Cast Arrows is a metal puzzle in Hanayama’s Huzzle series, devised by Russian designer Andrei Ivanov and launched in 2017. It depicts a heart pierced by four arrows, as if Cupid had been up to his usual tricks. The aim is to pull out the arrows and then return them to their places.

• BrandHanayama
• SeriesHuzzle Cast (HZ 3-11)
• DesignerAndrei Ivanov
• TypeTake-apart puzzle
• MaterialCast metal
• DifficultyLevel 3 of 6 (Huzzle scale)

How it works

There are no springs, magnets or catches: whether an arrow comes out or not depends on the shape of the heart and of each piece. That is why you need to study the whole thing calmly before forcing anything; simply pulling gets you nowhere. Putting all four arrows back in their original position is a second challenge, often just as entertaining as the first.

Skill level

It sits at level 3, “Normal”, the midpoint of the series’ six-level scale. A good fit for anyone who has already solved a simple Cast puzzle and wants to move up a step without yet tackling the expert-level models.

Design

The heart-and-arrows theme also makes it a gift with meaning, and the cast metal gives it a weight and finish that feel good in the hand.