About this 3D model

The #Buzzle is a #3DPuzzzle based on a game, Montezuma Puzzle, my kids play on their phones. It is a relaxing and logical tiling puzzle game. Or maybe you will be a busy bee BUZZing around the honeycomb to move all the pieces to the pattern. All the pieces in this version of the game are hexagon shapes in different configurations. Arrange the puzzle pieces in the correct position to complete the puzzle pattern. There can be multiple solutions to completing each puzzle pattern. To make the puzzle more challenging, the difficulty insert can be used to restrict the number of possible solutions to the puzzle by forcing all the pieces to a set orientation. Description In this design submission, there are 6 #Buzzle sets that can be printed separately. Each of the sets comes with a travel box that holds the pieces. This includes a base (playing area), cover, difficulty insert and the related pieces for the set. Each set is embossed with a logo as well as the #Buzzle pattern on the cover for easy identification. Dimensions of each set fit nicely in the palm of your hand and can print on small printers, total dimensions 122mm x 79mm x 15mm. The base of the set contains the puzzle pattern as well as storage pockets for the pieces. On the bottom of the base is a logo embossed and prints wonderful if your printer can handle 1.15mm bridging. The base also features a 0.5mm slide groove on both sides for the cover to slide over. Inside the groove is a “lock/grip/stopper” to ensure that the cover is secured when travelling. Storage pockets for the pieces are designed to have 0.2mm spacing on all sides to ensure pieces are not stuck. Inside each storage pocket is an orientation guide to assist the player with organising the pieces when storing. This also gives an intuitive guide to what is required when using the difficulty insert. The cover of the set slides over the base to enclose the pieces for travelling or can slide below the base while playing (with a 2mm gap for the difficulty insert). The spacing between the cover and base is 0.4mm (0.2mm on each side) to ensure easy sliding. The sliders on both sides of the cover contain the locking grip (stopper) of 0.5mm that will keep the cover in position when playing or travelling. Without the difficulty insert, the pieces can be arranged in any orientation to fill the puzzle pattern. With the difficulty, their orientation is limited to the same orientation as their respective storage pockets. The difficulty insert is designed to be stored inside the puzzle pattern and can be inserted from the bottom of the base to force the orientation of the pieces and make the puzzle more challenging. All the puzzle pieces are hexagonal shaped (4.9mm radius) and 10mm high (5mm piece with 5mm grip). The base of the pieces is chamfered with 0.5mm 45⁰, this allows pieces to stay in their placed positions and not slide around. The handles on top of each piece is 2mm and chamfered onto the base. Inside the base of each piece is a 2mm radius hexagon 4mm deep, this pocket is offset with 1mm to one direction. This 1mm offset ensures the piece can only be in one specific orientation when using the difficulty insert as well as when storing them in their pockets. As part of the challenge, I did some research on puzzles and stumbled across a TED talk by Scott Kim, “The art of puzzles” Following are some tips for puzzles; A puzzle is a problem that is fun to solve (as opposed to everyday “problems”)and has a right answer (as opposed to a toy or a game) Puzzles are an ancient art form. Like a joke, poem, trick or song. The best ones are memorable. Design Challenges During this last month, I learned a lot about various pieces of software. I learned and used FreeCAD for my design. At first, it was a simple task, draw some Hexagons, configure them to make different puzzle patterns and then union them. Draw a block, chamfer the edges arrange the pieces into the pattern and do a cut. Easy. I printed this, and my kids were impressed. Then the came the pieces and I suddenly realised that there needs to be a certain tolerance. What is the acceptable spacing….? This video by Devin from Make Anything on “How to make Puzzles” helped a lot. I settled for a 0.2mm spacing (Devin had 0.25 clearance) between the pieces in the playing pattern area. Drawing the first pattern soon pointed out that I need to document my steps and find a method to reproduce all my steps. Drawing and fiddling around with values resulted is a cool puzzle but whenever I wanted to make a change, I had to reproduce my steps. This resulted in me quickly learning Python as used in FreeCAD. To be honest, I merely copied and pasted the commands as FreeCAD generated the python scripts as I drew. With my Python scripts, I soon had a base box that will hold the pieces and a cover that can slide over to enclose the puzzle. Eventually, I settled for a size of 122mm x 79mm x 15mm. This might have been better to have it 85mm wide since the one #buzzle (nr