Houdini's Torture Cell
$29.00| DESIGNER: | Brian Young |
| MATERIAL: | Solid Brass |
| SIZE: | 1" x 1" x 3" |
|
Houdini's Torture Cell is Brian Young's award-winning Sequential Discovery take-apart design. The puzzle's theme celebrates Harry Houdini's first public performance of The Torture Cell at the Circus Busch in Berlin on 12th September 1912. The original wooden version of Houdini's Torture Cell was made for the 2011 International Puzzle Party, held in Berlin. That wooden version has been sold out for many years and thus become quite collectible, usually only available at specialist auctions for quite high prices. This version is an accurate factory-produced copy of that same puzzle. The object is to release the steel ball from the cell. Accomplishing this goal requires the discovery and use of tools. While not overly complicated, the solution is very clever and fun. No force, tapping, or banging is needed. Brian has supervised the manufacture from standard brass and acrylic stock. This puzzle is not intended to be a high-end limited-availability puzzle. There may be machining marks in the brass, and occasionally there might be a small hairline crack in the acrylic. Each puzzle has been inspected and is guaranteed to function well. The focus of this puzzle is more on the puzzling aspect rather than a finely crafted expensive puzzle. Enjoy the 'Ah Ha' moment! Houdini's Torture Cell is shipped unsolved, with a photographic solution enclosed. This puzzle is well complimented by the Brass Cannon puzzle. Handling Metal Puzzles All metals tarnish over time. Residual oil and salt from handling speed up the process and leave undesirable fingerprints. Occasional use of our Metal Puzzle Polishing Kit with a coat of Renaissance Wax will keep your metal puzzles in tip-top shape! |
Customer Reviews
One of the very best puzzles!
I got the puzzle in amazing condition, CubicDissection was amazing, I got the puzzle on time and the quality was great especially for the price. The solve was really fun, id highly recommend this puzzle to anyone considering buying it.
Regardless of whether you are purchasing this for somebody new to puzzles or a collector this is an absolutely amazing value.
This is a multi-step, sequential discovery puzzle that isn’t so hard as to frustrate somebody to failure but nor is it so easy that you will breeze through it in 5 minutes. Each stage is a satisfying new discovery leaving you with a sense of accomplishment.
The brass and acrylic presentation is quite substantial and it’s a nice showpiece for a table or shelf. The CD description that there might be machine marks or hairline cracks in the acrylic may be there as an ultra honest view of what you may get but the unit I received was really perfect in every way.
If you have been eyeing some of the ultra premium metal sequential puzzles such as hip flask from Felix Ure but don’t know what the fuss is about or whether this is the type of puzzle that interests you, then start here. The price is an incredible value and unlike many other puzzles in this price range there is a full discovery process involving multiple insights to solve. This is more of a journey to go on to get Houdini out of the puzzle than a single surprise solution.
While the puzzle is based on an award winning design originally made from wood and acrylic this new release actually has some small design improvements that add to the challenge due to the tight machining tolerances.
