Transparent Lock

In the spirit of transparency, this offering is really just an excuse to tell a few stories about one of the original members of the mechanical puzzle community, a mentor and friend to so many. Any one of his famous puzzles would serve. Stories from the puzzle community about Gary Foshee abound. He led a mathematical career as an aerospace analyst, and his spare time was spent in his converted two car garage workshop pursuing his other passion. He was a pioneer of incredible puzzle designs, but is most well remembered for his generosity of spirit. Gary’s puzzle signature was of a small man in a shirt and tie (Gary, perhaps?). If you look closely, the man’s arm and leg form the initials “GF” mirrored on each side. Very clever, just like Gary.

Gary’s logo signature

Gary is often credited with introducing the sequential discovery puzzle, which has become widely thought of as a puzzle in which tools are discovered and used somehow to advance toward the solution. Trevor Wood is also included as an early pioneer of the format, notably with his Takashima’s Tantalizing Temple, which was gifted in 1998 to Naoki Takashima, host of IPP18 in Tokyo. Gary holds the record, however, for making the most IPP host gifts over the years, and the most incredible sequential discovery puzzles, with 10 incredible creations and incredibly fortunate recipients in total.

Nick Baxter Cable Car puzzle — Nick Baxter and the Cable Car puzzle

Many who have heard of Gary may have never heard of, or seen, some of these incredibly complex special IPP creations, so with permission I have included a few photos from the IPP archives. The long list of his host gift puzzles includes:

IPP15 - Nob's Silhouette

IPP17 - Cable Car

Gary Foshee Cable Car puzzle — Cable Car given to Nick Baxter (IPP17, San Francisco)

IPP19 - Tower of London Treasure Puzzle

The Tower of London Treasure (aka “the Safe”) given to Edward Hordern (IPP19, London)

IPP20 - Miniature Workbench (with Trevor Wood)

IPP23 - Tommy Gun

Tommy Gun puzzle Gary Foshee — Tommy Gun given to Norman Sandfield (IPP23, Chicago) - courtesy of Keith Jackson

Gary Foshee and a Tommy Gun — Gary doing some research

IPP25 - Linden Cannon Puzzle

IPP27 - Kangaroo

Kangaroo puzzle Gary Foshee — Kangaroo given to Frans de Vreugd (IPP27, Gold Coast)

IPP28 - Double Shackle Lock

IPP31 - Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall puzzle Gary Foshee — Berlin Wall given to Markus Goetz (IPP 31, Berlin)

IPP34 - Big Ben

Big Ben puzzle Gary Foshee — Big Ben given to Laurie Brokenshire (IPP34, London)

The safe theme, along with a whole host of additional puzzles, is seen again in Jerry’s Den, commissioned to commemorate the IPP founder Jerry Slocum and presented at IPP38 in San Diego.

Jerry's Den puzzle — Jerry’s Den given to Jerry Slocum (IPP38, San Diego)

The King of Hearts puzzle, Gary’s contribution to the Lewis Carroll Puzzle Project, is a greatest hits homage from Gary’s catalogue. A little known fact from the King of Hearts relates to one of the mysterious objects found inside the safe. Without revealing too much, the item is fashioned after a magic trick object that can be found fairly routinely. However, Gary wanted a very specific version of this item, which did not exist. He therefore commissioned a few special ones to be made, and the only place they exist in the world are inside the King of Hearts puzzles.

Transparent Lock by Gary Foshee — this lock is clear cut

One of Gary’s more famous creations, the Transparent Lock (“Open Lock”), was an instant classic, thanks to the brilliant concept and novel presentation of a lock which is wide open yet cleverly resists doing as instructed. Like all of his puzzles, Gary had produced some of these in his small garage workshop around 2011 and sold them privately, rather quickly. He remade a handful and gave them to Wil Strijbos to sell over the following years. Even so, they remain quite limited, because they were apparently (transparently?) very difficult to make. In particular the shackle had to be cold forged, a process that results in improved strength, precision and durability, but takes quite an effort to get right. The Transparent Lock is a perfect example of Gary’s puzzling style. There’s a lot of hidden trickery right in front of you, although nothing seems to be helping. You’ll need to carefully examine everything, and assume nothing!

Gary wasn’t taking visitors lately due to his health, but Nick Baxter stopped by on a recent trip to Washington state. Gary asked him for a business card, and proceeded to create an impossible bottle with it on the spot while they sat together. It was just his way. Many who knew him well talk about how friendly and kind he was, how generous he was of his time and his energy, and how much dedication and effort he put into his personal relationships.

