Welcome to the World of Chinese Puzzles!

In China, traditional puzzles are called intelligence games and are valued as tools for training the mind in creative and logical thinking. Some of the puzzles are Chinese in origin, while others initially came from outside of China but have been transformed in ways that are uniquely Chinese.

Happy puzzling in the Year of the Dragon!

Dragon poster and cards available at www.SFlocal.net.

Puzzles have been treasured by people from all walks of life. Scholars have written volumes exploring their intricacies. Members of the royal family have given puzzles as gifts and enjoyed playing with them on holidays. Young women from well-to-do families have used puzzles to help pass the time. And common people have enjoyed puzzle solving as an inexpensive form of entertainment.

In the past, puzzles were highly crafted and made of a wide variety of materials. And many were decorated with auspicious images for the puzzler to contemplate.

We invite you to explore this website, read short histories of Chinese puzzles, and view some of the beautiful antique puzzles from the Yi Zhi Tang collection.
 

Puzzle News

IPP Puzzle Design Winners

The results of the 2011 Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition were announced at the International Puzzle Party (IPP) in Berlin. Congratulations to all of the prize winners!. Summaries, solution sheets, names of designers and purchasing information for available puzzles are all online here. And if you would like to enter a puzzle in the 2012 competition, details are here.
 

Chinese Puzzles Exhibition Ends 10-Month Run

Labor Day weekend was the last opportunity for visitors to enjoy the exhibition Chinese Puzzles: Games for the Hands and Mind. The exhibition at the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in New York’s Chinatown ran for ten months, from November 6, 2010 to September 5, 2011, during which thousands of New Yorkers and out-of-town visitors enjoyed viewing the beautiful antique puzzles on display and playing with modern versions of them. Sign up for our email newsletter to receive announcements of future exhibitions.
 

Martin Gardner Celebration of Mind

Martin Gardner was the beloved Scientific American columnist who passed away in 2010. For 25 years his monthly “Mathematical Games” column was the leading forum for creative thought related to recreational mathematics and puzzles. On October 21, 2011, Martin’s admirers gathered around the world to celebrate his life and work and to continue his pursuit of a playful and fun approach to math, science, art, magic and puzzles. Almost 100 people attended the Beijing event, sponsored by the Beijing Toy Association. Click here for photos.
 

Ruan Genquan Opens New Puzzle Shop in Wuxi

Master puzzle maker Ruan Genquan has a new puzzle shop at Huishan Ancient Town Park in Wuxi, a 50-minute train ride from Shanghai. In this photo, Ruan shows us 50 different types of ingenious rings puzzles he still makes at age 78, and he’s holding a 13 linked rings puzzle that takes 5461 moves to solve! Ruan’s daughter also has a puzzle stand in Wuxi, and his brother has one in Suzhou. If you’re planning to visit either city, email us at for directions.
 

New York Puzzle Party Symposium

The annual New York Puzzle Party Symposium will be held on Saturday, February 11, from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm at Trevor Day School, 1 West 88th Street. All puzzlers and cubists are invited to attend. If you’re interested in giving a talk or presentation, please contact Tom Cutrofello.

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