Buzzsaw Toy

Also known as the “whirligig”, this classic American folk toy consists of a round disk (sometimes in the shape of a circular saw blade) and strings that pass through the disk, which are sequentially pulled and released to cause the “blade” to spin very quickly and create a whirling or buzzing noise.

This puzzle is extensively described in various books and publications related to folk puzzles and appears to have ancient origins in multiple cultures. In colonial America, the toy became a natural form of entertainment since it could be easily and inexpensively constructed.