This invention relates to puzzles.

Puzzles are known in which a plurality of elements are relatively movable such that the elements can be arranged into a pre-determined arrangement or solved configuration in which the puzzle is solved. The appeal of such puzzles to a user lies in the challenge of manipulating the puzzle elements relative to one another such that the solved configuration is achieved and the satisfaction from having achieved the solution.

An example of such a puzzle are the so-called Rubik's cube. A disadvantage of this puzzle is that it is very difficult to solve thus leading to frustration on the part of the user being unable to solve the puzzle.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a new puzzle presenting a different challenge to that provided previously.

According to the invention is provided a puzzle comprising a plurality of serially connected elements, adjacent elements having a common rotational axis and being angularly movable relative to each other about that common rotational axis; in which two or more serially arranged elements are angularly movable about a common rotational axis.

The elements may be rotatable about the common rotational axis.

The term serially does not necessarily mean that all of the elements are arranged on a single axis, but in some embodiments they are.

Preferably the elements are multi-faceted three dimensional geometric shapes. The elements may have equilaterally sided facets.

Preferably the elements are cube shaped. Alternatively they may be tetrahedral, octahedral, dodecahedral or other three dimensional geometric shape such as a parallelepiped.

Preferably the elements are arranged into a plurality of groups. Each group may comprise a number of serially connected elements on a common axis. The common axes of adjacent groups may be angularly movable with respect to each other. There may be three elements in a group. There may be a plurality of groups having three, or more, elements. A group of three, or more, elements may be connected to another group of three or more, elements by a single additional connecting element, or be connected by more than one serially connected element, or be connected directly to an adjacent group of three, or more, elements, with no intervening connecting element. A puzzle having a combination of these possibilities is envisaged. The included angle between common axes of adjacent groups may be between 30° and 90°, for example approximately 30°, 45°, 60° or 90°. An included angle of 90° is preferred.

The plurality of elements may be movable relative to one another such that they can be arranged into a solved configuration. The plurality of elements may be movable relative to one another so as to form a

multi-faceted three dimensional geometric shape, for example a parallelepiped. The shape may have equilaterally sided facets, for example a tetrahedron, cube or other such shape.

The preferred shape of the solved configuration is a cube. The cube formed by a solved puzzle may consist of three elements arranged along the edge portion of each face of the cube. Alternatively, there may be four, five or even more elements along each edge portion of each face.

The elements of the puzzle may be coloured in two or more different colours. Preferably, in the solved configuration the elements are arranged so that neighbouring elements within each face form a predetermined pattern by combining the coloured elements .

The pattern formed on the faces of the solved configuration may be a checkerboard pattern. Alternatively a different pattern may be used. An advantage of providing a pattern on the faces of the solved configuration is that it provides a target for a user to aim towards. A further advantage is that a pattern is aesthetically pleasing.

A variety of puzzles, each with a different solved configuration may be provided. As such, a user's interest may be maintained for a longer period: once a user has solved a puzzle with one configuration, the user will still have the puzzles with the remaining configurations to solve.

Preferably the elements are arranged on a common carrier. The elements may be threaded onto the common

carrier. The common carrier may be a flexible member. It may be an elastically deformable member, for example elastic cord. Alternatively adjacent elements may be connected together with discrete connections operating between adjacent elements only.

The elements may be comprised of a natural material such as wood or a synthetic material. The elements may be transparent or translucent.

The flexible member may be of a particular colour. Preferably, if transparent elements are used a coloured flexible member is used. Thus, a more aesthetically pleasing puzzle is perhaps provided. The flexible member may, in the solved configuration take up a desired configuration. The shape of the flexible member may guide the user in how to move the elements to try to get to the solved configuration.

Preferably, each puzzle with a different solved configuration is represented by a colour theme. An advantage of using a colour theme is that the puzzle is identified by the theme. The theme used to identify the solved configuration may be provided on the elements or by the flexible member. The theme may comprise using two colours for each puzzle, with one colour the same for all puzzles and the second colour distinct to each puzzle. The flexible member may or may not be coloured the same as the distinct colours.

Pictures, words or other such markings (hereinafter referred to as markings) may be provided on the elements. Portions of the markings may be provided on different elements. In the solved configuration the portions of the markings may be arranged so that the complete marking is reformed.

Such markings may be useful to display advertising or promotional material, or may be used as an aid to solving the puzzle or indeed may simply be provided to make the puzzle more appealing to the eye. The markings may have an educational function (eg spell words, show pictures of things etc).

Markings may be provided within clear elements.

The puzzle may be designed to be held in the hand. Such a size will allow the puzzle to be easily carried around and used by the user at their leisure.

Alternatively, the puzzle may be much larger, perhaps each element being approximately 20cm, along an edge portion, or perhaps approximately 30cm, 40cm or even 50cm. Preferably, in the large puzzle, each element is approximately 30cm along an edge portion. An advantage of using a large puzzle is that it will allow teams to work together. Perhaps, teams of children may attempt to solve the puzzle and as such the puzzle may improve the childrens' team working, coordination, etc. Of course it will be realised that a hand held puzzle may improve hand to eye coordination and manual dexterity.

