Screw Enigma

Screw Enigma is a 3D printed variation to the classic twisty puzzle Engel's Enigma, which consists of two intersecting circles which can rotate so there is an interchange of pieces.

This version was made by Oskar van Deventer and includes threaded sides, so when a circle is turned, all its pieces move up or down simultaneously (1 mm per 60-degrees turn). This literally adds an extra dimension to the puzzle. As you can imagine, after mixing the pieces, the objective is to rearrange them back to their original position.

Most of the manual work to make the shown sample went into switching between color filaments to 3D-print the “stickers” integrally into the pieces. The bottom printed layer has eight different colors. The second layer covers all colored sections with a layer of white to brighten the colors. With only a black background, the colors would look darker and duller.

Oskar van Deventer has created many different puzzles including his brand of Oskar Puzzles which are mechanical puzzles and objects that can only exist thanks to 3D printing technology.  Since 1978, he has been creating hundreds of mechanical puzzles, making him one of the world's most prolific designers. Several of his innovative designs are commercially available.