Fifty-Two in 'Twenty-Four

Last Year I Exercised My Body... Now It's Time for My Brain to Sweat.

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 52: Box Two

Created by Theory 11

Presented by Neil Patrick Harris

Puzzle Classification: Escape Room/Box

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~ $35 (box was gifted to me)

Review:

I am having a full circle moment.

Box One was my First Puzzle of the year (as well as one of my top favorites) and now I am closing out the year on Box Two...

I am/was a bit in awe as I didn't even know Box Two was a thing... or at the very least a completed project.

Jumpin' In - all I can say is, "Yes, Yes, and Yaas!"

I am in Love with everything!

The mechanics, the tricks, the puzzles, the codes, the clues, the riddles, the digital interaction.

The only immediate negative thing I could mention - and it is kind of nitpicky, but true - I can say... is this box is very intricate that you better be prepared - by "be prepared"... I mean make sure you are in a well furnished home with or close to gadgets as you will definitely need access to household items not included in the box... so, ya know... don't expect to complete this Box on some Outdoor Camping Trip.

Now, with that negative comment out there - I am now going to walk it back - those moments where you need to access gadgets or utilize a household item - My Jaw-Dropped. I Giggled in Glee. I Made My Friend (in the next room) Drop Everything they were doing and had them Watch the "Magic" that was about to be Revealed!

Another Added Plus - Nothing is Destroyed! Everything can be Rassembled, Boxed-Up, and Shelved neatly on your Mantel of Triumph!

This Box, This Puzzle.... This Piece of Art is of the Highest Quality & Craftsmanship and has Me Hungry for more.

Just... Wow!

I'm in love...

Quite Possibly the Best Puzzle of the Year...

Total Completion Time:

2hr06min45sec67ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Flashlight

Paper & Pen

Smart Phone/QR Code Reader

Access to Internet

Access to Hot/Cold Water

Personal Rating: 9.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 47/53

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 51: Magic Puzzle: The Mystic Maze

(1000 Pieces*)

Created by Magic Puzzle Company

Puzzle Classification: Puzzle; Speed Puzzling; Search and Find

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~ $23 (but during the holidays/black friday saw them selling as low as $12)

Review:

SPOILERS AHEAD VIA VISUAL IMAGERY

Hey-O!

I pulled an All-Nighter working on this puzzle and it felt like only a few hours went by. Of course some tasty-tunes playing in the background may have helped - but - the visual artwork of this puzzle is amazing - both with the art/storyline (yep, I said storyline) and the actual cut of the individual pieces. I found myself absorbing the imagery more than keeping an eye on the clock.

Also, I don't know how best to explain - I am by no means a Puzzle Connoisseur - but this has to be the highest quality puzzle I have ever seen/worked with. Clean cut, a fine finish, and durable pieces.

Lastly, this puzzle company added a little extra flair by adding surprise "bonus" puzzle and Search and Find to the mix which elevates the box's storyline and I must say it was pretty cool to see for the first time - I have never seen anything like this before.

Highly recommend - will most definitely check out others.

Total Completion Time:

10hr22min14sec47ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Nothing

Personal Rating: 8/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 46/52

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 50: People's Magazine 50th Anniversary Celebrity Puzzler

(Boasts 68+ Puzzles)

Created by Various Staff/Creators at People Magazine

Puzzle Classification: Mix of Crossword Puzzles, Trivia, Word Search, Spot the Differences Mini Puzzles

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~ $15

Review:

This took me over 17 hours - spanning over a 2 week period - and I had a blast.

I've never read People Magazine - I don't think I would be a fan of their typical articles - but - when I saw a Pop Culture Themed Crossword Puzzle I was immediately hooked.

For the most part I would say this was really easy despite the long completion time but I must say, partaking in the many/mini puzzles whenever I could was a highlight of my day.

Sure, there were some answers and topics I did not know... at first... but the discovered beauty I found - doing/seeing 60 plus crosswords back-to-back - is that later puzzles in the magazine acted as a key for others.

Multiple names, terms, clues, answers, and/or words were heavily used/repeated from puzzle to puzzle. If I didn't get it the first go around I more than likely cracked the code or discovered the answer by gathering context clues from another puzzle or by completing a later puzzle - Essentially, I ended up making Two Full Passes through the magazine.

The down side... It's over... and I ran out of ink in my favorite pen!

