane Snuff Box


Possibly handmade in 1930s-50s in Oshkosh, WI. Differnt opening mechanism than the standard.

Treen Shoe Snuff Box


Similar mechanism as matchbox puzzle

Sputnik Peg


Date 1958
Maker S.P & P (Japan)

Mysto-Peg Puzzle


Date 1958
Maker S.P & P (Japan)

Japanese Weave Puzzle


The Armistice Puzzle Game


Date 1919
Maker The Armistice Co, Des Moines, IA

WWI. United States, Great Britain, France, Greece, Russia, Japan, Germany

Iron Heart Metal Puzzle


Jordan's Journey


Maker Fiddl'Widdit

Flight Test


Maker Wireworks Puzzles

Mystic Maze


Maker Wireworks Puzzles

The Wringer


Maker Wireworks Puzzles

Death Valley


Maker Wireworks Puzzles

Wireworks Unknown Name


Maker Wireworks Puzzles

Dead End Pocket Puzzle


Maker Puzzletts

Handmade Wire Puzzle Set


Shinola Puzzle Assortment No. 1


Ad Shinola Liquid Polish for Children's Shoes

Wire Star


Date 1907
Designer Alfred M. Davis
Patent US872717

Has 'PAT PEND.' stamped on it

Trike


Patent USD173360

Remove the handlebars. Patented in 1954 but possibly older.

German Wire Puzzle Box


Definitely German but unsure of manufactuer.

German Wire Puzzle Box 2


Definitely German but unsure of manufactuer. Maybe Spear or C. H. Giesen?

Spear's Wire Puzzles


Date 1930s
Maker J.W. Spear & Sons

Date based on ad with copyright 1930 in the booklet and style of logo.

Freshman College Course Puzzles


Maker Dick Hess

Sophomore College Course Puzzles


Maker Dick Hess

Junior College Course Puzzles


Maker Dick Hess

Senior College Course Puzzles


Maker Dick Hess

Chain Gang


Date 2025 (purchased)
Maker Puzzle Master
Designer Dick Hess and Alan Stein

Originally developed by Dick Hess and called Outrageous Rings. Adapted for Puzzle Master by Alan Stein. String version created by Markus Götz.

Figure Eight Knot


Date 1980
Maker Why Knots
Designer Joel Langer

Fold the wire into a braided loop of circles

The Mathematician's Loop


Date 1980
Maker Why Knots
Designer Joel Langer

Chinese Button Knot


Date 1980
Maker Why Knots
Designer Joel Langer

Vintage Handmade Wire


Vintage Handmade Cross Wire


Vintage Handmade Hearts


Vintage Handmade Horseshoes


Vintage Handmade Captured Hearts


Vintage Handmade Cross and Rings


Vintage Handmade Spring and Ring


Chilian


Ad Phenyo Caffein
Designer Eldon J. Mcfarland
Patent US962039

Ring added by me.

Barket


Date 1927
Designer Joseph A. Barket
Patent US1649054

Tags say: JOS. A. BARKET | PAT. 11-15-'27 | POTTSVILLE, PA

Folk Art Chilian


Possibly hand-made. Ring added.

Spiral and Bent Sword


Spiral and Sword


Possibly from 1915 German set (Slocum's New Book of Puzzles, page 86). Purchased in same lot as a Journet puzzle set.

The Who #305


Maker Wally Lee

The Snail #607


Maker Wally Lee

Skitzo


Consul the Educated Monkey


Maker The Educational Toy Manufacturing Co.

"It makes no difference to the monkey whether children are bright or stupid, he never loses patience at having to answer their questions."

Jayne's Expectorant


Ad Jayne's Expectorant

Missing string

Redline-Glico Maze


Date 1930s
Maker J.R.G. L.
Ad Redline-Glico: Use Glico motor oils
Designer Joel W. Thorne
Patent US483820A

Redline Motor Spirit Co and Glico Petroleum Co merged to form Redline-Glico in 1931.

