From alan@curry.epilogue.com  Fri May 19 22:01:05 1995
Return-Path: <alan@curry.epilogue.com>
Received: from curry.epilogue.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA03671; Fri, 19 May 95 22:01:05 EDT
Received: (from alan@localhost) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.8/8.6.6) id WAA00372; Fri, 19 May 1995 22:01:05 -0400
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 22:01:05 -0400
Message-Id: <19May1995.194423.Alan@LCS.MIT.EDU>
From: Alan Bawden <Cube-Lovers-Request@ai.mit.edu>
Sender: Cube-Lovers-Request@ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: Cube-Lovers-Request@ai.mit.edu
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: The Cube-Lovers Archives expands

Occasionally people have approached me and wondered if there was an FTP
archive of Cube-related material (programs, documents, databases, pictures,
whatever).  I have always replied that the only archive I knew of was the
archive of Cube-Lovers mail that I maintain.  Since this question keeps
coming up, there must be a need to be filled, so I propose to expand our
archives to cover any additional Cube-related material that people might
care to submit.

If you would like to submit a contribution to this archive, please send
mail to Cube-Lovers-Request@AI.MIT.EDU (please do -not- send mail to all of
Cube-Lovers) and include:

  o  The location where I can pick up the files you wish to contribute
     (preferably using anonymous FTP).

  o  A brief description of your contribution, to be included in a master
     index file.

I reserve the right to redescribe, repackage, rename, recompress or totally
reject your contribution.

Periodically I will announce new additions to the archive to all of
Cube-Lovers.  Currently the archives contain nothing other than the
electronic mail archives.  (Although I know of at least one potential
contributor who's been waiting in the wings for a couple of months now...)

Some of you will no doubt have forgotten where the archive is: 

Using FTP, connect to FTP.AI.MIT.EDU, login as "anonymous" (any password),
and go to the directory "pub/cube-lovers".  (From the World Wide Web, you
can use the URL: "ftp://ftp.ai.mit.edu/pub/cube-lovers".)

				- Alan

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sun May 21 15:24:47 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA26938; Sun, 21 May 95 15:24:47 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 0109; Sun, 21 May 95 07:18:50 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 3804; Sun, 21 May 1995 07:18:50 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may19.084306.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sun, 21 May 1995 07:18:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)

I have had some posts not get through.  The following will serve
to consolidate several of them. Some of this may be a repeat,
but not all, I think.

Mark Longridge's antislice results are as follows:

>                  arrangements           arrangements
>Moves Deep   (2q or anti-slice moves)   (4q or double anti-slice moves)
>
>    0                   1                     1
>    1                   6                     9
>    2                  27                    51
>    3                 120                   265
>    4                 423                   864
>    5               1,098                 1,785
>    6               1,770                 2,017
>    7               1,650                 1,008
>    8                 851                   144
>    9                 198
>                    -----                 -----
>                    6,144                 6,144

We have the following M-conjugacy results for 2q moves.

  Level              Positions             Local
                                          Maxima

   0                    1                    0
   1                    1                    0
   2                    3                    0
   3                   10                    0
   4                   37                    0
   5                   93                    1
   6                  166                    2
   7                  147                    7
   8                   89                   12
   9                   21                   21
                     ----
                      568

The level 5 local maximum is (U'D')(FB)(FB)(UD)(L'R').  The position is
not its own inverse, but we can use as an inverse (U'D')(FB)(FB)(UD)(LR).
Hence, (U'D')(FB)(FB)(UD) forms a nice "middle" of the sequence.  In
fact, the (U'D')(FB)(FB)(UD) position in some ways seems more
interesting than the local maximum itself.  Does it already have
a name?

I have not verified if the length of the local maximum is 10q in G,
nor if it is a local maximum in G.

We have the following M-conjugacy results for 4q moves.  Strong
and weak local maxima are defined according to my preference.
If you prefer Mike Reid's definition, ignore the "weak"
column and read the "total" column as "weak".

      Level       Positions     Strong      Weak        Total
                               Local Max   Local Max   Local Max

        0              1           0           0           0
        1              2           0           0           0
        2              5           0           0           0
        3             25           0           1           1
        4             75           0           2           2
        5            152           0          19          19
        6            184           1          35          36
        7            108           0          46          46
        8             16           0          16          16
                    ----
                     568

Back on the subject of the slice group, we have the following.

Mark Longridge said:

>By the way GAP gives  NumberConjugacyClasses (slice) = 23

>In your calculations of M-conjugacy classes for the slice group the
>total number of classes is 50, but I think GAP does not use
>M-conjugates but C-conjugates instead. The NumberConjugacyClasses
>function always thrashes with any larger groups unfortunately.
>If you could easily tweak your program perhaps you could
>verify my theory.

Recall that in my work with <U,R>, I had to use W3-conjugacy rather
than M-conjugacy.  The simplest explanation is that all M-conjugates
of a position in <U,R> are not in <U,R>, and in particular the
representative element might not be in <U,R>.  W3 is the largest
subgroup of M such that all conjugates of <U,R> are in <U,R>.

I flirted briefly with the notion that I might have the same problem
with the slice group and the antislice group.  But it seems
immediate that M-conjugacy is appropriate for both slice and
antislice.  For example, think of applying M-conjugacy to
all the individual 2q or 4q moves in a slice or antislice process.
Clearly, the result is still in slice and antislice, respectively.

I doubt that Mark's theory about GAP using C-conjugacy for slice
instead of M-conjugacy is correct.  I already have 50 positions
to 23 for GAP, and using C-conjugacy would just make my results
larger.  For example, RL' and R'L are M-conjugate positions,
but not C-conjugate positions.  I don't have a clue why my
results do not match GAP.  I have double and triple checked
my results, and they seem correct.  For example, I can "expand"
my conjugacy classes, and the results then match Mark's exactly.

How does GAP's NumberConjugacyClasses function work?  By that,
I mean how does it know the subgroup with respect to which
you are taking conjugacy classes (if my terminology is correct)?
For example, how does it know to take C or M or whatever
conjugates?

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de  Mon May 22 05:14:39 1995
Return-Path: <mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de>
Received: from samson.math.rwth-aachen.de by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25766; Mon, 22 May 95 05:14:39 EDT
Received: from hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de by samson.math.rwth-aachen.de with smtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #11) id m0sDTYk-000MP6C; Mon, 22 May 95 11:13 MET DST
Received: by hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de (Smail3.1.28.1 #19)
	id m0sDTYk-00025lC; Mon, 22 May 95 11:13 WET DST
Message-Id: <m0sDTYk-00025lC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date: Mon, 22 May 95 11:13 WET DST
From: "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
In-Reply-To: "Jerry Bryan"'s message of Sun, 21 May 1995 07:18:49 -0400 (EDT) <wvmail32.1995may19.084306.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Subject: Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)

Sorry, lately I didn't have any time to follow the discussions on
Cube-Lovers (preparing the second upgrade of GAP 3.4 and working long
hours for GAP 4.0).  But Jerry Bryan's message talks about GAP's
'NumberConjugacyClasses' function.

