Paul-Emile Gallant, inventor of the Puzz-3D three-dimensional puzzle, has passed away at the age of 67 after a long battle with cancer. Puzz-3D was sold in more than 40 countries from 1991 to 2005. By 2000, more than 30 million Puzz-3D puzzles had been sold worldwide.
For 18 years, Gallant worked in the Canadian music industry before creating the Puzz-3D, a jigsaw puzzle that used flexible foam pieces with printed surfaces to build portable structures such as international landmarks and Victorian houses. The line was launched at the 1992 Canadian Toy & Hobby Fair under Gallant’s company, Wrebbit, Inc. Wrebbit was purchased by Hasbro in 2005.
Gallant was inducted into the Canadian Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2008. He also invented the Perfalock flat-foam puzzle and the Wrebbit Puzzle Machine (now Puzzle Shots Factory). Gallant is survived by three children (Eric, Sylvie, and Maxime), 10 grandchildren, two sisters, and many other relatives.
