A 3D printed puzzle is an excellent example of how you can combine multiple parts to make one model or device. They often have moving pieces, making them great tests for your 3D printer.
With the help of 3D printing, users can unleash their imagination and create ingenious puzzles for kids and adults alike. Here, we’ve gathered the best 3D printed puzzles around, including everything from a velociraptor skeleton jigsaw to a Rubik’s bear!
If you see the perfect puzzle but don’t have the tools to print it yourself, check out Craftcloud by All3DP. Professional printing services around the world can print to your specifications and deliver to your door, so you’ll be feeling delightfully puzzled in no time.
Now, let’s check out these awesome 3D printed puzzles. Solve them if you dare!
2D Arrangement Puzzles
The classic puzzle. Easy to print, difficult to assemble.
Puzzle of Evil
The premise for this model is that you have two options, an easy one and a hard one, but sometimes the easy one can be a little harder than you expected! The creator provided a version with holes for magnets and another without holes.
Printing with a brim is recommended to improve the accuracy and fit of the pieces.
With an interesting catch, this portable puzzle is a great option for you to carry around with you on the go. It’s very robust, and when closed all of the parts fit together compactly, even if not assembled. You should even be able to put it in your pocket without any problems!
- Who designed it? Priyank007
- How printable/popular is it? While it’s only got around 550 downloads, it’s a great model to consider – you can be the first to share your take on it!
- Where to find it? Cults
Flowsnake
Even if you’re a super genius, this 12-piece puzzle will be a challenge to solve. Each part is a fractal and has an exact location where it belongs. Of course, you can print the pieces in color to try to make it a little easier, but even then, it still won’t be easy!
The reason for the complexity is the geometry itself, which allows the pieces to interlock in a more complicated way. The island’s edge is optional, and the pieces should fit together effortlessly or without pressure to form the “Flowsnake”. In addition to hints about key pieces and a solution provided via QR code, the author has also left many tips about print settings. For example, you’ll want to use a 0% infill density and print the pieces upside down.
- Who designed it? Svw
- How printable/popular is it? The 9 shared makes, 519 downloads, and 1 remix show that it takes nerves to solve, but it’s not impossible.
- Where to find it? Printables
Heart
Is your heart ready for a challenge? According to the designer, there are 363 ways to solve this cute heart-shaped puzzle. However, if you run into any trouble while working on it and need a hint, the solution is engraved on the backside.
You can print the puzzle in two colors, including red for the pieces and black for its base, or go for another color combination of your choice. No matter which colors you use, it’s sure to make a great Valentine’s Day present for your special someone!
- Who designed it? CreativeMinerX
- How printable/popular is it? This popular model has been made 87 times, and you’ll find plenty of positive remarks in the comments.
- Where to find it? Printables
Map
This map design is a print-in-place arrangement puzzle where you have to slide small squares around the frame to align them correctly. The project consists of a few versions, including a 3 x 3 (squares) treasure map, an 8 x 5 world map, a 4 x 5 map of Greece, and more. There are embossed features on each square of each puzzle so you can perform a mid-print filament change to use a different color to have the features stand out from the rest of the model.
While the designer didn’t list any of the printing specifications besides the fact that the puzzle prints in one piece, there are a few makers who have provided a few of the settings they used. One maker stated that they used a 0.2-mm layer height with a 15% infill density to successfully print one of these puzzles.
- Who designed it? NikolaosBabetas
- How printable/popular is it? This map puzzle has 25 shared makes. You should be able to make this map just like so many others have!
- Where to find it? Printables
Four Fs
This four Fs puzzle is a fun one. Basically, you have to arrange four F-shaped pieces to all fit on one base part. In total, you need to print five parts (four Fs and one base) to complete the puzzle, and if you can’t solve it on your own, a solution image (spoiler alert!) is in the comments of the project page. A tip: don’t forget to try rotating the letters!
All the pieces are support-free and classified as a medium for their complexity. The only other information was provided by a community maker who listed that they printed the puzzle in PLA.
- Who designed it? FerJerez3D
- How printable/popular is it? This letter arrangement puzzle has a community print, over 13,500 views, and 1,900 downloads!
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Tricky Numbers
Tricky Numbers is another fun arrangement puzzle where you have to fit 10 different numerical characters, from 0 to 9, inside a square frame. As such, the puzzle is made of 11 total 3D printed parts. As seen in the image above, printing the numbers in a different color than the frame can make the puzzle easier to work with and look at.
