Cadaco Cluster Puzzles

An Odd Puzzle

When I was a child, my grandmother bought home a puzzle she bought at a tag sale. It was in a small box with a yellow insert that read, “Figments.” We discovered it was No. 2 in the Jumble-Fits series made by Cadaco in 1965. The directions said, “Intelligent adults can assemble the 24 figments in 30 minutes. Children 5 years old or more may need only 15 minutes.”

What is a Cluster Puzzle?

My grandmother had purchased a cluster puzzle. Unlike other puzzles, no two pieces are alike. The edges of each piece is unique and irregular and there is no context for assembling them like a completed picture. Instead, one can either try to find the countours that fit together or read the provided Hint Card for clues. There is no uniform border to the puzzle, either. As a result, the puzzle was challenging to complete even though there were only a handful of pieces to work with.

Using the Hint Card

When my grandmother and I opened the box, we found a series of expressive characters nestled inside.

We unfolded the Hint Card and learned that the main character was Alec Zandimeyer Plerp .

The rest of the pieces were figments of his imagination with bizarre names, such as “Flying Dude,” “Bite-Zilla” and “Bulbigator.” There was a short blurb next to each figment that provided funny clues for assembling two or more pieces.

Once all of the hints were followed, the complete picture would be assembled. The first time we tried it, it took us over an hour. With multiple attempts, I was able to put it together in under 5 minutes.

A Brief History of Cadaco Cluster Puzzles

Alex D. Palmer invented his puzzles in 1964, first under the name “Jumble-Fits.” They were owned and produced by his own company until 1966 when Cadaco, a game company in Chicago, negotiated a deal with him. The first six puzzles included:

• “Animals”
• “Figments”
• “Sports”
• “Make-Up”
• “Doodles”
• “Whimsies”

Other puzzles were manufactured over the years, including the “Unlikely Story” series.

Palmer’s cluster puzzles were sold by Cadaco until 1988 when the business folded. He passed away in 2013, but his son, Kevin Palmer, runs a website dedicated to his father’s work. He also sells a book about his father’s puzzles, “The Collector’s Guide to Cluster Puzzles of the 1960s and 1970s.”

Appeal

Cadaco cluster puzzles are sometimes called “the smart people’s story puzzle.” Part of its appeal is that the Hint Card is fun to read and follow. Each figment had its own unlikely story with details, as opposed to being just parts of a whole. Notably, Palmer didn’t just create puzzles, he create elaborate worlds for his characters.

The Hint Card challenged the audience to put the puzzle together as quickly as possible. Because the puzzle only had a few pieces, it was possible to assemble them repeatedly, each time becoming better at it. Therefore, it’s not the usual “one and done” puzzle experience.

I have four Cadaco cluster puzzles in my collection and I bring them out when I have older kids or teenagers over. They enjoy the challenges of playing with these puzzles, often competing to see who can figure them out first or the fastest. When they return, they usually request the puzzles and skip using the hint cards altogether.

Where to Find Cluster Puzzles

Cluster puzzles can be difficult to find at an antique shop, garage sale or flea market, especially if you’re looking for a specific one. (I currently have my eye out for the “Make-Up” puzzle). I suggest you try searching for items on ebay or an online store like etsy. If you go to the ebay website, you can click on “save this search” and receive notifications when a particular puzzle comes up for sale.

Vintage cluster puzzle prices range considerably, especially based on condition. The average “sold” price on ebay is approximately $40.

Wherever you buy your vintage cluster puzzle, I have no doubt that the whimsical world of Alex Zandimer Plerp will provide you with hours of entertainment.

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