Jerry wrote

    I doubt that Mark's theory about GAP using C-conjugacy for slice
    instead of M-conjugacy is correct.  I already have 50 positions
    to 23 for GAP, and using C-conjugacy would just make my results
    larger.  For example, RL' and R'L are M-conjugate positions,
    but not C-conjugate positions.  I don't have a clue why my
    results do not match GAP.  I have double and triple checked
    my results, and they seem correct.  For example, I can "expand"
    my conjugacy classes, and the results then match Mark's exactly.

GAP's 'NumberConjugacyClasses' follows the general usage in group theory.
The conjugacy class of an element <g> of <G> is the set of elements <h>
that are G-conjugated to <g> (i.e., there exists an element <x> in <G>,
such that <x>^-1 * <g> * <x> = <h>).

Thus GAP is using <slice>-conjugacy classes.  Since GAP is using a
*larger* group, it is not surprising that GAP finds less conjugacy
classes (if M were a subgroup of <slice>, then this had to be so,
because in this case every M-conjugacy class would be a subset of a
<slice>-conjugacy class).

Jerry continued

    How does GAP's NumberConjugacyClasses function work?  By that,
    I mean how does it know the subgroup with respect to which
    you are taking conjugacy classes (if my terminology is correct)?
    For example, how does it know to take C or M or whatever
    conjugates?

It always takes the whole group itself as the acting group.  With some
related functions (e.g., 'ConjugacyClass' itself) you can specify that
you want another group acting, but not with 'NumberConjugacyClasses'.

Mark Longridge wrote (as cited by Jerry)

    In your calculations of M-conjugacy classes for the slice group the
    total number of classes is 50, but I think GAP does not use
    M-conjugates but C-conjugates instead. The NumberConjugacyClasses
    function always thrashes with any larger groups unfortunately.
    If you could easily tweak your program perhaps you could
    verify my theory.

As I wrote above GAP does not use C-conjugates but <slice>-conjugates.
Conjugacy classes in permutation groups are notoriously difficult.
Computing the conjugacy classes of G (the full cube group) for example
is absolutely impossible (without using some theory anyway).

Martin.

-- .- .-. - .. -.  .-.. --- ...- . ...  .- -. -. .. -.- .-
Martin Sch"onert,   Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE,   +49 241 804551
Lehrstuhl D f"ur Mathematik, Templergraben 64, RWTH, 52056 Aachen, Germany

From mreid@ptc.com  Mon May 22 17:31:26 1995
Return-Path: <mreid@ptc.com>
Received: from ptc.com (poster.ptc.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA03820; Mon, 22 May 95 17:31:26 EDT
Received: from ducie by ptc.com (5.0/SMI-SVR4-NN)
	id AA04356; Mon, 22 May 95 17:29:23 EDT
Received: by ducie (1.38.193.4/sendmail.28-May-87)
	id AA21637; Mon, 22 May 1995 17:48:42 -0400
Date: Mon, 22 May 1995 17:48:42 -0400
From: mreid@ptc.com (michael reid)
Message-Id: <9505222148.AA21637@ducie>
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject:   AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)
Content-Length: 1713

jerry writes (about the antislice group)

> The level 5 local maximum is (U'D')(FB)(FB)(UD)(L'R').

[ ... ]

> I have not verified if the length of the local maximum is 10q in G,
> nor if it is a local maximum in G.

this is exactly what i tried to explain in my recent posts: the latter
statement follows from the former.  and yes, its length is indeed  10q.
it's pretty easy to find maneuvers which end in each quarter turn:

     (F'B') (UUDD) (FB) (RL)    =
     (U'D') (FFBB) (UD) (R'L')  =
     (R'L') (U'D') (FFBB) (UD)  =
     (R'L') (UD) (FFBB) (U'D')  =
     (RL) (F'B') (UUDD) (FB)    =
     (RL) (FB) (UUDD) (F'B').

> We have the following M-conjugacy results for 4q moves.  Strong
> and weak local maxima are defined according to my preference.

it seems like jerry's terminology is more reasonable, so i'll stop
using mine.  jerry's figures

>       Level       Positions     Strong      Weak        Total
>                                Local Max   Local Max   Local Max
> 
>         0              1           0           0           0
>         1              2           0           0           0
>         2              5           0           0           0
>         3             25           0           1           1
>         4             75           0           2           2
>         5            152           0          19          19
>         6            184           1          35          36
>         7            108           0          46          46
>         8             16           0          16          16
>                     ----
>                      568

beg the obvious question:  what is that strong local maximum,
which is unique up to symmetry?

mike

From hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil  Tue May 23 13:11:33 1995
Received: from Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA17417; Tue, 23 May 95 13:11:33 EDT
Received: from sun13.aic.nrl.navy.mil by Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil (4.1/SMI-4.0)
	id AA02292; Tue, 23 May 95 13:11:28 EDT
Return-Path: <hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil>
Received: by sun13.aic.nrl.navy.mil; Tue, 23 May 95 13:11:27 EDT
Date: Tue, 23 May 95 13:11:27 EDT
From: hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil
Message-Id: <9505231711.AA26574@sun13.aic.nrl.navy.mil>
To: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>, cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: M-conjugacy vs. C-Conjugacy in the Slice group

Jerry Bryan tried to communicate about this to cube-lovers, but
there's apparently a technical difficulty.

On 20 May, Jerry said:

>I doubt that Mark's theory about GAP using C-conjugacy for slice
>instead of M-conjugacy is correct.  I already have 50 positions
>to 23 for GAP, and using C-conjugacy would just make my results
>larger.  For example, RL' and R'L are M-conjugate positions,
>but not C-conjugate positions.

I emailed him to note to the contrary that RL' and R'L are indeed
C-conjugates, for example under 180 degree rotation around the F-B
axis.  I did wonder, though, whether that meant that there could be
C-conjugate slice positions that were not M-conjugate.

He emailed me:

> We can observe that R and R' are not C-conjugates, nor are L' and L,
> which suckered me into stating that RL' and R'L are not.  But
> rewrite R'L as LR' since opposite face moves commute.  Now, RL'
> and LR' are clearly C-conjugate.

> In fact, I have now verified with a quick search program that
> all M-conjugates in the slice group are also C-conjugates.  Hence,
> there are 50 C-conjugate classes in slice, just as there are
> 50 M-conjugate classes.

> In retrospect, I don't think the search program was necessary....

and continues with an argument that did not convince me, but the
following does:

First, consider the central inversion v, which maps each point of the
cube to its diametric opposite.  Conjugation by v maps each face-turn
(e.g. F) with its diametric opposite in opposite sense (B').  Since
these are the pairs that constitute a slice move, and they commute, we
have:

    v' FB' v = (v' F v)  (v' B' v) = B' F = F B',

and similarly for the other slice moves, showing that each slice move
is its own v-conjugate.  This extends to a proof that each position in
the slice group is its own v-conjugate:

    v' s1 s2 ... sn v = (v' s1 v) (v' s2 v) ... (v' sn v)
                      = s1 s2 ... sn.

