Hysteresis Key – Precision Maze Key Puzzle by Oskar van Deventer

Hysteresis Key is a clever and deceptively simple-looking maze puzzle that challenges your sense of precision and control. Designed by Oskar van Deventer, this puzzle is all about exact movement—not speed, not force, but perfect distance.

At first glance, the goal seems straightforward: pull the key out. But there’s a twist. The key can only move in and out, and every movement subtly shifts a hidden red pin sideways inside the maze. Push or pull too far, and the puzzle immediately resets, undoing your progress.

The solution lies in carefully calibrated motions—small, deliberate pushes and pulls that guide the red pin through the internal maze step by step.

This version is an experimental print using transparent PLA, allowing you to see the red pin through a single transparent layer. This visual feedback makes the puzzle more accessible while still preserving the challenge, turning it into a fascinating blend of logic, dexterity, and observation.

Details

• Designer: Oskar van Deventer

• Type: Maze / sequential movement puzzle

• Material: 3D-printed PLA (transparent layer)

• Size: 149 × 78 × 15 mm

• Goal: Remove the key from the puzzle