The Blog
Stories, ideas & object lessons
From giant logic puzzles to family scripture nights, here's what the Hoffmans are designing, printing, and writing about between orders.
Family & Faith
Updated October 11, 2026
Smithfield Utah Temple Open House & Dedication 2027
The temple open house runs February 25 to March 27, 2027, and the dedication is April 18. The dates, where the temple is, and why Cache Valley's second temple matters.
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Games & Play
Updated October 5, 2026
Kanoodle Solutions: How to Solve Any Spatial Logic Puzzle
Stuck with most of the board filled and one piece that will not fit? The four deduction moves that crack these puzzles, and an honest note about answer keys.
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Games & Play
Updated October 5, 2026
Kanoodle Party vs. Kanoodle XL Compared
Kanoodle Party and Kanoodle XL supersize the classic Kanoodle puzzle, but both still solve by trial and error. See how they compare, and where a true logic puzzle like Katachi-Go fits in.
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Games & Play
Updated September 29, 2026
Does Kanoodle Always Have a Solution?
Every challenge in the book can be solved, but your own board can hit a dead end. Why a Kanoodle becomes impossible, and a quick pocket-counting trick to spot it before you waste ten minutes.
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Games & Play
Updated September 23, 2026
Kanoodle Party vs. Katachi-Go: What Kanoodle Missed
Kanoodle Party made Kanoodle bigger. Katachi-Go added clues, a real cooperative mode, adjustable difficulty, and thousands of free puzzles. A head-to-head look at what Kanoodle left on the table.
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Games & Play
Updated September 19, 2026
5 Kanoodle Frustrations We Fixed With Katachi-Go
Multiple valid solutions, zero feedback while solving, tiny pieces that vanish under the couch. Five real frustrations with Kanoodle-style puzzles, and how Katachi-Go fixes each one.
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Games & Play
Updated September 15, 2026
A Digital Kanoodle-Style Puzzle?! Level Up Your Grid
Virtual clues that make you reason your way to the answer, thousands of puzzles back to back, and a retro-arcade twist that reboots how the whole family plays a Kanoodle-style puzzle.
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Games & Play
Updated September 15, 2026
Giant Kanoodle: Why a Bigger Kanoodle Is More Fun
Katachi-Go is a giant-scale logic puzzle with a real twist: clues, not guesswork. Here's why going 3x the size makes it easier to hold and harder to lose – and how it still stacks up now that Kanoodle itself has gone giant.
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Games & Play
Updated September 7, 2026
Who Invented Kanoodle? The Real Patent History
The mechanic was patented in Taiwan, not the US, and the filing most people cite as the origin is the wrong one. The two-patent trail behind the polysphere puzzle.
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Games & Play
Updated September 6, 2026
Katachi-Go Is a Shape Sudoku: How to Solve One
Katachi-Go's clues aren't hints, they're facts the board won't let you contradict. A real, step-by-step walkthrough of solving one puzzle exactly like you'd solve a Sudoku.
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Games & Play
Updated August 24, 2026
Katachi-Go: Kanoodle & Kanoodle Party Alternative
Looking for a Kanoodle or Kanoodle Party alternative? See how Katachi-Go's deduction-based clues, giant scale, and free digital companion game compare, at a glance.
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Games & Play
Updated August 24, 2026
Katachi-Go: Dopamine Decor for Your Desk
Why Katachi-Go doubles as dopamine decor: a giant, colorful logic puzzle that looks as good sitting out on display as it feels to solve.
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Family & Faith
Updated August 2, 2026
What Is a Liahona? Symbols of the Compass
The Liahona is one of the most layered symbols in the Book of Mormon. Here's what it actually is, where it appears in the text, and the many things it's come to represent: faith, diligence, and guidance.
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Family & Faith
Updated July 15, 2026
Using the Liahona to Teach Come Follow Me
If you've ever tried to teach a wiggly seven-year-old about ancient compasses and promised lands, you know the struggle. Here's how the Liahona Fidget Spinner turns an abstract scripture story into something kids can hold in their hands.
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