The creator of this puzzle listed a few of the print settings they used to make the Tricky Numbers puzzle. These settings include a 0.3-mm layer height and a 15% infill density, with neither supports nor a raft activated.
- Who designed it? AndresMF
- How printable/popular is it? This number-related puzzle design has 23 recorded makes as well as 2 remixes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
18 Animals
Don’t waste those end-of-the-spool leftovers! You can use filament pieces that aren’t long enough to make a large model in a creative way with this animal puzzle. The puzzle is composed of 18 pieces that will challenge your reasoning, and each piece is a precise fitting of an animal’s silhouette.
The designer included a separate ZIP file with individual parts so you can make adjustments to the size and other details. This is a great puzzle for the whole family to enjoy!
- Who designed it? onepointdiy
- How printable/popular is it? With 46 makes and a remix, you’ll want to make this cute puzzle for yourself.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Cults
Stargate
The Stargate puzzle is yet another arrangement puzzle inspired by the popular sci-fi film and TV series, Stargate. The puzzle is made up of a frame and 23 3D printed parts that need to be moved around to fit inside the circular area. You can perform a mid-print filament swap to make the puzzle frame look more like the Stargate structure from the show, and printing the other 23 pieces in another color can make the puzzle look nicer.
The designer printed the model in PLA, with a 0.15-mm layer height and without supports. Additionally, they created a stand for the full display, which you can use after finishing the puzzle.
- Who designed it? Lockwatcher
- How printable/popular is it? 26 makers are traversing space with their Stargate arrangement puzzles.
- Where to find it? Printables
Hex Path
It’s amazing how a simple idea can become something interactive and fun with the help of a 3D printer. The objective of this puzzle is simple: Make the longest possible continuous path while ignoring the unconnected hexagons. The designer’s colleague created a program to test for solutions and found that the longest possible path is 32 pieces long. Are you up to the challenge?
If you’re tired of typical jigsaw puzzles and want something a little different, this one’s a good choice. Print it with PLA and a 0.2-mm layer height. You can combine it with spheres to make things even more fun!
- Who designed it? dworki
- How printable/popular is it? This labyrinth has 10 makes as well as a couple of remixes.
- Where to find it? Printables
Boxes & Cubes
The box is one of the most basic shapes, so why is it so difficult to put it back together!?
The Heist
First released in 2021, this puzzling box has recently received a new remix version filled with enhancements to make it more entertaining and robust. Leisure Luke, the designer, has also designed many other themed puzzles that stand out for their creativity. With this one, you can feel the adrenaline without having to risk it all.
The improvements have made it stronger, smoother, and free from spring wear. The model promises to be easy to print and a true adventure with a total of 23 pieces. There are also video tutorials available for the new enhancements, assembly, and solution. The designer recommends a tolerance of 0.1 mm for non-sliding pieces and 0.2 mm for sliding pieces.
- Who designed it? LeisureLuke
- How printable/popular is it? This safe is strongly reinforced, but the 32 shared makes show that you can solve the puzzle.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables, Cults
Japanese Box
Many boxes exist that require some special procedure to open. This Japanese version is no exception, needing 10 steps to rearrange the pieces and free whatever’s inside. Printed to scale, it would be a good size to give a small gift, like a keychain or candy.
Users report that the model is hollow inside, probably to minimize material consumption. Just make sure to check your 3D printer settings to ensure that the bridging goes smoothly.
- Who designed it? dob71
- How printable/popular is it? There are 17 makes and a couple of remixes of this clever puzzle box.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
The Launch
Ready to launch into orbit with this next thrilling puzzle box? This puzzle features rubber bands for greater durability, reduced wear, smoother touch, among other enhancements. In total, there are 22 pieces that promise to be super easy to print and assemble in your favorite colors.
The author provides a list of the colors used for each part and other setting tips, such as a layer height of 0.2 mm and 15% infill. To check out all the details, there are excellent videos about the remix updates and assembly instructions. There’s also a solution video, but it’s best to leave this one until after you solve the mystery so as not to spoil the fun.
