Minima-Ze is a clever mechanical puzzle designed by Frederic Boucher and produced by Pelikan Puzzles. Compact in size but rich in design, this puzzle challenges you to manipulate internal components to achieve a very specific goal.

This one is made by Pelikan using Mahogany for the box and Garapa for the blocks. Inside, there is a single ball bearing visible through a hole in the base. The aim here is to manipulate the pieces and guide the ball bearing through the maze and out through one of the holes at the front. It’s not clear at first how this is going to work nor which hole is the exit.

Despite its small footprint, Minima-Ze offers a surprisingly engaging and satisfying solve, making it an excellent introduction to the Minima series.