Update from Revo HQ 2024/25

[prodigy]

Review of the Introductory Set (4 Puzzles) Before the Launch

We’ve received fantastic feedback from Mike, a Revomaze enthusiast and puzzle reviewer. Take a look at his thoughts on each level in our latest email newsletter! Go here (https://www.thepuzzleworkshop.uk/so/c4P ... uageTag=en) to read the reviews in further detail.

[prodigy]

Important Update from Chris

Dear All,

I wanted to update everyone on the current and future development of our puzzles.

It has been a very difficult time due to downsizing and reducing overheads in a slow global market. My passion and drive to develop and manufacture high-end puzzles is as strong today as it was at the beginning.

My issue was the ability to concentrate and address the fatigue that I had been experiencing since COVID-19. The need to get additional assistance became a high priority, and after searching, we found Charlie, who will officially join us on June 1, 2025.

Having secured the additional resource, everything was in place. That was until the early hours of May 6th. Having a tight chest, our local telephone medical support professionals suggested a trip to A&E.

During triage, an issue arose, and after a blood test, it was confirmed with a score of 65; I had a mild heart attack (a number over 50). A second blood test was taken an hour later to reveal the number had risen to 500, indicating a major heart attack. It was then that all hell broke loose with the crash team and my wife in the middle of it all.

I recovered, and after two weeks in the hospital, I had an angiogram procedure to unblock my heart arteries. Now home, feeling a lot stronger and with new medication, I am slowly on the mend.

Whilst in hospital, Charlie (who has started early) and I had FaceTime calls where I managed to instruct him on the machine with Rachel in a supervisory role. Charlie was able to produce the mazes, pins, and cans and assemble them to a high standard. Now, back, Charlie is picking up all the machining, and we are now starting to get puzzles out to our customers.

So, my feeling of tiredness and fatigue was mainly due to lifestyle choices resulting in the blockage of my coronary arteries. Feeling much more positive with my outlook, with a new eating and exercise regime, along with Charlie rising to the challenge, we are now tackling the backlog and feeling strongly optimistic about our plans.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delays everyone has experienced, and you can be reassured that I am now doing everything in my power to address this, to finally meet the expectations you have all placed on me.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me directly (especially as Rachel will shortly be going on maternity leave).

Thank you all for your understanding and patience during this very difficult time.

Kind regards,

Chris

Source: https://www.thepuzzleworkshop.uk/group/ ... d60329c7f3

[Lilmike14]

Hi Everyone,

Chris has asked me to share a short update with you.

Due to issues earlier this week, Rachel is on maternity leave earlier than planned.

Rachel & baby are okay and they're being monitored.

In the mean time, if you have any questions, please direct them to Chris using either, chris@revohq.co.uk or helpdesk@thepuzzleworkshop.uk

Thank you for reading.

[prodigy]

6/15/25, 10:39 PM

Guys, I'm back. My head is now clear and over the last week, we have been shipping product. I now have a new Grandson (who will in the future operate a Turning Centre, not a Mill), but in the meantime, Charlie has been producing high-quality components that will only be produced in the UK. I will answer your questions directly, so you will get what is going on. People's orders are shipping to a schedule that I have been working on over the last couple of weeks, but due to Rachel having pre-eclampsia, this meant she was in the hospital for 10 days and had to be induced, which started last Sunday and took 5 days. Rachel was over two weeks early, so I had to work on my own while being very concerned with Rachel. Now sorted, we can get on. I have everything invested in the company, with my passion is even stronger now than when I started. Thanks to Ren for getting my head clear. I'll update more as we go along. Best Chris

6/24/25, 4:45 PM

We have been working on Bronze and Silver. We have finished Titanium. All three will be sent out for testing once we are happy. Any changes will be made based on the testers and then we will ship the puzzles out.

At the moment we have been getting as many Intro Sets and Red, Blue, Green, Grey and Purple out including some Brass versions.

The Gold will be different to the others requiring higher machine times.

Both Charlie and I have been working hard to catch up but still have much to do. With the ones going out, we are convinced people will enjoy the challenges.

Regarding the timeframe, since my heart attack, beta blockers are limiting my movement but not my thinking which has returned. Also Rachel is also doing well after a difficult few weeks that caught us out as well. We will keep going …. Appreciate everyone’s understanding.