I will definitely be keeping an eye out more crosswords like this in the future - even well after my 52 in 24 Challenge.

Total Completion Time:

17hr01min09sec11ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen

Personal Rating: 8.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 45/51

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 49: Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles

(First 100 Puzzles)

Crested by Unico Studios

Puzzle Classification: Logic Puzzles; Deduction and Rarsoning; Word-Play and Riddles; Trickery

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: Free (with ads - but did offere a 3-Day Free Trial with NO ads)

Review:

This can be short and sweet - for an App Game with Ads.... This ain't bad.

The other great thing about this app - it's continually adding more and more levels. Doing a quick check there is currently 465 levels at the time of this post.

You almost dont know what's in store with each level - It could be a riddle, word-play, optical illusion, slight trickery, math!...it packs enough variety that I don't think I will be deleting this app any time soon.

If you are bored, on the go, and need something to past the time - I highly recommend.

Total Completion Time:

1hr16min19sec99ms

(Not including ads)

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 7/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 44/50

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 48: Please, Don't Touch Anything (3D)

Crested by Four Quarters Team

Puzzle Classification: Digital Escape Room; Multiple-Mini Puzzles;

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~$10

Review:

So, I think I bit off more than I could chew... I originally thought this was a basic Escape Room - I basically jumped in without reading the rules or game description - you know, going in blind - little did I know I would be hit with 30 Mini Challenges to find 30 unique "Endings".

I originally thought the solution was to find the correct sequence of button pushes in the correct order without causing mayhem- and that - I was constantly failing.

But it wasn't until roughly the 30 minute mark that I realized that I wanted to purposely "End Things" - you want to cause mayhem.

Once I discovered this, the game picked up and went much smother, but I still had a lot of headache ahead - multiple sequences felt like pure guessing and a handful of sequences had to be repeated/restarted due to minor flubs which caused mild irritation/frustration... honestly being trapped in a VR headset for 2 hours+ is bordering torture, thank goodness the battery died forcing me into a break.

As well, I just simply didn't like some of outcomes or endings - not that they weren't animated well, but they just weren't my taste/vibe.

In retrospect, I would not recommend binging this game... but... put this game on the back burner, I could easily see losing interest and forgetting all about it.

The good thing is the price point. This is one of cheapest VR/Meta Quest games I have purchased and I think it was reasonably priced.

Take it or Leave It.

I'd say, only if you are truly bored and have truly no other games to play, well, then check it out, but I please don't burn yourself out on completing 100% - unless that's your thing - for me, if it wasn't for this blog I probably would have ditched about 30 minutes in.

Total Completion Time:

3hr14min21sec15ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 43/49

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 47: Search Party:

Chaos at the Park

Created by What Do You Meme LLC

Puzzle Classification: Search & Find; Deductive Reasoning

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: Found on Sale for ~$5 (This was a gift)

Review:

A tabletop search & find game packed with 15 missions of whacky, whimsical shenanigans... does it give Where's Waldo a run for his money?

Eh... in my opinion Waldo is forever enshrined in the Seek & Find Hall of Fame - but - Chaos at the Park brings it's own pizzazz to the mix.

Like its namesake, it is chaotic.

And it does "up" the Seek & Find Game by weaving multiple mini storylines (15 to be exact) within the art on a single board (page) - something to my knowledge was never applied in a Where's Waldo book.

Notably - Chaos at the Park is 3-Dimensional with the requirement to access a full 360 viewing.... Did what I just type even make since?... What I am getting at is you or the board needs to be moving/moved to get the full experience at sniffing out clues.

I would say this Board Game Seek & Find is best suited for the younger crowd/kids but definitely could be challenging for the truly young-young sprouts -aka- may require some adult supervision single-digit aged kids (Game does recommend ages 8+) - but - I must share that Search Party does come with a complimentary individual item search and find which is separate from the mini missions - and - I can say from experience, younger kids will just love to sit back and just soak up the scenery and absurdity taking place at the amusement park.

Quality-wise, packaging is good, art is awesome, gameplay has a lot to offer with action, but my only complaint is the board was a bit difficult to keep flat. It folds up and packs away nicely, it's durable and has heft... it just... bows upwards. At first I found it a bit frustrating, but I eventually weighted down the corners and everything was fine after that.

Final say?

This was selling for $5 according to my friend... and I think that was a Steal!

