Meffert Oskar Wooden Treasure Chest

Meffert Oskar Wooden Treasure Chest

This 3x3x3 cube has an empty storage compartment inside instead of a full mechanism. The Meffert Oskar Wooden Treasure Chest is a wooden version of the "treasure chest" designed by Oskar van Deventer, the Dutch puzzle designer known for the Gear Cube, among others. The body is black, and instead of stickers, the faces have colored wooden tiles.

How the treasure chest works

You scramble it just like a regular 3x3. The lid only opens when the cube is solved, so there's no shortcut to whatever is hidden inside. You solve it the same way as a classic 3x3. If you already know any method, you don't need to learn new algorithms. For a beginner, the little surprise tucked inside is a good reason to finish the solve.

Wooden tiles instead of stickers

What sets this version apart from the standard Treasure Chest is the finish. The face colors are made of wooden tiles, so the cube looks more like a decorative box than an ordinary toy. In photos the shades may look similar to each other, but according to users they are easy to tell apart in person.

What not to expect

This is not a speed cube. The mechanism is loose, and the turning is nothing like the smoothness of modern magnetic cubes. Corner cutting or stability at high TPS don't matter here. For timed practice, a regular 3x3 is a better choice. The compartment is fairly small: it will fit, for example, a 1x1 cube, a small bottle of lube or a USB flash drive, but nothing bigger.

Who is it for?

Above all, it's a gift where what's inside matters: a note, a small present or a surprise for someone who can solve a 3x3. It will also appeal to collectors of Meffert's puzzles and Oskar van Deventer designs. If you're buying it for a child, check first whether they can already solve a classic cube, because without that they won't open the compartment.

Specifications

• Type: 3x3x3 puzzle with a hollow interior (storage compartment)
• Manufacturer: Meffert's
• Designer: Oskar van Deventer
• Body color: black
• Face finish: colored wooden tiles
• Dimensions: approx. 6.3 x 6.16 x 6.1 cm
• Opening: the lid opens only when the cube is solved