I found these matchbox size wood puzzles at a general store in Colorado and bought three of them. There are a bunch of different ones in the series and I plan to get them all because they are almost like magic tricks and it’s fun to challenge your friends by showing them the end result (without letting them see the process of solving them).
The Baffle Board is a miniature version of an old classic known as the Red Goose puzzle. The challenge is to move the three beads from the loop of string on one side of the block to the loop on the other side. The printed solution included with the puzzle isn’t very clear, so here is a YouTube video, if you can’t figure it out.
Push N Pull is similar to the Red Goose, but a little easier to solve. The solution included in the puzzle is clear.
Brass Monkey is the hardest puzzle of all, but also the most fun. The challenge is to make a pyramid out of the six wooden pieces. The pieces tend to roll away as you work with them, so it helps to do this puzzle on a non-slippery surface, like a rubber computer mouse pad, or to support it with something like a stack of Post-It Notes. The included solution is not very clear, so here’s a YouTube video with the solution.
– Mark Frauenfelder
Pocket-size wood puzzles
Matchbox Puzzlers
By House of Marbles
Baffle Board $(removed) Buy one on Amazon
Push 'N' Pull $(removed) Buy one on Amazon
Brass Monkey $(removed) Buy one on Amazon