Suppose that we have two M-conjugate positions X, Y in the slice
group.  So X = m' Y m for some m in M.  If m is in C, then X and Y are
C-conjugate and we are done.  Otherwise take the central inversion v;
we know that mv is in C.  We also know that

    X = v' X v = v' m' Y m v = (mv)' Y (mv).

So X and Y are C-conjugate in this case as well.  QED.

Note: "Being its own v-conjugate" might as well be called "being
v-symmetric".

Dan
Hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Tue May 23 14:39:03 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from LCS.MIT.EDU (mintaka.lcs.mit.edu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA24587; Tue, 23 May 95 14:39:03 EDT
Received: from wvnvm.wvnet.edu by MINTAKA.LCS.MIT.EDU id aa14844;
          23 May 95 14:07 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 3063; Tue, 23 May 95 14:04:04 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6221; Tue, 23 May 1995 14:04:04 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may22.150528.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Tue, 23 May 1995 14:04:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@lcs.mit.edu>
Subject:   M-conjugacy vs. C-Conjugacy in Slice and Antislice

On 20 May, I said the following:

>I doubt that Mark's theory about GAP using C-conjugacy for slice
>instead of M-conjugacy is correct.  I already have 50 positions
>to 23 for GAP, and using C-conjugacy would just make my results
>larger.  For example, RL' and R'L are M-conjugate positions,
>but not C-conjugate positions.

We already know from Martin Schoenert that GAP is using neither
M-conjugacy nor C-conjugacy, but <slice>-conjugacy.  But my
statement about C-conjugacy vs. M-conjugacy was completely incorrect
in any case.

Dan Hoey pointed out to me that RL' and R'L in fact *are* C-conjugates
under 180 degree rotation around the U-D axis.

We can observe that R and R' are not C-conjugates, nor are L' and L,
which suckered me into stating that RL' and R'L are not.  But
rewrite R'L as LR' since opposite face moves commute.  Now, RL'
and LR' are clearly C-conjugate.

In fact, I have now verified with a quick search program that
all M-conjugates in the slice group are also C-conjugates.  Hence,
there are 50 C-conjugate classes in slice, just as there are
50 M-conjugate classes.

In retrospect, I don't think the search program was necessary.
Suppose X and Y are M-conjugates in the slice group.  Then,
they can be written as M-conjugate sequences.  That is, they
can be written so that the individual slice moves are respective
M-conjugates for some fixed m in M.  (The fact that it might be
possible also to write them so that the individual slice moves
are not respective M-conjugates for some fixed m in M is
irrelevant.)  Furthermore, write the sequence for X so that the
clockwise half of each slice is written prior to the
counter-clockwise half of the slice.  The sequence for
Y with individual slice moves being respective M conjugates of
X may or not have this property.  But if not, then simply reorder
the halves of the slices of Y to put the clockwise half first, and Y
will still be piecewise M-conjugate with X.  Then, the piecewise
M-conjugate slices are also C-conjugate, and therefore the X and
Y positions are C-conjugate.

Antislice is totally different.  For example, RL is M-conjugate to
R'L', but it not C-conjugate.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Tue May 23 14:43:48 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA24876; Tue, 23 May 95 14:43:48 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 0566; Tue, 23 May 95 08:50:41 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 5304; Tue, 23 May 1995 08:50:41 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may22.150528.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Tue, 23 May 1995 08:50:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   M-conjugacy vs. C-Conjugacy in Slice and Antislice

On 20 May, I said the following:

>I doubt that Mark's theory about GAP using C-conjugacy for slice
>instead of M-conjugacy is correct.  I already have 50 positions
>to 23 for GAP, and using C-conjugacy would just make my results
>larger.  For example, RL' and R'L are M-conjugate positions,
>but not C-conjugate positions.

We already know from Martin Schoenert that GAP is using neither
M-conjugacy nor C-conjugacy, but <slice>-conjugacy.  But my
statement about C-conjugacy vs. M-conjugacy was completely incorrect
in any case.

Dan Hoey pointed out to me that RL' and R'L in fact *are* C-conjugates
under 180 degree rotation around the U-D axis.

We can observe that R and R' are not C-conjugates, nor are L' and L,
which suckered me into stating that RL' and R'L are not.  But
rewrite R'L as LR' since opposite face moves commute.  Now, RL'
and LR' are clearly C-conjugate.

In fact, I have now verified with a quick search program that
all M-conjugates in the slice group are also C-conjugates.  Hence,
there are 50 C-conjugate classes in slice, just as there are
50 M-conjugate classes.

In retrospect, I don't think the search program was necessary.
Suppose X and Y are M-conjugates in the slice group.  Then,
they can be written as M-conjugate sequences.  That is, they
can be written so that the individual slice moves are respective
M-conjugates for some fixed m in M.  (The fact that it might be
possible also to write them so that the individual slice moves
are not respective M-conjugates for some fixed m in M is
irrelevant.)  Furthermore, write the sequence for X so that the
clockwise half of each slice is written prior to the
counter-clockwise half of the slice.  The sequence for
Y with individual slice moves being respective M conjugates of
X may or not have this property.  But if not, then simply reorder
the halves of the slices of Y to put the clockwise half first, and Y
will still be piecewise M-conjugate with X.  Then, the piecewise
M-conjugate slices are also C-conjugate, and therefore the X and
Y positions are C-conjugate.

Antislice is totally different.  For example, RL is M-conjugate to
R'L', but it not C-conjugate.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed May 24 15:50:47 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from LCS.MIT.EDU (mintaka.lcs.mit.edu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA11496; Wed, 24 May 95 15:50:47 EDT
Received: from wvnvm.wvnet.edu by MINTAKA.LCS.MIT.EDU id aa10690;
          24 May 95 15:50 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 2564; Wed, 24 May 95 15:46:46 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6128; Wed, 24 May 1995 15:46:46 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may24.154332.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 24 May 1995 15:46:45 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <cube-lovers@lcs.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)
In-Reply-To: Message of 05/22/95 at 17:48:42 from mreid@ptc.com

On 05/22/95 at 17:48:42 mreid@ptc.com said:

>>       Level       Positions     Strong      Weak        Total
>>                                Local Max   Local Max   Local Max
>>
>>         6            184           1          35          36

>beg the obvious question:  what is that strong local maximum,
>which is unique up to symmetry?

I haven't verified in the antislice data base, but it *has* to be
Pons Asinorum, accomplshed as six antislices.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed May 24 17:14:08 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from LCS.MIT.EDU (mintaka.lcs.mit.edu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA14808; Wed, 24 May 95 17:14:08 EDT
Received: from wvnvm.wvnet.edu by MINTAKA.LCS.MIT.EDU id aa11446;
          24 May 95 16:40 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 2982; Wed, 24 May 95 16:36:42 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 7958; Wed, 24 May 1995 16:36:43 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may24.155259.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 24 May 1995 16:36:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@lcs.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)
In-Reply-To: Message of 05/22/95 at 11:13:00 from ,
           Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de

On 05/22/95 at 11:13:00 Martin Schoenert said:

>GAP's 'NumberConjugacyClasses' follows the general usage in group theory.
>The conjugacy class of an element <g> of <G> is the set of elements <h>
>that are G-conjugated to <g> (i.e., there exists an element <x> in <G>,
>such that <x>^-1 * <g> * <x> = <h>).

