It’s the most popular puzzle in the world. It has 1 correct answer and 43 quintillion wrong ones. The best known algorithm for solving it has 26 turns. We present to you: The Rubik’s Cube.
The Rubik’s Cube is the colourful brainchild of Erno Rubik. Erno initially studied sculpture but went back to learn architecture as well. He was attracted to the structural design of the Cube - never dreaming it would become the world’s best-selling toy. A true brainteaser, it presented numerous problems: How do you make a big Cube from twenty-six individual little cubes. Each layer of nine little cubes should be able to twist and layers can overlap. Any three squares in a row, except diagonally, can also join a new layer (Feel a headache coming along?)
What was his solution? After elastic bands failed, the 26 year-old Rubik decided the blocks should hold themselves together by their shape alone. He hand carved and assembled the little cubes together, marking each side of the big Cube with adhesive paper of a different colour, and started twisting…
It was when he decided “Enough twisting – let’s return to the start” that he came face to face with the Big Challenge: What was the way home?
So, the Rubik’s Cube – the puzzle - was invented in 1974 when Rubik realised it was not so easy to realign those colours again. It took him a month to solve it. Amazing, even if you consider the current world record is 7.08 seconds!
Whet your appetite? Go get yourself one…
- Visit the official Rubik’s Cube website
- Take the Rubik’s Cube apart
- It’s so popular, there’s even a World Cube Association
- It’s definitely cheating, but for those of you who want to spoil your own fun, here’s the solution…
- The world record for solving the Cube with feet only, was 36.94 seconds! Have a look at a few other astounding records
- The top 5 strangest Rubik’s Cube projects (Think Rubik’s Cube Solving Robot…)
- Want to make a Rubik’s Cube out of dice?
