AllMovie

Made for Australian television, The Puzzle stars James Franciscus as an ex-tennis pro, turned adventurer with an archeological bent (we'd say "shades of Indiana Jones " except that this film was completed three years before Raiders of the Lost Ark). Right now, Franciscus in on the trail of an urn which purportedly contains the ashes of Buddha. The title refers to a series of cryptic clues leading to the urn's excavation. There are those who'd do anything to get their hands on that urn, as Franciscus soon discovers the hard way. The plot is thickened by the presence of an ex-wife and a desperate embezzler. Wendy Hughes and Robert Helpmann costar in this fast-paced meller.