Just about every puzzle collector is familiar with the "Instant Insanity" puzzle, brought to the market and popularized in the late 1960s by the Parker Brothers company.  (See here for more information on Instant Insanity.)  Well, the puzzle was actually patented (see fifth photo!) in April of 1900, and first produced in that same year as The Katzenjammer Puzzle.  Here is an opportunity to own the original version of that puzzle,...

"R Cube" (KW-52) was the 2024 Christmas gift of the master of the cubic puzzle box, Hideaki Kawashima, of the Karakuri Creation Group.  It is the first in Kawashima's series of three "R" cubes, and specially designed to maximize it's storage space. The box is made from magnolia and American black cherry.  The overall size of the box is 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm.Naturally, the box is precisely made, and my copy (first photo; second photo is from the Karakuri web site for additional clarity) is i...

"Detour Box" (DA-5) was the 2024 Christmas gift of fast rising star Daiki Arimura of the Karakuri Creation Group.  Honestly, it is the cutest little box to behold!  The box is made from walnut, magnolia, and maple, and displays beautifully.  Here are Arimura's comments on the box:"The drawer opens a little bit, but it won't open fully. Can you guess how to open it? As the name suggests, it will open by taking a detour."As is the case with many of the works from the Karakuri Creation Group, ...