- Who designed it? LeisureLuke
- How printable/popular is it? It’s easy to understand why more than 1,000 people have already downloaded this challenge. As 19 makers have already solved it, you can too!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse, Printables, Cults
Dowels & Box
This puzzle consists of an open box with eight sliced rod segments (dowels). The goal is to arrange the rods so that they all fit inside the box. According to the designer, the puzzle is a 3D printable version of the original Lox in Box puzzle that was designed by Vesa Timonen.
As seen in the image above, getting seven of the dowels to fit is easy, but it’s the eighth that makes this puzzle a challenge. Need a hint? You can see the solution in the designer’s video.
Unfortunately, there are no printing tips for this puzzle. For this reason, you’ll have to come up with your own settings for the nine total pieces used for this design.
Gear Box
This model consists of multiple gears shaped in such a way that, when correctly assembled, form a cube. This is the second iteration of this design, with improved pins. The designer recommends snapping the pins into the center block before attaching the gears.
The model consists of one centerpiece, four large gears, four small gears, and eight pins. All of the components are easy to assemble and can be 3D printed without supports.
- Who designed it? emmett
- How printable/popular is it? There are an incredible 579 makes of this cube as well as over 1,000 remixes with makers adding names and symbols to the pieces.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Identical Twins
This 3D printable identical twins puzzle matches the puzzle that won the International Puzzle Party in 2017. The puzzle includes a hollowed-out rectangular box with rectangular holes and some smaller irregular-shaped pieces. The goal is to fit the smaller pieces into the box’s holes so that the surface of the box is smooth with no extruding parts.
The designer didn’t provide any printing tips, but other makers have stepped up to the plate and posted their settings. One maker listed that they opted for PLA and used a 15% infill to print the pieces, with supports activated.
- Who designed it? AndresMF
- How printable/popular is it? This identical twins puzzle has 29 recorded makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Multi-Part Cube
This puzzle is simple yet surprisingly difficult! It’s a set of three identical pieces that can be 3D printed without supports. Once printed, you (try to) slide the pieces together to form a perfect cube. This print can serve as a puzzle for kids or as a cool toy.
- Who designed it? WildRoseBuilds
- How printable/popular is it? 382 makes have been shared. This should be a simple print with mind-boggling results!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Cube Assembly
This 20-part puzzle involves cubes with holes on all six sides as well as some differently-shaped axes. The goal is to assemble the cubes with the axes to form a larger 4 x 4 cube with no parts extruding outside the holes.
The designer indicates that you should ensure that your printer is somewhat dimensionally accurate so that the axes fit on the squares. You don’t want to fail to solve the puzzle due to inaccurate printing!
3D Arrangement
For those who have already flipped and broken all of their tables out of frustration, these puzzles assemble to create a compact 3D figure.
Bee Kit
This bee model is challenging but well worth it! All the parts print separately, and fitting them together is your objective.
The designer recommends an infill of 15%. You can print the parts separately and assemble them as a puzzle, or print the fully assembled design to view the reference model and use it as a decorative piece. Honey not included.
- Who designed it? TomoDesign
- How printable/popular is it? Between both sites, 59 makes have been shared, showing that you can easily make it at home, too!
- Where to find it? Printables, Thingiverse
Third Stellation
This is another brilliant creation from designer Stewart Coffin, who has earned the title of “the most outstanding designer and maker of interlocking puzzles that the world has ever seen.” This title is well-deserved, considering he has made over 400 different puzzle designs spanning a wide variety of genres. This puzzle is solved by successfully assembling all the pieces that interlock to form a star shape.
The six parts of the puzzle have subsections in different colors. When assembled, the puzzle creates the illusion of triangular sticks running the entire length of the puzzle, when in fact the individual pieces are entirely made up of half-stick segments. There are two versions: the monochromatic one known as “Superstar” and the colorful one known as “Third Stellation.” All parts use interlocking joints marked with letters, so make sure to correctly match them together.
- Who designed it? asiegel
- How printable/popular is it? Over 650 people have already downloaded this mathematical challenge, and there are two shared makes.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Eggy
This eggy design can be a fun toy for puzzlers of all ages. The construction consists of 28 parts, which you need to assemble. The assembled model has dimensions of 195 mm height, 137 mm width, and 120 mm depth. The designer has also provided an assembled model for reference to make it easier for designers.
To make this model, use the designer’s suggested settings with a 0.2-mm layer height and 10% infill. You won’t need to worry about supports.
- Who designed it? Monogon_Lab
- How printable/popular is it? This project has 70 downloads and over 5,300 views. The author has also provided the reference model to make things easier.
