Puzzle message

Abstract

Puzzle messages and techniques for making the same are disclosed. A puzzle message has a message direction at a lengthwise orientation and a contour. The puzzle message includes at least a first puzzle message piece having a first piece first end and a first piece second end along the lengthwise orientation, a second puzzle message piece having a second piece first end and a second piece second end along the lengthwise orientation. The first piece second end is defined by a matched interface and the second piece first end defined by a complementary interface mating with the matched interface, and the first piece and the second piece define a continuous portion of the contour when mated.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a puzzle message having a message direction at a lengthwise orientation, the puzzle message having a contour, the puzzle message including at least   a first puzzle message piece having a first piece first end and a first piece second end along the lengthwise orientation, and   a second puzzle message piece having a second piece first end and a second piece second end along the lengthwise orientation,   the first piece second end defined by an matched interface and the second piece first end defined by a complementary interface mating with the matched interface, the matched interface and the complementary interface oriented in a common direction indicating the message direction,   the first piece and the second piece defining a continuous portion of the contour when mated.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third puzzle message piece having a third piece first end and a third piece second end,   the third piece first end defined by a subsequent matched interface and the second piece second end defined by a subsequent complementary interface interlocking with the subsequent matched interface,   the matched interface and complementary interface are different from the subsequent matched interface and the subsequent complementary interface.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first inner puzzle message piece, the first inner puzzle message piece having a first inner puzzle message shape interlocking with at least one of the first puzzle message piece and the second puzzle message piece. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a second inner puzzle message piece,
 the first inner puzzle message piece defining at least a portion of the matched interface and the complementary interface, and   the second inner puzzle message piece defining an inner portion of one of the first puzzle message piece or the second puzzle message piece.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the contour includes at least one curved portion and one linear portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the contour defines a complex shape representing at least one of a cocktail glass, a cake, a cupcake, a present with bow, or a musical note. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a puzzle message having a contour, the puzzle message defined at least by a coordinate system, the puzzle message having a message direction at a lengthwise orientation substantially aligned with an x-axis of the coordinate system, the puzzle message including a plurality of interlocking puzzle message pieces defined by two or more outer contour sides and one or more complementary sides, the two or more outer contour sides of immediately adjacent pieces defining a continuous portion of the contour, the one or more complementary sides mating with immediately adjacent pieces, the complementary sides arranged according to an interlocking interface through the contour along at least a y-axis of the coordinate system.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , the puzzle message having a first thickness at a first point and a second thickness not equal to the second thickness at a second point. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , the first thickness and the second thickness define a thickness gradient. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more inner puzzle message pieces, the inner puzzle message pieces having an inner puzzle message shape interlocking with at least one of the plurality of interlocking puzzle message pieces. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , the one or more inner puzzle message pieces defining at least a portion of the interlocking interface. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , the contour includes at least one curved portion and at least one linear portion. 
     
     
         13 . A method for making a puzzle message, comprising:
 cutting a contour from a message material to produce a puzzle message defined by at least a two dimensional coordinate system, the puzzle message having a message direction at a lengthwise orientation substantially aligned with an x-axis of the coordinate system;   cutting a mating interface through the puzzle message to define two or more puzzle message pieces of the puzzle message, the mating interface arranged through the contour along at least a y-axis of the coordinate system, the mating interface indicative of the message direction; and   providing a message onto the puzzle message oriented along the message direction.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising cutting one or more subsequent mating interfaces through the puzzle message to define additional pieces of the puzzle message, the one or more subsequent mating interfaces arranged through the contour along at least the y-axis of the coordinate system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , the one or more subsequent mating interfaces different from the mating interface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising cutting an inner puzzle message piece, the inner puzzle message piece having an inner puzzle message shape mating with at least one of the two or more puzzle message pieces. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , the inner puzzle message piece defining at least a portion of the mating interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , the contour including at least one curved portion and at least one linear portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , the two or more puzzle message pieces including two or more different-shaped pieces and two or more substantially identical pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing a message substantially aligned with the message direction.