7/1/25, 11:17 AM

Hi All

Quick update from HQ, we have been working on getting orders out last week and another batch is going out this week. We have the Brass REVOMAZE Lites going out as well as the Aluminium.

The weight is as per the photos and are silky smooth with a click the same as the classic REVOMAZE. We are so pleased with them.

Both Charlie and I have been working hard to ensuring the quality of the puzzles.

This month we are hopefully getting the Bronze, Silver and Gold to complete the original 8 sets. Like the intro, we will be scheduling the orders but in the meantime we will be doing the testing.

The Lite puzzles are now how I hoped they would be and would make a very fantastic addition for our collectors.

We are going to be limited before Christmas holidays to ensure all pre- orders have been shipped.

I hope to finish editing a few videos we have made and get them up onto our YouTube channel.

Also there is a picture of Charlie making up some puzzles.

Best
Chris

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7/1/25, 3:53 PM

VAULTMAZE is happening this side of Christmas and is one of the reasons why there will be a shortage of REVOMAZE Lites at that time.

Customers who have pre-ordered are priority from both VAUTMAZE and REVOMAZE Lites.

Over the summer and autumn we are machining to catch up with ALL orders.

[prodigy]

7/7/25, 1:16 AM

Dear All

Tomorrow morning, I will have my second procedure to fit stents into both my left and right coronary arteries. I hope to be back the same day, but I might be kept in overnight.

In the meantime, Charlie continues to make parts and assemble puzzles.

This week, we have another large batch to go out, and I appreciate people getting in touch as I requested. It’s been great to reconnect.

We are now preparing for Phase 2 of the REVOMAZE Lites and ordering additional materials to create the Intro SE Set (Sapphire, Emerald, and Titanium), the SE Intermediate Set (Teal, Gunmetal, and Copper), as well as Bronze and Silver, and the Limited-Edition Set (Turquoise, Lime, and Yellow).

This will leave the Phase 3 - Dynamic Puzzles (Orange, Gold, Pink, Ruby, Lilac and Indigo).

I have decided, due to the delays, to scrap the Sapphire and Emerald User-Defined Competition, and we have already designed the mazes ready for programming. To complete the series, we planned to make the AQUA, which is at level 05. This means we have 24 in the series, with the puzzles increasing in 5-level steps.

Aqua has been designed by Rachel, who created a maze design using a design tool based on Lego. I have made a film of this, which I will upload to YouTube. I am currently editing it.

As we have a Limited Edition in the Intermediate Range (Black), I have decided to make 125, which is the same as the black. I will, however, use 25 for competitions and giveaways. The design tool used in the video will be given as a prize, plus a Brass Blue puzzle, to anyone who owns a REVOMAZE Lite Aqua. This will be around Christmas.

The 100 Limited Edition REVOMAZE Lite Aqua will be available on the website for £50 each on a first-come, first-served basis.

I need to know if collectors would like them so that I can order the material at the same time as the rest.

Working to a schedule, we are running production to create Phase 2 Puzzles before moving on to Phase 3. We aim to have all puzzles made by the beginning of November, including all 8-Set (September), Ultimate Set (September), and Ultimate Set Plus (October). Some sets are being part-shipped as we produce puzzles.

During September, I have scheduled a week on REVOMAZE Handmade’s and 2 weeks in October for VAULTMAZE. During November, we will switch to VAULTMAZE before returning to REVOMAZE Lites again.

Here is the schedule on the AQUA Product Website.

This puzzle completes the 24 puzzles in the range, consisting of the following:

(LE – Limited Edition, SE – Special Edition)

1. LE Aqua(125) Delivery August 2025
2. SE Sapphire Delivery August 2025
3. SE Emerald Delivery August 2025
4. SE Titanium Delivery August 2025
5. Blue AVAILABLE
6. Green AVAILABLE
7. Grey AVAILABLE
8. Purple AVAILABLE
9. LE Black (Pilot 125) SOLD OUT - SHIPPED
10. SE Teal Delivery August 2025
11. SE Gunmetal Delivery August 2025
12. SE Copper Delivery August 2025
13. Red AVAILABLE
14. Bronze Delivery August 2025
15. Silver Delivery August 2025
16. Gold (Dynamic) Delivery September 2025
17. LE Turquoise (50) Delivery September 2025 (SOLD OUT)
18. LE Lime (50) Delivery September 2025 (SOLD OUT)
19. LE Yellow (50) Delivery September 2025 (SOLD OUT)
20. LE Orange (Dynamic 50) Delivery September 2025 (SOLD OUT)
21. SE Pink (Dynamic) Delivery October 2025
22. SE Ruby (Dynamic) Delivery October 2025
23. SE Lilac (Dynamic) Delivery October 2025
24. SE Indigo (Dynamic) Delivery October 2025

It is essential to place the next Phase material order as we catch up on the current orders.