Just to give an example that I am familiar with, suppose the group
in question were M itself.  Then, NumberConjugacyClasses should yield
10, because the 48 elements in M yield 10 conjugacy classes under
M-conjugation.  If anybody who has GAP also has defined M, you
might give it a try.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From mschoene%math.rwth-aachen.de@samson.math.rwth-aachen.de  Thu May 25 09:39:22 1995
Return-Path: <mschoene%math.rwth-aachen.de@samson.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Received: from LCS.MIT.EDU (mintaka.lcs.mit.edu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA10425; Thu, 25 May 95 09:39:22 EDT
Received: from samson.math.rwth-aachen.de by MINTAKA.LCS.MIT.EDU id aa23524;
          25 May 95 6:19 EDT
Received: from hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de by samson.math.rwth-aachen.de with smtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #11) id m0sEa08-000MPEC; Thu, 25 May 95 12:18 MET DST
Received: by hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de (Smail3.1.28.1 #19)
	id m0sEa07-00026WC; Thu, 25 May 95 12:18 WET DST
Message-Id: <m0sEa07-00026WC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date: Thu, 25 May 95 12:18 WET DST
From: "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
To: Cube-Lovers@lcs.mit.edu
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
In-Reply-To: "Jerry Bryan"'s message of Wed, 24 May 1995 16:36:30 -0400 (EDT) <wvmail32.1995may24.155259.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Subject: Re: Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)

Jerry Bryan wrote

    Just to give an example that I am familiar with, suppose the group
    in question were M itself.  Then, NumberConjugacyClasses should yield
    10, because the 48 elements in M yield 10 conjugacy classes under
    M-conjugation.  If anybody who has GAP also has defined M, you
    might give it a try.

GAP also thinks that M has 10 conjugacy classes (under M-conjugation).

Martin.

-- .- .-. - .. -.  .-.. --- ...- . ...  .- -. -. .. -.- .-
Martin Sch"onert,   Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE,   +49 241 804551
Lehrstuhl D f"ur Mathematik, Templergraben 64, RWTH, 52056 Aachen, Germany

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Thu May 25 12:01:36 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from LCS.MIT.EDU (mintaka.lcs.mit.edu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA19301; Thu, 25 May 95 12:01:36 EDT
Received: from wvnvm.wvnet.edu by MINTAKA.LCS.MIT.EDU id aa25656;
          25 May 95 11:55 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 8346; Thu, 25 May 95 11:51:27 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 7593; Thu, 25 May 1995 11:51:00 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may23.232649.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Thu, 25 May 1995 11:50:55 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Dan Hoey" <hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil>,
        "Cube Lovers List" <cube-lovers@lcs.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: M-conjugacy vs. C-Conjugacy in the Slice group
In-Reply-To: Message of 05/23/95 at 13:11:27 from hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil

I said:

>> In fact, I have now verified with a quick search program that
>> all M-conjugates in the slice group are also C-conjugates.  Hence,
>> there are 50 C-conjugate classes in slice, just as there are
>> 50 M-conjugate classes.

>> In retrospect, I don't think the search program was necessary....

On 05/23/95 at 13:11:27 hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil said:

>and (Jerry) continues with an argument that did not convince me, but the
>following does:

I think I can both greatly simplify and greatly strengthen the
argument that did not convince Dan.  My argument is based on the idea
(copied from _Symmetry and Local Maxima_) that M-conjugation can be
viewed as a permutation on Q, the set of twelve quarter turns.

Call the six clockwise quarter turns Q+ and the six counter-clockwise
quarter turns Q-.  We can observe that the 24 rotations in M all
map Q+ to Q+ and map Q- to Q-, and that the 24 reflections in M all
map Q+ to Q- and map Q- to Q+.  We also note that in particular,
the central inversion v is a reflection.

Suppose X and Y are M-conjugates in <slice> with Y=m'Xm for some fixed
m in M.  Write X as pairs of quarter turns (each pair is a slice), and
write Y as pairs of quarter turns which are respective M-conjugates
(via the fixed permutation m) of the quarter turns in X.  If the
respective quarter turns have been mapped Q+ to Q+ and Q- to Q-, then
m is a rotation and we are done.

Otherwise, commute the halves of each slice in Y.  We first note that
so commuting is the identity on Y.  We also note that so commuting is
equivalent to performing the permutation operation v on Q, and is
therefore equivalent to performing v-conjugation on Y. (In passing,
we see that this effectively proves Dan's first point, namely that
X=v'Xv for all X in <slice>.  Given that, I would shorten the rest of
Dan's argument by saying Y=m'Xm=v'('m'Xm)v=v'm'Xmv, and noting that
either m or mv is a rotation).

But having started with the "commuting the halves of slices" argument,
I would continue as follows.  Having commuted the halves of the slices,
we still have an M-conjugate (and still the same M-conjugate)
because commuting is equivalent to v-conjugation, v is in M, and
v-conjugation is the identity in <slice>.  Finally, having commuted
the halves of the slices, we are now mapping Q+ to Q+ and Q- to Q-,
so we have a rotation.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Thu May 25 19:56:07 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16697; Thu, 25 May 95 19:56:07 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <173224-6>; Thu, 25 May 1995 19:55:56 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA17756; Thu, 25 May 95 19:50:36 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E382E; Thu, 25 May 95 18:46:58 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: GAP notes
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1142.5834.0C1E382E@canrem.com>
Date: Thu, 25 May 1995 18:41:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

On 05/22/95 at 11:13:00 Martin Schoenert said:

>GAP's 'NumberConjugacyClasses' follows the general usage in
> group theory.
>The conjugacy class of an element <g> of <G> is the set of elements <h>
>that are G-conjugated to <g> (i.e., there exists an element <x> in <G>,
>such that <x>^-1 * <g> * <x> = <h>).

On  05-24-95 (18:16) Jerry Bryan said:

>Just to give an example that I am familiar with, suppose the group
>in question were M itself.  Then, NumberConjugacyClasses should yield
>10, because the 48 elements in M yield 10 conjugacy classes under
>M-conjugation.  If anybody who has GAP also has defined M, you
>might give it a try.

