Locus by Boaz Feldman

I've been left feeling befuddled by Boaz...again!

Around this time last year, Boaz Feldman, the mastermind behind the PuzzLocks brand, released their latest iteration in the shape of a lock puzzle in the form of Ant Hunt – well, once again, PuzzLocks/Boaz is back with a brand new puzzle for 2025, introducing the Locus Puzzle Lock.

Fishy business

As has become custom, the puzzle arrived promptly into the UK, which is a trick into itself considering the roughly 3,500-mile trip it had to make from Israel! When it did arrive, it carried that very familiar weight in the box, both literal and metaphorical. There’s always a particular sense of anticipation when opening up something from Boaz, and Locus continues that ritual perfectly.

To begin with, nothing has changed in terms of presentation, and I mean that in a good way! Inside the package sits the embroidered black velvet bag that has now become synonymous with the PuzzLocks product line, along with the rule/information card that gives the goal very concisely. Just open the bloody lock!

Still locked

After removing the puzzle from the bag, Locus immediately strikes you as a Boaz lock puzzle, thanks to the super sharp engraving on the front. The included key is also somewhat unconventional on first glance, and of course, the shackle is locked stubbornly into place, as you'd expect.

Now, onto the actual puzzling value, and this is where Locus asserts itself in a way that left me seriously doubting my own puzzling skills . My first observation was that there are certainly “things” moving, but not loads of things. Locus actually feels 'quieter' than some other PuzzLocks designs - not quieter in an empty way, but quieter in that “I know something is happening, but I can’t quite place what” type of way, which arguably makes things a whole lot trickier.

I try the obvious – then try the obvious again but with slightly different pressure – then try it again assuming repetition will magically yield an alternative result - I like to brand this as the "Kyle Chester-Marsden solving technique". One day, I think it might just work.

There was a stage where I must have rotated, pushed, tapped, juggled, twisted and inspected the lock from every conceivable angle, to find exactly... nothing.

Eventually, after a rather lengthy bout of persistence, a moment of clarity arrived. A particularly subtle hint from a fellow puzzler, got me on track to something I thought I'd inspected long before that, but now with a new found view on how I could use it. Finally, I was off the mark and moments later I had an unlocked lock! Like all the best puzzle locks before it, the reveal is both elegant and entirely fair. Once solved fully, the sequence becomes repeatable and entirely logical… but make no mistake, arriving there the first time is an entirely different journey.

Finally unlocked!

In terms of difficulty, I’d place Locus somewhere between Ant Hunt and Loki, although it borrows influence from neither. It stands independently with completely new tricks!

So, who is this puzzle for?

If you are a huge PuzzLocks fan, this is an immediate purchase. If you're newer to puzzle locks, Locus might introduce you to the deeper layers Boaz is known for. Boaz has maintained momentum, and once again managed to produce something that feels novel in a puzzle genre that isn't easy to innovate in. Locus lands as a very clever, polished entry into the 2025 puzzling line-up, and I wholeheartedly recommend adding it to your shelf, desk, or display case (once you’ve solved it, of course).

The Locus Puzzle Lock is available now for $99.00(£75.00/€85.00). Don’t forget - if you’re a new customer, using the link below and applying the code WELCOME10 at checkout will knock a further $10 off the total. That’s a nice little incentive to secure yours before the holiday season rolls in… as if you needed any more justification!

https://puzzlocks.com/products/locus?ref=PuzzPodium