- Where to find it? Cults
Saturnus
This puzzle, known as a Saturnus puzzle, involves six similar pieces, and the goal is to assemble them into a spherical shape. Each piece is slightly dissimilar from the others, having different extrusions and divets so that they can interlock.
One community maker posted a great print and listed that they used a 0.2-mm layer height and a 50% infill to print the parts in PLA. They also indicated that part “D” needs to be printed twice for the puzzle to work, and comments on the project page affirm this suggestion.
- Who designed it? mtairymd
- How printable/popular is it? The Saturnus 3D printable puzzle has a community print, over 10,400 views, and 1,800 downloads!
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Velociraptor Business Card
It’s a dinosaur! Well, it’s a kit card that you assemble into the skeleton of a dinosaur. There are many different versions on Thingiverse, and all of them are very easy to 3D print. The best part? No supports needed!
The tail of this design is left extra wide, so you can add a message either to the design or after printing. Alternatively, there’s a version with a regular tail, if you’re just here for the velociraptor!
- Who designed it? Cleven
- How printable/popular is it? 244 Thingiverse users have shared makes of this fun (yet functional) puzzle, and the files have over 171,000 downloads. That’s a lot of dinosaurs.
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Martin's Rocket
Are you ready to blast off to outer space? A dedicated uncle was inspired to make this rocket as a gift for his little nephew. He designed the parts using FreeCAD and Blender.
The puzzle consists of 24 pieces that are mounted on an axis. For best results, print using PLA or PETG at a layer height of 0.2 mm. To prevent the nozzle core piece from breaking, print with 100% infill. In total, the puzzle should take between 8 and 9 hours to print.
- Who designed it? McNumber
- How printable/popular is it? With 83 makes, this rocket has already taken off!
- Where to find it? Printables
Articulated Fish
Here’s a puzzle that allows you to construct a 3D model of a fish with interlocking joints. The moveable joints allow it to realistically mimic the movement of a fish.
All the parts print separately. The designer notes that it’s similar to their viper puzzle, except this model needs supports for the fins. The recommended print settings for this model include a 0.2-mm layer height with 15% infill.
6 Piece
As the name suggests, this puzzle design is based on six pieces, which you need to put together to create a three-dimensional object. The author has specially designed it as a Christmas gift, but we think it’s a great project for all sorts of events.
The challenge here is arranging the six pieces in the right orientation to achieve the desired shape. Printing this puzzle isn’t hard, but solving it can be a challenge!
- Who designed it? Tylerebowers
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 400 downloads and more than 4,600 views. Will you be the first to share a community print?
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Millennium
The Millennium Puzzle, from the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, is a popular but very complex puzzle design in the shape of a pyramid. It contains many smaller parts that make it difficult to solve. As legend has it, the puzzle is thousands of years old and meant to give great power to those who solve it.
The puzzle is comprised of 20 3D printable components, but a few have to be glued together before assembly, according to the designer. Given how many parts are used for the model, it’s not surprising that its printing complexity is listed as “difficult”. A community maker also listed that they printed the parts in PLA, but, sadly, no other printing advice was provided.
- Who designed it? ShadowofMagnus
- How printable/popular is it? The Millennium puzzle has over 93,800 views as well as 14,100 downloads. The project also has three posted community prints, indicating that you should be able to print it.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Hexa Dowel Puzzle
If you want to give your kids a fun and engaging toy, this challenging puzzle should be a great way to capture their attention. For this unique puzzle, you’ll need to match the pins and hexagons so that everything lines up and the box can be closed.
Since this puzzle already has its own travel compartment, it’s a great option to take on trips and family vacations. Go ahead and make your own!
- Who designed it? CreativeMinerX
- How printable/popular is it? This puzzle has 62 makes and counting!
- Where to find it? Printables
Frog Dissection Kit
This 3D printable frog dissection kit was created by the folks at MakerBot. Their goal is for the model to be used in schools to teach children the anatomy of a frog. The individual organ pieces fit inside the frog like a puzzle.
This learning tool is intended for grades six to eight, and it even comes with a template learning plan for classrooms. It could be a good project for anyone with children!
- Who designed it? MakerBot
- How printable/popular is it? 54 Thingiverse users have shared their makes, and seven others have remixed the model. Some makers have printed each organ in different colors!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Mechanisms & Moving Puzzles
These puzzles have a bit more to them than meets the eye!
