August 2023 Update Preview

The idea for the Escalating Box came from a couple of different mechanisms I'd been fooling around with. I was going to release them as two fairly simple separate boxes but realized that I could put them both into one trickier box. I made a poll on our Facebook Group and everyone overwhelmingly voted for a single, more difficult box. Done and done!

I got to the drawing board and realized not only could I put both mechanisms together, but that they would interact making the sum more difficult than the parts. Finally, just for fun, I added a third tricky lock before the final release move. Be careful what you ask for, facebook friends!

This is a fun solve, about medium in difficulty, and one that rewards progressive solving and manipulative experimentation. Construction is beautifully realized with a Walnut box and Quartersawn Makore lid.

Approximately 50 total copies made for sale, each signed and dated. Escalating Box is shipped unsolved (assembled). 

Another great one from Belgian burr builder Alfons Eyckmans, Barzoi is a very unique design. A twelve piece burr with interaction between the inner and outer components almost as if it behaves like a nested burr. Six outer pieces overlap six inner pieces with an offset on each axis to make this puzzle stand out when assembled.

The solution is only a moderate level 13.2.1.1.1.2. Don't let that fool you, this puzzle is difficult! With a few different multi-piece movements, disassembly alone is a great challenge. Fit was modified from the prototype copy to achieve smooth movements when multiple pieces interact. Solution file is available on request.

43 copies are available for this release, each signed and dated. Barzoi ships in the assembled configuration.

6+6=CUBE Improved is a design dating back to 2007, Ishino's improvement of an original design 6+6=CUBE by Koji Kitajima. Twelve total pieces interlock to form either two solid notchable six-piece burrs or one twelve-piece cube. 

We had seen a copy of the original design by Koji Kitajima and produced by the Hikimi company from Japan on the Marketplace, and we thought it would be a great design to make available. The improved version features a cube with 2 assemblies containing no visible notches on the exterior faces. 

41 copies are available for this release, each signed and dated. 6+6=CUBE Improved ships in the disassembled configuration.

We had purchased a few of these puzzles from Pelikan at the time of their release, and had been holding them for quite a while to figure out a good way to distribute them, because we only had a very small numbers. We've decided to post them for sale as part of this release.

Dr. Latussek had this to say about the design.
“With FERMAT I wanted to learn how triangular parts interact with one of my typical boxes. When I talked to Eric Fuller about this, I came up with the idea of dividing a cube into six triangular parts and placing this cubic dissection in one of my typical boxes as well: FERMAT MEETS FULLER was born. Pelikan Puzzles had a lot of patience with me, because it took several prototypes to implement a very exciting solution for me. Now I wish you the same feeling.”

11 copies available for sale. This puzzle is shipped disassembled.