Stone Puzzle (Lott's)

Lott's Stone Puzzle, boxed [image info]

Lott's Stone Puzzle, packing guide [image info]

Solutions booklet order form [image info]

A small boxed "Lott's Stone Puzzle" set, made by Lotts.

This puzzle consisted of a 32-page stapled instruction booklet and seven mid-dark-red artificial stone pieces of different shapes that fitted together to form a rectangle (the box shape).

The object of the exercise was to try to recreate each of the 105 different outlines given in the booklet, by arranging and rearranging the shapes. For users who were frustrated at not being able to complete all the shapes, there was also an optional solutions booklet, price 6d, mentioned on the front cover (the back cover being a form that the the user could use to send off for the booklet, with a 6d postal order or 6d of stamps).

Booklet text

" Relaxation and amusement without expending energy is the chief charm of all Puzzles. Lott's Stone Puzzles will be found to satisfy these requirements to an unusual degree.

The puzzles being cast in artificial stone are very pleasing to handle - with their clean cut edges and smooth surfaces. No effort has been spared in devising the problems, of which there are over on hundred. The ingenuity of both the philanderer or most mathematically minded person will often be taxed to a tantalising degree to arrive at correct solutions.

Those who are invalids or no longer active will often find a tedious hour lost sight of and forgotten, in devising their solutions to these stone puzzles. "

Markings

The set comes in a red card box with removable lid, and a large white paper sticker on the lid marked "Lott's Stone Puzzle" / "105 separate puzzles" / "Made in England" / "Copyright (1911 Act)" / "All Rights Reserved".

The back of the box has a round white crinkly-edged price sticker. marked "2/4" in pencil

External links

• Richter "Sphinx" puzzle (cs.brandeis.edu)
• Lilly Library / The Jerry Slocum Mechanical Puzzle Collection (indiana.edu)