Zauberkreuz (Magic Cross)


Date 1988
Maker Red Cross
Designer Athanasios Margaritis
Patent DE3711368A1

Sold on the 125th anniversary of the Red Cross

Spin•Out


Date 1987
Maker Binary Arts
Designer William Keister
Patent US3637215

Entrapment


Date 1981
Maker Schaper Mfg. Co.
Designer Jeffrey D. Breslow
Patent US4413823

Footsie


Date 1980
Maker Onsworld Limited

Clark's Cube


Maker Innoventures Inc.
Designer William H. Clark
Patent US4424971

One Way


Maker Milton Bradley

Missing Link


Maker Ideal
Designer Steven P. Hanson and Jeffrey D. Breslow
Patent US4373729

LifeSavers


Maker Synergistics Research Corporation

Top Spin


Maker Binary Arts
Designer Ferdinand Lammertink
Patent US4871173

The Amazing Chewdini


Date 1998
Maker Binary Arts
Designer Ken Forsse

Oskar's Cube


Maker Crystal Lines
Designer Oskar van Deventer

Inversion


Maker Toys & Games International
Designer Patrick A. Roberts
Patent US4511144

Champion Spark Plug


Ad Champion Spark Plugs
Designer Robert R. Boomhower
Patent US3387847

Champion Spark Plug K-Line


Ad Champion K-Line Spark plugs

The Nine of Swords


Date 1971
Maker Gametime, Inc. Marketed by Reiss

Houdini


Date 2014
Maker ThinkFun
Designer Nicholas Cravotta and Rebecca Bleau

Fifth Chair


Maker ThinkFun
Designer Dale Walton

Turing Tumble


Maker Upper Story

Kumiki Pig


Ad R.B. Rice Sausage

Chinese Tangram


Crazy Elephant Dance


Maker Samuel Farinas (22 Hobbies)
Designer Markus Götz

Bought directly from Samuel, who created the 3d print version.

Switch


Gordian's Knot


Maker ThinkFun
Designer Frans de Vreugd

Originally called "Extreme Tortue" and was the result of a computer program to find the most difficult six-piece puzzle

3 dimensional Cross Puzzle


Maker Magnif

3 dimensional Star Puzzle


Maker Magnif

Instant Indecision


Date 1972
Maker The Green Gate Company

Screw Loose


Date 1970
Maker Lakeside

Spongebob Burger King Sliding Puzzle


Date 2004
Maker Burger King

Mint Man Puzzle


Date 1982
Maker The Kelrack Ltd of Middlesex, England

Something Fishy Sardine Can


Shackman Maze Puzzle


Stark Raving Cubes


Date 1995
Maker Wit's End
Designer Bill Cutler

Atomix (Orb)


Date 2024
Maker Hasbro
Designer Christopher C. Wiggs & Christopher J. Taylor
Patent US4553754

Starter Burr Set


Date 2023
Maker Oscar Chang
Designer asiegel

The Key


Date 2024
Maker Oscar Chang
Designer LeisureLuke

Print-in-Place Twisty Puzzle Box - Mushroom


Date 2024
Maker Oscar Chang
Designer 3d-printy

Atomic Chaos/Kaos


Designer Christoph Hausammann
Patent US5176382

Chaotic Cube


Maker Nintendo

before Nintendo was known for video games

Mystaire Mosaic Puzzle


Maker Peter Pan

Arrange pieces in a cirlce so that adjacent pieces have different colors.

Tenze Puzzle


Date 1950s/60s
Maker Roddy

Arrange pieces in rectangle, so that colors are grouped together.

Tantalising 7


Date 1965
Maker Peter Pan

B46-B49 in Hordern. My copy has handwritten note - Christmas 1965.

P3C, Pack 3 Cubes


Designer Yasuhiro Hashimoto

Triple twins


Date 2024
Maker Oscar Chang
Designer AndresMF (based on Osanori Yamamoto)

Based on design by Osanori Yamamoto, which won the puzzler's award at IPP37 2017 Paris

Think, 3d printed


Date 2024
Maker Oscar Chang
Designer Justin Brown (based on Japanese wooden puzzle)

My first attempt at 3d modeling!