Buy it for young family members, play with your kids, play alone, play as party, or play it as competitive game - this game has massive potential and I would love to see more expansions.

If you see this out-and-about I highly recommend even if you can't get it at a crazy low price.

Total Completion Time:

1hr10min46sec93ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 7/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 42/48

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 46: Wood Matchbox Puzzles:

"T" Puzzle

Pyramid Puzzle

(Square) Tangram

Manufactured by GiftCraft

Puzzle Classification: Wood Puzzles; Brain Teaser

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: .99ć (These were gifts)

Review:

Neat, Sweet, Cheap!

Yes, these little puzzles are great items to provide that punch of mental exercise with a tactile escape.

I highly recommend these perfect little office-desk time wasters.

I also have to admit I got a few lucky lays with my puzzles pieces that boosted my "solve" time - without that luck - I am not afraid to admit these tchotchkes would have buried brain in a (well welcomed) challenge - Brain Teasers with a Punch.

I'll say it again:

Neat, Sweet, Cheap - give them a go if find 'em.

Total Completion Time:

30min34sec39ms

"T" Puzzle: 2min35sec90ms

Pyramid Puzzle: 12min13sec89ms

(Square) Puzzle: 15min43sec44ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 6/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 41/47

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 45: Peg Solitaire / Pyramid Game

This Board was Manufactured by Rico Industries

Puzzle Classification: Wood Puzzles; Strategy; Brain Teaser

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: Varies based design/quality (this was gifted to me - similar NFL ones run roughly ~$12 to $15)

Review:

A simple classic puzzle game dating back to late-late 1600's and a game which currently gets pawed at by greasy digits at the table sides of Cracker Barrel... I give you Peg Solitaire.

I have seen this around but never gave it much thought or played with one so I was shockingly surprised when I solved it under 2 minutes... gotta be dumb luck, right?

Right!

I gave it a second and third go - each turn worst than the last.

In the end I was flabbergasted that I got exponentially worse, but was enthralled by the challenge of getting that "lone" peg.

I am sure you can find a cheap version near you, and I highly recommend - especially as a tabletop fidget toy.

Total Completion Time:

31min11sec52ms

Fastest Time: 1min31sec15ms

Slowest Time: 20min21sec56ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 6/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 40/46

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 44: Cryptic

Developed by Digigo

Puzzle Classification: Word Puzzles; Digital Game; Gaming App

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: Free Download (Contains Ads)

Review:

Well, call it a bit of laziness with a mix penny-pincher and procrastinator that reduced me to playing a FREE Mobile App Game.

Completely free due to the absurd amount of ads - roughly every 1-2 minutes.

I thought the ads would be the death of me - but - roughly around the 2 hour mark the ads no longer appeared, thus meaning I was left alone with the medicore storyline and "investigation".

Given nothing away on the story in case others check it out - I will try to concisely provide an idea of gameplay:

You play as a reporter who must unearth a major story or face losing their job.

The game is broken up into Two Parts:

CRYPTIC LEVELS: First you need to complete "cryptic" word puzzles - basically you are given a definition/statement and you are required to solve for the "key words". By achieving the correct key word(s) - you are provided a phrase which essentially foreshadows the events in the "Story Mode". With each Cryptic Level/Word Puzzle you complete you then gain... I'm going to call them "turn tokens" - you need "turn tokens" to just enter the Story Mode and you need to continue to collect "turn tokens" to complete story levels - I ended up playing - 84 ROUNDS - just to finish "Big Case #1"....

STORY MODE: There are 10 levels to the story mode. Durning the Story Mode the mystery/story unravels and you make choices with your actions AND dialogue which supposedly effects the outcome of the game - which I don't buy - I am under the impression that no matter what action you take you will get the same ending... I am just sooo done with this game I don't care to prove or disprove.

Long-Review-Short... This "Word Puzzle" portion is okay for passing a few minutes here and there, but the ads and storyline are too excruciating and lame to garner my further attention.

Lastly/Supposedly, you could pay for "No Ads", but again - I dont think the game/story are worth it.

Completion Time:

2hr47min41sec40ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 2.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 39/45

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 43: Cast Metal Puzzles

The Loop; The Cross; Infinity

Manufacturered by Hanayama

Puzzle Classification: Brain Teasers; Mechanical Puzzles

Difficulty Level:

The Loop: 1/6

The Cross: 3/6

Infinity: 6/6

Price: ~$14-$15 per Mechanical Puzzle (Purcahsed Locally)

Review:

Very happy I got these, but will admit I was a bit shocked at the sticker price initially, but upon handling them - it is extremely apparent - the craftsmanship is top notch.