We are getting the backlog under control and look forward to receiving feedback as people complete the puzzles.

While I will be out tomorrow, Charlie will be here continuing to make parts and assembling puzzles. For any emails or PMs, I will get back to you upon my return.

To the Top Table, I look forward to discussing progress directly with you.

Best for now

Chris

[Lilmike14]

Update from Chris.

Dear All

It’s time to catch up with the progress being made here at RevoHQ.


Personal Update

Firstly, I have, since my last update, undertaken a second procedure on my heart where the consultant fitted a 33mm x 3mm stent in one of my coronary arteries. This had an immediate effect, allowing whole movements to be performed without fatigue. I am so grateful to the consultant and his medical team.

Regarding Charlie, our new engineer, he has continued to grow into the role and has since started his Engineering Manufacturing Technician Level 4 course, which we are supporting him with.


Design & Testing

Since our last update, we have been working with our testers and have now finalised all REVOMAZE Lite designs up to Gold Level. These have improvements added based on the testers' opinions, and we are proud of all the designs that are both imaginative and compelling, with the right balance of skills progressing through the series.

Next week, commencing 29/9/25, we’re shipping these finalised designs to our testers for final reviews and checks before release. While we’re incredibly excited to see these mazes get released to our wider audience, we’d like to ensure that all maze designs are finished to a high standard and that no issues are present.

As soon as confirmation from our testers is given, we will start producing all mazes from Aqua to Gold immediately.


Performance

While programming the machine to manufacture each maze, which was subject to functionality and finish quality, the time required to make each maze had become a problem, with some taking 45 minutes to over 1 hour to machine.

Charlie and I both discussed ways to improve machining times while maintaining the same quality. We introduced several techniques that combined to improve efficiency and enhance the finish, with most mazes taking between 20 and 30 minutes to complete.


Engaging an External Sub-Contractor

While this was to be combined with the appointment of an engineering company, we have attempted to secure a reliable subcontractor that allows us to draw down the parts as needed. Unfortunately, the individual we were dealing with moved to yet another company, which did not appear to be the reliable company we needed.

We have now approached a company with a strong reputation that can produce our parts. We have decided to produce 2,000 sets of Sleeves, Pins, Cans, and Plugs in the short term, which will run in parallel with our machining of the mazes, taking around 3 weeks to manufacture.

The important part is that the Sleeves will be made from a solid bar on a very accurate Citizen M32 Slidinghead Machining Centre. The other parts will also be manufactured on Citizen Machines at a fraction of the time it takes, while ensuring precise, high-quality parts within the tolerances and surface finish we expect.

This will significantly improve the delivery of the puzzles, allowing us to ship
ALL LITES FROM AQUA TO GOLD BY THE END OF OCTOBER.

*We are aiming to ship Pink, Ruby, Lilac and Indigo by the end of October, but this depends on feedback from the Top Table group and testers*


Black V2 (Brass Only)

Due to the pin issue in the original Aluminium Black V1 Pilot, combined with some disappointment in not utilising all the maze, and in response to numerous requests for a Brass Version, we have redesigned the maze to incorporate 85-90% of the original maze (rather than 40-50%).

This was then checked by our independent testers, who concur that the entire maze is much better designed, and the pin now works as intended (Previously the user was able to climb up from one level to another using force).

As some people are collecting only brass versions, the Black V2 in Brass would complete their sets. We have therefore decided to add this to the Lite Range, allowing us to offer both Aluminium V1 and Brass V2 Limited-Edition Blacks. The Aluminium Black V1 (Pilot) has SOLD OUT, so only the Black V2 in Brass will be available. Customers can now add the Black V2 in Brass to their orders.


