Puzzle Boxes & Secret Compartments
Himitsu-bako, sequential discovery, trick locks, and boxes that keep secrets.
What to Do When a Puzzle Box Jams or Sticks
Most stuck puzzle boxes are not broken. They are either being solved incorrectly or they have swollen with the seasons. Both have safe respo…
Japanese Puzzle Boxes You Can Buy Right Now
Real Hakone himitsu-bako and Karakuri work, from a 12-step starter box to a 21-step heirloom, all available from stock.…
Puzzle Boxes as Gifts: Presentation, Difficulty, and Etiquette
A puzzle box makes a memorable gift or a quietly resented one, and the difference is usually difficulty. Here is how to choose for the recip…
Choosing Your First Puzzle Box: A Practical Guide
A first puzzle box should be solvable in one sitting without help. That points to a fairly narrow set of choices on move count, material and…
Modern Puzzle Box Designers and How the Craft Evolved
The puzzle box changed because its manufacturing did. Workshop apprenticeship, machine tolerance and museum collecting each pushed the craft…