Metal puzzles on Kickstarter bring premium mechanical challenges back to the desk - Interview

We spoke with Puzzle Master, the veteran puzzle company founded by Allan Stein, about their latest campaign featuring metal puzzles on Kickstarter. Known worldwide for their deep roots in mechanical puzzle design and their close ties to the global puzzle community, Puzzle Master is bringing a collection focused on precision, weight, and real difficulty. In our discussion, they explained why metal remains the ideal medium for serious puzzles, how frustration is intentionally designed into satisfaction, and why this collection targets people looking for a true hands-on challenge away from screens.

The Origin of the Project

What motivated you to create this new collection of metal puzzles on Kickstarter, and what gap did you feel was missing in today’s puzzle world?

We created this new metal puzzle collection because we felt there was a huge gap in the market for a truly premium, physically satisfying challenge. In a world drowning in digital screens and instant gratification, people are craving a genuine mental workout they can hold in their hands. Our metal puzzles are designed to be that challenging, tangible escape—a beautiful piece of desk art that forces you to disconnect, slow down, and really use your brain to earn that 'Aha!' moment.

Why metal? Because it elevates the experience. We wanted puzzles that weren't just brain teasers, but small, beautiful objects built to last. The weight, the precision, the cool feel of the metal—it all forces you to slow down and respect the challenge. They’re functional art that gives you a satisfying, tangible victory when you finally outsmart them.

Designing for Real Difficulty

These metal puzzles are clearly designed to be challenging rather than casual. How do you balance frustration, satisfaction, and long-term engagement when designing puzzles like Fortress of Shadows or Crazy Lock?

These metal puzzles are definitely designed to make you sweat! We're not doing simple puzzles here; these are for people who love to really dig in and wrestle with a problem.

The secret is finding that sweet spot where you're frustrated enough to want to throw the puzzle across the room, but you're too obsessed to actually do it. That's the challenge!

We build in what we call 'almost-there' moments. So you’re working on the Crazy Lock, you get one side open, and you feel that rush of victory, but then you hit another wall. That little taste of success is what keeps you totally hooked. The frustration is actually what makes the final solution feel so darn good—it proves you outsmarted this little chunk of metal.

And when you finally get the solution? It has to be perfect. A clean, satisfying 'aha' moment! It needs to feel like you actually mastered a complex machine, not just wiggled it to solve it.

To keep the people engaged long-term we focus on two things:

They’re Reversible Puzzles: Taking them apart is only half the battle! Putting them back together is often way harder. It’s like getting two puzzles in one.

They Look Awesome: They are heavy, polished metal puzzles, and cool to look at. They live on your desk, reminding you—or daring a friend—to try and solve them again. They become a cool piece of bragging rights that you actually earned.

From Prototype to Production

The Twisted Logic puzzle evolved from a large, hand-made prototype into a more accessible Kickstarter version. What were the key decisions behind resizing and changing the manufacturing approach?

The Twisted Logic puzzle is a perfect example of our journey from a passion project to a mass produced, high quality challenge.

The original Twisted Logic puzzle was a total passion project—it was a huge, magnificent monster, but it was handmade and ridiculously expensive. If we sold that version, it would have cost our backers a fortune! Our main mission for the Kickstarter version was to change two key things: bring the price way down and make it feel perfect.

Our key decisions behind changing the manufacturing approach came down to two major factors: Making it Accessible and Making it Accessible.

Making it Accessible (Resizing): We decided to significantly scale down the size. This wasn't just about reducing material costs; it was about making the puzzle fit comfortably in your hands and on your desk. The smaller size still maintains all the mechanical complexity, but now it feels like a personal, manageable challenge rather than a museum piece. A puzzle you can absentmindedly fiddle with is a puzzle you engage with for years.

Moving from a one off, hand made item to high volume manufacturing allowed us to leverage things like CNC metal cutting. This is vital for metal puzzles. The key to solving a puzzle like Twisted Logic is that the tolerances are incredibly tight. If there’s even a hair's breadth of wiggle room, the intended solution—the logic—breaks down. The final Kickstarter version is actually more precise and reliable than the original handmade prototype because modern manufacturing ensures every piece is identical and perfectly aligned.

Working with Legendary Puzzle Designers

This project features designs from well-known creators like Christoph Lohe and Yavuz Demirhan. What makes their approach to puzzle design so special, and how did their work shape this collection?

We are absolutely thrilled to feature the designs of legendary creators like Yavuz Demirhan and the incredible Christoph Lohe in this collection. It was huge for us to bring their quality to the campaign.

What Makes Them Puzzle Geniuses? What sets guys like them apart is that they don't just make complicated puzzles—they make them clever, beautiful, and mechanically sound.