Coasters
For those who love puzzles, here’s a small collection of four different challenges. These coaster puzzles will be a nice decoration for your home and protect furniture from liquid marks. The base is the same for all models, and there’s also a box to store them all together when not in use.
Each model has a distinct theme highlighted by vibrant and different colors. To print the colors, you’ll need to pause the print and change the filament. To learn more about how to do this, you can also refer to our article about pausing at height. In the comments, there’s also a very cool tip about using filaments that change color according to temperature.
- Who designed it? IMakeThings
- How printable/popular is it? 2 posted makes and over 160 downloads show that these coaster puzzles are printable able solvable!
- Where to find it? Printables
Labyrinth Box
This is a two-part object. One part is a maze or labyrinth carved into the surface of a cylinder, and the other is a cap with a pin that goes on top of the labyrinth. When you start removing the cap, the pin is guided by the carvings. In order to separate the two pieces, you must feel the correct direction in which to move the cap. It’s a good way to make someone really work for whatever you’ve hidden inside!
- Who designed it? sneakypoo
- How printable/popular is it? This model has over 1,000 makes. There’s a long list of positive comments, so it should be a breeze to print – not so much to solve!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Lock
As the name suggests, this lock puzzle is just like a cam lock, and the goal is to open it. The puzzle was designed for a puzzle-making competition, and to open it, you have to rearrange the small pieces inside the lock using the matching key.
Assembling this mechanism involves using the 10 printable pieces, arranging them, and gluing the cover. There are also screw holes you can use to fasten the cover, but community makers have pointed out that screws will tear the holes up, leaving them unusable.
Great prints have been posted, and many have used PLA to print the puzzle. The model is listed as easy for its complexity.
- Who designed it? Anders644PI
- How printable/popular is it? This cam lock puzzle has quite a few community prints, over 32,300 views, and 3,400 downloads. So many people have printed this puzzle, and you can too!
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Rubik's Bear
This 3D printable puzzle bear is an ideal present for small children. The goal is to assemble the bear from multiple separate pieces. The creator also included the template for stickers that can be glued to the bear pieces.
- Who designed it? emancarrillo
- How printable/popular is it? 37 users have also posted makes of this model, and among the eight remixes, there’s a fun robot!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Revolver
If you’re looking for a challenge, this 3D printable 41-piece puzzle is for you. It uses a mechanism similar to a Rubik’s cube but in the shape of a cryptex. The goal of the puzzle is to align colors or shapes in one line. The catch is that you have only one empty space, meaning that you need to plan ahead.
Unlike a Rubik’s cube, you won’t be able to cheat this one with memorized moves!
- Who designed it? muzz64
- How printable/popular is it? There are 48 makes of the shapes version and 51 makes of the colored one. A pretty even split!
- Where to find it? Thingiverse
Spin
With this spin puzzle, you have to rotate and spin the parts to move the marble inside until you get it out of the exit point.
This maze-like puzzle is split into eight 3D printable parts, including the small ball (you could alternatively use a marble), and it contains five rings of pathways to create the maze.
The designer listed the model as easy for its complexity but provided no other printing tips. However, one community maker posted a well-printed model and shared that they used two perimeters, a 15% infill, and a decently fast print speed (60 mm/s) to print the model in PLA.
- Who designed it? mr.frogman99
- How printable/popular is it? This marble rotation puzzle has a community print and over 5,600 views, with over 500 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
Pencil Trick
This magic trick isn’t exactly a puzzle, but it will certainly leave people puzzled! The idea is to slide a (3D printed) pencil into the three-piece model and remove the middle part to break the pencil into three. Then, when you push the middle part back into place, the pencil magically becomes whole again!
This design is slightly mechanical, consisting of eight printable parts. The creator of this design recommends taking a look at the complete STL file provided before printing to get a visual idea of how it fits together.
The designer indicated that some filing and sanding will be required to achieve a good fit. It’s probably best to print these parts with dimensional accuracy in mind in order to limit your post-processing.
- Who designed it? gzumwalt
- How printable/popular is it? This pencil puzzler design has over 15,100 views as well as almost 3,100 downloads.
- Where to find it? MyMiniFactory
License: The text of "3D Printed Puzzles: 35 Mind-Boggling STL Files" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.