How to play PUZZLE CHESS: Your Ultimate Guide

Looking for a great Christmas gift? Both puzzles I released with Ravensburger are available now on Amazon!
Gradient Cascade - amzn.to/49Xo272
Puzzles on Puzzles - amzn.to/418E5eb
(Affiliate links)
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Thank you to Jessica and Luke from The Puzzle Republic for filming with me. Follow them on Instagram:
/ thepuzzlerepublic
Big thank you to Tom Scott for agreeing to make a cameo in this video:
/ @tomscottgo
Watch the extended cut of my puzzle chess game against Tom on Patreon:
/ karenpuzzles
Want to see our entire Puzzle Camp trip? You can watch the video FOR FREE on Patreon:
/ puzzle-camp-is-88518282
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All of the puzzles I showed in this video:
(All Amazon links are affiliate links)
Space Explorer - Puzzle Huddle (100 Pieces)
puzzlehuddle.com/collections/...
Pay Day Cones - Bits and Pieces (300 Pieces)
amzn.to/3t4Oz1H
(I don’t quite remember if this was gifted, but I feel like it was)
Yummies - Cloudberries (100 Pieces)
www.cloudberries.co.uk/produc...
*GIFTED
Animals - Cloudberries (100 Pieces)
www.cloudberries.co.uk/produc...
*GIFTED
Frank Lloyd Wright Textile Blocks Puzzles - Galison (200 Pieces)
amzn.to/4a7NrLl
Jungle Bird - Pezel (100 Pieces)
pezelpuzzles.com/collections/...
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Twitter: / karenpuzzles
Instagram: / karenpuzzles
TikTok: / karenpuzzles
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#puzzle #jigsawpuzzles #jigsaw 🧩🧩🧩🧩🧩
Music from Soundstripe:
ZNWJILFZMMSYBCVW
RCS3H2ZX0Q344SMV
KUQS4KXX2LA87VVR
WPBRQ0ATJA3PP5PF
2ETQIQTZ4RXFYN8K
YX2ULFAOIFKJPGEQ
YFKUNMVY0ARJAP4I

[@KarenPuzzles]

Have you played puzzle chess yet? Let me know how it goes for you or if you have any questions. You can use any puzzle, but if you want any that I showed in this video, I linked all of them in the video description. Plus, if you want to watch the extended cut of the game at the end of the video, it is up on Patreon right now!

[@CarlMassop]

Not yet but will soon♟️🤍✌🏿

[@CarlMassop]

Chess

[@moniquevandermeer6567]

Now, I did! This evening, with my boyfriend. Off course I won! 😊

[@shinichigojir12]

Might be a great idea to collab with chess content creators out there like Gothamchess, introducing the 2 communities together. Both games have shared recent history in which both games exploded during the pandemic.

[@candidulce0714]

I'm 100% doing this with my family!

[@nell6913]

When I was a child in the 1950's, my father and I would do something similar, usually on 500 piece puzzles. If you picked up a piece and it fit, you got a point, but if you picked up a piece and it didn't fit, you lost a point. You could go way down in the negatives, if you weren't careful. So it wasn't a matter of speed, but of accuracy.

[@Preciouslynnette]

I love this I’m definitely saving this to play with my puzzling friend.

[@HannahGreendale]

That sound so incredibly fun!

[@danielleg8569]

And math connection!!!!

[@teijaflink2226]

I love this idea lot more because I don't like games that are about time and speed, it just makes me stressed.

[@SpeedOfTheEarth]

Oh I like this variant a lot better! Thanks for telling

[@houdin654jeff]

Of course you played puzzle chess with Tom... he also popularized chess clock Jenga, or at least made a video about it, which looks much more stressful than this does. I love that you two know each other, it's so nice to see crossovers that feel genuinely like friends hanging out rather than two people trying to boost their popularity.

[@jummett]

It's the crossover I had been waiting for ever since Karen popped up on Tom's podcast! Love these two! ❤

[@DanielHarveyDyer]

Yeah when I saw he was in the video I actually guessed he might have brought to you the idea of Puzzle Chess himself, considering he and Matt are the only people I've ever seen applyijg a Chess Clock to non board games.

[@Wallopy_Joe]

Tom proves time and again that he's up for all sorts of the best possible nonsense going. This looks like great fun.

