Puzzle Box

Puzzle boxes are a type of spatial puzzle that take the form of containers that require particular actions or skills to get into. While they can be used as devices for hiding things, they can also just be fun challenges to complete on one's own.

Background
Puzzle boxes have existed in one form or another since the Renaissance, with the main variance in them being their purpose. While many original boxes were in the form of jewelry boxes and furniture like desks that simply had hidden compartments for actively keeping secrets, modern boxes have trended towards being novelties. Often sold as souvenirs in regions known for their construction, like Interlaken, Switzerland and Hakone, Japan, these more entertainment-focused boxes tend to put more effort into their mechanisms, putting the spotlight on the puzzle-solving aspect rather than the safekeeping aspect.

In popular culture, puzzle boxes have also appeared in movies like Hellraiser (which features a puzzle cube that doesn't necessarily 'open'), and Glass Onion (which features a large, table-sized puzzle box at a major setpiece).

Puzzle Application
The goal of a puzzle box is to open it, in whatever way it's meant to be opened. Some have a lid that can be lifted or slid off, other have drawers or hinges. Whatever the mechanism for accessing the interior of a box is, the steps leading up to it are the main 'puzzle' to be dealt with.

Common mechanisms used in box construction include:


 * Sliding parts, allowing a particular sequence of pieces to be slid around until one that is holding the lid in place is moved.
 * Magnets or springs that require particular force to be applied in order to disengage the connection.
 * Free-moving parts like balls that must be navigated through a maze either blindly or through a viewing window in the box.

Puzzle boxes are not common in hunt puzzles, as they are often difficult or costly to construct, leaving organizers with a heavy financial burden to cover if they intend to distribute them to all participating teams.