This puzzle was formerly sold by Crafty Puzzles and is retained as a free reference item. It is no longer available to purchase from this website.
Original Crafty Puzzles photographs
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Small Ball
The Small Ball uses 14 pieces and should not be confused with the six-piece versions.
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Interactive solution mode
Work through one clue at a time. The full written guide and original diagram remain available below.
Hint 1
Separate the curved outer pieces from the smaller internal locking pieces.
Hint 2
Build two loose hemispheres around the central framework.
Hint 3
Join the halves before inserting the last key piece; forcing a tight half together too early makes the final lock impossible.
Step 1
Use the component key to separate the curved shell pieces from the internal connectors.
Step 2
Build the first small central frame shown in the early numbered stages.
Step 3
Add the curved pieces around that frame in opposite pairs, creating a loose lower hemisphere.
Step 4
Construct the upper hemisphere around the remaining central pieces.
Step 5
Join the two halves while leaving the final channel open.
Step 6
Insert the last key piece through the open channel and centre the shell pieces to form the ball.
3 hints and 6 steps available.
Try a hint before revealing the answer
Open one hint at a time to preserve some of the challenge.
Hint 1
Separate the curved outer pieces from the smaller internal locking pieces.
Hint 2
Build two loose hemispheres around the central framework.
Hint 3
Join the halves before inserting the last key piece; forcing a tight half together too early makes the final lock impossible.
Written assembly guide
- Use the component key to separate the curved shell pieces from the internal connectors.
- Build the first small central frame shown in the early numbered stages.
- Add the curved pieces around that frame in opposite pairs, creating a loose lower hemisphere.
- Construct the upper hemisphere around the remaining central pieces.
- Join the two halves while leaving the final channel open.
- Insert the last key piece through the open channel and centre the shell pieces to form the ball.
Use the preserved diagram or video alongside these steps for exact orientation. The written guide is an original summary prepared for this archive.
Complete Cannon Ball solution
The original Crafty Puzzles instruction diagram is preserved below.
Reveal the Cannon Ball solution diagram
Select the diagram to open a full-screen zoomable view. The original file is also available for printing.
Step-by-step assembly diagram for the 12-piece Cannon Ball wooden sphere puzzle.
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Source and verification
- Archive source
- Original Crafty Puzzles archive material
- Information checked
- 13 June 2026
- Verification status
- Archive-preserved; not independently physically tested
- Page status
- Original Crafty Puzzles URL preserved
- Rights handling
- Legacy Crafty Puzzles archive material — This material was present on the historic Crafty Puzzles website supplied by the site owner. Individual legacy asset rights have not been independently re-verified, so it should not be reused elsewhere without separate permission. Read the site-wide policy
