For more than 50 years Stave has been innovating and pushing the bounds of what a wood puzzles is. With all that creativity, they have created many different types of puzzles along the way and it can be confusing to know what the differences are. This guidet will cover the highlights, but we have also created in-depth articles as well on select types of puzzles, so make sure to check those out as well!
So let’s dive right into it and get an overview of the types of puzzle types Stave sells…
Traditionals – The puzzles that made Stave famous
Best for: Anybody who loves wood puzzles
What to expect: An amazing assortment of cuts, silhouette pieces, themes, artists and amazing edge designs
Difficulty Rating: Easy to impossible 😉
Great next step: Pull out the puzzling table and treat yourself
Explore:: Check out our gallery for examples
Tidbits/Minis – Wee puzzles=big smiles
Best for: Stave beginners, stocking stuffer/gifts, Stave fans
What to expect: These usually come in about 50 piece sizes and are just as fun as larger puzzles. Stave also puts out smaller puzzles that are usually giveaways for customers at holidays and birthdays. Generally these are 25-30 pieces and we call them minis. Usually they are traditional puzzles, although we have seen mini versions of other styles before from time to time.
Difficulty Rating: Easy (for a Stave!)
Great next step: Any of them are a great way to introduce yourself or a friend to Staves.
Explore: Check out our gallery for examples
Treats — Traditionals and then some
Best for: Trying a puzzle with a slightly different take on a Traditional
What to expect: Generally these are similar to Traditional puzzle with a little something extra. We’ve seen unusual bird designs (we won’t give anything else away) to a set of puzzles that for a village.
Difficulty Rating: Varies on the puzzle.
Great next step: These run the gamut, so really just pick one that grabs your eye.
Explore: Check out our gallery for examples
Teasers — Not your grandparent’s puzzle
Best for: Puzzlers ready for a harder challenge
What to expect: Generally puzzles that have an traditional outside frame and then special Teaser pieces must fit inside. Always have a theme and very creative title.
Difficulty Rating: 1-4 Sword rating
Great next step: Start with a 1 to get your feet wet. A lot are in the in 2-3 Sword category, but it does take time to understand
Explore: Check out our in-depth Stave Puzzles 101: What is a Teaser? guide for more info
Tricks — The hardest puzzles around
Best for: Puzzlers ready for fun frustration
What to expect: A wide range of puzzles that have pieces that go together in multiple ways so it makes it very difficult. Comes in many themes and styles to keep you on your toes.
Difficulty Rating: 1-5 Bolt rating
Great next step: You will want to start with the easier ones first as these are a very different way of doing puzzles than “normal” ones. And when we say easier, we really mean easier than the hard ones (as opposed to easy!).
Explore: Check out our in-depth Stave Puzzles 101: What is a Trick? guide for more info
Tormentors — Puzzles with a twist
Best for: A great segue way to Tricks from Teasers if you aren’t quite ready to make the full leap
What to expect: Unlike Tricks, these puzzles only go together one way. HOWEVER, these can be very hard with such design tactics like single color pieces and difficult features.
Difficulty Rating: 1-5 Point rating
Great next step: While they can get very hard, if you are adventurous you can probably get away with trying harder ones from the getgo. However, expect it to take a while to get the hang of it if you dare to go that route.
Explore: Check out our in-depth Stave Puzzles 101: What is a Tormentor? guide for more info
Troublemakers — Tangrams with Stave pizzaz
Best for: People that enjoyed Tangrams as a kid
What to expect: These are similar to Teasers in that you start with a frame and then need to place the remaining pieces inside. However, they have no knobs, just shapes so it’s very similar to Tangrams. Also, there are usually multiple solutions for 1 puzzles.
Difficulty Rating: 1-4 Pitchforks
Great next step: Some creative puzzles in this type, including a police mystery of sorts with a London theme.
Explore: Check out our in-depth Stave Puzzles 101: What is a Troublemaker? guide for more info
Limited Editions — Crème de la crème
Best for: Serious collectors and show-stopping gifts
What to expect: These are the most expensive puzzle types that Stave sells. They are all limited to a certain number of puzzles per design. There are several different types of Limited Editions including some hand-painted, riddle based
Difficulty Rating: All over the board
Great next step: These are some of the most intricate designs and you will need to browse the catalog to get a feel of what will be a good one for you.
Explore: Check out our in-depth Stave Puzzles 101: What is a Limited Edition? guide for more info