I've gotten dollar store mechanical puzzles made out of balsa wood or cheap metals, but never again. These have become my new fidget toys at my desk and I kind want to seek out the rest of the Hanayama puzzle line.

As for difficulty rating - I think they are on par.

I was a bit apprehensive with the Level 1, Loop Puzzle, because it basically fell apart in my hands, but the Level 3, The Cross, did take a bit more finagling and fineses and mind you the reassembly took me even longer due to myself not paying proper attention - a great aspect with these types of puzzles because they make you prove it all wasn't just blind luck with solving.

Then finally, Inifinity, once you find "the code" to unlocking the rings, it's a great little project. It was very riveting to crack.

As I said - these were high quality items which made their pricing all that more reasonable. If you are into these types of puzzles - I highly recommend.

Completion Time:

1hr31min39sec15ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 8/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 38/44

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 43: Tangrams

Created by...Unknown

Puzzle Classification: Tangrams; Puzzles; Speed Puzzling; Brain Teaser

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~$17 for all 3 (Purcahsed Locally)

Review:

When I was kid growing up I overindulged in a MTV staple, The Real World vs Road Rules, aka The Challenge.

I was always engrossed by the weekly events which led to the culmination of a final epic Challenge.

Yes, the show was mostly suited for highly physically fit individuals - BUT - one aspect that helped balance the scales was the puzzles - and - one of the most featured puzzle in The Challenge was often a Tangram.

I was highly confident I would be able to complete these, as I did, but I was more worried about my time...which could have been better.

All-in-All, I was throughly enjoyed. Would love more, however I wish the cost was a bit more reasonable.

Completion Time:

15min58sec60ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

None Needed

Personal Rating: 7/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 37/43

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 42: Exit The Game:

The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes

Created by Kosmos

Puzzle Classification: Murder Mystery

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Price: ~$15

Review:

Ooooooooh, man.

I failed miserably. So, bad I didn't even solve/complete the crime.

Now, even though I lost - I did find this to be a nice challenge.

The storyline was cool and the elements of solving the "locks" was unique.

My only knocks on the game was the quality of materials/paper products... but for $15 you definitely get your money's worth.

As well, I always hate having to destroy/purposely damage items for in game functionality.

The puzzles/locks - for myself - was troublesome (I heavily used the hints/clues) and they were somewhat time consuming but I wouldn't necessarily say that is a negative. At most, I would say this is a testament to playing with a set friends.

In the end, I was deflated from failing but I did get a very enjoyable experience. I would still recommend.

Completion Time:

Did NOT Complete

Hints/Clues Used: (6)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen & Paper

Personal Rating: 7/10

FAIL:

2024 Puzzle Record: 36/42

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 41: Deckscape:

Escape from Alcatraz

Created by DV Giochi

Puzzle Classification: Tabletop Escape Room

Difficulty Level: N/A

Price: ~$12

Review:

This was a rollercoaster of emotions... I was excited to play this as soon as I bought it, but then after the first couple of minutes of play I was a bit irritated/defeated because the mechanics , gameplay, and rules (in my opinion) was not clearly defined - I didn't no when to discard cards or keep them - I didn't know when to truly flip a card or go to the next. Just utter confusion at the beginning.

Truly, this is the first time I played through a game that had No Rule Booklet nor Tutorial.

Usually I am annoyed by the amount of time it takes to read through the rules before starting, but this game made me realize how integral a good set of rules/instructions are to having a fun experience.

I would say by mid game my tune changed and my mood/happiness lifted as I really started to understand the gameplay.

So, knocks against the game are it is not the easiest game to jump into if you are new to the game tyoe - BUT - Pros?

Storyline is Fantastic given the simplicity of the elements provided.

Like, the storyline is sooo good with a cool ending that almost, entirely, washes the bad taste of the beginning of the game out of your mouth.

For the price, the simplicity, and storyline... Yeah, it worth a purchase/playthrough, but it's not for a novice Escape Room Artist.