Gary Foshee impossible bottle making — Gary making an impromptu impossible bottle - courtesy of Nick Baxter

Nick recalls meeting him at his first IPP in the Netherlands, where Wil Strijbos was host, in 1993. The next year, the party was held in Seattle, and Gary was the host. Nick had recently designed a hexagonal shaped paper puzzle for Games magazine at the request of Wil Shortz. He was also reading Jerry Slocum’s book about puzzle making, in which Jerry insists that you can make your own puzzles using hex nuts and super glue. Naturally, Nick thought it would work well to convert his paper puzzle into an exchange puzzle using hex nuts, which he proceeded to do in his garage. He discovered that crazy glue is not so crazy about air travel, and half of his exchange puzzles had broken during transit. On the night before the exchange party, Gary (the host, with plenty to oversee!) went out to get super glue, and helped Nick, whom he had only met once the year before, fix all the puzzles. Nick would also like to remind everyone that this was all Jerry’s fault…. But Nick had the last laugh and now runs the exchange design approval process.

Brain and Sue Young remember Gary fondly. “Gary was an incredible inspiration to Brian (and other puzzle makers I’m sure). Once Brian saw The Tower of London Treasure Puzzle (the safe), the host gift that Gary made for Edward Hordern at IPP19 which Gary explained in a lecture at IPP20 in LA, Brian was hooked and knew he would be making these more complex puzzles at some time in the future. No one even knew what SD was back then!

Gary’s workshop - courtesy of Nick Baxter

Gary visited us here at home after the IPP39 Kanazawa Puzzle Party. I did try to organise some sightseeing but I was outvoted by Brian and Gary who thought spending time in Brian’s shed and visiting the machinery seller Hare & Forbes and looking at lathes and mills were much better options. It was a delight having him to stay, such a gentleman in the true sense. Sadly this was the last time we saw Gary in person.”

Gary’s workshop: you never know when you might need a jar of some obscure part that would be perfect for a new prototype - courtesy of Nick Baxter

Kathleen Malcolmson, who made the beautiful presentation case for the Tommy Gun puzzle, recalls “Gary was always warm and friendly. Initial sightings at the IPPs, he and Nedra would sit down next to me and ask what books I'd been reading or movies I had seen. Gary was a big fan of the Twilight series and would always ask if I'd read it yet. It wasn’t my thing, but I could see why it was his, given where he lived, the forests east of Seattle. He was an impressive designer and maker to all of us (the Safe!!), but didn't seem to have an ego about it. His workshops always were SRO. As a maker myself, I would not attend to leave room for collectors. Wish I had been to one, though. He was a brilliant, skilled man whom I will miss for his friendship.”

Tommy Gun Gary Foshee — Tommy Gun presentation case by Kathleen Malcolmson - courtesy of Keith Jackson

Robert Sandfield adds, “My first IPP was IPP14 in Seattle, hosted of course by Gary. [Very long story about how Norman and I got there, which I will leave out] I remember Gary very kindly trying to explain what would or would not make an acceptable exchange. His quite good recommendation was to observe that first time and learn that way. [I was fortunate to meet Perry before IPP14, which solved the problem] Although I have many excellent puzzles from him [he was a great designer and maker], just visiting with him each year was a greater reward. The Safe he made as a host gift for Edward Horden is at the top of my list of puzzles I wish I had, which I will never have. His presentation on how to solve the safe at the next IPP is another fond memory.

He made an excellent Tommy Gun puzzle for Norman as a host gift for IPP23 in Chicago, Norman enjoyed resolving it every few years. My family went on a cruise to Alaska from Seattle and Gary was kind enough to host us at his house before we left. I was amazed at how much equipment he was able to place in his small shop.” Robert also commented fondly about Gary’s IPP17 exchange, "Gary's escape." There is something classically “Gary” about how it fooled him, a type of trick idea for which Gary became famous.

Keith Jackson, another good friend, was close to Gary as well, quite literally! “When I moved to Seattle in 1997, my uncles and fellow puzzle-heads, Norman and Robert Sandfield, encouraged me to connect with local puzzlers, specifically Pavel Curtis and Gary Foshee. Great suggestions! I became good friends with both. Gary and his wonderful wife Nedra hosted numerous IPPs (Issaquah Puzzle Parties) at his home, and they were always a joy. Out-of-town puzzle glitterati were regular attendees. And Gary always had something new and fun to show off. Gary and Nedra also came to visit my house and puzzle collection numerous times.

Gary's Workshop — low hanging tools … courtesy of Nick Baxter

Touring Gary's shop (nee garage) was inevitably a highlight of any visit. Many items dangle from the ceiling. The shop was custom-built by and for Gary, so taller visitors such as myself had to watch out for the many low-hanging tools.

Gary Foshee notebook — courtesy of Keith Jackson

Gary’s puzzling interests went far beyond mechanical puzzles. He also loved wordplay. I took a couple of photos from the notebook he kept with him to capture his brainstorms. I think they are self-explanatory, so I’ll just encourage the readers to look at them closely.

