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For those who are familiar with Tyler Williams’ work, you’ll know that he has a phenomenal ability to constantly come up with new ideas in the form of complex multi-step sequential discovery puzzle boxes.
For those who aren’t familiar with Tyler’s work, I implore you to stop reading this post now, and head over to website (see the link at the end of this post).
One puzzle in particular caught my eye over the last few months, the Templar Lock - and so today I’ll be sharing my overall thoughts on the puzzle, whilst keeping it spoiler free of course!
The Templar Lock!
My copy of the puzzle was made using Padauk, Maple and Walnut and the dimensions are 10.3cm x 6.1cm x 2.8cm / 4in x 2.4in x 1.1in.
So before we start dissecting the puzzle, the goal of the puzzle is to “Find your tool and work your way through the puzzle to get to your final compartment! There are 12-13 steps to reveal the prize.”
Onto the puzzle! So not only do you get this perfectly finished piece of wood staring at you, but a second piece is included - a kind of key but with no key-like elements.
A curious kinda key
The obvious next step would be to use key-like piece to do something on the puzzle to make it do something. I spent some time with this practise on the puzzle and found myself getting no further and wondering if there was a piece missing (a good puzzler always blames the puzzle, right?)
After some further exploration and thinking time, I’d reviewed the rules and goal of the puzzle and - aha, first step solved.
After this there was a lovely flow to the puzzle with a very logical set of steps to progress with. Even though logical it still took some understanding of what was happening inside the puzzle with every movement I made. Once this was clear I could sense the end goal was in sight.
The maker's mark lies hidden in plain sight
Tyler has devised a very nice puzzle with a great theme and reaching the end goal whilst utilising tools along the way is a genuine joy.
Completing the last step of the puzzle reveals the prize mentioned in the goal, and a fantastic sense of reward and understanding of mechanisms is therefor achieved.
Templar Lock isn’t a difficult puzzle, nor is it a puzzle packed full of aha moments, but it is a lovely puzzle aesthetically, and is a great puzzle for both beginners and intermediate puzzle solvers alike.
The Templar Lock won't leave you 'stranded' for too long.
Tyler’s company, Beards Wood Shop Co, is currently hard at work producing a plethora of new puzzles, from maze-type, packing, sequential discovery puzzles and more.
Make sure you check out https://beardswoodshopco.bigcartel.com for all available puzzles and the latest news on what is to come.
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