Completion Time:

58min33sec23ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen & Paper

Personal Rating: 6.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 36/41

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 39 & 40: Mediacl Mysteries:

NYC Emergency Room

(Patient 3: Gabriela Ferreria)

(Patient 4: Pete Johnson)

Created by Buffalo Games

Puzzle Classification: Medical Mysteries / Survival

Difficulty Level:

Patient 3 = 2/5

Patient 4 = 3/5

Price: ~$25 (for entire box/4 patients)

Review:

Love, love, love this game.

It was bitter sweet to be done, but at the same time it finally time that I move on to more games.

What I love about this game is there is so many twists and turns and not everyone will get the same outcome - you can lose your patient - or help them through the night yet still miss something that will come back and haunt you them - or you can be save a life.

With my last two patients I tried to be as thorough as possible and still came pretty close to losing them - and I am not ashamed - it was all part of the fun.

In short - this game as a whole - I highly recommend. It simple, but unique, and makes you feel like you could be the next House MD.

Completion Time:

Patient 3:

1hr01min07sec15ms

Patent 4:

46min55sec18ms

Total Time:

1hr48min02sec34ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen

Personal Rating: 8.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 35/40

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 38: Mediacl Mysteries:

NYC Emergency Room

(Patient 2: Adrian Alexopoulos)

Created by Buffalo Games

Puzzle Classification: Medical Mysteries / Survival

Difficulty Level: 2/5

Price: ~$25 (for entire box/4 patients)

Review:

Cutting to the Chase - My Patient Survived the Night - However!!! - Due to a missed prognosis! I will most likely see my Patient again in the ER!

That's what I love about this game.

There are multiple outcomes (good or bad) for your patients.

I think it fully set in after "solving" my patient's issues that I shouldn't rush things and "investigate" more... This second go-around makes me even more excited for Patients 3 and 4.

I highly recommend.

Completion Time:

23min59sec93ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen

Personal Rating: 8.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 33/38

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 37: Mediacl Mysteries:

NYC Emergency Room

(Patient 1: Shyla Patel)

Created by Buffalo Games

Puzzle Classification: Medical Mysteries / Survival

Difficulty Level: 1/5

Price: ~$25

Review:

Talk about refreshing!

I loved this and I am excited to play through the next 3 patients!

The description of game/gameplay sounds more complicated than it is - especially with the use of medical terminology thrown in - BUT do not feel too overwhelmed. The game comes with quick gameplay tutorial.

Personally, I found the mechanics of the game to be simple and yet engaging.

Another thing I loved is there is multiple routes you can take that can give each player a different finale... with out given anything away, at the end of each game you are given a score - with Patient 1 the absolute highest you could score was 105 points based on your deductive reasoning skills (I scored 95)... based on your medical decisions you can also lose points and/or.... lose your patient to The Grim Reaper!!!

I am just absolutely enamored - it was nice to play something that was completely out left field in terms of puzzles/escape rooms.

I highly recommend.

Completion Time:

33min57sec03ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen

Personal Rating: 8.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 32/37

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 36: Murder at the Motel

Created by Hunt A Killer

Puzzle Classification: Murder Mystery / Whodunnit

Difficulty Level: 4/5

Price: ~$29.99

Review:

Yeah, so.... I was a bit disappointed revisiting the Hunt A Killer games. My first introduction to the Hunt A Killer was "Homicide at the Heist" (Difficulty: 2/5) and I thought H.A.T.H. was kind of cool, but Murder at the Motel was blah in comparison.

Once again I was able to indicate my killer and motive with minimal evidence (without opening the lock box).

Yes, there were a few red herrings that ate up my time, but there was really no issues when it came to pinpointing my suspect - nothing made me second guess myself.

My other issue with the game is solution provided in the game was extremely vague - it confirmed my suspicion was correct - but did not provide any grand, in-depth reveal towards motive.

My final knock, I could not access the Online Content - not sure what all I missed - because Hunt A Killer was forcing me to SUBSCRIBE to receive any nuggets of content - yeah, no.

This prodded me to read reviews after I finished to hear/read other people's thoughts and it seemed like this particular storyline got hammered by players by its "slapped together" reveal/solution/answer (but many people did claim other storylines in Hunt a Killer Board Gameverse were better/still worth it).

In Short:

My personal review, per the price, almost $30, I would definitely skip this storyline.

Completion Time:

1hr20min58sec70ms

Hints/Clues Used: (Zero)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Pen & Paper

Access to Internet

Personal Rating: 5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 31/36