I’ve been meaning to post reviews of some of my favorite puzzles for a while now and Rainer Popp‘s Tricklock T8 has the honor of being my first review!
I will be brief:
- It is really expensive.
- It is beautifully made. I mean it, it’s gorgeous. It is made from stainless steel, brass, and has some details (e.g., a dot of red paint) that make it look fantastic. It is precision made with high tolerances that give it a very pleasing, smooth feel.
- The locking mechanism is ingenious and unusual. I know of no other puzzle that uses the same principle.
- Like the best puzzles, it is easy and quick to solve if you know the trick.
That’s about it. Here’s a picture of it:
(I’ve included the Rubik’s Cube for scale.)
Other folks have reviewed it too:
- http://www.smallpuzzlecollection.blogspot.sg/2013/10/popplock-t8.html
- http://puzzle-obsessed.blogspot.com/2013/09/popplock-t8-rainer-popp.html
- http://allardspuzzlingtimes.blogspot.com/2013/09/tricklock-t8.html
- http://seekingariadnesthread.com/2014/01/12/the-eighth-trick-lock-of-rainer-popp/ (spoiler alert!)
- http://magicpuzzles.org/wordpress/2013/11/26/tricklock-t8-rainer-popp/
So as you can see, everyone who plays with this puzzle is pretty impressed with it.