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This snake puzzle is one of my original designs. Here I’ve customized it for my daughter’s roommate whose name is Coral. Coral really enjoys snakes and she owns two of them herself, named Mr. Tuggles and Mrs. Wigglesworth. The original design, shown in pictures 4 and 5, leaves the spaces in the snakes coils empty. Here, I scrolled in the letters of her name, which conveniently and coincidentally, fits. To set off the letters I veneered them in black walnut.
This puzzle with the base has only 34 pieces, not including the customized letter inserts, but it presents a challenge no matter how often it’s put together. Note that the pieces are not rectangular and they are not all similar in size and shape. They are the same color top and bottom. Almost everyone can figure out where the base piece goes and how it’s to be oriented, but after that things are not so straightforward.
Image Captions:
1 and 2. Completed Snake Puzzle with letters inserted.
3. The veneered letter inserts
4. The original design with the letter inserts.
5. The original design by itself.
6. Customized snake puzzle in exploded view
The puzzle was cut from 3/4” Baltic birch plywood using #5 scroll reverse blades. I could have used a #7, but with the finished height being about 9” (and the length is about 11”), I prefer the snugger, that is, less wobbly, fit of the #5. The snake itself is finished with Watco’s Danish Oil – Black Walnut. For the inserts and letters I used the Watco’s Natural. The base was painted with acrylics.
The puzzle would be good to go as is, but I’ll allow the oil to cure for a few days then spray on a few coats of clear lacquer. Then, as a final flourish, I’ll fill the eye with yellow polymer clay and a ruby red pupil.
Thanks for looking.
Russ
Crafty Puzzles 
