Close your eyes, count to one
Firstly, I ought to apologise. It’s been a while since I posted a review here – I’ve been busy behind the scenes, like everyone else, trying to make sure I can do ‘life things’ whilst still maintaining a healthy ‘puzzle things’ equilibrium.
Puzzling has certainly not taken a step back though, I’ll stress upon that – and so far 2024 has produced some wonderful trickery and tales along the way.
And so with that being said that it was of great, great pleasure that in August 2024 it was announced that the designer behind some exceptional puzzles, such as Angry Walter, Menace, Where’s My Hammer and Space Case, announced that there was a new offering to be… well, offered, very, very soon.
That designer was Mr.Dee Dixon – the brain child, designer child and any other child you could think of behind the DedWood Crafts name.
Dee made the announcement that he would be revisiting a design that he had produced a number of years ago before really ‘finding his feet’ in the puzzling world.
2 dials on a puzzle - a winning formula?!
That design was a compact puzzle box called Blinded. I reached out to Dee for some more details on the original, here’s what he had to say;
“Originally I made one copy of Blinded before Where's my Hammer. It was a one-off puzzle that I sold on Etsy when I first started. When I made the next Blinded puzzle I just named it Blinded II. I never gave the original Blinded consideration for a production run because it was just too easy. After many requests from puzzlers needing to fill the gaping hole in their collection, I decided to go back, add a few steps, and do a production run."
Collectors and solvers – rejoice!
I’ve been fortunate to solve almost all of Dee’s puzzles that have entered the wild, and whilst the nature of the blinded series isn't for everyone, there lies one of my favourite puzzles I've solved.
Blinded III is most probably my top spot entry for Dee, and you can read more thoughts on that puzzle right HERE – before I continue with this slippery, waffle-y, blind-y path.
'Blinded 13'
Having the option to complete the Blinded series (thus far) by reintroducing the first puzzle is a really nice puzzling moment amongst many others in 2024, and one that has been carried out perfectly. By listening to what the community wanted, and not only delivering, but giving more to the design to give it an up-to-date feel.
When the puzzle arrived with me, my first thought was just how nice it was to hold – it’s definitely a puzzle that can just about fit on your palm at 4.75” x 3.25” x3” . The copy I received is made from Roasted Ash and Spalted Hackberry – a few wood choices Dee was playing around with before deciding upon the final choices (I’ll get to that!) and they really do contrast each other beautifully.
The dark purple-y haze of roasted ash!
Now, onto the solve – this is by no means a puzzle that took me hours and hours to solve. Although this is firmly in the ‘Blinded’ series of puzzles, there’s some things that happen on the puzzle quite immediately, and all of a sudden you’ll find yourself with some questions popping up that you maybe didn’t quite expect to have to ask so early on!? – I know, I’m being terribly vague.
This was a ‘solve in one sitting’ puzzle for me, and I suspect for others it may be the same, however I can also see this being a real head scratcher if you’re unable to deduce what may be happening within.
Dee’s disciplined design work is certainly at play, with the trademark flawless woodworking skills on show - however I was pleasantly surprised when upon solving the puzzle I was greeted with something seldom seen in a Dedwood Crafts puzzle. These little moments in puzzling are what makes it so enjoyable for me – and helps capture a little piece of the designer inside their creations, which really do make them feel like an extension of the person - A horcrux, so to speak, for those who Potter.
Upright or upwrong?
To summarise, Blinded is a lovely puzzle box that’s great for someone just getting into the hobby, as well as someone looking to round off the Blinded series by Dedwood Crafts – and like all other puzzles designed by Dee Dixon, is a stunning piece of puzzle-y art.
Blinded will be available from Dee’s website – https://www.dedwoodcrafts.com – on Tuesday 24th September @ 10.00am MST.
Two versions will be available
Zebrawood and Peruvian walnut for $295
Mahogany and Peruvian walnut for $275
Good luck!
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