Squarely Nuts


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Oskar Van Deventer

Square nut around around a square screw. Not a puzzle but rather kinetic art.

Tetra Spirals


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Lucie Pauwels

Unlawful Assembly


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Goh Pit Khiam

Zigguflat


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Oskar Van Deventer

Frameless N-ary puzzle. A flat version of Bram Cohen's Ziggurat puzzle.

The Spiral Puzzle: Tip Top Nerve Tester


Maker The Eng Ser Corp, Albany New York

IBM Puzzle


Ad IBM

Stormy Seas


Date 1998
Maker Binary Arts
Designer Harry L. Nelson, Hiroshi Yamamoto
Patent US6116599A

Rush Hour


Date 1996
Maker Binary Arts
Designer Nob Yoshigahara
Patent USD395468S

The above patent is for the design of the Binary Arts version by Stephen A. Wagner

Magic Box


Date 1970s
Maker Magnif

The Brain Puzzler


Maker Magnif

Cerebral Rings Puzzler


Date 1989
Maker Magnif

Saturn Puzzler


Maker Magnif

On the Level Puzzler


Maker Magnif

Pawn=Queen


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Sherzod Khaydarbekov

Get the pawn to the red square using standard chess moves. No capture.

Black Knight


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Sherzod Khaydarbekov

Get the black knight to the black square using standard chess moves. No capture.

Exchange the kings


Date 2024
Maker Puzzle guy
Designer Sherzod Khaydarbekov

Exchanges kings using standard chess moves and alternating white/black. No capture.

Hectix


Date 1970
Maker 3M Company
Designer Stewart Coffin
Patent US3721448

Think-A-Dot


Date 1965
Maker E.S.R., Inc.
Designer Joseph Weisbecker
Patent US3388483

Amazing Dr. Nim


Date 1966
Maker E.S.R., Inc.

Digi-Comp 1


Maker E.S.R., Inc.

Novice


Date 1986
Maker GO Images, Inc.
Designer Douglas A. Engel
Patent US4415158

In Puzzler series: Novice, Challenger, Avenger

Challenger


Date 1986
Maker GO Images, Inc.
Designer Douglas A. Engel
Patent US4415158

In Puzzler series: Novice, Challenger, Avenger

Avenger


Date 1986
Maker GO Images, Inc.
Designer Douglas A. Engel
Patent US4415158

In Puzzler series: Novice, Challenger, Avenger

Hungarian Rings


Olympic Rings


Maker from Hungary

A generalization of Hungarian Rings for Summer Olympics

Instant Insanity


Date 1967
Maker Parker Brothers, Inc.

Vess Soda Bottle


Ad Vess

Vess Soda Cap


Ad Vess

uncut

Hunt's Perfect Baking Powder Puzzle


Date circa 1900
Maker The Tablet & Ticket Co., Chicago and New York
Ad Hunt's Perfect Baking Powder
Designer Bertram H. Saunders
Patent US557895

Appears to be Pres. McKinley

Pel-Freeze


Ad Pel-Freeze

Wabash Railroad Square Puzzle


Ad City of St. Louis Streamliner, Wabash railroad

SPAPCO's Five Piece Puzzle


Ad SPAPCO

Grandpa's Soap


Ad Grandpa's Soap

The 14 puzzle


The Magic Egg Puzzle


Ad Champagne Baking Soda

BP edge matching


Ad BP

Tom Keene Cigar Puzzle


Ad Tom Keene Cigars
Designer William S. Bates
Patent USD22479

Town Tavern


Ad Town Tavern Straight Rye Whiskey

St. Nicholas Trade Card


Date 1892
Ad St. Nicholas Children's Magazine

The New Hunter Puzzle


Ad Hunter's Distilleries Co.

