THE DEFINITION and CLASSIFICATION of MECHANICAL PUZZLES

A simple popular definition of a Mechanical Puzzle may be: -
Any object that you can give to someone with a question starting "Can You ... ?".
Thus:- Can you put it together? Can you take it apart? Can you Drink out of it? Etcetera.

To solve them rarely requires any special knowledge, language or education. Everyone starts at an equal level as all the information required is available in the puzzle itself.

FOR A MORE SERIOUS DEFINITION FOLLOW THESE LINKS: -

LINKS TO SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF A FEW PUZZLES IN THE 14 MAIN CLASSES:-

1. INTERLOCKING PUZZLES (INT)
2. JIGSAW PUZZLES (JIG)
3. ASSEMBLY PUZZLES (NON-INTERLOCKING) (ASS)
4. PATTERN PUZZLES (PAT)
5. OPENING PUZZLES (OPN)
6. TANGLEMENT PUZZLES (TNG)
7. ROUTEFINDING PUZZLES (RTF)
8. SEQUENTIAL MOVEMENT PUZZLES (SEQ)
9. FOLDING & HINGED PUZZLES (FOL)
10. DEXTERITY PUZZLES (DEX)
11. JUGS & VESSELS. (JUG)
12. OTHER TYPES. (OTH) Such as Balancing, Measuring, Cutting, Math, Logic, Trick, Mystery, & Theoretical puzzles
13. AMBIGUOUS PICTURES & PUZZLING OBJECTS. (AMB)
14. NON PUZZLE but related EPHEMERA.(EPH)

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