Larger Photograph (78.0K)
| Designer | : | Stewart Coffin | ||
| Craftsman | : | Stewart Coffin (1st) Walter Hoppe (2nd & 3rd & 4th) | ||
| Category | : | Put-Together | ||
| Material | : | Walnut & Cherry (2nd & 3rd & 4th) | ||
| Pieces | : | 10, plus the tray | ||
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The Snowflake puzzle uses ten pieces totaling thirty-seven hexagons. A plastic set was sold commercially and came with a ten-page instruction booklet. The Snowflake in the top photograph was made by Stewart with pieces from Hydrastone and a tray from plastic. The one in the bottom three was made by Walter Hoppe.
There are three ways that three hexagons can be joined and seven ways that four can be joined. The resulting ten pieces assemble into various shapes having regular symmetry and many other non-symmetrical shapes. The hex shape of the frame has 12,290 solutions. The third photograph shows the puzzle in the shape that gives it its name. The third is one of the many non-symmetrical shapes. A foam version of the puzzle was sold by Binary Arts. I don't know if it's still available. Both of Stewart Coffin's Puzzle Craft books contain many of the shapes that can be made from the Snowflake puzzle. Here are the ten Snowflake pieces. Note that the first three pieces in the bottom row must be "flipped" to create many of the shapes. 
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