April 9, 2026
Description
How hard can a 2 piece puzzle be? Don't believe anyone saying this in their model description - it's probably a trap! In fact 2 piece puzzle can be damn hard, if you still can't believe it just look at this award winning 2 piece puzzle.
Meanwhile we have (my favorite) symmetry puzzles, whose goal is to arrange all the pieces to create a symmetric shape. The difficulty level of these puzzles increase exponentially with piece count. I don't dare to try any symmetry puzzle with 5 or more pieces. But hey, how hard can a 2 piece symmetry puzzle be?
It's hard to say this time. My suggestion is "try it yourself". Popular symmetry puzzles usually consist of 2 or 3 pieces. You could try them in my collection of symmetry puzzles.
I really like this new 2 piece symmetry puzzle named "Pas de Deux", designed by George Sicherman. The designer himself publish it in PDF format, so if you have a traditonal 2D printer you can print it on cardboard and cut out a copy for yourself. But since you are here you probably have a 3D printer, in this case I've converted that PDF to STL for you. Wait no more, just start printing, and can you solve this puzzle in less time than it is printed?
btw, the designer has uploaded the solution to "Model origin" page. If you get really stuck, you know where to go!
fill angle: 60°
A Symmetry Puzzle is somewhat similar to a Tangram; however, while Tangrams date back hundreds of years, the first Symmetry Puzzle emerged only in this century. The goal is to arrange all the pieces to form a symmetric shape. Any shape is accepted as long as it possesses symmetry. Solutions are often bizarre and difficult to find; at times, you may not even realize you have achieved the correct shape because you fail to recognize its symmetry.
I am a great fan of Symmetry Puzzles, especially 3D printing them. Unlike many other puzzles, Symmetry Puzzles do not require a packing tray or board (which often consumes more filament than the pieces themselves). They typically consist of only a few pieces, making them highly efficient to print. Given their relatively long solving time, Symmetry Puzzles are definitely worth printing.
Symmetry Puzzles can be quite challenging; the more pieces involved, the harder the puzzle becomes. It is common to spend a significant amount of time solving even a 3-piece puzzle, and a 2-piece puzzle can still offer a satisfying challenge.
In fact, there are even 1-piece Symmetry Puzzles available for you to print. Your task is to determine whether that single piece possesses symmetry, and if so, identify the type of symmetry it exhibits.
The absence of a packing tray not only saves filament but also eliminates tolerance concerns. While tolerance is crucial for most mechanical puzzles, optimal tolerances vary from person to person. Often, when 3D printing puzzles with trays, the result is either too tight (preventing pieces from fitting together) or too loose (giving the false impression that a solution is valid when it isn't under correct tolerances).
Eliminating tolerance worries also gives you the freedom to scale a Symmetry Puzzle to any size—whether for a last-meter saver (spare filament) or a large decorative ornament.
Some Symmetry Puzzles feature multiple challenges or solutions, allowing you to "print once and enjoy multiple 'aha!' moments." In these cases, some challenges may be relatively easy, while finding all possible solutions remains a significant challenge. This makes them suitable for players of any skill level.
If you are interested in Symmetry Puzzles, please visit my collection of all Symmetry Puzzles on this site. I wish I had more to share, but that is all I have found so far. If you know of any I missed, please let me know!
License:
Standard Digital File License
Uptown Funk