Ok... let's define C in the context of GAP:

c := Group(
    ( 1, 3, 8, 6)( 2, 5, 7, 4)( 9,33,25,17)(10,34,26,18)(11,35,27,19)
    (20,12,36,28)(21,13,37,29)
    (46,48,43,41)(44,47,45,42)(38,30,22,14)(39,31,23,15)(40,32,24,16),
    ( 9,11,16,14)(10,13,15,12)( 1,17,41,40)( 4,20,44,37)( 6,22,46,35)
    (2,18,42,39)(7,23,47,34)
    (30,32,27,25)(28,31,29,26)(19,43,38,3) (21,45,36,5) (24,48,33, 8)
);;

M is the same as C but with the central reflection:

m := Group(
    ( 1, 3, 8, 6)( 2, 5, 7, 4)( 9,33,25,17)(10,34,26,18)(11,35,27,19)
    (20,12,36,28)(21,13,37,29)
    (46,48,43,41)(44,47,45,42)(38,30,22,14)(39,31,23,15)(40,32,24,16),
    ( 9,11,16,14)(10,13,15,12)( 1,17,41,40)( 4,20,44,37)( 6,22,46,35)
    (2,18,42,39)(7,23,47,34)
    (30,32,27,25)(28,31,29,26)(19,43,38,3) (21,45,36,5) (24,48,33, 8),
    (1,8)(3,6)(2,7)(4,5)
    (17,24)(19,22)(18,23)(20,21)
    (9,16)(11,14)(10,15)(12,13)
    (25,32)(27,30)(26,31)(28,29)
    (33,40)(35,38)(34,39)(36,37)
    (41,48)(43,46)(42,47)(44,45)
);;

Then we have

Size (c) = 24
NumberConjugacyClasses (c) = 5

Size (m) = 48
NumberConjugacyClasses (m) = 10

These results concur with Dan's message from Tue, 28 Dec 93 18:40:52 EST
from the archives.

We can also use GAP to calculate the size of the M-conjugacy class of
a given element:

Size (ConjugacyClass (m, cross4)) = 3

Here we see there are three possible 4 Cross order 2 patterns.

I've tried dabbling in some GAP programming. Say we are looking for an
element in the slice group with 4 variants under M-conjugacy....

a := 0;
x := 0;
z := Elements (slice);

repeat
  a := a+1
  x := Size (ConjugacyClass (m, Random (slice)));
until a = 768 or x = 4

This short program found no elements of size 4 in the slice group.

-> Mark <-

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Fri May 26 19:37:17 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16994; Fri, 26 May 95 19:37:17 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 9666; Fri, 26 May 95 19:33:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 1582; Fri, 26 May 1995 19:33:51 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995may26.190922.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Fri, 26 May 1995 19:33:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: <mreid@ptc.com>, "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)
In-Reply-To: Message of 05/24/95 at 17:14:09 from mreid@ptc.com

On 05/24/95 at 17:14:09 mreid@ptc.com said:
>hi jerry,

>you said

>> On 05/22/95 at 17:48:42 mreid@ptc.com said:
>>
>> >>       Level       Positions     Strong      Weak        Total
>> >>                                Local Max   Local Max   Local Max
>> >>
>> >>         6            184           1          35          36
>>
>> >beg the obvious question:  what is that strong local maximum,
>> >which is unique up to symmetry?
>>
>> I haven't verified in the antislice data base, but it *has* to be
>> Pons Asinorum, accomplshed as six antislices.

>no it hasn't.  this is the equivalent of the face turn metric,
>i.e. your "level" is half the face turn distance.  (RL  and  RRLL
>each count as 1, which is half their face turn count.)

>then pons asinorum is at level 3, and gives the weak local maximum
>at that level.

Mike is correct.

Try instead, (L2R2)(U2D2)(F'B')(U2D2)(L2R2)(F'B').

This is a very pretty pattern which may well have a name, but I
don't know what the name is.  Also, it is its own inverse.

Is the length 12h in <Q,H>?  Is it a local maximum (strong or otherwise)
in <Q,H>?   Is the length 20q in <Q>?  Is it a local maximum in <Q>?

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From mreid@ptc.com  Tue May 30 15:39:31 1995
Return-Path: <mreid@ptc.com>
Received: from ptc.com (poster.ptc.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25072; Tue, 30 May 95 15:39:31 EDT
Received: from ducie by ptc.com (5.0/SMI-SVR4-NN)
	id AA11138; Tue, 30 May 95 15:37:29 EDT
Received: by ducie (1.38.193.4/sendmail.28-May-87)
	id AA15624; Tue, 30 May 1995 12:29:29 -0400
Date: Tue, 30 May 1995 12:29:29 -0400
From: mreid@ptc.com (michael reid)
Message-Id: <9505301629.AA15624@ducie>
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject:   Re: AntiSlice Under M-conjugacy (and a problem with slice)
Content-Length: 1649

jerry writes

[ ... ]

> >> >>       Level       Positions     Strong      Weak        Total
> >> >>                                Local Max   Local Max   Local Max
> >> >>
> >> >>         6            184           1          35          36
> >>
> >> >beg the obvious question:  what is that strong local maximum,
> >> >which is unique up to symmetry?

[ ... ]

> Try instead, (L2R2)(U2D2)(F'B')(U2D2)(L2R2)(F'B').
> 
> This is a very pretty pattern which may well have a name, but I
> don't know what the name is.  Also, it is its own inverse.
> 
> Is the length 12h in <Q,H>?  Is it a local maximum (strong or otherwise)
> in <Q,H>?   Is the length 20q in <Q>?  Is it a local maximum in <Q>?

no, yes (otherwise), no, and yes, respectively.

we have seen this pattern several times recently.  this is one of 
those positions with 16 symmetries.  i called it "four pluses" in my 
message of may 11 (although i gave it in a different orientation)

)     four pluses                 ( R2 F2 R2 U'D F2 R2 F2 UD' )

in fact, this maneuver is minimal in both the quarter turn and the
face turn metrics, so its length is  16q, 10f.  it is a weak local
maximum in the face turn metric; one can check that no minimal
maneuver ends with the face turn R.  however, using the 16 symmetries
which preserve the  U-D axis, and inversion, we can give minimal
maneuvers which end with turns of any of the six faces.  this shows
that it's a weak local maximum in the face turn metric.  local
maximality in the quarter turn metric follows in a similar manner.

also, mark pointed out on april 16 that this position lies in the
center of the antislice group.

mike

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Sat Jun  3 03:39:09 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA03320; Sat, 3 Jun 95 03:39:09 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <174124-7>; Sat, 3 Jun 1995 03:40:48 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA02923; Sat, 3 Jun 95 03:35:21 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E504D; Sat,  3 Jun 95 03:29:35 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Super Groups
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1148.5834.0C1E504D@canrem.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Jun 1995 04:14:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

Notes on the various Super-Groups
---------------------------------

I have calculated the size of the super-groups for various subgroups
of the cube. I have suffixed the standard group names with the
letter c to show that the centre orientations are significant.

The groups are (ranked smallest to largest):

Size (slice)       =         768
Size (slicec)      =      24,576     Size (slicec) / Size (slice)   = 32

The following reference confirms this calculation and expounds further
on the nature of the slice group...

