Kadon

December 8, 2011

Kadon Enterprises, Inc.

Since 1979, Kadon has created, developed and produced over 200 original “gamepuzzles®” — geometric mosaic sets of puzzles and games — where a set, moreover, contains all the different combinations of a certain theme. Such sets provide a virtual laboratory of recreational mathematics and visual art. Kate Jones is the chief researcher/designer. Over the years, many other talented inventors have contributed ideas, as acknowledged in printed material and on the company’s Gamepuzzles website.

Kadon is named for two of its four founding members, Kate and Don. (“At the time we figured Kadon sounded better than Donkay.”) The other two founders were respective spouses. Kate’s husband, Dick, is still involved.

All ages gain skills and insights through play. For earliest entry levels, and for home-schooling families. the sets are designed for progressive levels of challenge, tailored to each learning style and readiness, adaptable to each individual’s needs.

Kadon uses permutations of shapes and colors. With such sets you can create visually exciting graphic images, evoking the look of an M. C. Escher or Vasarely painting. This is where math meets art in a highly playable form. This is where creativity combines with problem-solving for full-brain development. According to Kate Jones, Kadon president, “This is ‘the joy of thinking.’”™

The two main types of Kadon’s combinatorial sets are edge-matching tiles and polyforms. In the former, every permutation and combination of color or symbol is used (think of dominoes); in the latter, all the different shapes of a certain type are included. The challenge is to match the tiles by color or to fit the shapes together into larger, invariably beautiful patterns.

For more information, click on Kadon.