Conan Doyle, Arthur- Medium
Conan Doyle, Arthur- Medium
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859- 1930) English Author, Physician
Difficulty: Medium
Pieces: 48
Theme: Sense of wonder
Age: Adults, Ages 11+ Co-operative or Solo Gameplay. All game boxes contain push pins. Use caution when opening the box. This is not a toy, nor is it recommended for children under the age of 8.
Box Dimensions: 2.0” x 2.0” x 2.0”
Box Wood: cherry, beeswax-mineral oil finish
Limited Edition: 25
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle authored 60 stories featuring the great detective Sherlock Holmes, but few know that Doyle wrote numerous articles and essays concerning his belief in Spiritualism. Scientific research into the frequency at which atoms vibrate carried over to Doyle’s conviction that the essence of a person resonates after death and it may be possible to communicate if one only were to channel and translate properly that vibration. He spent many years travelling the world and speaking to packed lecture halls on the subject of Spiritualism, but he was also a fervent debunker of mediums who preyed on the credulity of people all too willing to pay money to speak to their dearly departed. The quotation to solve is a snippet from one of his lectures and what is clear is that Doyle truly was open to a sense of wonder in our universe.
Can you resist solving this?™
Not satisfied with traditional puzzles that languish in the game closet after one go, I began creating challenging puzzles that combine the tactile interaction of puzzle pieces with the strategy needed to solve a word game, housed in a collectible art box.
Solve the puzzle using the game sheet and letter-engraved wood push pins within the box to reveal a quotation. To play, arrange the game sheet and the push pin letters on a corkboard or cork tile (sold separately). Each letter has a space on the game sheet. The last letter of each word is a “freebie.” Fill in the freebies with the matching letter pin. Use the remaining letter pins to complete the phrase. All the letter pins are used to solve the puzzle.
Played on a cork surface means that the push pins stay in place, making it easy to move the entire game without losing a piece or peace of mind.
The box is laser engraved from a single plank of domestic maple or cherry featuring an original portrait of the author, edition number, source of the quotation, and instructions.
I assemble each hardwood, numbered limited edition box, glue the finger joints together, and finish with beeswax-mineral oil. The box’s patina will deepen over time, never losing a single intricate detail.
Display on a bookshelf or table rather than hidden away, a temptation for others to discover and play.
I have been creating limited edition word games since 2010, maintaining an ever-changing, diverse catalog. New releases are announced quarterly.
Product Features:
- Collectible Game Box is made in my Denver, Colorado, USA studio from a single plank of ⅛” domestic cherry or maple, allowing the grain of the wood to wrap around the box.
- I research every quotation, delving into rare book libraries, searching through manuscripts and digital collections to find timeless, poignant, humorous, unique, and overlooked snippets to solve as word game puzzles. So while one may be familiar with the person, I aim to challenge the player with an unexpected phrase. Sources are always cited for reference.
- I draw each portrait in pencil, then ink for higher contrast. Scan, clean up the digital graphic, reduce the size, and laser-engrave the box’s front. Drawing historical figures require finding accurate, contemporary representation of the person, including forensic reconstruction, manuscript illustrations, and paintings. Modern portraits are drawn from images openly available from the Library of Congress or from a composite I’ll make from screen stills found on film and video.
- Need a hint to solve the puzzle? Instructions on the game sheet to email me, and I’ll reply with a PDF game sheet with the first and last letters of each word filled in.
- A free replacement game sheet can be emailed as a digital download.
- Free replacement letter pieces (up to 10 pieces).
- The game area needed is only 12” x 12” cork tile, flat on a table or wall.
Within a category, the difficulty may increase due to colloquialisms, syntax, grammar, etc.
- Easy: 10-20 pieces, everyday phrases. Ages 8 and up
- Medium: 21- 50 pieces. Ages 11 and up.
- Hard: 51-100 pieces. Ages 13 and up.
- Very Hard: 101-120 pieces. Ages 13 and up.
-Lots-O-Letters Word Game Box- 250 pieces used to solve monthly word games. A free lifetime subscription to the monthly newsletter with one medium and one hard word game sheet and access to an online Game Library with over 140 previously released word game sheets. Ages 11 and up.
