Editing Mechanical puzzle (section)

=== Disassembly ===
[[Image:PuzzleDisassembly.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Disassembly puzzles]]

The puzzles in this category are usually solved by opening or dividing them into pieces. This includes those puzzles with secret opening mechanisms, which are to be opened by [[trial and error]]. Furthermore, puzzles consisting of several metal pieces linked together in some fashion are also considered part of this category.

The two puzzles shown in the picture are especially good for social gatherings, since they appear to be very easily taken apart, but in reality many people cannot solve this puzzle. The problem here lies in the shape of the interlocking pieces – the mating surfaces are tapered, and thus can only be removed in one direction. However, each piece has two oppositely sloping tapers mating with the two adjoining pieces so that the piece cannot be removed in either direction.

Boxes called secret boxes or [[puzzle box]]es with secret opening mechanisms, extremely popular in Japan, are included in this category. These caskets contain more or less complex, usually invisible opening mechanisms which reveal a small hollow space on opening. There is a vast variety of opening mechanisms, such as hardly visible panels which need to be shifted, inclination mechanisms, magnetic locks, movable pins which need to be rotated into a certain position up and even [[time lock]]s in which an object has to be held in a given position until a liquid has filled up a certain container.