Product Changes

We now have 9 Sets in our REVOMAZE Lite Series as follows:

1) Introduction Set (Brass & Aluminium)

BLUE – GREEN – GREY – PURPLE

2) Introduction Set Special Edition Plus (Brass & Aluminium)

AQUA LE (125) – SAPPHIRE – EMERALD – TITANIUM


3) Introduction Set Special Edition (Brass & Aluminium)

SAPPHIRE – EMERALD – TITANIUM

4) Intermediate Special Edition Set Plus (Brass ONLY)

BLACK V2 LE (125) – TEAL – GUNMETAL – COPPER

5) Intermediate Special Edition Set (Brass ONLY)

TEAL – GUNMETAL – COPPER

6) Advanced Set (Brass & Aluminium)

RED – BRONZE – SILVER – GOLD**

7) Limited Edition Set (Brass & Aluminium) (SOLD OUT)

TURQUOISE – LIME – YELLOW – ORANGE**

8) Advanced Special Edition Set Plus (Brass ONLY)

PINK** – RUBY** – LILAC** – INDIGO LE (125)**

9) Advanced Special Edition Set (Brass ONLY)

PINK** – RUBY** – LILAC**


** Dynamic Maze


NOTE: The “Plus” Sets are only available while the Limited-Edition Puzzles Aqua, Black V2 and Indigo** are in stock.


The Limited Edition and Special Edition puzzles include a Certificate and will be numbered. These sets contain Three Special Edition Puzzles and One Limited Edition puzzle. Numbers engraved on the mazes will be unique and available on a first-come, first-served basis. (We agreed that some of our customers can have a signed certificate for all their puzzles. Please keep in touch if this applies to you).

There will be only 125 Aqua, 125 Black V2, and 125 Indigo puzzles made, with 50 Turquoise, 50 Lime, 50 Yellow, and 50 Orange puzzles also produced.

Customers who have already purchased the larger sets will receive the equivalent sets listed above.

Customers who have already purchased individual puzzles will still receive their puzzles, including the Limited-Edition versions.


Price Rises

Due to the rising costs of materials, energy, and subcontractor fees, the price of our puzzles has increased significantly, along with higher postal costs.

We are therefore raising the prices of our products, effective October 1, 2025.

NOTE: All current orders will still receive their puzzles at the original price.



Production of both REVOMAZE Lite and the VAULTMAZE SERIES

With production of our mazes rising to 2,000 units, we are limited to a smaller-than-expected run before Christmas, while we are also producing and completing the pilot of our VAULTMAZE Series that we are scheduled to complete by the end of November 2025.


USA Tariffs

Due to the US Government introducing Tariffs, we are now being charged to ship products to the USA. Our postal service was suspended while they implemented direct duty and fee collection before sending. Without paying this, the US Customs service may refuse entry if the fees are not paid to the US Government, resulting in the products being returned to us.

We are therefore raising the prices of our products in the USA to cover this cost, which is roughly equivalent to paying sales tax or import duties. This is the main reason why we are only shipping sets of 4 puzzles. This additional cost will take effect on October 1, 2025.

Due to the length of time taken to ship your orders, we have decided to pay the import duty at a high cost to us for all pre-orders already made, until Thursday 25th September 2025 at midnight, to ensure you receive your puzzles without adding any further delay.



Admin

Due to Rachel still being on Maternity Leave, I have been handling all the admin and posting while training Charlie and assisting with the machining. While I am trying to keep up with requests and emails, I am struggling with getting back to people.

Now that we are in full production, Charlie can work on the machining, allowing me more time to keep up with everyone. I can only apologise for this, and I am trying my best.

Rachel is planning to return in Q1 next year, and her time is dedicated to raising our Grandson Elliott, who is growing fast. This Friday, he will be 15 weeks old.

By the time Rachel joins us again, we will have all caught up on everyone’s outstanding orders, both on VAULTMAZE and REVOMAZE Lite.

I want to thank everyone for their continued patience and support. According to reports, the new REVOMAZE Lite Series is expected to be a huge hit next year, so I hope everyone will be pleased with the efforts we have made.

Anyone who wishes to get in touch, please email chris@thepuzzleworkshop.uk and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.

Kindest regards

Chris

Chris Pitt (MD Ashton Pitt Ltd)
“Inventor of the Revomaze”