Dellwood Creami-Rich Planets


Fairmont Creamery Puzzle


The Famous T Puzzle


Date 1939-40
Maker California Association of Ice Industries
Ad Ice Man's Ice

Magic K Puzzle


Ad King Blended Whisky, Brown-Forman Distillers Corp

FD Puzzle


Date 1933
Maker Perry & Elliott Co, Lynn, MA

Intials of President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Vanishing Leprechauns


Date 1968
Maker W. A. Elliott Co.
Designer Pat Lyons

Configurations Game


Shoe


Ad Foot, Schulze, and Co. Playfield Shoes

Columbus Buggy


Designer Bernard Dreyfuss
Patent US270764

Missing string

A-Treat Ginger Ale


Farmers Puzzle Bone Ferilizer


WW2 Bombing Mystery Puzzle


Date 1943

Ten Card Puzzle buggy & harness


Ad Wilber H Murray Mfg.

The T.A. Snider Diamond Puzzle


Ad Snider's Soups, Catsups, Sauces

Daily Mail World Record


Date 1920
Maker Chad Valley
Ad Daily Mail
Patent GB173588

Jefferson County Fair 1885


Date 1885
Designer Bernard Dreyfuss
Patent US270764

Tennessee Jed's Lariat


Date 1946
Ad Tip-Top Bread

On February 4th, the Tennessee Jed program made an offer of a free lariat puzzle. At the close of the 10-day offer period, it received close to 9,000 requests.

Newcomb Loom Co. Puzzle


Ad Newcomb Loom

Famous Square Puzzle


Chocolat Lombart


Ad Chocolat Lombart Paris

Lombart claims to be the first chocolate company in France, dating back to 1760.

Butter Nut Bread


Ad Butter Nut Bread

8 point puzzle


Maker Sherms

Star Puzzle


Ad Hood's Sarsaparilla

Le Moulin Rouge


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

L'Astronome


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

The Astronomer

L'Incroyable


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

Amazing

Un Sage Dans Les Nuages


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

A Sage in the Clouds

Les Quatre Vagabonds


Maker Jeux et Jouets Francais

The Four Vagabonds

Donkey Old Joe and Rover


Ad Standard Screw

Complete with Jockey and Envelope

Donkey Shackman Postcard


Donkey Hotel Dixie Postcard


Chambers Motor Horse & Rider


Ride 'Em Cowboys! Horse & Rider


L. Sternberg & Co. Donkey & Riders


Hunter Baltimore Rye Horse & Rider


Smith Potato Crisps Horse and Jockey


Ad Smiths Potato Crisps

Company founded in United Kingdom in 1920. Advert probably from the 1950s

Blind Luck


Ad The New Home Sewing Machine Company
Designer Sam Loyd

Two players take turns covering numbers. First to 51 wins. See Sam Loyd and His Chess Problems

The Lost Jap


Date 1897
Ad Metropolitan Life Insurance
Designer Sam Loyd

Red Goose Shoes Card and String


Ad Red Goose Shoes

White Eagle


Ad White Eagle Mobile Gas

Violin


Ad Van Houten

Van Houten's Septum Puzzle


Ad Van Houten

Thought Reader


Ad Van Houten

Tug-o-war


Ad Van Houten

Van Houten Trade Card No. 8


Ad Van Houten

Van Houten Magic Square Puzzle


Ad Van Houten

Pieces appear to be sealed in original packaging.

Dickinson's Witch Hazel Cross


Ad Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel Cats


Ad Witch Hazel

2 Witch Hazel Mail Advertisement


Ad Witch Hazel

Dickinson's Witch Hazel Square Puzzle


Ad Witch Hazel

Patience (metal)


Rowland & Clark Horseshoes


Ad Rowland & Clark's Arcade Theatre

Crescent & Star


Date 1901
Designer John C. Foester
Patent USD35115

Dog and Collar Puzzle


Valspar


Date 1922
Ad Valentine & Company (Valspar varnish)
Designer Ernest A Stoppel
Patent US1484849

I think made of Aluminum.

