The Ghost In The Attic is an absolutely fantastic 'The Mystery Agency' escape-room type puzzle-solving game for as many players as you like, aged around 14 or over. Play is co-operative, and you'll need all of those different brains with different skills in order to beat the game. I'm proud to say we did, in around 2 hours - all of which we enjoyed immensely. 

The Ghost In The Attic is an 'escape room' type game, where you follow clues and solve puzzles in order to discover the solution. Sent to us for review by The Happy Puzzle Company, this is without any doubt THE BEST mystery/puzzle/escape type game I've ever played (including in-person escape rooms). It is incredibly well written and beautifully put together.

I love a puzzle game, so 'escape adventures' or 'exit room games' are right up my street. Golden Bear Toys have just added 3 new titles to their range of family friendly escape room game packs, which everyone from around 8+ can join in with together.

We were sent the 3 new games to try - The Zoo (Easy), Mission To Mars (Medium), and Flight 927 (Hard). All of the games are suitable for 2-6 players, and we played with 4 people. 2 adults, plus our 11 and 12 year olds.

 
Everything for the game is packaged neatly in a single envelope style box. It's actually a very small pack. It's light, and handy for taking with you for a visit or overnight stay. When you open it, there is a lot inside, and most of it is NOT to be looked at, or even revealed until the right moment in the game. 

On Thursday this week (7th November) at 4.30pm I'll be joining in with Jumbo Games for a big Puzzle Party on Twitter. The theme is "A Night In With Jumbo" and it's a perfect fit for these dark Winter evenings.

I've been sent 4 x 1000 piece puzzles, a sorter and a ginormous puzzle board for review, and Jumbo Games will be giving away the same bundle during the party. Very importantly though, they'll also give away this same bundle to one of my readers as a Christmas Present Giveaway...


Included in the bundle are:

1x Wasgij Christmas 15 ‘Santa’s Unexpected Delivery!’ 2x1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle
1x Falcon de Luxe ‘Santa’s Special Delivery’ 2x1000pc Jigsaw Puzzle
1x Puzzle Mates Portapuzzle Board
1x Puzzle Mates Puzzle Sorting Trays

We've just taken a good look at the new releases from Rubik's for Summer 2019 and John Adams have kindly offered one of my readers 2 of the new puzzles for themselves. One winner will win a Rubik's Edge and a Rubik's Cage, together worth well over £25.

Jumbo Games are a brand I've worked with several times in the past and they are the experts at jigsaw puzzles. They have a huge range including puzzles for people of all ages and abilities, including their fabulously popular Wasgij Puzzles, which offer a whole new level of puzzling...


I was sent a big bundle of puzzles to take a look at, including some of the Wasgij Puzzles. If you like puzzles and have never heard of Wasgij then you will be in for a treat. These are unlike any other jigsaw puzzles in that you aren't given the solution, you need to work it out yourself.


On the box are images and characters which portray a story or scenario and you have to use logic and imagination to work out how to complete the puzzle. These have humorous and modern cartoon illustrations and offer a real challenge. I'll be giving away 3 bundles of puzzles including some Wasgij and I'm testing a mini 54 piece puzzle this morning myself...

A while ago I took part in a Twitter party for Jumbo Games And Puzzles, showcasing their new Disney products. I didn't receive my parcel before the party unfortunately, but I have it now and can show you some of the new titles on offer...


Starting with a couple of titles for younger puzzle fans, the Vampirina and Puppy Dog Pals 4 Shaped Puzzles. The rrp is £7.99 and the puzzles inside have 14, 16, 18 and 20 pieces. Age 3+.

Puzzles are great for practising hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, and there's a real sense of achievement and success when they are completed, whatever your age.

BRIO aren't a company I thought I'd work with again now that my children are bigger, yet they're one of my favourites, so I'm delighted to bring you this review of their classic Labyrinth Wooden Ball Game. Wooden toy manufacturers since 1884, this Swedish company make toys that last, educate and allow children to practise the developmental skills they'll use their whole lives.


