VIPuzzles - Hectix Puzzle

This remarkable puzzle concept was first discovered by Bill Cutler around 1965 and independently by Stewart T. Coffin in 1968. Stewart T. Coffin is widely regarded as the world’s foremost creator of interlocking puzzles. With only a subtle variation in the notches, this puzzle is derived from his original Hectix design.

The original version was designed and cast in epoxy in late 1968 and was patented in 1973 (US Patent No. 3721448). It consists of 12 precisely notched hexagonal sticks and marked the beginning of Coffin’s own puzzle company.

In 1970, a production license was granted to 3M, which manufactured the puzzle in injection-molded styrene. The license was later transferred to Avalon Hill in 1976. Approximately 100,000 units were sold—an impressive success for a mechanical puzzle at the time.

The current whereabouts of the original mold remain unknown, something many puzzle collectors would dearly love to uncover. Stewart T. Coffin, born in 1930 and still alive at the time of this release, personally granted permission for the reproduction of his puzzles.

A timeless classic, faithfully reintroduced for today’s puzzle enthusiasts.