This is a fun assembly puzzle. This is like the halfway point between a burr and a regular assembly puzzle. The thing that I like are that this puzzle does employ a lot of similar tactics to a burr puzzle like having similar pieces to each other, with slight variation to keep things interesting. You can pretty easily pick up on context clues for how to complete this puzzle.

I think that balancing the puzzle is probably the most difficult aspect of the puzzle, maybe its because the bevels are too intense, but I found that this thing falls apart very very easily. Especially if the base is not very balanced.

Sometimes I have to connect it with tape just to keep it together.. That’s actually how I took this photo.

I’m not really sure how to feel about this puzzle. It’s just one of those puzzles where you have to hide the center piece within it. These ones aren’t even on the category of assembly, it just is about blocking. A single pieces.

There really isn’t much to say about it here. I just don’t like this puzzle. It feels a little half-baked. It also needs to be contained inside a bag because the pieces really aren’t all that special.

Yay! A slide puzzle! I got the acrylic version of this, and I can say it certainly is a puzzle. I don’t quite find these kinds of slide puzzles to be terribly interesting as its just a modified version of rush hour. But here are some things I liked and didn’t like about this puzzle.

The acrylic does give it a nice feel, but it has some screws that come undone very easily. The colour palette is also something that just works in its simplicity.

The puzzle’s functionality leaves a lot to be desired. The removal of the big bridge doesn’t feel as satisfying as I would hope it would be. Especially once you pull it out, everything else just falls apart with it. Overall it’s a neat addition but not really a worthwhile one.

I think this has the makings of a great puzzle but just falls short of it. Hanayamas are sometimes hit and miss, with something that you have to disentangle, I generally prefer ones that can give clues. With this one it feels like a tangle of metal pieces.

The cast pieces feel really great, I do appreciate that, the shiny and heavy metal also gives the puzzle some weight. Aesthetics-wise it's also very pretty. I think that is what makes hanayama puzzles so fantastic to play with.

The problem I have with this puzzle is in the solving process itself. This feels too convoluted, maybe I’m just not expert-enough, but I prefer puzzles which the clues are easy to discern and solve. Each of these pieces look too identical to really feel confident with each move, nor does there feel like a strong method to solve. I feel this is a puzzle that you solve with luck rather than anticipation of moves.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of burr puzzles, some of the first puzzles I owned were burr puzzles. As a 8 year old I was too dumb to solve them. So my collection sat unsolved and unable to be put back into the container. So this completely changed my mind.

Cubax really does make the best of those symmetrical assembly puzzles by using a 3 axis setup, and then decorating the rest of it. The puzzle is surprisingly challenging with the extra aspects that are added. The rest does follow a pretty standard burr setup, but I will still remark that there is something really good about its setup, and the small extra bits of compilation that it adds.

The colour scheme is something I am also compelled to praise. There’s something really pleasing about the soft tans and deep browns. There’s a premium vibe with this puzzle that makes it feel worth valuing. The pieces just put one into a meditative stance which doesn’t really let up until you finish it. Rarely can a puzzle really activate that in me, and that alone deserves praise.

This is a really fun assembly puzzle. I remember for about a month, I didn’t know what this was supposed to be. It came to me disassembled, and deciphering the pieces was pretty difficult. I assumed it made some kind of cube but boy was I wrong.

The best part is the fact it is so double layered, pieces intersect each other, and you will never know which way is up. That’s what makes it so much fun. I particularly like the purple pieces because of how everything else fits inside of it.

As for the design, the theme of the puzzle is really funny, the concept of a bunch of mints that have been stuck together from years of being in the same container is relatable and incredibly creative. That is probably the best part of the whole thing, coming with its own custom label too, everything about it just works in a really neat way.

This is a really fun assembly puzzle. I remember for about a month, I didn’t know what this was supposed to be. It came to me disassembled, and deciphering the pieces was pretty difficult. I assumed it made some kind of cube but boy was I wrong.

Certain elements are lost by it being a 3D printed variant, but I still do find myself quite entertained by the entire problem. You essentially have to rely on context clues to figure out which pieces might slide together, the fact its a Rhombic icosahedron makes it very difficult to know what is an exterior and interior piece. It does get more obvious when you decipher sharp vs shallow angles, but it’s not immediately apparent to a solver upon a first view.

There’s really not much else I can say except that this is a pretty standard solve for a standard puzzle.