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

A Tom Scott crossover where he learns something new, I'm here for it. This Puzzle Chess thing looks like fun. I might have to get my nieces some puzzles as an excuse to do this.

[@piratecheese13]

there are few joys in life greater than seeing Tom being exasperated by the expertise of someone else. "invite someone to play a game and kick their ass with it" tom's done that once or twice I think.

[@hoellenwasserclan1]

In Chess there is a 2 vs 2 - variation called "Hand & Brain". You could adapt it to Puzzle Chess: So one player has to choose the piece which the teampartner has to place this turn. The team which is more in sync (Brain's choosing the same piece the hands-player thought off aswell) should be faster. So that's a nice touch :)

[@KarenPuzzles]

I love that!

[@kcriner1000]

Suggestion from a parent. When playing with a child you could place 2-3 pieces to each one your child places. Or you could look away during your child’s turn so that you can only find pieces while you are actually on the clock.

[@KarenPuzzles]

Great ideas! Also for family members who never do puzzles but want to try it out.

[@DanikaLeighEllis]

I was thinking you could also let the kid mix up some of the pieces at the start of your turn, which I feel like they'd probably enjoy

[@ThexBlackxKitty]

As someone who was once a child, I hated it when the adults immediately assumed I had no chance in a fair game. Maybe only give the child an advantage if they get discouraged and are clearly losing.

[@celloafterdark4173]

Why is it so important to let a kid win? Maybe encourage them in other ways? Or have them play with peers?

[@SayukiSuzukiMizuno]

@@celloafterdark4173 Exactly. If you teach your child that thye only win, how they will manage their loss further in life? Later nobody will pick up two pieces instead of one for them to win

[@greg.murphy]

A good handicap would be a clock where Karen gets 15:00 and Tom gets maybe 17:00. If one doesn't exist, then just say K has to win by 2:00.

[@jwolfe01234]

I had the same thought. Chess clocks should be able to do this. I've seen Chess matches between players of different skill level that were handicapped by time.

[@Delfontes]

Beat me to this comment, handicap by time is common in chess and would work better than left handed which isn't too much of one.

[@annep4830]

Or maybe the "expert" has to put two pieces in per turn?

[@SybotCB]

A decent chess clock can absolutely do this. The app they are using, I don't know. A decent chess clock can be had for $25 ish or so on Amazon. I would go one step over the Leaf ones. I don't think those can do handicapped times.

[@metallsnubben]

@@SybotCBSays in the description for the app that it allows handicapping 👍

[@Serenity_Dee]

Tom Scott seems like such a genuinely nice, humble, and sweet guy, and he shows a remarkable level of sensitivity in everything he does. I would love to play board games with him like this and I love seeing two utter sweethearts have a good time like this.

[@YaaLFH]

He is.

[@rhiannonchiacchiaro6352]

The thumbnail including Karen, Tom Scott, Puzzles, and Chess is so emblematic of my year that I'm partly wondering if this video was generated by AI solely for my consumption.

[@bunpeishiratori5849]

I'm a fan or your channel as well as a longtime chess player (about fifty years) who has competed in hundreds of chess tournaments. I want to give you a rule clarification you may not be aware of. In chess, it is a requirement to hit the clock with the same hand that you moved your piece with. It's considered cheating to use your free hand to hit the clock. You might want to consider incorporating that practice into your game.

[@KarenPuzzles]

I didn't know that rule! I'll try to use that for future games.

[@SheLovesVampires]

Was about to say this too!!😅

[@Preciouslynnette]

I did not know that was a rule. Genuinely curious, how would that be considered cheating. I don’t see how that would affect anything. So would they be disqualified if they accidentally use the wrong hand?

[@SheLovesVampires]

@@Preciouslynnette because you can use your right hand for moving a piece and immediately press the clock with left, hovering over it. It saves loads of time if you do it like that considering you press the clock every turn. I believe you get a warning if you do it wrong. You also write down your turns/which pieces moved where (during the other's turn).

[@bunpeishiratori5849]

@@Preciouslynnette No disqualification. It's a very minor infraction, so at worst you'd get a mild "don't do that again." Frankly it is so ingrained in chess players from when they learn the rules and etiquette that they would never think to do it the wrong way.

