Key Machine by Alan Lunsford

KMGTP. That’s right, KMGTP. Another tedious acronym I hear you ask? Yes, and to find out what it means you’ll just have to keep reading... How awfully irritating, again.

I’m excited to share that I recently had the absolute pleasure of getting my hands on a new puzzle from the mind of Alan Lunsford – and it’s one that’s already become an essential part of my travel kit (more on that later.)

Introducing – Key Machine!

Now, if you’re not already familiar with Alan’s previous works, allow me to quickly fill you in: Alan is something of a magician when it comes to packing serious puzzling punch into palm-sized, 3D-printed boxes. Think compact, clever, devious and satisfying.

His previous creations, like Unsafe Deposit, Bolt Action, Mighty Pin, and the more recent Cash Back have firmly established him as a master of Sequential Discovery puzzles. And now, Key Machine continues that legacy beautifully — with a unique twist of its own.

So why has it become part of my travel kit?

Over the last few months I've been lucky enough to travel a lot for work, and I've been reluctant to take any puzzles with me for fear of losing pieces, or having complications through airport security! Thankfully, Key Machine recently proved itself to be the ultimate travel companion (and that goes for any Lunsford puzzle, I might add).

At first glance, Key Machine looks simple enough – a neat little box with the trademark bold name printed across the front, a few curious openings here and there, with the prized coin being visible via one of them, and finally an unmistakable mechanical vibe that hints at something more intricate underneath the surface.

The goal? Remove the coin and reset the puzzle.

Progress starts off promising: you discover your first tool quite quickly, and there's that delicious buzz of excitement as pieces start moving. But, in true Alan style, Key Machine soon tightens the screws (sometimes literally...), demanding patience, creativity, and plenty of "what if I just..." moments.

One thing that sets Key Machine apart is how tactile it is – the movements have a satisfying precision that feels incredibly rewarding, whether you're perched in an uncomfortable departure lounge chair or at the desk of the Hotel Christiania Teater in Oslo, Norway.

And let’s not forget about the reset. Like Cash Back before it, Key Machine isn’t just about solving once and being done – putting it back together is its own brilliant little challenge, and certainly demands you to fully understand the solve in order to be able to get it back to the starting position.

Thanks to its small size, sturdy build, and challenging mechanisms , Key Machine has quickly earned its place as my go-to puzzle for travel. I can't wait to take it on my next work trip to share it with others.

Which brings us back to KMGTP.

Key Machine: Great Travel Puzzle.

Another fantastic creation from Kinetic Crafts and Alan Lunsford – and one that will be tagging along in my carry-on for a long time to come.

Key Machine is available at Alan's website storefront, Kinetic Crafts, along with all other puzzles available in the series.