Boxes and Booze 4/27/24 Boxes and Booze 4/27/24

Open and Shut

From the workshop of French mechanical engineer Benjamin Baley, proprietor at Simple Puzzle and creator of the original Simple Lock 1, comes, to put it simply, the sequel.

Boxes and Booze 6/17/23 Boxes and Booze 6/17/23

Simpleton

Simplicity of design and elegance in motion can make for historically great inventions or products throughout history. The same can be said for puzzles.

Boxes and Booze 2/25/23 Boxes and Booze 2/25/23

Looping In

I’m unlocking another episode of “Locks and Libations” this week on the blog to visit with our old friend Boaz Feldman, heir to the DanLock legacy and a brilliant puzzle maker in his own right.

Boxes and Booze 1/14/23 Boxes and Booze 1/14/23

Reindeer Games

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery.

Boxes and Booze 9/24/22 Boxes and Booze 9/24/22

Keepsake

The Norman invasion of England brought with it an architectural fortification system known as motte-and-bailey, which was fairly simple to construct even for unskilled laborers, while at the same time being militarily effective.

Boxes and Booze 8/13/22 Boxes and Booze 8/13/22

Cheap Goods

“The North American word schlock”, according to Vocabulary.com, “comes from the Yiddish word shlak, … "junk," or from the German Schlacke, "dregs," "slag," or "refuse."” It’s crap.

Boxes and Booze 1/29/22 Boxes and Booze 1/29/22

Loki

“Because,” said Thor, “when something goes wrong, the first thing I always think is, it is Loki’s fault. It saves a lot of time.” ― Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology

Boxes and Booze 5/15/21 Boxes and Booze 5/15/21

Goldilock

It’s been a minute since we visited our old friend the locksmith so it’s high time we hail him again. Masquerading by day as Kent’s own master locksmith (when he isn’t a master carpenter), this English entrepreneur has the key to your every locked away desire.

Boxes and Booze 10/17/20 Boxes and Booze 10/17/20

Champion

I’m unlocking a new edition of “Locks and Libations” this week to feature another fantastic creation from magician and inventor Eric Stevens. Let’s look at another one of his unusual, innovative and original ideas – a puzzle lock made entirely from playing cards.

Boxes and Booze 8/22/20 Boxes and Booze 8/22/20

Lock Box

Do you like a box that locks?

Do you like a lock like box?

Yes, I like a box that locks

Yes, I like a lock like box

Yes, I like a lock like box that looks like lock of box that locks

A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles