As a genre, puzzle boxes are unique and fun. They present the challenge of a puzzle with the added bonus of housing a secret compartment. They’re traditionally made out of wood, and quite often, they take a fair bit of work to produce. However, the world of puzzle making is changing, and it’s not limited to traditional manufacturing methods anymore.
With the help of 3D printing, makers have been able to create a variety of different puzzles and share them. With so many available options, you’re bound to find one that you just have to print – or that will make a perfect gift.
In this list, we’ll look at some awesome 3D printed puzzle boxes that you can print for yourself. Some are simple to print and assemble, while others are pretty involved projects that will take some time and resources. That said, all of the makes in our list are definitely an option to sharpen your puzzle-solving skills.
And if you find a puzzle box that’s just right for you (or that you want to print as a gift), but your setup isn’t precise enough or you want a special material to give your puzzle box some class, don’t panic! With Craftcloud, you can find a professional manufacturer to do all the hard work for you (except solving the puzzles).
These puzzle boxes have a more traditional aesthetic and are entirely made of 3D printed parts. These may look simple, but it may take some time for you to figure out how to solve and open them up.
This box is known to be fairly easy to print, but that same ease doesn’t translate when it comes to solving the puzzle and opening the lid. The model is made up of eight 3D printable pieces, and the designer states that some 5-mm magnets will be needed, as well as some glue.
The designer provides a detailed diagram for assembly on the project page, along with the recommended print settings, which are 15% infill, 0.1-mm layer height, and tree supports enabled.
In addition, the designer has recently uploaded an improved version of this puzzle box that’s completely supportless, saving you the trouble of cleaning them.
Gifts are always a pleasure to open, so why not up the fun? With this box, you can twist and transform the gift opening into a funny moment. The person receiving the present will have some work to do to get the prize! This box opens only after the 14 screws of the print are disassembled.
All components are 3D printed, including the thumb screws. The design features a print-in-place hinge mechanism, so make sure to tune your printer to get tight tolerances. The original files were designed to be printed with PLA but some users have also tested it with PETG to great success.
If you need an easy-to-print and easy-to-solve puzzle, here’s the right model for you. If your kids ask you to print something fun for them, they’ll love this design. The puzzle is composed of three identical pieces only that slide together to create a perfect cube, so by printing it with three colors, the cube will pop!
The designer has left a 0.3-mm tolerance to allow smooth movements. The model doesn’t require supports since your machine should be able to print without problems with the 22-mm bridge.
Magic drawers are a classic design that can either be a puzzle or a magic trick. The Magic Drawers Puzzle involves removing and putting the pieces back into a box. It presents a challenging task, especially when it’s time to arrange the pieces together again.
The designer has provided a video if you want to check out the solution to this four-piece puzzle. The design is made up of six parts in total, four pieces to arrange in and out of the box, and two pieces to glue together for the box. By splitting the box into two, you won’t need any supports to print it.
It’s a box but not just any old box. It follows the tradition of Japanese wooden puzzle boxes in that it’s meant to be made with such precision that each piece fits together to form one (seemingly) complete piece with no noticeable gaps.
Although it seems like a mere cube on the outside, with a bit of tinkering, you may discover something interesting: It opens after a few simple sliding moves.
The creator mentions this box will require some sanding, but if you don’t mind a loose fit, they also provide files with greater tolerances. This print will require supports, and you may choose to remove the decorations as well.
Prefer the challenge instead of the decor? This puzzle is for you. With sliding parts and a maze, this puzzle can be opened in as little as 19 or as many as 354 moves. Although it lacks an intricate style, you have the opportunity to decorate and make it your own.
The maker used supports and a raft, and while the print requires some sanding, it doesn’t need any glue to stay together.
This butterfly box is a fun and complex puzzle that you can only unlock if you can find the key and the keyhole, both of which are hidden. The box has butterflies all around – hence its name – and it features many secret moving components and compartments that are useful for finding the solution. To assemble the 15-part box and solve it, you can follow the designer’s tutorials linked on the project page.
The designer listed that they didn’t use supports or a raft to print the pieces, but they didn’t provide any further printing instructions. However, one recorded maker listed that they used a layer height of 0.2 mm with a 10% infill density.
This Yosegi Puzzle Box draws inspiration from the traditional Yosegi Kaizu, which is decorated with many patterns and designs, giving the box an appealing look. However, this puzzle box is not just a pretty face. It has many moving parts in various shapes and sizes, making it a complex puzzle to solve.
The designer has modified and updated the different parts of this box, and there are a total of four updated versions. In the latest one, the thickness of a few parts doubled to increase their durability.
The designer recommends printing the entire box in ABS, as some of the parts are thin and fragile. A layer height of 0.01 mm is also recommended in order to display all the minute details.
The puzzle boxes in this category all have a specific theme, including steampunk and space exploration. The thematically functional and aesthetic parts definitely give these puzzles plenty of character!
Lighthouses are fascinating. They are typically perched on cliffs and illuminate the dark sea at night. You can often see fridge magnets and small furniture designed in the shape of a lighthouse, so why not a lighthouse puzzle? For this beautiful design, you’ll need some additional hardware, including magnets, bolts, and metal pins.
Since the model is divided into multiple pieces, you don’t need a machine capable of multicolor printing to get such a result. You can choose whatever color combination you like the most; if want a realistic result, prepare your red and white filament. You won’t need any supports for this model, but if you have bed adhesion issues, make sure to add a brim in your slicer.
Will you be able to discover the secret of this lighthouse puzzle box? If you can’t wrap your mind around it, don’t worry, the designer has uploaded a video explaining the solution.
Do aliens exist? If so, what do they look like? These questions remain unanswered. However, with this puzzle box, you’ll set out on a mission to find the missing alien hiding somewhere inside the box. If you can solve it, you’ll come face-to-face with an extraterrestrial life form!
This NASA-themed box comes equipped with a rocket, a few buttons, dials, and other various parts. Only the correct sequence of moves will reveal the alien’s location.
The designer recommends printing the puzzle parts with a layer height of 0.2 mm and 15% infill. Apart from this, like the designer, you can print the box in different colors, making it more vibrant. The box part named “Part B” can be a bit tricky to print, so you might have to play around with the settings. But once it’s all ready, you can easily assemble the puzzle box by following the instruction video.
