Combinations ~ A Timberdoodle Review

If you like puzzles, Combinations is for you. A 4x4 grid, six playing pieces, and 72 multi-level puzzles are included in Combinations. The player must combine numbers, shapes, colors, and faces depending on the difficulty level. Further details on combining will be provided below. Each puzzle has only one solution. Combinations is part of Timberdoodle's 2024 Ninth-Grade Curriculum Kit.

There are 32 puzzles in the Starter Level. There are both numbers and colors in puzzles 1-16. A colored number indicates that the number must match the playing piece's color. Each open frame in the playing piece must be played so that the largest number adds up to the two smaller numbers. In subtraction, the larger number subtracted from the smallest number equals the third number. Puzzles 17-32 include dice. These puzzles follow the same rules as the previous ones.

The Junior Level consists of puzzles 33-40. There is a bit more thinking required at this level. It's time to put those art skills you learned in elementary school to use. To solve these puzzles, players need to use red, yellow, and blue the primary colors to create secondary colors: orange, green, and purple. Mixing the colors in the square open frames would produce the color that appears in the circle frame of the same colored piece. In the example above, when you mix blue and yellow, you get green. 

The Expert Level comprises levels 41-48. This set of puzzles includes two types of shape puzzles: outlines of shapes and solid shapes. In order to equal the overlapped shapes, players must combine two shapes. 

Levels 49-56 are included in the Master Level. In this set of puzzles, you have to find two unfinished faces in the square frames and the finished picture with the corresponding color in the circle frame. 

Levels 57-72 are part of the Wizard Level. The number 1-19 appears in these puzzles. In order to solve these puzzles as addition, the two smaller numbers in the square frames must add up to the number in the circle frame. In subtraction, the smaller numbers must total the larger number. 

Time to Play

You are never too old to exercise your brain. Here, my stepfather is still figuring out how to play. With ease, he picks up these critical thinking puzzle games from Smart Games. He seems to be able to get through all levels without much difficulty. The moment I get a new puzzle game from Smart Games, he is always excited and ready for the challenge.

My 16-year-old is attempting the Master Level.

When my daughter saw me approaching with Combinations, she got that look in her eye. Yes, I need some more thoughts on this game. As they had paint splashes on them, she chose the Junior Level. She had no idea she would have to recall elementary art to solve these puzzles.

Final Thoughts

Combinations was a big hit! Smart Games puzzle games challenge your brain. Having so many puzzles to solve is one of my favorite things about Combinations. Compact and portable, the game is easy to take wherever you go. I am very pleased with the quality of the product. There is no need to worry about the case opening and spilling its contents everywhere since it closes tightly. For durability, the puzzle cards are made of thick card stock. As far as Combinations is concerned, I cannot think of anything negative to say. It is a game I would highly recommend to others.