This is an exceptional use of packing puzzles. It’s a surprisingly fun one, with only four pieces, it makes a lot with what it already has to make something truly satisfying. It’s a window frame with some nice cut acrylic blue to form the glass.

I think the best thing is that it has an amazingly fun move in the middle of the solve which involves rotating two of the symmetrical pieces into each other. I think this is exactly what helps elevate it above other packing puzzles.

One thing I really like about this puzzle is the overall design, the flexibility is hindered a lot because of the window frame itself. Not only does it hold everything in place relatively easily, but adds a nice level of dexterity to what otherwise is a simple puzzle. The dexterity makes things challenging but in an interesting way. Would definitely recommend.

Blind mazes can be really fun or really unrewarding. There is something missing from this and I can’t quite figure out what it is.

The puzzle itself is a decent, if not bland box with a handle. There is a tantalizing “open me” on the cover which does add a bit of fun mystery (Even if you know its just a small puzzle). The thing I found was

The main function of the puzzle is to use a combination of pulling and gravity to gradually loosen the drawer which contains a maze. Once you open it, I think there is supposed to be a space to fit in a gift card, though I am still unsure of how to practically use it effectively.

As stated, this is just a strange weird puzzle, but I want to see something more. I think the ballbearing does add a fun element of multi directions, but I think the fact its not affixed doesn’t quite work, especially when it comes to the gravity component, it reveals itself very quickly due to sound, and it just doesn’t seem to fit.

This is another disassembly puzzle disguised as a puzzle box. I do think this one is significantly worse as there doesn’t seem to be one cohesive theme. Unlike the heart box or dice, there only seems to be chaos governing the disassembly, instead of a repetitive mechanic built into its form factor.

The one thing I DO like is how there are multiple compartments within the puzzle. This creates the feeling of stopping points that strangely remind me of climbing Mt. Everest. This does make it feel a bit unique in that regard.

This is actually his first iteration of the dice box, as a new one is coming. Stay tuned!

I got my first taste after a local puzzle party, and just had to get one myself. I was able to talk to a neighbour on my floor who was more than willing to print it for me. After a while, I got something in light blue. Later I would print my own.

Here’s a cleverly designed puzzle that is really impressive despite its small form factor. Not much else to say but it was 3D printed, usually these aren’t revered for its quality, but you can see there’s a lot of attention given to making sure it's in tip top condition.

The fun part about this puzzle is that it’s a disassembly puzzle cleverly disguised as a puzzle box. Each piece comes off one by one in a really interesting way. I really appreciate that each side has a different solve technique while retaining the theme of disassembly.

I’d also like to point out that if you print one for yourself, there is a file on printables that fixes one side being loose.

Another puzzle that’s just flat out fun. Although I will admit, I didn’t quite know what the object of the puzzle was even supposed to be. What you are supposed to do is remove the little metal ball from inside.

This puzzle is really cool in its design, a simple cylinder tube with metal on either ends makes it feel like you’re handling something precious. The fact there is a hidden magnet hidden inside that unlocks the solution only makes it better. Many of the materials which simply feel like decoration or part of the build are actually supposed to be intentionally removed to solve it, I like that a lot.

The aim of the game here is precision. You have to make a lot of moves very precisely in order to succeed. The small size of the puzzle seems to aid in the struggle too, as lifting a magnet for a moment, or letting the ball be off-center simply resets it for you. The solution itself is a really clever form of key-extending where you use the ball as the middle piece. I really recommend getting this puzzle as it compliments every collection I see.

You can find them pretty cheap, do keep looking.

In my opinion, this should be called the almond finger. (Look it up, it’s a great Dutch snack)

Personal opinions aside, this is a really cool trick box. It consists of a simple move of twisting a secret element in order to get it open. I very much like this trick, it’s simple, to the point, unique, and most of all, it’s essentially invisible! This makes the move difficult to replicate even if you see it with your own eyes.

This puzzle has always been one that's very fun to show off as a party trick. Once you figure out the solution, it becomes addictive to do.

Typically I don’t think much about slide puzzles, my focus is usually towards the big players. Puzzle boxes, burr’s a couple packing puzzles, those all come and stay in the spotlight. But every once in a while a truly special puzzle is able to take center stage.

The solution to the puzzle is so straightforward I really admire it. And yet at the same time it leaves a complicated algorithm of turns and switches to get it to do what you want. It took me a fun but frustrating amount of time to complete it.