Labyrinth was first introduced in 1946 and over 3 million have been sold. It arrives in a simple cardboard box, with the only plastic packaging being around the balls. It's protected inside, which is a good job as my postal service weren't careful at all. Inside there are the box-shaped maze and 2 small metal balls.

My latest review for the Blogger Board Game Club is not a board game, but a brand new puzzle called Arokah. This is a wooden shape-fitting game, based on a set of 23 unique shapes which together form a hexagon. Arokah is one of the most beautiful products I've ever reviewed.


The Arokah box looks really nice, but is actually very flimsy and not ideal for future storage, however this possibly isn't the sort of puzzle you'd re-box any way. More experienced puzzlers, mathematically minded and logical people will have an advantage.

I'm not a person you'd usually associate with jigsaws, but when I saw the Ravensburger VW T1 Campervan Puzzle at BlogOn I was smitten. The model is a plastic 3D camper built using jigsaw pieces and they were kind enough to let me review it. I was also fascinated to see if it was the most fragile thing on the planet.


This is a 162 piece puzzle from Ravensburger's 3D range, recommended for age 10+ and measuring around 30cm (1ft) long when completed. And it's a Volkswagen Campervan. I've written about Volkswagens before - I've been travelling in them for the last 15 years.

We've all played with a Rubik's Cube. They were first introduced in 1974 and have remained incredibly popular and possibly frustrating ever since. Brand new for this Autumn is the Rubik's Spark, an electronic version with 6 different games to play, either alone or competitively against someone else.


The first thing you spot is that this cube doesn't move or twist in sections, you turn the whole thing to control where the flashing light travels. It's very different and takes a bit of getting used to at first.


You start the games by tilting the cube - and it's noisy - so expect it to go off if you move it unless you are very careful - it arrives cable tied to it's packaging and is set to a 'Try Me' demo mode. Something to remember if Santa will be carrying wrapped presents around the house on Christmas eve night!

Magformers are a multi-award winning construction toy which has multiple educational benefits, as well as being really great fun to play with. The way they are constructed means they are mainly safe for children of all ages, and model sets exist for children aged around 18 months and over. We've been sent the Wow Set to review, which has a recommended age of 3+.


Magformers are mainly regular shaped strong plastic toys which are used for construction. They need no fixings and you don't have to be precise, because they attract together with rotating built-in magnets.

Smart Eggs are a great new puzzle which is as beautiful to look at as it is to attempt. Each egg is designed very differently and offers a unique 3D labyrinth puzzle experience. The much larger 2-layer Smart Eggs are considerably more challenging than the single layer, but all are a tactile puzzle that fidgets and whittlers will adore.


We recently reviewed the single-layer Smart Eggs and now we've been sent a 2-layer Smart Egg to try. There really is a world of difference between them, and the (recommended age 10+) 2-layer puzzles make the single layer eggs look like a training model.

I've been aware of the Slow Toys movement for the last couple of years, and I'm a huge fan of companies such as Wonderworld, Pintoys, Haba, Hape, Le Toy Van and I've reviewed for Green Toys, Orchard Toys and The Toadstool for a long while now.

The Wonderworld Eco-House with Pintoy Firemen

Slow toys should allow a child to explore their world and play in any way that seems right to them, they stretch a child and develop a huge range of life skills.

Le Toy Van Wooden Fire Engine

Slow Toys are toys that aren't 'faddy', more classic and not based on a TV show or other character. They're traditionally wooden, although card is fine and plastic is included now as long as it meets the other criteria. Slow toys should not in the main take batteries or be powered other than by the user. They should ideally be produced in a sustainable way, with minimal impact on the Earth and it's inhabitants. 

Tiny Me are a company that we really like. They make incredibly attractive and excellent quality goods for children. Most of their items can be personalised and are fabulous gifts to treasure. We've previously reviewed their Trucks And Diggers Wall Stickers and Amazingly Awesome Activity Book.


The Tiny Me Wooden Name Block Puzzles were launched earlier this year with crowd funding using kickstarter. I must admit that with the events that have taken place here, I hadn't actually seen them properly before I ordered and I wasn't expecting my puzzle to arrive complete with a gorgeous thick felt storage case.