1. Record the surviving evidence
We begin with the object itself or the material already in the archive: photographs, packaging, dimensions, piece count, old filenames, product codes and the wording used in catalogues.
Small clues matter. A filename may contain an older product name, while a distinctive notch pattern can show that two visually similar burr puzzles are not the same design.
2. Search live sources first
Manufacturer pages, official manuals and verified solution videos are preferred because they provide the clearest provenance. Alternative names are searched separately because one puzzle may have been rebranded several times.
3. Use the Wayback Machine as historical evidence
The Wayback Machine can reveal former product pages, catalogue descriptions and links to instruction files that have disappeared from the live web. A capture proves that a page existed at a particular address and date, but it does not make the archived text or artwork free to republish.
Crafty Puzzles uses archived pages to identify and verify puzzles, then writes new summaries or links to the original source where appropriate.
4. Compare the mechanism, not only the shape
Two puzzles may both look like a cube, ball or chest while using different internal constructions. We compare piece count, grooves, slots, orientation and the order of movement before treating a source as a match.
5. Publish the confidence level
Every recovered page should state whether it is supported by an original Crafty Puzzles sheet, an official manufacturer source, a strong multi-source match or only a provisional visual identification. Uncertainty is useful information and should never be hidden.