The design itself is also something I appreciate a lot. The simple moon and sun do make for a pretty puzzle that takes advantage of the circle theme. One thing I find is that like with most 3D printed slide puzzles, there’s a bit too much looseness in spots, it makes me anxious that I’m going to pop a piece out. Otherwise, wonderful puzzle.

I find this puzzle to be so adorable. There’s something I just really appreciate about the design. Maybe it’s the simple colours, maybe it’s the patterns, maybe it’s the strange material I can’t figure out. Buy and Large, there’s something really nice about this puzzle. I can sense it just from holding it.

This is quite a simple puzzle, but something I really appreciate is how it deceives the user. Thanks to an intricate array of rails, and a deceptive outer design, it’s actually quite difficult to understand which pieces move. You likely will have to use guesswork, including some intentional back-tracking to earn the solution you’re looking for.

This is one of those puzzle boxes that if you keep solving it, you eventually take the whole thing apart. The reset process of this becomes quite difficult, and especially when every piece looks the same, it can be hard to set things apart. What I find the best thing this puzzle does is be a little bonus, it’s not a head turner but a little shop along the way.

I feel like I should rank this puzzle higher or lower.

I feel like it should get points for incorporating magnets, but I feel like it also commits a lot of puzzle sins. There is barely any functional space inside, and it always feels too inconvenient to remove.

This definitely has elements that could push it into the top puzzle category, there’s plenty of cool clues and elements involving magnets, and the design looks quite cool. I am a big sucker for theming, even if it just generally looks cool.

There is a persistent issue with the magnets on the final push, usually the puzzle just does nothing and remains closed forever. I’ve had to on multiple occasions remove the structural screws to reset the puzzle. The fact it breaks so often is honestly quite frustrating.

This is probably the most cheaply made puzzle I’ve gotten to experience. I’ve generally had some good luck when it came to cheaper designed puzzles, but this one absolutely takes the cake.

The main goal of this puzzle is to use a special piece of wood that’s given to you, you use it to slide an internal panel around which will unlock the rest. However, the last step ended up taking a much longer time as I had no clue how to deal with it.

I really can’t give much praise for this puzzle simply because it breaks a personal rule with puzzle boxes, which is that it shouldn’t be made of loose pieces. The extra stick is kind of really ugly, and gets lost easily. Now I have found my own way of solving it without needing that extra stick, but it still goes against the principle.

This puzzle flat out gave me a completely unrealistic expectation of Hanayamas. At first I thought “oh this is so cool! Puzzles made of steel and metal that have been designed with such precision! Whatever could go wrong?” Yeah with the next hanayama I found, it turns out I hate them with a burning passion haha.

In all honesty, this is a really cool puzzle, though it can be a bit difficult to figure out what the goal actually is. I do find the solve to be quite satisfying, as it only takes a bit of intuition to realize what combination of movements and rotations slide everything into place.

The steelwork is something which I do appreciate very much. This puzzle is hefty and solid, it feels like it deserves appreciation. I find that it’s quite a standard cast. There are some BEAUTIFUL hanayamas out there, You’ll see me write about them soon.

I feel like this is what you get when you combine the maze from the cash machine, with a puzzle box, and a perplexus.

I really enjoy that each side feels like it's its own unique challenge. Some sides are pure maze, and are a labyrinth to solve, while other sides vary between obstacles and wheel ergonomics. It’s actually quite impressive what’s all able to fit in.

Unfortunately the drawbacks of such a cool box is that a surprising amount of it isn’t actually utilized too well. Only three of the six sides are actually used for the solution, while the rest are simply decoys or unused. It’s honestly quite disappointing to see a puzzle with so much potential completely fumble itself. I suppose I should expect

Even after writing this review, I’m still not sure if these elements truly synthesize.

I’ve never really been a fan of soma puzzles. It’s all the annoyance of a jigsaw puzzle with all the structural stability of building blocks. Soma’s also are an incredibly narrow term from my understanding. They’re just cubes to be filled in sometimes random orders.

Two things I do like about this puzzle is the fact it is so tiny, this can create some frustrations during the solve, but it does create something genuinely adorable once you put it all together. The puzzle itself fits in this extremely tiny 3D printed crate. It even comes with a slide-on lid, so that every piece will remain together. However, despite these design choices, I still advise you to put it in a plastic bag.