A spirited journey through the world of collectible artisan puzzles
Pairing craft cocktails with crafty puzzles
Queen of Hearts
Greek puzzle artist Mike Toulouzas creates some of the most interesting, beautiful and devious puzzles in the world. He has produced many types of puzzles, including interlocking take apart / put together designs, fiendish packing puzzles, and occasionally, a stunning puzzle box too. While he is technically a hobbyist wood worker, his skills are far superior to most mere mortals and he has won many international awards for his creations.
The Hatter’s Box
Kagen Sound is a full time artist from Colorado who is world renown for his award winning complex secret opening boxes and gorgeous woodwork. He holds a mathematics degree and typically applies those principles to his work, which is famous for its use of geometric patterns that shift and change in surprising, elegant and beautiful ways.
The Mouse’s Tale
Dr. Nightingale is so successful at creating puzzles that boggle and delight because he is drawn to elegant designs with a set of basic requirements that often may seem impossible to achieve. He prefers his designs to look very simple. He won the coveted “Puzzler’s Prize” at the International Puzzle Design Competition for both his “One Piece Packing Puzzle” and his “NOBOX” – two puzzles that don’t appear to be anything of the sort.
Rose Tree
A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and just as she came up to them she heard one of them say, `Look out now, Five! Don't go splashing paint over me like that!’
Cheshire Cat
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don't much care where –" said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat.
Eat Me
Once of the more memorable scenes from Alice in Wonderland (and there are many) is her intrepid sampling of strange food and drink, each labeled with entreaties to try them. They lead to all sorts of occurrences and you would think that Alice would learn her lesson but there she goes again.
Father William
‘I have answered three questions, and that is enough’
Said his father: ‘Don’t give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I’ll kick you down-stairs!’
Humpty Dumpty
Over the next few weeks I’ll be taking you on an adventure down the rabbit hole. Many have heard tales of this fabled project, and it is time to celebrate the makers. It all begins at Christ Church, Oxford, in the afternoon on Jul 4, 1862.