History of Puzzles
Whilst the terms Labyrinths and Mazes are often used interchangeably, they are in fact 2 different forms. A labyrinth is said to have a single through route with twists and turns but without branches, a maze is a confusing pathway that has many branches, choices of path and dead ends.
Read the full storyHave you ever wondered why so many jigsaw puzzles feature works by artists? In today’s puzzle world you can get puzzles by historic legends, through to the modern, pop culture and fine artists of our time. Let’s take a look at the synergies between art and jigsaws throughout history.
Read the full storyHow did a turtle become one of the most influential animals in puzzles, maths and Feng Shei? We delve into the legend of the Lo Shu square or more commonly known as the Emperor and the turtle.
Read the full storyThis story takes us back to circa 2250BC to the Indus Valley, one of the first know human civilisations, located in what we now know as north-western regions of south Asia, the Harappan Civilisation. The cities in this region were known for its great urban planning, backed brick houses, extensive water supply and drainage systems. The people worked and crafted with bronze, lead, clay and carnelian materials and developed unique and new techniques.
Read the full storyThere are two types of puzzle rings, the first dating back to the Romans, where the social elite had rings with secret compartments to conceal their money. Similar in design to a puzzle box but on a smaller scale, you need to find the trick catch to open the secret compartment. The second is a series of rings that are entwined and require a series of steps to separate. We see these throughout Turkish and Celtic histories used for the promise of love, or to symbolise a union of souls and for other more sinister reasons. Let’s take a quick look at their evolution and history.
Read the full storyToday, we will travel back in time to circa 49BC to the days of Julius […]
Read the full storyWhen I think of puzzle boxes, my first thoughts drift to Greek Myth of Pandora’s Box, the story of Pandora who was given a box by Zeus and told never to open it. Human nature being what it is, of course she opened it and let out all the horrors onto the world such as plaques, pestilence and wars. I assumed this was the first story about puzzle boxes, but there is no mention of it being any harder to open than with a key. So, it seems that puzzle box origins, like many other puzzle origins, is a mystery in itself.
Read the full storyCast your mind back in time to the 1760’s, your name is John Spilsbury and you are an engraver and a map maker. You call England your home and you are an apprentice to the royal cartographer under King George the Third. Life is simple many toys and games are made from wood and there are not too many to choose from. Children’s publishing is starting to grow, and education is done in small schools with limited visual aids.
Read the full storyCan you believe that it’s been almost 50 years since Hungarian Architecture Professor, Erno Rubik, a puzzle enthusiast from a young age, took his passion for geometry and created one of the most popular puzzles in history in 1974.
Read the full storyHave you ever wondered who created the interlocking puzzles?
Interlocking puzzles are often referred to as Chinese puzzles and they usually involve two rings, keys or wires that are joined together, and your goal is to unjoin them. Doesn’t seem to hard, but if it was easy, it wouldn’t be called a puzzle. So, what is the story behind these amazing puzzles?
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