Rob's Puzzle Page is a virtual museum showcasing my collection of mechanical puzzles. I maintain this to report on the world of mechanical puzzles, have fun, and share discoveries with other puzzle-people. I have tried to create the site I wished existed back when I started collecting. I wanted to know what was out there and where I might get it - and about the origins, people, and ideas behind the puzzles. I aim to provide interesting information about many puzzles and make this site more than simply a photographic catalogue or personal inventory - but this isn't a blog or a series of reviews - it's more like my puzzle book, inspired by the wonderful works of van Delft, Botermans, and Slocum. Within you'll find historical research, mathematical analysis, pointers to designers, craftspeople and vendors, and help with solving strategies.

I have been collecting mechanical puzzles (aka brainteasers, Geduldspiele, casse-têtes, hlavolamy, puslerier, puzzels, rompecabezas, パズル, головоломка, 难题, الألغاز, σπαζοκεφαλιά, פזלים, ลูกบิด, पहेली, uganke, gestaþraut ) for many years and from many places. I have been asked, "Don't you have enough frustration in your life?" Evidently not...

See what's new!   or,

Google search Google Images search ( this site only) for: 

At last count, there are 6636 puzzling items (including over 250 puzzle-related books) shown or described. That may seem like a lot, but there are people who own tens of thousands of puzzles - and who must have very understanding spouses!

I like most kinds of puzzles, and I really enjoy beautiful wooden interlocking puzzles, clever packing puzzles, tricky dissection and assembly puzzles, tanglement puzzles, secret-opening bolts, locks, and boxes, and colorful, seemingly magical, twisty polyhedra.

Use the Main Menu , the Site Map, or the Classification Page to begin exploring the remarkable variety of mechanical puzzles human minds have devised.

Write to me at and we'll have a puzzling discussion!

---

The Stegmanns' Home Page

Classification of Mechanical Puzzles

Create your own Ambigram