In one of the photos you'll see a wall of unlabeled drawers. Gary knew what was in every drawer and would demonstrate on demand. I’d ask, "What if I need some AA batteries?" *Gary opens drawer with AA batteries.* Another customization solved the problem of a wall switch behind a deep shelf. Gary built a crank so he could operate the switch from the front of the cabinet.”

Gary’s workshop, where “He handmade a bank of 156 small drawers containing tools and supplies” - courtesy of Dave Rossetti

From Dave Rossetti, “Gary was perpetually curious about everything! He was a true modern day Renaissance Man with a broad range of interests ranging from fantasy, mystery, and sci-fi books; to Shakespeare and theater, especially the Oregon Shakespeare Festival; and obviously to anything tricky and mechanical. And he was generous with his time and talents: In March 2023 he brought a couple of us into his shop and guided us to make his famous “Holey Bolt” puzzle from raw materials using his machinery and lathe; it is now a personal treasure.” Over the course of that afternoon, the friends made that “simple” ring entanglement puzzle which they turned out of solid aluminum pipe stock. It was enlightening to see how long the hand made puzzle process took, in Gary’s small workshop with just a few traditional tools, and how much work and effort must have gone into all of Gary’s handmade puzzles from over the years.

Gary leading a small group through metal puzzle turning

“Two of my favorite Gary acquisitions are the Quantum Gravity Blocks (especially with his in-person demo) and the Aluminum Snail Tube, and I will keep them always.” Gary’s “Quantum Gravity Blocks” demonstrate a complex principle of physics, and the original version came with a rudimentary “quantum gravity modulator” which activates the effect. Robert Sandfield actually coined that term for the device. He was so smitten with the blocks that he had Perry McDaniel and Kathleen Malcomson craft a special version of the modulator to enhance his copy. He kept one, and sent another one to Gary.

Quantum Gravity Blocks Gary Foshee — the bespoke gravity modulator - courtesy of Robert Sandfield

“He of course loved mechanical mysteries. For example, a fun project Gary and I collaborated on was building 150 Maxwell Homopolar Motors to give as gifts at the 7th Gathering 4 Gardner in 2006, where we gave a talk and demo then sent everyone home with one.

Everyone drew inspiration and awe from Gary’s workshop, a converted 2-car garage with all the equipment and parts Gary needed to prototype anything!

I mean, who doesn’t need from time to time a toothbrush, or some hemostats?

And then he expanded to fill one wall floor-to-ceiling with raw materials in jars.

And finally, since Gary was not a tall guy, he put all supplies within “reach”, which meant that some of us had walk around crouched or we would be hitting our heads on tools and equipment hanging from the ceiling.

Part of me is built from Gary’s inspiration and ideas; thank you Gary!”

Here’s a toast to Gary Foshee, brilliant puzzle designer and craftsman, generous of spirit and friendship. His legacy is clear, and in that transparent spirit I raise a glass, full of complexity and bursting with flavor, yet surprisingly, paradoxically, crystal clear. The drink is a white Negroni (a drink of choice I return to again and again) variant, and there’s a story worth mentioning, too. In 2001, the beverage director of Plymouth gin and his friend Wayne Collins, a well-known bartender from London, traveled for a spirits expo and cocktail competition to Bordeaux, France. The day before the competition, they developed a craving for ice cold Negronis, and determined they would make the drinks using French ingredients, which led them to the French bitter aperitif Suze, and the French sweet wine aperitif Lillet.

Transparent Negroni recipe — nothing is hidden in this recipe

The original “White Negroni” used Plymouth gin, a standard ingredient in a classic Negroni. For this variation I poured an ounce from a very special bottle of tequila, the Don Julio Cristalino 70, which is an “anejo” aged for 18 months in barrels, which imparts an amber hue similar to aged bourbon. It is then, however, charcoal filtered, which adds crispness and strips away the color. The end result is a clear, complex, flavorful and smooth tequila that tricks the palate. Rather than Suze, the amaro component is satisfied with Bitter Bianco, a rich red style amaro which has similarly been cleverly stripped of its coloration to appear clear. Finally a dry vermouth rounds out and completes the drink. I’m completely transparent about the kind of cocktail I enjoy, and this one’s for you Gary. May your memory continue to inspire us.

Transparent Negroni

1 oz Don Julio Cristalino

1 oz Bitter Bianco

1 oz dry vermouth

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass over a clear cube.

N.B. Many thanks to the friends I was able to contact who contributed. I know there are many more stories to tell.

A Tribute to Gary Foshee

Transparent Lock

I Spy

Back in Black