USoA


Maker Allen Rolfs
Designer Charles J. Schug
Patent US637352

Modern repro of old patent

Spiral Black Hole


Maker Allen Rolfs
Patent US569600

Modern repro of old patent, with nice theme

Trapeze Acrobat


Maker Germany

Coast to Coast Puzzle


Date 2002
Maker Binary Arts
Designer Serhiy Grabarchuk

Modern take on the Africa puzzle

Metal Dexterity


Spider Puzzle


Maker L.W.G & Co. of Chicago

The Wonder of the Age: Houdene Puzzle


Maker possibly L.L. Young and Co. or Percy K. Ewing

Referred to as Jack and Dick in an LL Young directions sheet.

Bootlegger and Flask


Date 1927
Maker W.R. Maxwell
Designer John S Allen
Patent US1635022

88 Lafayette Ave Brooklyn, N.Y. Patent Apl'd

Bootlegger (Boot and Hand)


Date 1924
Designer Oscar R Preuss
Patent US1519702

Stamped Pat Pending. Patent issued in 1924

Perplexity


Date early 1900s
Maker Ross Ettinger Co.
Designer Richard M. Shaffer
Patent US642374

Spell PERPLEXITY, then spell it backwards. Not as easy as it looks!

Automobile


Same as Perplexity Puzzle

Harbison & Modica's Puzzle (Perplexity)


Ad Harbison & Modica

Same as Perplexity Puzzle

Louisiana Purchase Exposition


Date 1904

Same as Perplexity Puzzle

Panama Puzzle


Date 1915
Maker Moise-Klinkner Co.
Designer Edgar A Nelson Jr
Patent US1109698

Starting with the 3 As in front, spell PANAMA in 3 moves by moving 2 adjacent letters at a time.

Royal Ryede Watch Fob and Key Ring Puzzle


Maker Western Puzzle Works
Designer Adolph Rydquist
Patent US787796

Rydquist was the president of the Ryede Specialty Company and designer of the Ryede vendors.

Ryede Perfection


Maker Western Puzzle Works

Atlanta Exposition Key Ring


Date 1895
Designer James Madison Matthews
Patent US510280

Move key into each area, including removing.

Shoe Button Hook


Ad Marott's Shoe Shop

Needs a second button hook to complete the puzzle.

Little Gem Bank


Coin holder


Little Millionaire Bank


Manoeuver (in the Stratagem range)


Date 1976
Maker Startabord, Ltd.

Bug House Checkerboard


Loony Loop


Maker The Loony Loop Co
Designer Hansel King Riddle
Patent USD172310

Hugh's Double Square Knob Puzzle


SQUARE KNOT PUZZLE PAT.MCH.7.99

Popular Puzzle Compendium


Maker Journet

"Family" Compendium Of Puzzles


Maker Journet

only half of the puzzles pictured are original to the box

Buffalo Nickel


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Oskar van Deventer, George Miller

07-7074. Based on a puzzle design by Oskar van Deventer and originally made by George Miller for IPP 20 in Los Angeles. Missing wooden token.

The Popular Puzzle Compendium


Maker Journet

Coca-Cola Nails


Ad Coca-Cola

International Box of Metal Puzzles


Maker Gibson

Gilbert Puzzle Party 1920


Date 1920
Maker Gilbert

Missing spring

Gilbert Puzzle Party 1921


Date 1921
Maker Gilbert

Complete without the box

Binary Arts Fifteen


Maker Binary Arts

Work or Golf


Maker Binary Arts

Honor & Glory


Maker Binary Arts

Bashful Lock Cigar Cutter


Date circa 1915
Maker Tafo Mfg. Co. L.A. Cal.
Designer Charles G. Taylor
Patent US1136735

Unlocks behind your back

IMP 15 Puzzle


Date 1933-1934
Maker Modern Brands, Inc.

15 Puzzle IMP (blue)


Somehow the 14 and 15 are reversed

Old Shackles


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1981

Iron Heart


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1981

Patience Puzzle


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1984

Dirty Dog


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1985

Devil's Stirrup


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1985

Sneaky Pete


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1990

Tinker's Bell


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1992

Long Island Catch


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1995

Self-Restraint


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1996

Traveler's Woe


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1997

U-Turn


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 1998

Black Jack


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 2000

Freedom's Ring


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 2002

Wise Guy


Maker Tucker-Jones House, Inc.

