Esquire is known for producing quality editorial in the pages of its magazine (and in its app for iPad), but that’s not all the men’s magazine has in its portfolio. With help from Puzzability, Esquire has unleashed a brain-bending game for iPad, Esquire’s The Hardest Puzzle Ever.
The gameplay of The Hardest Puzzle Ever is Rubik’s cube-style, with a photo cube twist, prompting players to rotate blocks on the x and y axis to reconstruct images. I’ve never been any good at this type of game, but I powered through — Level 1 was taxing, but not impossible once I figured out the controls and that you should only be working on one image at a time. After you complete each image, you’ll be asked a trivia question related to the photo’s subject. These are equally tough, and from the Google prompts that appeared when I searched for a little assistance, others had the same idea to search for the answers. Once you’ve completed all images in the level and answered the trivia questions — you can come back to these at a later time if you need — you’ll be asked to answer a big picture question that’s based on all the images together. Even with the learning curve, I completed it from start to finish in a bit less than 24 minutes.
When you complete each puzzle you’ll be offered bragging rights to share on Facebook or Twitter, and when you complete a level, Esquire offers a printable trophy — paper directions for an origami sculpture. A bit of an oddity perhaps, but the perfect item for your desk to prove how adept you are.
The initial download is free, and offers one level, plus a bonus sponsored level from advertiser Lincoln. Levels 2 to 5, which get increasingly larger and more difficult, are available as a pack for $4.99, and the app requires you to fully complete each level before moving to the next. I thought the pricing was on the high side, but I found the app addictive, and quickly ponied up the cash after beating Level 1.
So, is Esquire’s The Hardest Puzzle Ever the hardest puzzle ever? Maybe. I’ll let you know if I ever finish Level 3.
Download the free Appolicious iPhone app