[@Catzgomeow2000]

My family won’t play against me unless I have restrictions so I use my left hand, they put the box/reference image somewhere so I can’t see it and they can, and I close my eyes whenever it isn’t my turn so that I can’t search for pieces. It levels the playing field a bit 😅 great video Karen, Thankyou!! ☺️

[@justjane2070]

OMG Tom Scott with you ! Didn’t expect that 😍😍

[@browneyes142a]

How bad is it that I can recognize him through the blurring

[@ryaneakins7269]

Helped a little by his customary red tshirt :)

[@browneyes142a]

@@ryaneakins7269 oh definitely

[@jimloy2080]

In chess you are supposed to push the button on the clock with the same hand that you made your move with. Some people just hover their hand over the clock and get an unfair advantage by moving with the other hand, maybe even pushing the button before they make their move.

[@jimloy2080]

The easiest handicap is to let the slower player start with more time. Experiment to see how much time you want to give. You can add the handicap bonus time after the game is over.

[@LaurenandtheCrew]

Omg wasn't expecting Tom Scott to pop up on your channel but I love it! It's such an unexpected crossover within my sub box but i'm here for it 🙌

[@qwertyTRiG]

I learned about Karen from Matt Parker, so she already has a connection with the nerdy British educational channel space.

[@ragreen2]

A minor handicap is for the better player to be the one to work the puzzle from the upside down orientation and the less advanced to view the puzzle tight side up (have the puzzle sideways for peers). The non-dominant hand handicap is a good one. Also have the better player close their eyes/look away from the puzzle when it isn't their turn. There are a number of possibilities.

[@yannsalmon2988]

A variation could be that you are only allowed to place a piece connecting to the one previously placed. That may open possibilities for strategies as it is in theory possible to « checkmate » your opponent before ending the puzzle by purposefully create a hole where you put your piece (as all connections to this piece has already been made, your opponent cannot continue). Another possible game with puzzles would be to play with two identical small puzzles sets. Both players try to place as many pieces on the same board from their set before the end, the one with the least remaining pieces win.

[@TryinaD]

Oh my god! My two favorite youtubers coming together! I’m so excited to see you expand your puzzling content! That aside, if I had a nickel for every time Tom gets taught about a game and gets his ass absolutely destroyed, it would be two nickels which isn’t a lot but it’s funny lol

[@clarionash]

Ur!

[@patrickhanft]

The fact that I own "The Royal Game of Ur" due to this last incident means I need to buy some 100 piece puzzles now, doesn't it? 😂

[@TryinaD]

@@patrickhanft most definitely! Your life will be the better for it.

[@balalejo950103]

You got me with Tom Scott, I just recently started watching your videos and seeing a collab with Tom Scott, wow, first congrats, and keep on doing awesome videos.

[@jumpincows]

I’ve been dying for an official break down of puzzle chess rules since you started showing it in your puzzle vlogs! Love this!

[@floatygimpy]

Love the colab and Tom Scott is one of my faves!

[@impanduhhh6860]

you and tom were such an entertaining duo to watch play! what a delightful watch

[@ChantaleMoon]

Yay! Excited to share this video with friends and fam - I've been making some of them puzzle chess with me ever since I saw it in your puzzle camp video. I still haven't had any great uptake on play partners but I'm hoping I'll get some more games in during the holiday break. My nieces have a ton of 100 piece puzzles we could use (my 11 year old niece was the first person I was able to get to play with and she legit beat me, haha). Thanks again!

[@shawnmariemann]

I love when people find new ways to use things they already have. I think this is great!

[@150flyer]

Only discoverered your channel a week ago, and been devouring the videos - so addictive and then just now Tom Scott appears - Wow! I started puzzling during the Covid lockdown, and been doing at least one 1000 piece puzzle a month since. Will definitely try puzzle chess with my puzzling friend.

[@theresac.3216]

Thanks for posting this CHRSS video. I'm excited to try it!

[@deanranged3762]

Chess😊 start with all pieces face down. Makes it much more challenging! Good luck

[@KarenPuzzles]

Love that! Good idea!