The large puzzle may be constructed from the materials mentioned hereinbefore or may be manufactured from soft material such as foam material. Preferably if soft foam material is used then the elements are covered in a covering material. Preferably the covering material is P.V.C., but of course it may be a number of other suitable materials.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a kit comprising a large puzzle according to

the first aspect of the invention and a plurality of hand held puzzles according to the first aspect of the invention.

Preferably the large and the hand held puzzles, of the kit, contain promotional material on the elements. The large puzzle is preferably of soft materials, and the small puzzles are preferably of harder materials (eg plastics materials).

Most preferably, the promotional material on the elements comprises portions of a promotional marking (marking having the same meaning as hereinbefore) which when the puzzles are in the solved configuration is apparent as a completed promotional marking.

Preferably, the promotional marking is the logo of the organisation, company, or the purchaser, of the kit. As such, organisations, companies, other purchasers may purchase kits as part of their promotional activities.

The puzzle may be sold with a set of instructions for solving the puzzle.

An embodiment of the invention is described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a puzzle according to the invention in an unsolved configuration;

Figure 2 shows an element of the puzzle of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows another element of the puzzle of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows the puzzle of Figure in a solved configuration;

Figure 5 shows one embodiment of the puzzle in the solved configuration; and

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the puzzle in the solved configuration.

Figure 1 shows a puzzle 10 comprising a series of cube elements 12 adjacent to each other. The puzzle is in an unsolved or unravelled configuration. Each cube element has a hole in the centre of two faces, the holes linked together by a bore. The puzzle is comprised of two different kinds of cube elements shown in Figures 2 and 3. Certain cube elements 14, shown in Figure 2, have a straight bore 16 linking holes in opposite faces 18, 20, whilst other cube elements 22, shown in Figure 3, have a bore 24 linking holes in adjacent faces in which case the bore is curved, kinked or right angular. The puzzle lies in a single plane in the unravelled configuration of Figure 1.

The cube elements 12 are threaded serially onto an elastic cord 26 (shown as a dashed line) such that a snake 28 is formed. The cord 26 is fixed to the cube elements 30, 32 at each end of the snake 28 by any suitable means, for example a plug 40, 42 (shown in dashed outline) to grip an end of the cord 26.

In Figure 1 all of the cube elements are shown lying in a common plane.

Each cube element 12 is angularly movable relative to its neighbouring cube element. Adjacent cube elements are rotatable on a common axis. A series of adjacent cube elements 12 in a straight line comprises a group 34. There are a plurality of groups 34. Angular movement of adjacent cube elements 12 in a group causes groups on either side of that group to move angularly relative to each other.

By manipulating the snake 28 and rotating groups relative to each other the puzzle can be arranged into a three dimensional configuration (one which extends out of a single "plane", or layer of cube elements). If the cube elements 12 are manipulated into the solved configuration the puzzle is arranged into the arrangement as shown in Figure 4. This shows a solved puzzle in the form of cube having facets 38, each facet comprising nine cube element faces 36.

The sides of the cube elements may be colour coded to assist in assembly. For example, all of the cube elements faces 36 making up one facet 38 of the solved puzzle may be of the same colour. Each facet 38 of the completed puzzle cube may be of a different colour. Those faces of the cube elements which do not comprise part of a facet of the solved puzzle may be colour coded to indicate this. Of course, indicia other than colours may be used on the cube element faces.

It will be appreciated that the construction of the three-element groups of the puzzle shown in the drawings can be manipulated to turn corners in two different directions, or in the same direction.

In this embodiment the elements 12 are all connected together. Therefore a unitary puzzle is

provided which does not have any separate pieces. This avoids the possibility of separate elements being lost.

Since the puzzle is rather difficult to solve a set of instructions on solving the puzzle may be provided. The instructions may be sold with the puzzle or separately.

An example of a solved puzzle is shown in Figure 5. The puzzle of Figure 5 forms a cube with 3 elements along the edge portion of each face when in the solved configuration. The elements are coloured so as to provide a checkerboard pattern.

An example of a different version of the puzzle is shown in Figure 6. The puzzle of Figure 6 forms a cube with 4 elements along the edge portion of each face when in the solved configuration. The pattern formed by the elements is different to that of Figure 5. Of course, it will be realised that other patterns could easily be realised.

We may provide a package having a plurality of puzzles in accordance with the invention, each puzzle having a different way of getting from its unravelled configuration to its finished (eg cube) configuration. The unravelled configuration of each puzzle in the kit may be different from ' the others in the kit. Thus we provide several different puzzles in a set.

It will be appreciated that the elastic cord is in tension in the embodiment of Figure 1 and pulls each element towards its adjacent elements. The elastic nature of the cord maintains the elements adjacent one another and yet allows relative movement to occur between adjacent elements.