The Slice Group in Rubik's Cube,
by David Hecker, Ranan Banerji
Mathematics Magazine, Vol. 58 No. 4 Sept 1985

Size (antisl)      =       6,144
Size (antislc)     =      49,152     Size (antislc) / Size (antisl) =  8

Size (sq)          =     663,552
Size (sqc)         =   5,308,416     Size (sqc) / Size (sq)         =  8

Size (ur)          =  73,483,200
Size (urc)         = 587,865,600     Size (urc) / Size (ur)         =  8

Size (cube)  =     43,252,003,274,489,856,000
Size (cubec) = 88,580,102,706,155,225,088,000

Size (cubec) / Size (cube) = 2,048

The case of the super squares group (sqc) is interesting. It is only
possible to rotate opposite centres 180 degrees. There are actually
8 centres in the super square's group:

(1 way)    Identity
(1 way)    All 6 centres rotated 180 degrees
(3 ways)   2 opposite centres rotated 180 degrees
(3 ways)   2 pairs of opposite centres rotated 180 degrees

-> Mark <-

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Sun Jun  4 03:28:58 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA18076; Sun, 4 Jun 95 03:28:58 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <173779-8>; Sun, 4 Jun 1995 03:30:39 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA25003; Sun, 4 Jun 95 03:25:11 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E5238; Sun,  4 Jun 95 03:22:02 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Super Squares Group
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1150.5834.0C1E5238@canrem.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Jun 1995 04:21:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

Way back on Thu Aug 20 20:10:13 1992 Mike wrote:

>  R2 F2 B2 L2 U2 L2 F2 B2 R2  ~  D2 ,
>            so that  <U2, F2, R2, L2, B2> = <U2, F2, R2, L2, B2, D2>.

I bet he didn't realize at the time he was finding a minimal
sequence to rotate 2 centres in the super square's group!

If we tack D2 on the end we get the sequence:

R2 F2 B2 L2 U2 L2 F2 B2 R2 D2 =  turn U & D centres 180 degrees
 in 10 face turns.

-> Mark <-

From bagleyd@source.asset.com  Wed Jun  7 17:31:08 1995
Return-Path: <bagleyd@source.asset.com>
Received: from source.asset.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA12024; Wed, 7 Jun 95 17:31:08 EDT
Received: by source.asset.com (AIX 3.2/UCB 5.64/4.03)
          id AA36858; Wed, 7 Jun 1995 17:07:22 -0400
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 1995 17:07:22 -0400
From: bagleyd@source.asset.com (David A. Bagley)
Message-Id: <9506072107.AA36858@source.asset.com>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Dinosaur Rubik's Cube

Hi
  I just just added new modes to my xdino puzzle.  It is the Rubik's
Dinosaur Puzzle recently mentioned.  (A cube with diagonal X cuts.)
In addition to the Period 3 movement it now has a Period 2 movement with
the faces cut up like:
   ___
  |\ /|
  | X |
  |/ \|
   ---
as opposed to just
   \ /
    X
   / \
In the Period 3 movement the cube turns around a corner while in Period 2
movement it turns around the center of an edge.
 
Of course if you want to make it harder there is a "Both" mode where
you can have both turning modes at once.
 
I would like to thank Derek Bosch <bosch@sgi.com> for suggesting the
Period 2 movement -> Bosch's Cube :)
 
I spent a good 10 minutes trying to solve Bosch's Cube and did
not get anywhere.  The Period 3 seems easier.  Be the first in the
Universe to solve it. :)
 
All those who have X should be able to run it.  There are many other
puzzles in the collection as well.
 
Any problems with the compilation or bugs ... let me know.
 
Cheers,
      --__---------------------------------------------------------------
     /  \ \   /           David A. Bagley                                \
    |    \ \ /            bagleyd@source.asset.com                        |
    |     \//\            Some days are better than other days.           |
    |     / \ \                -- A short lived character of Blake's 7    |
     \   /   \_\puzzles   Available at: ftp.x.org/contrib/games/puzzles  /
      -------------------------------------------------------------------

From norgomez@itecs5.telecom-co.net  Mon Jun 12 22:31:21 1995
Return-Path: <norgomez@itecs5.telecom-co.net>
Received: from ITECS5.TELECOM-CO.NET by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA11033; Mon, 12 Jun 95 22:31:21 EDT
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 1995 21:28:16 -0400
Message-Id: <95061221281669@itecs5.telecom-co.net>
From: norgomez@itecs5.telecom-co.net (ORLANDO GOMEZ CAMACHO, BOGOTA-COLOMBIA.)
To: JCCANNEK@ukcc.uky.edu, MTY.ITESM.MX@ukcc.uky.edu,
        commune-list@stealth.acf.nyu.edu, COMP-CEN%UCCVMA.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu,
        CONFOCAL%UBVM.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu,
        CW-MAIL%TECMTYVM.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu,
        CWIS-L%WUVMD.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu, DB2-L%AUVM.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu,
        DBASE-L%TECMTYVM.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu,
        JO%ILNCRD.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        COMPOS01%ULKYVX.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        CRTNET%PSUVM.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        CUMREC-L%NDSUVM1.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        CVNET%YORKVM1.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        Cyber-L%Bitnic.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
        DANCE-L%HEARN.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu, Comp-Soc@limbo.intuitive.com,
        concrete-blonde@ferkel.ucsb.edu,
        CONS-L%MCGILL1.BITNET@cornellc.cit.cornell.edu,
        441495@acadvm1.uottawa.ca, com-priv@psi.com, cjr2@cornell.edu,
        CORPORA-REQUEST@x400.hd.uib.no, CORRYFEE@hasara11.telecom-co.net,
        CPAE@catfish.valdosta.peachnet.edu, CPE-LIST@uncvm1.oit.unc.edu,
        CREA-CPS@nic.surfnet.nl, CREWRT-L@mizzou1.missouri.edu,
        CROMED-L@aearn.bitnet, CSNET-FORUM@sh.cs.net
Subject: Oportunidades de Negocios
X-Vms-To: @LISTA1.DIS

======================================================================

                      OPORTUNIDADES DE NEGOCIOS

         SOLO PARA PERSONAS RESIDENTES EN LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS,
         CON BUENOS CONTACTOS EN EMPRESAS DE ALTA TECNOLOGIA
           EN INFORMATICA, OFIMATICA Y TELECOMUNICACIONES
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Apreciados amigos de la lista:

Nuestra empresa ha sido contratada por una firma que edita una publicaciOn 
especializada en las Areas de  Computadoras, Telecomunicaciones, OfimAtica 
y Servicios relacionados que  circula  en Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil 
y Colombia,  constituyEndose en un medio Unico  de informaciOn sobre estos 
tOpicos en las naciones descritas.

Para comercializar ESPACIOS PUBLICITARIOS de esta publicaciOn, se requiere 
de una compan~Ia o persona que maneje presupuesto de negocios, preferible-
mente  con capacidad econOmica propia e idoneidad para contratar. Es nece-
sario que la persona o empresa resida en los Estados Unidos de AmErica.