[@SheLovesVampires]

I love this it would be like playing Memory and puzzle at the same time

[@zuckerzwei8562]

memory puzzle would be my suggestion. I guess you'd need a fairly easy puzzle for that but you do the border first as you did before can you lift up one of the remaining puzzle pieces and look at it if you can fit it you can put in the puzzle otherwise you put it back face down on the table

[@emoiler06]

Thank you for introducing this to me. I have shared this with family and now we are having a blast puzzling. I even brought this into my after care programs!🎉

[@cosygracegames]

Puzzle chess legitimately looks so fun!! I loved watching that whole video of puzzle camp, and it’s so cool seeing Tom Scott here too!

[@tammyhicks1450]

I am so grateful for this video!What a great idea for me and two family members who puzzle!I cant wait to play with this with them soon!Thank you!

[@showcase0525]

The cross overs i never expected, but learned i needed. Thank you.

[@hannahkroon5233]

My daughter and I played puzzle chess this afternoon... Absolutely loved it! Thank you.

[@Scruffi]

7:55 Oh! Well hello there Tom Scott!

[@Seff2]

The most unexpected Collab....

[@blaireshoe8738]

@@Seff2 They're literally friends :D Can't recall which vids, but he's made casual appearances like this before :) Might be his first time in the Patreon, though, haha

[@Susieshoosie]

This looks like so much fun! I could see playing with more than two people, everyone just keeps their own time on their own phones.

[@MrLordAgaton]

Speaking of your puzzles. Bought them back in august after finally finding them here in Sweden. Started with the smaller and finished it quickly. Brilliant concept with puzzles in a puzzle. The big one however gave me a challenge but a fun one. Was satisfying and rewarding to slowly see it being assembled. Hope you get more opportunities in the future to design puzzles 😊

[@qwertyTRiG]

Tom really is a natural presenter, able to be articulate and composed even while frustrated.

[@itsapuzzlingtime]

So fun! Thank you for explaining how to play puzzle CHESS. I had wondered whenever you mentioned it before! I'm definitely going to try this over the winter break!

[@gaymerjerry]

I was half expecting Tom Scott to at the end go "Ok so now I'm challenging you to a game of Boggle"

[@AznRUs]

What a fun idea! I will try this with my family during our Christmas gathering.

[@berthavillalobos8163]

I love this!! I’m gonna have to try this with the family on Xmas eve for sure!

[@techiecreations]

Tom Scott is a treasure. Glad you guys had a good time puzzling!

[@DaniMakes]

Oh my gosh! I had this exact idea watching your video on racing the fastest solvers a few days back! Literally even down to using a chess clock! so cool to see it being done!

[@SievertSchreiber]

Didn't expect to see Tom Scott here but I'm happy he accepted the challenge!

[@nicoleh5768]

Love the idea of starting puzzle chess with a block in the middle and working outwards... will have to give that a try

[@edwardturner3252]

This is so much fun! Thank you!

[@smileycindy]

What a great idea! My family is coming over for the holidays, we all love doing puzzle, so I will definitely be trying this idea out. Thanks for sharing! :)

[@eldaniels1]

Ok, I did not expect a Tom Scott crossover nor did I know that I wanted one but I did and I do. Amazing to see your channel grow!!!

[@ItsRoseForYou]

what a fun idea to combine puzzling and CHESS. Great video! :) Now I'm going to hunt down some fun minipuzzles to try this with my friends :D

[@johnbeerworth]

I love this idea, another way to enjoy those puzzles

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Ngl I thought you have to play chess and solve a puzzle in a sequence. Also, the Spanish really are quite the pioneers of puzzling.

[@lanawolf5681]

Chess! What a fun way to enjoy the game. Thanks for the ideas

[@mthielssalvo]

looks like a lot of fun! glad you were the one to take tom scott down a few pegs lmao

[@loiswells3564]

This looks like great fun! Definitely going to try it

[@kenfreeman8888]

That looks like a lot of fun.

[@MCSCMusic]

Can't believe you got Tom Scott in your video. I have been wanting this since you were on Lateral. I love chess and puzzles!

[@patrickhanft]

They have been friends for some time already and she helped him out with the footage of his bear videos. So for me not so much a surprise, but a nice little fun occurrence.

