In this guide I’ll explain you how to get puzzles cheap.
Mechanical puzzles can be really hard on your wallet so using these methods will ease the burden and help you experience more puzzles, more puzzling, and more fun!
For a written version of the video, keep on reading below.
Puzzling can be an expensive hobby sometimes. Some puzzles can cost 50$, and others can even go up to 500$ at retail. And that’s before they get rare and auction for thousands of dollars.
And we don’t stop at one puzzle. Collecting tens or hundreds of puzzles will not leave your wallet unscarred, especially with so many new puzzles released.
Guess what?
You’re lucky.
You don’t have to buy them all.
Here are four ways you can get more puzzles for dirt cheap or even for free, and save up some cash while doing so!
This video idea and some of the methods were suggested by TheRammer who watched my Best Places to Buy Puzzles video. At this opportunity I wanted to say thanks to TheRammer and also remind you guys that I’m always happy to hear your ideas and thoughts about anything.
With that said, lets dive in.
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1st Way to Get Puzzles Cheap – DIY
If you think outside the box, you can actually find cool ways to make puzzles yourself. Everyone can do it, with anything. You don’t need to be a master woodworker, and you’ll face many constraints, but who knows – try it and maybe you’ll make something cool.
Here are some stuff I heard about – wire puzzles out of wire. Soma cubes or almost anything that you can break down to cubic pieces, out of dice. I’ve seen puzzles made from Lego, Jenga, playing cards, and even butter.
Some of you may find this more enjoyable than actually buying puzzles, because the process of doing it yourself is kind of like a puzzle by itself.
Way 2 to Puzzles Cheap – 3 Printer
Building puzzles at home was never as easy as it is today.
This method, which is kind of an upgrade from the first, can make you a huge variety of puzzles, from interlocking burrs, to 2 or 3 dimentional packing puzzles, pretty easily.
All you need to do is to own a 3D printer, know how to use it, and have an STL file of the puzzle you want to print.
You can find puzzles to print at Thingiverse, or at PPP – Printable Puzzle Project, a site dedicated to building a catalog of 3D print ready puzzles.
Maintained by Aaron Siegel, the site is a cool collaboration between puzzle designers and puzzlers.
This method can build you so many puzzles. At first you’ll need to invest in a printer, but it’ll save you a lot of the costs in the long term.
Actually I’m considering investing in a video camera for the channel or in a 3D printer. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
The next method might surprise you. I was surprised when I heard about it, because I didn’t hear about people doing it where I live.
Way 3 of Getting Puzzles Cheap –Thrifting
A method for the adventurous.
Thrifting is actually pretty simple – you go to thrift shops and look for second hand puzzles. You can get them for very cheap there, since the sellers don’t always know what’s the market price for these puzzles.
You can also go to flea markets and look for puzzles there. Dan Feldman, the designer of Danlock, used to go to flea markets around the world, looking for puzzle locks and trick locks.
This method will require dedication but can be a fun thing to do. I’ve seen photos of people coming back home with impressive hauls of puzzles they got this way.
4th and My Favorite – Trading
This fourth method is how I got some extremely rare puzzles, like Ansel by PuzzledWolf, Strijbos’ Egg, Eric Fuller’s Escalating Box and even the Pachinko Box!
Trading puzzles is super simple – you give puzzles to someone, they give you puzzles in exchange.
You do need to give up some of your puzzles, but you get to play with more puzzles without spending more money! It’s like you’ve got a ticket to a ride that you can exchange later for another ticket, without paying more for it.
Some of you may not have puzzling friends nearby. It’s ok, you don’t have to live next to them to trade.
Most of my trades have been through the Mechanical Puzzles Discord, where you can trade your puzzles with anyone In the world.
This is my personal favorite way of getting new puzzles, because I’m trying to be as minimalistic as possible with my puzzle habits.
I really am trying!
This is also the most fun way because everyone wins in a trade and the puzzle lives on.
Now you know how to get more puzzles easily, so easily hit the like and subscribe buttons.
What’s your favorite way to get puzzles? Let me know in the comments.
Thank you guys for tuning in! I’ll see y’all next time.