Trying to figure out what works best as a first introductory puzzle for someone can be tricky. Whether it’s a gift for a loved one or if you’re interested in getting involved with puzzles yourself, there’s lots to consider so that you can ensure you end up picking the right one. The most important variable to consider when making your final decision is the person the puzzle is for. Understanding them, their interests, and their puzzling skill level helps to inform what kind, and how difficult of a puzzle you should go with.
How to pick the right puzzle
Understanding what experience (if any) the person has with puzzles is extremely helpful in finding the perfect fit for them. An ideal puzzle, especially for beginners, is one that is not so easy to where they could complete it in 5-10 minutes, but also one that is not too difficult either. Finding the sweet spot between complexity and achievability maximizes the puzzler’s fun as they get to actually put their minds to the test. Even two users with the same amount of experience solving puzzles, can have extremely different competencies when it comes to problem-solving and using their visuospatial reasoning.
With beginners, it is also beneficial to introduce them to different categories and varieties of puzzles, especially for their first few. This allows them to become acquainted with the methods and strategy behind the unique kind of problem-solving that comes with each different objective. Getting them to learn how to look at a sliding piece puzzle differently from a disentanglement puzzle will help to hone their skills so that the next time they see a new type of puzzle, they are well equipped to handle it. Increasing their comfortability when facing new types of puzzle challenges is how people go from having no puzzling experience to being a full on metagrobologist.
Puzzles that are great for beginners
Below we will go through some of our most popular and fun puzzles that we feel would work particularly well for new puzzlers or those just entering the genre. Each of these puzzles has either a beginner or intermediate difficulty and each represents a different class/category of puzzle.
MYSTERIOUS X
One of the puzzles we most recommend for beginners is called Mysterious X. It presents as a simple and straightforward disentanglement puzzle which tasks the user with removing a closed square ring from around the center of an X. This puzzle is great for beginners as an introduction to disentanglement puzzles, and 3D puzzles as a whole. The solution appears simple, however physically getting the pieces do what you want them to is rather difficult.
The puzzle can only be completed after the hidden mechanism has been solved. Finding this mechanism and figuring out how it works is perfect for beginners as it is not too difficult of a task, but simultaneously introduces one of the many ways these kinds of puzzles can be solved. It ushers in the idea of thinking outside of the box, and considering every possible aspect of the puzzles rather than simply what we can see from the outside.
GOPHER HOLES
Six different tiles, each with differing amounts of balls and holes, the objective is to pack everything back inside the box. Getting all the balls to fit can be difficult and awkward which is where the challenge of this puzzle comes in. With an intermediate difficulty, Gopher Holes is a fairly straightforward example of a 3D assembly puzzle.
Its task and parameters are simple, but different from anything new puzzlers have likely seen. 3D assembly puzzles really test spatial reasoning and awareness in a way that other kinds of 3D puzzles may not. Mix, match, and stack the tiles to try and take up as little space as possible. A common theme for 3D puzzles is trying to get everything to fit together through various methods. This is exemplified specifically in Gopher Holes, but is also common with countless other types of puzzles as well. Gopher Holes is a great way to introduce these new principles and set up beginners for future puzzling success.
CARGO
Money puzzle boxes are extraordinarily popular, and Cargo is one of our bestsellers. These kinds of boxes are designed to challenge the mind with intricate or hidden locking mechanisms. Each different one offers a unique way to store cash, coins, jewelry, gift cards, or any other small valuables. They are also great and useful as a way to spice up monetary gifts and make the more memorable for whoever receives it.
Cargo has a hidden way to access its compartment, but once discovered, it can easily be reopened and closed again. This is an excellent puzzle box example to show beginners how solutions are not always complicated, but can sometimes just be obscured or hidden from view. The difficulty in Cargo doesn’t come from its complexity, but rather from its seamless design and imaginative construction. Because of these factors, Cargo has a Level 1: easy rating on our difficulty scale.
MINI LUMBERJACK
The only burr puzzle to appear on this list, Mini Lumberjack is a unique case thanks to its comparatively more attainable difficulty level. Compared to the Lumberjack’s Challenge, the Mini is a significant step down in difficulty. With only 6 pieces, compared to the 15 from Lumberjack’s Challenge, Mini Lumberjack is certainly a manageable task for beginning puzzlers.
Burr puzzles are defined by the notched sticks that interlock to compose them. Often making up seemingly random symmetrical shapes, these puzzles are classic 3D brainteasers and can be divided into numerous smaller categories. The Mini Lumberjack is a variation of the classic six-piece burr puzzle turned on its side. Puzzlers are tasked with taking it apart and reassembling it from its six pieces. This puzzle is the ideal way to begin playing with burr puzzles. With so many pieces to keep track of and the hand-eye coordination required to make it happen, burr puzzles often have a serious learning curve that beginners find difficult. Which is why the Mini Lumberjack is so great, with an easy difficulty, this burr puzzle is as accessible as they come.