[@pt3391]

Tom is here.. I've been a big fano this for years Recently started watching this channel awesome to see Tom here

[@lordgandalf22]

This is such a unique way to do a pyzzle going to introduce this to my parents they are big puzzlers. And nice to see Tom drop in 😊

[@martinhonor3483]

Karen Puzzles and Tom Scott are two of my favourite KZbinrs and it was a surprise to find them together in this. When I was younger I had a favourite puzzle I had done several times so I made a sort of game of it by putting all the pieces in a bag and drawing one at a time. If it didn't connect to one already on the table it went back into the bag which was shaken to prevent pieces remaining on top.

[@littlemissapplecore]

Tom!!! I did not know we needed this crossover but ohhh its good 😁

[@zaraweiss3899]

Hello! Will you be at the Minnesota puzzling competition? Hope to see you there!

[@webdisa]

Wow! Tom Scott is in the video

[@juliannicholls]

I think that it was Tom who first introduced me to Karen's stream. CHESS!

[@Arthur40TwoDent]

So wonderful to see Tom Scott on the channel.

[@nymalous3428]

Yay, Tom Scott! Oh, and puzzles too!

[@kaysalyers2571]

Yessss! This will be so fun!!!

[@lupuscorvidae]

Great Scott! What a crossover!

[@MariaHernandez-fk1on]

Didn't know about it! What a fun idea to try!

[@19queenbee55]

I loved this video and would like to see more puzzle chess videos!

[@JasperKloek]

So cool that the Gradient Cascade puzzle now has an extra reason to exist!

[@Konitama]

For a puzzle chess improvement: If you aren't actively taking your turn, you can't look at the table. I think Tom is right that the person who has all the time to sit there and figure out a piece placement will have the advantage the whole game. You can place that piece quickly, leaving no time for the other person to find a new piece placement... which means they are always stuck spending more time per turn while you are spending less time per turn.

[@jedagelijksebraintraining]

Chess, you can also start with a grid like a chessboard / checkerboard, where all the black cells are already made. Start with a made puzzle. Take 1 piece out, stay 1 piece, take 1 piece... as starting point.

[@crystalparker6774]

I love it! It's very very clever.

[@miachen2635]

You could adapt the chess touch-move rule for added challenge/handicapping. If you touch a chess piece during your turn, you have to move it, so that if you pick up a piece, then realize where you wanted to put it would be a blunder, you still have to move that piece (to any legal square). So for puzzle chess, if you pick up a piece but it doesn't fit where you first try, you would be able to try different spots but not another piece. And then if you can't, either you give up your move, or if you're going hard-mode, you lose.

[@tomireland3644]

Really fun video. Your excitement and enjoyment is palpable and contagious! Like Tom Scott I haven't touched a jigsaw puzzle in decades but this seems like a lovely lighthearted but intense game to try 😃 (chess for the codeword)

[@Birckin]

A possible variation: leave all pieces facing downwards (separating maybe the pieces by sections/colors to avoid picking always the floating/middle ones). That way, you won't be able to get advantage planning your next move if your opponent takes some time for a piece.

[@remiren9832]

Ooooh! I love this! What if you have a super small puzzle and flip the pieces so it’s a sort of memory game too. I’m definitely going to try puzzle _chess_ in the future! Lovely video always

[@KarenPuzzles]

Great idea!

[@thedrunkenelf]

I saw Tom Scott in the thumb nail and I was like “is that Tom Scott?” And it is!

[@danig5302]

Tom was a great addition to this video. This looks like fun

[@ElizabethNicoleSchwartz]

I've never tried this, but it sounds like fun. I always play board games with family at Christmas, so maybe we'll have to try this this year.

[@randomname24680]

It was really fun to watch Tom get sooo frustrated at you 😅😅😅

[@r.k.2823]

Great game and video!

[@opposite342]

There's a touch move rule in chess where when you touched a piece you have to move it somewhere. I think you can put it into this, and if that piece couldn't fit on the current frame you get -20 seconds penalty or something like that.

[@mucbased]

Didn't expect to see Tom in this video!