A continuaciOn se presentan las caracterIsticas principales de la publica-
ciOn:

    * CirculaciOn efectiva en Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru y Venezuela.
    * A los anunciadores  se les proveen  en medio magnEtico, las bases de
      datos con informaciOn importante  de estos paises.  A las Empresas y 
      Usuarios de cada naciOn tambiEn se les harA entrega de este material 
      que incluirA informaciOn sobre proveedores de bienes  y servicios en
      los sectores   de Telecomunicaciones, Software, Equipos  de  Oficina,
      Computadores, y Suministros.
    * En  la publicaciOn figuran  empresas  Norteamericanas  que fabrican,
      representan y proveen equipos, programas y servicios en las areas de
      telecomunicaciones, sector electronico, de comunicacion, computacion
      perifericos, componentesm accesorios, suministros, servicios y areas
      afines
    * El tiraje es de Cuarenta Mil (40,000) ejemplares para ser distribui-
      dos en forma gratuita.
    * El perfil de los anunciadores corresponde a compan~Ias Estadouniden-
      ses de estos sectores que se encuentren en ampliar y consolidar su
      operacionalidad en estos paises.

La Empresa OFRECE:

    * Exclusividad
    * Participacion atractiva sobre los negocios
    * Excelente calidad editorial y material informativo y util para generar
      nuevas y mejores oportunidades de negocios en forma proactiva.

==============================================================================
A las personas interesadas, se les ruega contactarnos por esta misma via,
indicando los siguientes datos:
Nombre   :
e-mail   :
Direccion:
Ciudad   :
Telefono :
Fax      :
==============================================================================
Mayores informes:

COMUNICACIONES INTERACTIVAS
Contacto  : Orlando Gomez Camacho
e-mail    : norgomez@itecs5.telecom-co.net
Voice Mail: (+571) 5002072
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

From MULL4195@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu  Wed Jun 14 16:17:44 1995
Return-Path: <MULL4195@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu>
Received: from splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA29070; Wed, 14 Jun 95 16:17:44 EDT
Received: from splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu by splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu (PMDF
 V4.2-11 #3312) id <01HRPAOJ7EWG8WYOF1@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu>; Wed,
 14 Jun 1995 16:17:58 EST
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 1995 16:17:58 -0500 (EST)
From: John Mullen <MULL4195@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu>
Subject: 
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Message-Id: <01HRPAOJ87UA8WYOF1@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu>
Organization: SUNY at Plattsburgh, New York, USA
X-Envelope-To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
X-Vms-To: IN%"Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu"
X-Vms-Cc: MULL4195
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT

signoff cube-lovers

From comnetlu!georges.helm@eo.net  Thu Jun 15 15:38:16 1995
Return-Path: <comnetlu!georges.helm@eo.net>
Received: from eol1 (eol1.eo.lu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA10184; Thu, 15 Jun 95 15:38:16 EDT
Received: from comnetlu.UUCP by eol1 with UUCP
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #4) id m0sMKk2-000bKNC; Thu, 15 Jun 95 21:38 MET DST
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Andras Mezei's book
From: georges.helm@comnet.eo.lu (GEORGES HELM)
Message-Id: <8AB54D5.0063000243.uuout@comnet.eo.lu>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 95 20:37:00 +1
Organization: ComNet Luxembourg BBS
Reply-To: georges.helm@comnet.eo.lu (GEORGES HELM)
X-Mailreader: PCBoard Version 15.21
X-Mailer: PCBoard/UUOUT Version 1.10

Mark Longridge wrote

> Does anyone on Cube-Lovers have that book?

Yes, I do.

The illustrations cover:
Rubik himself, Polytoys, Konsumex, cubes, books, cube-related items
(stickers, pencils, lp's, earrings, t-shirts...)
There is an article on a competition in 1982 in Budapest.
And many more articles I don't understand a word of.

Georges <cubemeister>

From comnetlu!georges.helm@eo.net  Fri Jun 16 03:20:00 1995
Return-Path: <comnetlu!georges.helm@eo.net>
Received: from eol1 (eol1.eo.lu) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA19818; Fri, 16 Jun 95 03:20:00 EDT
Received: from comnetlu.UUCP by eol1 with UUCP
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #4) id m0sMVh1-000bKLC; Fri, 16 Jun 95 09:19 MET DST
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Andras Mezei's book
From: georges.helm@comnet.eo.lu (GEORGES HELM)
Message-Id: <8AB622C.006300026F.uuout@comnet.eo.lu>
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 95 09:16:00 +1
Organization: ComNet Luxembourg BBS
Reply-To: georges.helm@comnet.eo.lu (GEORGES HELM)
X-Mailreader: PCBoard Version 15.21
X-Mailer: PCBoard/UUOUT Version 1.10

I have the book. - Georges

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Fri Jun 16 14:10:52 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA17367; Fri, 16 Jun 95 14:10:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 6542; Fri, 16 Jun 95 14:11:03 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 2667; Fri, 16 Jun 1995 14:11:03 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun16.140844.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Fri, 16 Jun 1995 14:11:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   10q Local Maxima

There are four of them unique up to M-conjugacy (more
information to come).

 Distance  Cubes  Branch Lcl     {m'Xm}   Branch   Ratio   Local
 from             Factor Max   (M-Conj.   Factor    of       Max
 Start                          Classes)          Cubes to
                                                  Classes
 0              1                       1                     0
 1             12 12.000  0             1   1.000  12.000     0
 2            114  9.500  0             5   5.000  22.800     0
 3          1,068  9.368  0            25   5.000  42.720     0
 4         10,011  9.374  0           219   8.760  45.712     0
 5         93,840  9.374  0         1,978   9.032  47.442     0
 6        878,880  9.366  0        18,395   9.300  47.778     0
 7      8,221,632  9.355  0       171,529   9.325  47.931     0
 8     76,843,595  9.347  0     1,601,725   9.338  47.976     0
 9    717,789,576  9.341  0    14,956,266   9.338  47.993     0
10  6,701,836,858  9.337 42   139,629,194   9.336  47.997     4
11 62,549,615,248  9.333    1,303,138,445   9.333  47.9992

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Fri Jun 16 14:17:43 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA17624; Fri, 16 Jun 95 14:17:43 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 6602; Fri, 16 Jun 95 14:17:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 2819; Fri, 16 Jun 1995 14:17:52 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun16.141144.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Fri, 16 Jun 1995 14:17:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   10q Local Maxima Search Matrix

The individual cells in this chart give numbers of M-conjugacy
classes.  The local maxima are in column 12.  Still more
information to come.