Released in 2003

Electro No. 1


Maker Tenyo

Computer Puzzler #1


Maker Tenyo

Computer Puzzler #2


Maker Tenyo

Computer Puzzler #3


Maker Tenyo

Computer Puzzler #4


Maker Tenyo

ryede-like square puzzle


Maker Charles Richard

Uncle's Rope


Maker Uncle's Puzzles

Same as Ball and Chain

Double Treble Clef


Maker Pentangle
Designer James Dalgety

Devil's Halo: The Infernal Puzzle


Date 1974
Maker Pentangle
Designer James Dalgety

U.K. Registered Design No. 967536/1974. Deliberate attempt by James Dalgety to invent a puzzle similar to the Chinese Rings but with a non-binary solution

The Hello Puzzle


Designer William J. Akin
Patent US896344

An advertisment from 1909 says 'Can You Ring Off? You simply can't drop it until you have removed the steel ring from the celluloid disk.'

Butterfly


Designer Ruan Genquan

Bunny


Designer Ruan Genquan

Fish


Designer Ruan Genquan

Teapot


Designer Ruan Genquan

Wheel


Designer Ruan Genquan

Horsehoes


Designer Ruan Genquan

Longevity


Designer Ruan Genquan

Richter Anchor


Keys


Designer H.L. Davis
Patent US488974

Keys (2)


Designer H.L. Davis
Patent US488974

Queen's Jubilee


Date 1887

Uncle Sam's Divorce Puzzle


Missing the ring but same as Queen's Jubilee

A-B-C Puzzle


RD 577846 (1911)

A-B-C Sico Toys Puzzle


Ad Sico Toys

RD 849365 (1947)

WJ Wolf 2 Ring Puzzle


Missing the connecting piece

Trilby


Link the Link


Date early 1900s
Designer Edward S Mowry
Patent US732954

Faint engraving, but I believe it says Link The Link, Pat July 7 '03

VIM


Ad VIM cleanser and polisher

Vermont Castings Maze (The Amazing Gizmo)


Date 1981
Maker Vermont Castings, of Randolph Vermont
Ad Vermont Castings

Each section represents the 4 seasons.

Tennis Racket and Ball


Baroq


Maker Hanayama
Designer Akio Yamamoto

Marble


Maker Hanayama
Designer Bram Cohen and Oskar van Deventer

O'Gear


Maker Hanayama
Designer Oskar van Deventer

Enigma


Date 2015
Maker Hanayama
Designer Eldon Vaughn
Patent US3885793

Zelda Master Sword


Date 2023
Maker Hanayama

Zelda Triforce


Date 2023
Maker Hanayama

Mosaik Puzzle Germany


Cadaco Cluster Puzzle


Slidem Solitaire: A Yank Thru the Lines


Date 1942
Maker Electric Corporation of America, Chicago

C6 in Hordern

Houdini's Torture Cell


Maker Puzzle Master
Designer Brian Young

Three Ring Horseshoe


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Jean Claude Constantin

Cannon


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Doug Haigh

Based on puzzle in Hoffmann's book

Lighthouse


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Doug Haigh

Based on puzzle in Hoffmann's book

Jailbreak


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Doug Haigh

Based on puzzle in Hoffmann's book

Key and Ring


Maker Nicol and Co.
Patent US528018

Missing wingnut

Solid Brass Key & Ring Puzzle


Date 1973
Maker Shackman

Zip code on box is 10001 but zip code on instructions is 10003. Shackman moved from 2 West 35 St 10001 to 85 Fifth Ave 10003 around 1973, which is why I guess 1973.

Brass Bolt


Maker Bits & Pieces
Designer Rocky Chiaro

07-7863. Same as Ring-N-Nut

Treasure Chest


Maker either Puzzle Master or Bits & Pieces
Designer Rocky Chiaro

Trick Bolts


Maker Lee Valley Tools Ltd.

Nut & Bolt Puzzle


Maker Shackman

Binary Key II


Date 2022
Maker CubicDissection
Designer Goh Pit Khiam