Are you looking for an abstract description of a puzzle that the PCs will solve by making skill checks, or are you looking for an actual puzzle that the players need to solve?
Just for my home game.Is this for your home game or for publication?
That's a great point.Be careful when you say "only way past is via puzzle". Practically, that means that whatever lies behind the door is optional...because if the PCs *had* to open the door to move the game forward but couldn't solve the puzzle then you've got a railroad chokepoint.
Just for my home game.
That's a great point.
If you have access to The Book of Challenges (D&D 3.0) there is a door puzzle that you have to push the right block.
I used this once:
puzzle!
It was written above a door. The party had to figure out how many times to knock. I told the party at the beginning of the session there was a puzzle for them that was probably a little difficult. Since I knew the answer, having read the solution, I told the group that I would offer hints every 10 minutes or so.
Solution!
That puzzle is labelled 'easy' but I thought it was ridiculously hard. If put into the context that it's a clue for the players to know how many times to knock, it's easier but still very difficult. If the players are allowed multiple incorrect guesses they're more likely to get it just by luck eventually I'd think. A liberal sprinkling of clues spread around the dungeon would make it a fantastic puzzle though. Maybe bits of diary entries from a previous explorer, or overheard snippets of conversation from guards, something like that could really make it into a door puzzle to remember.