My friend Mark Krawczuk recently discovered an under-appreciated attraction at San Francisco's Pier 39, Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze.

In his latest newsletter (which is a delightful find itself), he describes it:

There’s something about the atmosphere at Pier 39 that set me and my friend Julie on edge. Something about the ingenuous tourist trap consumer culture that they’ve been able to refine to its purest form. We nearly turned back before we got to this marvel. I’m so glad we pushed through.

It’s unlike anything I’ve ever been to before: it evokes joy, awe, glee, fascination and terror at the same time. It’s premise seems so simple, but it truly blew my mind. I truly enjoyed my time there, but I have to admit I was glad when we solved the way out. I highly recommend it! And a bargain at $5.

Reddit user anneewannee shoveled a backyard snow labyrinth for dogs to play in! I hope they don't run into Jack Torrance.

(r/pics)

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Belgian architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh built this phenomenal steel labyrinth in Genk, Belgium at the C-mine arts center located on the site of a former coal mine. The 37.5 square meter maze has a kilometer of corridors.

A series of Boolean transformations create spaces and perspectives that reinterpret the traditional Labyrinth is a sculptural installation that focuses on the experience of space. These Boolean transformations convert the walk through the labyrinth into a sequence of spatial and sculptural experiences.

More at Deezen and Gijs Van Vaerenbergh. (via Juxtapoz)

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In 1985, Christopher Manson wrote and illustrated a book called Maze.  It really is a beautiful and unique piece of work.

Manson actually said that this book isn't really a book at all, but rather a building in the shape of a book. Intriguing, right?

Upon first glance, the gauntlet is thrown at the reader—“Solve The World’s Most Challenging Puzzle”—and believe me, the challenge is a lulu.

Each lovely page represents one room of a house that the player must navigate through to the center and back…in just 16 steps. Each numbered door on a page is a portal and some rooms lead to infinite loops while others will lead to dead-ends. Along the way, the reader is also challenged to discover an answer to a meta-puzzle.

The idea of a book acting as a labyrinth is a very cool one, and when it was originally published in 1985, a $10,000 prize was offered to the reader who could solve it the quickest. In 1988, 12 winners were chosen and they split the prize.

Since its publication, this book has spawned podcasts, clue websites and countless gallons of tears. I was fascinated with this book, but when I first got my copy, I succumbed to online message boards to help get me through it. It is absolutely ridiculous, the amount of work that people have gone through to solve this puzzle in different ways. My hat is off to them, but I just wish that I could look at Maze again with fresh eyes. Read the rest

If'n y'all got raised in the heartland, y'all know this here's corn maze cuttin' season! The good folks down to Dull's got one-a them newfangled drones to get all the goings on. Read the rest