THE ANGEL BOX

This is one of a limited edition of 100 ANGEL BOXES designed by the devious Wil Strijbos and precision made for him in China in 2013.

This is a very fine example of a "Sequential Discovery Puzzle" made for very serious puzzlers.
"Sequential Discovery Puzzles" usually fall within the Puzzle Classification as "Opening Puzzles" because the object is usually to open them to discover something inside.

A "Sequential Discovery" involves the discovery a many tricks and secrets that have to be found before the final objective is reached. Things that are hidden within the puzzle may be used as tools to help the solution. Sometimes several parts may be found that make into one special tool needed to continue onto the next stage. They are expensive puzzles and should never be hit, banged, or be violently used, and you are never allowed to use any external tools.

 

Here are four of the greatest Sequential Discovery puzzles.

The Pink Box is what the Angel arrives in.
On the left is "Opening Bat" from an edition of 50 by Mr. Puzzle in Australia 2010.
On the right the deceptively cuddly "Katie Koala" from an edition of 65 also from Mr. Puzzle.

The padlock in front is the "Dan Lock". Relatively simple compared to the others but was probably the first puzzle to be called a "Sequential Discovery". Invented by Dan Feldman it is a puzzle which every puzzler should try.

Fine sequential discovery puzzles

 

Back to the THE ANGEL BOX.

We are not going to tell you exactly how to help her escape or where her heart is but just give you a closer look at what is involved.

It is a wonderful piece of engineering and as a museum visitor once observed: "If it was a spare part for a Porsche it would cost ten times more than it did as a puzzle".

  
<< This is the front with packaged padlock hanging from a big swivelling rod which moves in an out about 4mm against a spring.  

The Packaging can easily be removed from the padlock. This reveals the plate with a combination number. However this is the wrong number for this lock so you will just have to pick the lock or work through all the combinations.

Much later you will be given the extra challenge of finding out who's lock the number given actually belongs to and who has the number for your lock!

You notice the front plate is divided in two - will this help?

  
<< This is the right side. There is the Angel hidden behind a transparent porthole. Two allen screws look as though they are there to stay; but there is also a deep hole that narrows half way down and has something metal blocking it still further down.  
<< This is the back. Looks as if the top might slide off. Four sturdy looking allen screws. But what is that small hole for?  
<< This is the left side. Two more of those allen screws and what appears to be a larger but shallow hole.  
<< This is the top. A large exciting button but it does not move. A black allen screw and two more holes.  
<< This is the bottom. Nothing here but a small deep looking hole.  
     

 

Now to find the Angel's Heart.

So now you start by opening the combination padlock by trial and error or by picking it.

Once the lock is removed, and further hours of pulling pushing tilting, and peering you eventually discover 3 ball bearings, two rods, and a removable allen screw.

And so you proceed through discovering different bits and pieces which can be used in imaginative and devious ways through about a dozen different puzzling ways. Be careful not to drop any of the small bits into places from where you cannot retrieve them. In theory what drops in should be possible to drop out but, in reality, it may cost you many extra hours.

 

  
 
 
 
   

After many days solving the the different puzzles you will find the Angel.

If you are lucky you will also find her elusive heart.

In money spent per hour of puzzling, it has not been such an expensive puzzle.

  

 

 

Finally there is an extra surprise not only does the successful metagrobologist find the heart but also a Letter from his Angel.

Phone the number and you have a direct line to where some people might really find an Angel!

 

 

  
 

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