Pocket Box

The Pocket Box is a compact, fidget-friendly puzzle that’s ideal for introducing friends to puzzle boxes. Sized like a deck of cards and weighing 150 grams, it’s easy to carry around. The puzzle is engaging, with a solve time of about an hour for beginners and 15 minutes to an hour for experienced puzzlers. The objective is to open the box. Made from 3D-printed black PLA and silver and gold silk filament highlights, it measures 90 x 68 x 24 mm and feels solid. The final compartment is large enough to hold a rolled-up bill.

Benno writes about his design:

"As a puzzle enthusiast, one of my greatest joys is watching others experience the challenge of solving a puzzle box for the first time. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing someone crack a puzzle they’ve never encountered before. This inspired me to design a pocket-sized puzzle box that’s as engaging to play with as it is to solve.

I specifically aimed to create a puzzle box the size of a deck of cards, making it easy to carry and irresistible to tinker with. This puzzle is highly interactive, so much so that I often find myself fidgeting with it even when I’m not actively trying to solve it. Its straightforward starting point draws people in, encouraging them to keep going. This is important because if a beginner doesn’t feel like they’re making progress within the first few minutes, they’re likely to give up.

So, how challenging is the Pocket Box? Difficulty can be subjective, so I prefer to talk in terms of solve time. For most beginners, it takes about an hour to solve. Some people have taken longer, especially if they were distracted, like at a party. Experienced puzzlers usually solve it within 15 minutes to an hour."