Rubik’s Cube
I brought a [Rubik's Cube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubiks_cube) the other day when Melanie and I were wandering around Big W. I remember having a Rubik’s Cube as a kid and somehow the stickers got pulled off it and moved around (No doubt the same thing that happens to all Rubik’s Cubes given to young kids). When I was younger I never did get around to actually learning how to solve it so I figured I’d give it a try again.
There are heaps of sites on the internet giving step by step guides to solving it, there is also heaps of actual video tutorials about it. The best one I’ve found though seems to the the [one](http://www.rubiks.com/lvl3/index_lvl3.cfm?lan=eng&lvl1=commun&lvl2=cbegam&lvl3=compet) on the official [Rubik's site](http://www.rubiks.com/). It’s done by a guy who was the first to ever solve a Rubik’s Cude in under 2 mins while blind folded, I figure he knows what he is doing. 
So yeah, I haven’t actually used a full tutorial or video yet to solve it. I kind of figured out the first two rows by myself but it gets hard after that.
The only major problem I’ve had so far is if I take longer then a few days to solve it, the “Rubiks Cube fairy” (Melanie) will use her online solving tutorial to solve it because it doesn’t look ‘pretty’ when unsolved. This of course is slowing my progress in learning to solve it but also helping me learn to solve the first parts as I need to keep redoing them.
I remember also having other Rubiks puzzles as a kid including the [clock](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Clock) and the [magic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Magic). I also remember a silver colour magic that I think had 4 rings, although I could be wrong.
On a related note, the [Rubiks Revolution](http://www.rubiksrevolution.com/) looks interesting.
wednesday, 9 may, 2007 15:30 MAT
like everything that sits on the front table for too long, it either gets filed, thrown in the bin, or tidied. the rubik’s cube is no exception. learn to solve it faster, nub.
,` )
wednesday, 9 may, 2007 15:35 MAT
you’re lucky there isn’t a purple side… or else it might not even last a few days being unsolved…
,` )
WELL CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THIS…… ALL OF THE RUBIKS ARE STILL AT HOME IN A BOX IN THE SHED…… ONE DAY SOMEONE MIGHT WANT THEM AND THAN THAT WILL MAKE IT ALL WORTH WHILE ME KEEPING THEM FOR ALL THESE YEARS…
How the hell can you solve a rubiks cube blindfolded?
It’s funny, but you can actually follow a serious of predefined steps which will solve the cube no matter how you start out. I guess the guy see what the cube looks like before he gets blind folded then just goes off memory.
Pretty impressive.
I DO THAT TO MICHAEL TOO!!!!! It’s so funny to see his face when I’ve once again solved it and he has to start again. Nothing like watching grown men cry!!
[QUOTE]How the hell can you solve a rubiks cube blindfolded?[/QUOTE]
First off, you are allowed to stare at the cube and memorize it before applying the blindfold.
There actually isn’t a method that will solve it no matter how it started. Instead, there is a bit of memorization that is necessary.
Step 1:
Hold the white side on the U face (U = Upwards Face)
This means yellow is on the D Face (D = Down)
I always keep blue on my L (L = Left) face when starting.
Then, look at the 4 corners on top with the top left corner not mattering. It will solve itself.
Number the corners like so:
x x 3
x x x <- U Face
1 x 2
Start at corner 1: Let’s pretend hat corner must be rotated clockwise to make either the yellow or white face upwards. (Every corner will have either a yellow or white sticker on it.)
Corner 2: Clockwise
Corner 3: Anti-Clockwise
Not flip the cube over so we are staring at the yellow face:
4 x 5
x x x
7 x 6
Corner 4: Clockwise
Corner 5: Anti-Clockwise
Corner 6: Clockwise
Corner 7: Clockwise
Now that we know how each corner is oriented, we apply a pneumonic device. In my case, I came up with 27 combinations that 3 corners could be in, then applied words to those letters.
In my above example I memorize: CCA CAC C
CCA stands for See-Saw
CAC stands for Khakis
And I just commit the C to memory.
So, now I have an image of a See-Saw with a pair of Khaki pants laying on them. Doesn’t make any sense, but it helps me remember the first part of the solve.
So, blindfolded, I move each corner piece in order to position one, then perform one of the following alogrithms:
Clockwise:
R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ L’ U R U’ R’ U R U’ R’ L
Anti-Clockwise:
U R U’ R’ U R U’ R’ L’ R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ L
And after wards, move the corner back to where it belongs….
After I’ve completed my See-Saw, Khaki, C, I’m on to step 2…..
So, there is no magic, it just takes a lot of practive. This YouTube video makes it a lot clearer. Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTxY-GrivnY
on the theme of rubiks… robots really are going to take over the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i25cfdcum7U