Puzzle Description:

Erno Rubik is proud of you.

#1: Deana L (FFsWife) on Nov 24, 2009

very nice

very clever!

Love it!

you are aware that the blue and green should be opposite each other, right? that would mean swaping the white and green sections. my youngest can solve the cube in about 2.5 minutes no matter how i mix it up.

Nice "Twist" on an old theme. ;)

Very cool puzzle, Brian. I hope you make some more good ones for us!

Nice one. Wow, Meg, that's amazing!

I like the twist. Great puzzle.

Dangit! Meg beat me to it about the blue and green. :-) Note that on cheap clone cubes the blue and green is sometimes adjacent, but since this puzzle says Rubik you are spot on.

I assume your youngest is solving using a layer method, in which case 2.5min is quite respectable! If he/she really likes cubing, he/she could look into speedcubing. It involves more complex pattern recognition and algorithms, but it can result in some truly impressive solve times, and it's fun. (World Record is currently just over 7 seconds I think).

Happy cubing! :-)

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. It is my first attempt.

I like the angle! Thanks!

Yup, I can do the layer method in something under 3 minutes (haven't really timed myself very accurately) but the speed-cubing methods are all way more complicated than I'm willing to learn! I just like that I can amaze people by solving the thing.

(it really doesn't take very long to memorize the layer method)

Care to explain it? I would love to learn.

Re#12: Yeah it's fun and addicting. There is always a cube sitting on my coffee table, usually left sitting in a solved position. When people visit, someone inevitably starts playing with it, and usually scrambles it. Then I patiently wait until they use the washroom or something, and I solve it and put it back on the table. When they return, you get some hilarious reactions! :-)

Speed-cubing is definitely more complicated. And, for me at least, I have to regularly practice or I start to forget some of the algorithms. This can turn an 'amaze your friends' moment into a "No, seriously, I really can solve it" ... "Yeah, sure sure" moment. Not so fun.

Re#13: Adam, try this: http://www.wikihow.com/Solve-a-Rubik%27s-Cube-with-the-Layer-Method
Or on the official site: http://www.rubiks.com/World/~/media/Files/Solution_book_LOW_RES.ashx
If that link doesn't work, it's listed in the downloads section as "Rubik's 3x3 solution guide" on the official site. http://www.rubiks.com/

There's tons of other sites that explain the layer method. I personally think it helps to also learn how the cube itself behaves (how pieces rotate and shift around the cube). This makes it easier to understand the layer method, or any other method.

I never got interested in the cube, but I was amused by all the videos on Utube of people solving super fast which are actually just reversed videos of someone scrambling the cube.

LOL

Very neat cube :)

Yeah, they fake all those videos of official competitions too. All those people solving in under 30, 20, or even 10 seconds. Fake I tell you!
;-) ;-)

There are real people who really can solve cubes absurdly fast, but there are also lots of fake videos.

Yes, I know there are some fakes, I was just crackin' wise. :-)

One thing that really amazes me about competitive cubers is that not only do many of them solve the classic 3x3x3 cube, but they also solve many of the vast array of similar cubes and puzzles. Geez, it took me long enough to figure out the classic cube; I just shudder at solving something like a 5x5x5! I also love some of the categories they come up with for competitions: blindfolded, one-handed, even solving with their feet! :-O

For any one interested, there are plenty of legit videos listed here: http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/media.php

great image and the best of the rubiks on this site because of the unique perspective and creative positioning

Agreed, very cool perspective, regardless of color placement. :)

Hey. What a blast from the past. This is my first puzzle. Kristen, did you stumble across it or were you looking for it?

I was solving random small puzzles

Very cool.

I see you started out with a strong first puzzle Brian. I would expect nothing less. Love all the conversations your puzzles always percolate. Fun solve!

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