There’s always something abuzz at an International Puzzle Party (IPP), which often has to do with, no surprise, an interesting puzzle, perhaps spied passing hands here and there, and utterly unfamiliar.

Whilemina the Wombat is an adorable marsupial made from rare Queensland Walnut, an indigenous Australian wood which is no longer commercially available. Produced in 2008, the puzzle combines elements of a high-level interlocking burr type puzzle with hidden mechanism sequential discovery tools.

Fans of Brian Young know of his occasional “limited edition” puzzles, which he has released in small numbers since practically the start if his business.

According to Mr. Puzzle (the original), the mountainous, momentous objective of this puzzling object “is to get Mt Fuji to blow it's top and find the Buddha of All-Illuminating Wisdom, the Dainichi Nyorai.

Beersheba, in the Ottoman Empire at the time, was the site of a pivotal battle in World War I.

They were standing under a tree, each with an arm round the other’s neck, and Alice knew which was which in a moment, because one of them had “DUM” embroidered on his collar, and the other “DEE.” “I suppose they’ve each got ‘TWEEDLE’ round at the back of the collar,” she said to herself.

“There is a certain part of all of us that lives outside of time. Perhaps we become aware of our age only at exceptional moments and most of the time we are ageless.” ― Milan Kundera

Behold the infamous tale of Ned Kelley, the notorious Australian bushranger and outlaw wanted for a series of police murders in the late 1800s. Kelley and his gang’s evasion of police capture for over two years ended in a famous gun battle in which the outlaws wore makeshift iron suits and helmets which have become iconic.

“My formula for success? Rise early, work late, strike oil.” - John Paul Getty

It may not be so obvious at first glance, but Brian’s “Houdinis Torture Cell” is a perfect Halloween puzzle. One of his coveted limited edition puzzles, Houdini won a Jury First Prize in the 2012 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition.

The “Birthday Surprise” is a very limited edition, sequential discovery puzzle box which holds a surprising reward, should you be clever enough to find it, perfectly protected inside.

Brain Young, that is, aka Mr. Puzzle, the brilliant, baffling and inimitable puzzle producer from Queensland.

Brian is at it again with the “SMS Telephone” puzzle.  I thought I would feature it this week in honor of that gathering I mentioned.  You know, those “interesting, polite pals” of mine.  It seems like as good a time as any to mention it, since it’s an “impossible, painful piece”. 

Isn't it ironic when a coin operated machine has a quarter stuck in the slot? It taunts you with false gifts. You can’t get the money out, and you can’t seem to use it either.

Today I am thinking fondly of our friends across the pond for a double dose of British themed entertainment. One of the greatest sequential discovery puzzles of all time, and certainly one of my personal favorites, is the Big Ben puzzle.

The Washington Monument is a sequential discovery type puzzle designed, crafted and presented at the 2012 International Puzzle Party in Washington, D.C. by Brian Young, aka “Mr. Puzzle”.