This puzzle box came as a result of a conversation with another puzzle maker, Kelly Snache, when I had mentioned I had some tea boxes that just didn’t move well. So he asked me “Why not retrofit them with puzzles?” Several months and a whole lot of discarded ideas plus learning how to add puzzles to an already assembled box The Former Tea Box was born.

This has the same structure as original, I tried to make no major structural changes. Instead, I merely added puzzles into the design. These are made from reclaimed walnut beadboard which still retains some of the original wear like the occasional nail hole that I left as evidence of its past. The also feature accents of cherry, maple. There is some veneered plywood as well. The overall box is 10 1'4" long, 8" deep and 6 1/" tall.

The goal is to find the makers coin. It is 12-15 moves depending on what you count as a “move”. There may even be a secret or two extra, or maybe not.

8 or the original boxes were still in my inventory, which I turned into the puzzle box. 7 were sold and 1 remains with me.