Yavuz Demirhan from Turkey is a genius at taking familiar forms and completely reengineering the internal logic. He’s the mind behind our Twisted Logic puzzle, and it perfectly showcases his approach: taking something that looks simple and making the solution sequence unbelievably tricky. His work is visually stunning and always delivers that amazing 'Aha!' moment.

Christoph Lohe's designs are pure elegance. He forces you to think sequentially, often leading you down a path that you're sure is wrong, only for the puzzle to click perfectly into place. His mechanisms are subtle and beautiful. We were absolutely heartbroken when Christoph passed away shortly before the campaign started. We are dedicating this collection to his legacy. We miss him, but we are so proud that his brilliant work is featured here for a whole new audience to appreciate.

Their involvement was everything. They are the standard for quality and cleverness in the puzzle world. By including their designs, we weren't just making hard puzzles; we were making puzzles that are recognized as true mechanical art. Their ideas pushed us to make sure every single puzzle in the collection was top-tier, ensuring our backers get truly ingenious challenges.

Collectors, Builders, and First-Time Solvers

Who do you see as the ideal backer for these metal puzzles on Kickstarter, and what do you hope people feel when they finally solve one of them?

Our ideal backers on Kickstarter are:

The Puzzle Fanatics—the folks who live for a tough, high-quality brain teaser. They know their stuff, and they appreciate the difference between a cheap plastic puzzle and a beautiful, precisely engineered piece of metal. They are our core crowd.

The other ideal backer is anyone who is tired of their phone! You know, the engineers, mathematicians, the designers, the busy professionals—anyone who spends eight hours a day looking at a glowing screen. They are starving for something physical, demanding, and satisfying to do with their hands. These metal puzzles are the perfect way to force a mental break, focus, and prove you’re still smarter than a machine. It's a healthy, satisfying escape from the digital world.

What do we hope people feel when they finally solve the puzzles? We want them to feel unbelievably smart and satisfied with the journey they traveled finding the solution!

It shouldn't just be a small sigh of relief. It should be a moment where they throw their hands up and yell, 'YES! I conquered that thing!' We want that rush of pure, earned satisfaction—that feeling that their patience and cleverness paid off. That's the real magic of a hard puzzle: it gives you this intense, tangible win in a world where wins often feel abstract.

This interview with Puzzle Master reinforces why the brand remains a reference point in the world of mechanical puzzles. Their metal puzzles on Kickstarter reflect decades of experience, collaboration with legendary designers, and a clear commitment to puzzles as lasting objects rather than disposable entertainment. Designed to challenge, frustrate, and ultimately reward, this collection stays true to Puzzle Master’s long-standing philosophy: puzzles should demand time, patience, and respect—and give something meaningful back in return.

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FAQ about Mind Bending Metal Puzzles on Kickstarter

Am I able to add more items to my reward?

Yes, you will have the opportunity to add more puzzles on two occasions. During the Kickstarter campaign, you can choose add-on items once you become a backer. After the campaign ends, you’ll have another chance to add more or different puzzles from Puzzle Master when shipping addresses are collected.

Do you have more puzzles than the ones sold on Kickstarter?

Yes. Puzzle Master offers thousands of puzzles on its website.

Do the puzzles come with solutions?

Solutions are not included with the puzzles, but they are available on Puzzle Master’s solution page. You can search for each solution by the puzzle’s name.

What about tariffs?

Tariffs apply to backers in the United States. The current tariff rate is 30%, but this may change.

How long does shipping take?

Canada and the USA typically take 1–2 weeks. Europe takes 2–3 weeks. The rest of the world takes approximately 2–5 weeks.

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About the Creators behind Mind Bending Metal Puzzles on Kickstarter

Puzzle Master was founded over 30 years ago by Allan Stein, who began making puzzles in his basement using coat hangers. What started with a small line of handcrafted designs grew into a globally respected puzzle company with the largest online puzzle inventory in the world. Through decades of community building, international travel, and collaboration with designers and collectors worldwide, Puzzle Master has helped introduce the joy of puzzling to enthusiasts of all ages.

Campaign Update # 1 — December 26, 2025

The Puzzle Master campaign on Kickstarter has reached US$ 17,401 pledged of a US$ 3,655 goal, with 196 backers and 5 days left.

This week, the creator clarified reward selection options. Backers looking for specific puzzles, such as Fortress of Shadows and Crazy Lock, will be able to mix and match their choices through the post-campaign pledge manager. While the FAQ notes that only puzzles featured in this campaign will be available, the pledge manager will allow backers to add individual puzzles after selecting an initial reward tier.