Editing Mechanical puzzle (section)

== History ==
The oldest known mechanical puzzle comes from [[Greece]] and appeared in the 3rd century BC.
The game consists of a square divided into 14 parts, and the aim was to create different shapes from these pieces. This is not easy to do.  (see [[Ostomachion]] loculus Archimedius)

In [[Iran]] "puzzle-locks" were made as early as the 17th century AD.

The next known occurrence of puzzles is in [[Japan]]. In 1742 there is a mention of a game called "Sei Shona-gon Chie No-Ita" in a book. Around the year 1800 the [[Tangram]] puzzle from [[China]] became popular, and 20 years later it had spread through Europe and America.

The company Richter from [[Rudolstadt]] began producing large amounts of Tangram-like puzzles of different shapes, the so-called "Anker-puzzles" in about 1891.

In 1893, [[s:Author:Angelo John Lewis|Angelo John Lewis]], using the pen name "Professor Hoffman", wrote a book called ''Puzzles; Old and New''. It contained, among other things, more than 40 descriptions of puzzles with secret opening mechanisms. This book grew into a reference work for puzzle games and modern copies exist for those interested.

The beginning of the 20th century was a time in which puzzles were greatly fashionable and the first patents for puzzles were recorded.

With the invention of modern [[polymer]]s manufacture of many puzzles became easier and cheaper.

In 1993, [[Jerry Slocum]] founded the Slocum Puzzle Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on puzzles through puzzle collecting, exhibitions, publications, and communications.