Major Migraine Maker wooden sliding block puzzle

The object is to be able to slide the large black block to the opening…. BUT – nothing is to slide through the opening except the large black block. CLUES – place the black blocks on the marked positions; place all other blocks inside the frame with all other rectangular blocks vertical.

The puzzle will ALWAYS be possible with the tan rectangular blocks are vertical. Where you place them will determine how many moves it will take to solve. As the puzzle is shown in the photograph it will take at least 68 moves to solve.

There is a way to get the puzzle out in 35 moves… see if you can find this starting position… But, don’t just stop there, there are hours of relaxing fun in the numerous different combinations.

J. H. Flemming patented the popular sliding block puzzle called Dad’s Puzzle in 1932 in England although it may have been known earlier than this in France as the L’Ane Rouge. Variations of this puzzle then became very popular in Japan during WWII; one called “Daughter in a Box” and another called “Break Through the Enemy’s Defences” were made for civilians to pass the time in air raid shelters. The puzzle is still popular now with a widely known computer version said to be based on the ancient Polish children’s game of manipulating blocks called klotski or klocki.

Size 165mm x 200mm x 30mm

Play with some classic designs on Nick Baxter’s Sliding Block Puzzle Page.