PuzzleMaster

Tricky Gift Box

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Gabriel | 2 comments
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(Click to Enlarge)
I have reviewed a few Trick Boxes before, and what I love about them is that when you finally open them, you always have that "Aha moment". They're a little different from the more popular ones, the Japanese Puzzle Boxes, where you need several sequential movements to open them. This type of boxes have primarily one or two basic moves, but it doesn't mean they're necessarily easier, as some of them are pretty tricky.

The Tricky Gift Box was actually based on a design by Allan Boardman, first presented at the 24th IPP, held in Tokyo. The name of the box is perfectly fitting, the "Aha Box", as that's what you'll probably say when you open it. One curious thing about Allan's puzzles is that his designs are quite small. This new and larger version is produced by the Finnish Tomas Lindén, owner of the Sloyd puzzle store. It's made from Birch, plywood and another "secret" material, and measures 13.8 x 8.5 x 2.8cm (5.4" x 3.3" x 1.1"). There's a thicker version available, with 4.5cm (1.8") instead of the 2.8cm.

The box is ideal to store a gift for a friend or a loved one, like money, jewelry, tickets, etc. If you offer this to someone easily frustrated, be careful though, as the box might be unrecognizable beyond repair afterwards...

There are so many types of trick boxes that each one has its own "personality". At first sight, the Tricky Gift Box seems impossible to open. There are no obvious parts to pull, slide or lift that give away the solution. Note that no extra tools are necessary in order to open it. There's only a subtle difference between the two opposite bases, as one of them shows small gaps.

(Click to Enlarge) - The "Other Side"

When I first tried to open the box I could hear a rattle sound, indicating that it might had some movable locking mechanism. I won't give too much about its actual solution, however I can tell you what you don't need to do. After I opened the box, I finally knew where that sound came from... It had nothing to do with the solving process, just a small prank by Tomas. Inside was a small card congratulating me for opening the box. Nice one, Tomas ;-)

(Click to Enlarge) - Opened

I got two Trick Boxes from Tomas and solved both of them on the same day: This one and another called "Treasure Chest". I solved first the Treasure Chest in about 15 minutes, and then the Tricky Gift Box within 10 minutes. Judging by the solving time, one might say that the Tricky Gift Box is easier than the other one, but after analyzing the two, I actually think that the Gift Box is a little more complex with its mechanism. I reckon I might have had a little help from solving them one right after the other, which allowed me to reduce the solving time... And there's another reason, but I better not tell you, otherwise I would be giving too much away about its secret.

Closing Comments:

The Tricky Gift Box is a cleverly thought concept that will sure surprise you once you figure out its secret. It makes for a perfect gift, although you already knew that by its suggestive name, and for a Trick Box with only one move, you're bound to get puzzled for a while.

Availability: The Tricky Gift Box is available at Sloyd.fi for just €10. As mentioned above, there's also a thicker version for €12.


2 comments:

tisanjosh said...

Box designing is an great talent. I am also a box designers. You have mentioned many types of box. I really appreciate it.

Will said...

It's also available at MrPuzzle now...

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