Cubes, Dimensions, and Cornchips

[raum]

Last night, i was gifted a Rubik's cube.

I never actually had one of these. I had a few puzzles like it, but not a rubik's cube, per se.

My friend who gifted one to me and ang is a puzzle fanatic.

I solved it from scratch in about 3 hours from the way he messed it up.
...After fiddling with it a good portion of that time and trying to make some mistakes that i could see occurring at the end, so i would know how to deal with them.

That is when i noticed an observation of his - i engineer disaster, and reverse engineer back out of it, so when it occurs i know how to deal with it.

i imagine there are already algorithms established. because it is simple in concept.

does anyone play with puzzles like this?

BTW - Happy Easter!

[AYHJA]

I was actually considering trying to solve Rubik's competitively for a little while not too long ago...I'm not a very puzzle oriented person, but I enjoy challenges so I solved the one Ra had in his room...Then I solved one my sister in law had...Then I just went around fixing any cubes I could find, lol...

I can solve one pretty quickly...Not in a matter of minutes like the really good cubers do, but 45-60 minutes or less is pretty fair if that's all I'm doing...I used to have them all the time when I was a kid, and even though I was too young to understand it fully, as an adult, its actually simple, as you said raum...For me, the trick is to simply see the cube on more sides than the one that is facing you...Seeing things from all angles is something I practice actively in my everyday life, so it makes it easier...

And I always solve the orange side first...I don't know what that has to do with it, but its a good start...

I'll probably go and get a new one when I get out of training to help me get through boredom...

[raum]

I was actually considering trying to solve Rubik's competitively for a little while not too long ago...I'm not a very puzzle oriented person, but I enjoy challenges so I solved the one Ra had in his room...Then I solved one my sister in law had...Then I just went around fixing any cubes I could find, lol...

I can solve one pretty quickly...Not in a matter of minutes like the really good cubers do, but 45-60 minutes or less is pretty fair if that's all I'm doing...I used to have them all the time when I was a kid, and even though I was too young to understand it fully, as an adult, its actually simple, as you said raum...For me, the trick is to simply see the cube on more sides than the one that is facing you...Seeing things from all angles is something I practice actively in my everyday life, so it makes it easier...

And I always solve the orange side first...I don't know what that has to do with it, but its a good start...

I'll probably go and get a new one when I get out of training to help me get through boredom...

I ordered a 2x2, 4x4, 5x5 and a Megaminx last night.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megaminx

*drool*

As for the colors, I hate the color arrangements on the Rubiks Cube. Because I use color in a certain way, and my color *makes specific sense* in a way the cube becomes a matrix of information to query as you grind it into shape. The cube with their coloration seems counter-intuitive to me. However, I found a place called cube smith where I can find the colors I want, and in nigh unbreakable textured and smooth tiles. They are like 1.00 a side, so six bucks to get it right sounds fine to me! I might also make some custom stickers for it, and rubiks website sells sheets and software to do that. At least on one 3x3 cube I want the following:

Yellow opposing Violet
Blue opposing Orange
Red opposing Green

It is pretty friggin obvious, right? Primary opposing Complimentary.

I also am looking at more devious colorings, where the goal is to make all the colors specific to a model that is not based on solid color faces. For example:

For a greater challenge I would like a spherical wrap of the spectrum of color around a single cube. The reason for this challenge is no faces of the cubes would have the same colors on them. These I have to make special, but i want them, because this would require a much greater level of color awarness than 6 base white prime, like the Rubiks Cube. Look at the cube animation on this site for a 6x6 example that is pretty much what I want.

Also note, for speed cubing, you need a DIY Class "A" adjustable cube. Those have a screw that is adjustable. You can find them at Puzzleproz ebay store for less than 15 bucks, along with many other fun cubes and puzzles. They ship from hong kong, and are having a bit of a sale right now, because they won't be shipping until April 16th. My friend vouched for them and gets most of his puzzles from them, but his V-cubes come directly from the V-cube site cause that is where they are cheapest.

Also, I'm a check out the "V-Cube" 7x7 when he brings it over. That is one I REALLY want, but I want to "feel" it first. The side-squares are prolly pretty small.

But like you said, the trick with any of these is to see the puzzle fourth dimensionally.... or from all sides. Great meditaton and visualization exercise!

[hotheat]

i had a cube back in the day. was much fun tinkering with it. tried to complete it face by face. i got 3 faces / sides done at most until i bought a book and it said the trick was to do it level by level - top, middle, bottom.
was pretty easy once u've got the moves tucked away in ur brain. lol.

i think i have a cube somewhere in the house. i think i'll look for it. but i doubt i'll be able to complete it. i think i'll look for the book as well. ;)

[zaphodz]

I have a few cubes around the house from when I was a kid. Relatives gave them to me when I was younger but I never really got into it.

A few friends love them though and have all sizes and shapes of cubes.

[AYHJA]

Never gave it much thought, but what of the different shapes..? I can't recall ever seeing one in person, but I seem to remember a cube w/smooth corners...I just can't remember for certain...What added strategy is necessary for those, if any..?