[@shellyt556]

Your friend Tom was so funny when you were doing the animal puzzle😂

[@MaxPower2719]

“Your friend Tom” is actually a pretty famous KZbinr. Wonder how this collaboration came to be 😮 As for this Chess variant: Karen was obviously the Queen and Tom the Rook(ie) 😂

[@FireZenix]

@@MaxPower2719 I'm really surprised how so few people know Tom. I never in a million years would expect this collaboration, but happy it happened :D

[@shellyt556]

@@MaxPower2719 i gotta check him out

[@shellyt556]

Ok no way 😂 he has many subscribers. Not the type of content that I would particularly search for, but no doubt he is very entertaining. Not surprised he would amass such a following

[@blaireshoe8738]

@@MaxPower2719 It's definitely one of those situations where, if you don't recognize him as an internet icon, you just figure she pulled in one of her good friends for the video, because that's basically what actually happened 😂 The only hints are that he's prominently in the thumbnail and is featured in an extended patreon shoot, with one of his channels linked in the description (but not mentioned audibly) with a written thanks for the cameo. They're actual friends, though, and it shows in how they interact. They talked before on how they met in an older Karen Puzzles video iirc.

[@metarr]

I think a better handicap would be something like, Karen can't look at the pieces while Tom is playing? So the better rated person doesn't get the "the longer your opponent takes, the quicker you can be" effect, but the lower rated person can still be getting some catch up time.

[@AbdullaH-zb4ix]

Thank you Karen. I am not puzzler but i liked puzzle after watching your videos.Thank you again & God bless you.

[@user-dp4dm4kq3j]

What about this. Two good puzzlers who wear glasses, remove them for the puzzle chess game. My daughter and I will be trying this over Christmas. I might even win lol

[@KarenPuzzles]

Oh no! That might be a good handicap if I play against my family 😂

[@SuperWolfkin]

It's so clear Tom was having so much fun.

[@WarpedENT94]

Love the concept of puzzle chest!! Can't wait for some new uploads! (I'm sure everyone agrees) we would like more content soon! I'm about to start my 3rd 1000 pc thanks to you & your insightful videos!

[@skippy3463]

OMG the crossover we never knew we needed.

[@eunicewoodhouse6531]

That looks so much fun 😊

[@shayelea]

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Tom Scott so flustered 😂

[@jcortese3300]

I have to admit, watching you collaborate with Tom Scott was fantastic. Watching you kick Tom Scott's @$$ however was incredibly satisfying. 😀

[@KarenPuzzles]

If it was.linguistics or engineering or computer science or pretty much anything except puzzles, the roles definitely would have been reversed 😂

[@qwertyTRiG]

​@@KarenPuzzles You join an elite club alongside Irving Finkle.

[@rosa733]

That is fun. Xmas game perhaps.

[@LibbyRoseITM]

This looks like so much fun! :D

[@clarkkent7973]

Stellar Factory Pizza Puzzles allow people to compete by each person completing a slice of the pizza --- no chess clock is needed!

[@alyshamcalpine2238]

oh my god a tom scott x karen puzzles crossover is something i never knew i needed 😭😭

[@judysocal8682]

It's funny to see such large puzzle pieces on these smaller puzzles.

[@alissa6380]

i think with a small puzzle it might be fun to treat it like a card game, aka you each draw 4-7 pieces into your "hand" that are only accessible to you, but you can *only* play those. if you can't place any of them as a non-island, then you must discard 1+ pieces (you decide how many) and pull an equal amount from the "deck" (probably facedown pieces). maybe you get to play them on that turn, maybe not, you can make house rules. maybe you can play more than one piece per turn, if your hand is really good, and you draw replacements for each of them, but you can't play the replacements on the same turn. maybe the scoring in this case is "who puts the most pieces in", but like, weighted somehow based on the time competition? or maybe every person gets a turn of a fixed length (let's say 30 sec) and you can do any combination of plays, discards, replacements, and replacement plays that you can manage to do in that time, and it's about who puts the most pieces in. or maybe you divide all the pieces of the puzzle into halves and it's whoever gets rid of their half first? SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!

[@KarenPuzzles]

There are a lot of good ideas in there! You need to start workshopping some of them!

[@alissa6380]

@@KarenPuzzles i would, but i have no one to play with 😭 my family are not into puzzles and all my friends live abroad

[@KlingonPrincess]

🤯😊

[@pierQRzt180]

Nice Variant of the puzzles

[@elusive73]

Chess! ;) What a great way of re-imagining puzzles :)

[@lexar4035]

I love how you can see the zodiac puzzle under the board you played tom on XD