When people hear the words “puzzle”, their mind automatically pictures hundreds of precut pieces that took them days and weeks to assemble together as children (or something they struggle with when their kids ask for help). These two dimensional puzzles are either too hard that makes you exhausted or overly easy so you lose interest.

Wooden puzzles are in!

The latest trend in the gaming world is 3D wooden puzzles made of high quality plywood. Each puzzle is packed with wooden parts and assembling instructions – you can create different shapes and structures. To assemble, follow the instruction and carefully push out precut pieces from wooden board and then interlock the area with same number. Don’t worry it is pretty easy to accomplish – both kids and adults can have fun with them.

Brief history about mechanical puzzles

Mechanical puzzles have been around for well over two and a half thousand years, and many traditional formats have remained for a good length of time. One of the oldest and most popular puzzles is Tangram, which has been teasing minds all over the world for thousands of year. Humans have been known to devise oral puzzles since the advent of languages. Riddles have been integral part of ancient scriptures and religious literature. The development of arithmetic in Egypt resulted in birth of mathematical puzzles. The popular mechanical puzzle labyrinth was incorporated in the floor designs of many churches in France and Italy in the twelfth century. Sam Loyd of the United States and Henry Dudeney from Britain are considered greatest puzzle inventors in their countries.

Benefits of wooden puzzles

Today, with more accurate design and manufacture, including the use of computers to design and model some of the more intriguing puzzles, there is a vast range of these puzzles, which range from mildly intriguing to downright complicated. Here are some advantages of wooden 3D puzzles:

• The wood is relatively inflexible, which means that the puzzle can't be forced, which would be the case if it were made of plastic.
• The mechanical puzzles are very tactile, with beautiful wooden shapes that weigh a fair bit.
• They look very beautiful, and many are used as decorations or ornaments on desks whilst they are not being worked on. Often they are used as conversation pieces, and everyone likes to have a go at a puzzle.

3D wooden puzzles are excellent educational tools for kids to improve hand-eye coordination, develop creativity, and learn how to organise a work process. For grownups, it is all about challenging the mind further – sounds fun, right? Check out the awesome collection at UGears and gift it to loved ones!