                         Number of Moves Which Go Closer to Start

Level  Total  0         1        2       3    4    5   6  7  8 9 1 1 1
      Classes                                                    0 1 2

 0         1  1         0        0       0     0   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 1         1  0         1        0       0     0   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 2         5  0         2        3       0     0   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 3        25  0        20        4       1     0   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 4       219  0       182       34       2     1   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 5      1978  0      1677      280      20     1   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 6     18395  0     15642     2561     184     8   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 7    171529  0    145974    23773    1721    61   0   0  0  0 0 0 0 0
 8   1601725  0   1362579   222235   16241   663   1   3  0  3 0 0 0 0
 9  14956266  0  12719643  2077549  153026  5954  74  15  2  3 0 0 0 0
10 139629194  0 118711701 19418503 1438825 58862 925 318 11 37 0 8 0 4

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sat Jun 17 00:35:23 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23622; Sat, 17 Jun 95 00:35:23 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 9876; Sat, 17 Jun 95 00:35:32 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 4531; Sat, 17 Jun 1995 00:35:32 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun16.232735.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sat, 17 Jun 1995 00:35:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   10q Local Maxima Positions

1. (UU)  (F'B')(RL)(RL)(FB)
2. (UD') (F'B')(RL)(RL)(FB)
3. (UD)  (F'B')(RL)(RL)(FB)

4. (UD')(FB')(LR')(FB')(FB')

#4 is the one Mike Reid already found in the slice group.  #3 is the
one I already found in the antislice group.  #1, #2, and #3 are
obviously closely related.  #1 and #2 appear not to be in either
slice or antislice, but I have been fooled before by alternative
sequences which yield the same position.

#1, #2, and #3 all have the property that |{m'Xm}|=6 and
|Symm(X)|=8.  As has already been discussed, #4 has the
property that |{m'Xm}|=24 and |Symm(X)|=2.

The symmetry groups for #1, #2, and #3 are of a type Dan Hoey's
taxonomy calls class P, class S, and class AX, respectively.
These particular classes are hard to describe succinctly without
introducing a lot of notation.  But in all three cases, the symmetry
groups (subgroups of M such that X=m'Xm} consist of four rotations
and four reflections, and have as an axis of symmetry one of
the three major axes of the cube (U-D, F-B, or R-L).  There
are three groups P1, P2, P3 with axis of symmetry U-D, F-B,
and R-L, respectively, and similarly for S1, S2, and S3, and
for AX1, AX2, and AX3.

For #4, we have Symm(X)=HV in Dan's taxonomy, where HV={i,v}, and
where i is the identity in M and v is the central inversion in M.
If proper typography were available, the i and the v would be
upper case script letters to follow Frey and Singmaster.

There are relatively few positions in all of cube space
for which Symm(X)=Pi or Symm(X)=Si or Symm(X)=AXi (i in 1..3).
There are only 10 P positions through level 10 in the search tree (of which
just one is a local maximum).  There is only one S position through
level 10, and only one AX position through level 10, both of
which are of course local maxima.  The positions
are not Q-transitive, but the positions look "symmetric", and they
fulfill the (incorrect) intuition that "symmetric" positions must
be local maxima.  We have no reason to say that other P or S or AX
positions further down the search will be local maxima.

I find position #4 extremely intriguing.  In general, HV is not
very strong symmetry, and there are relatively speaking, quite
a few HV positions in cube space.

We could create an HV position as follows.
Put any edge cubie anywhere (say UF in RD).  Put the "opposite"
cubie in the "opposite" cubicle (DB in LU in this case).  Continue
for the remaining edge cubies, and then do the same thing for the
corners, remembering only to make sure the edges and corners have
the same parity.  You can easily make an HV position that looks
quite "random" to the casual glance, and in fact most HV positions
don't look very "symmetric".

But Mike's position looks very "symmetric" at a casual glance, as
if its symmetry must be much stronger than HV.  I certainly would
not have expected to find an HV position as a local maximum close
to Start.  I think the "look" of Mike's position as "symmetric",
and the fact that it is a local maximum close to Start are
related.  Without getting too long winded, I think the reasons
are two-fold.  First, the corners and edges have much stronger
symmetry separately than they do collectively.  Second, the
symmetry looks much stronger if you ignore the centers (i.e.,
if you ignore the rotational positioning of the cubies), perhaps
in the sense of Dan's CSymm function.  For example, the corners
are properly positioned with respect to each other, even though
they are not properly positioned with respect to the fixed face
centers.

In the next few days, I intend to calculate Symm(X)
for the corners and edges separately for Mike's position, as
well as calculating CSymm(X) for the corners and edges
separately and combined.  I think the results will be
enlightening.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Sat Jun 17 22:00:06 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA03704; Sat, 17 Jun 95 22:00:06 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <177474-1>; Sat, 17 Jun 1995 21:03:06 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA05634; Sat, 17 Jun 95 20:57:30 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E7553; Sat, 17 Jun 95 19:59:47 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Crazy Corner Pattern
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1161.5834.0C1E7553@canrem.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 1995 05:38:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

On Mon, 17 Jan 1994 09:06:59 EST, Jerry wrote:
>
>     Counting M-conjugacy classes of the corners of Rubik's cube
>     -----------------------------------------------------------
>
>                   M-Class     Number     Number
>                     Size        of         of
>                              Classes    Elements
>
>                         1        1  =        1     Start
>                         2        1  =        2     +4 -4 Twist
>                         3        3  =        9
>                         4        1  =        4
>                         6       34  =      204
>                         8       33  =      264
>                        12      301  =     3612
>                        16      104  =     1664
>                        24     9064  =   217536
>                        48  1832428  = 87956544
>
>                     Total  1841970    88179840

I'm trying to find the 1 pattern with M-class size of 4 of the
corners group.
The only pattern that I can find is 4 alternate corners twisted
clockwise which is in the twist orbit.

It does not seem to be any pattern with just corners twisted in
place.

Jerry, if you could *please* identify this pattern before I go
nuts...... !

-> Mark <-

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sun Jun 18 00:35:58 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA09680; Sun, 18 Jun 95 00:35:58 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 1914; Sat, 17 Jun 95 17:18:01 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 1612; Sat, 17 Jun 1995 17:18:01 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun17.093300.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sat, 17 Jun 1995 17:18:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?

We define the real size of cube space to be the number of M-conjugate
classes {m'Ym} for m in M, set of 48 rotations and reflections
of the cube, and for Y in G.

Dan Hoey has calculated the real size of cube space using the
Polya-Burnside theorem.

Dan and I (mostly Dan) have also calculated the same result using
exhaustive computer search.  The computer search is much less
elegant than the Polya-Burnside results, but the search does
provide additional information, such as the number of positions
associated with each symmetry group.  The results from the
computer search have not yet been posted to the list, but a draft
paper is in progress.

In the meantime, it occurs to me that perhaps  --  but only perhaps --
there is a third way to calculate the real size of cube space.
The third way would not require (much) computer searching, but would
provide the same level of detail about number of positions per
symmetry group as does the full blown search.

The idea is based on a posting from Mike Reid.  Mike calculated the
number of positions in G whose symmetry preserves the U-D axis.
Such positions have a symmetry group which is called X1
in Dan's taxonomy.  For these positions, we say Symm(Y)=X1,
where in general for Y in G we have Symm(Y) is the set
(and group) of all m in M such that Y=m'Ym.

X1 contains sixteen elements (eight rotations and eight reflections),
and preserves the U-D axis.  X2 and X3 are conjugate subgroups of X1
and similarly preserve the F-B and the R-L axes, respectively. If Y is
X1-symmetric, then we have {m'Ym}={Y1,Y2,Y3}.  One of the Yi is Y
and is X1-symmetric, one of the Yi is X2-symmetric, and the other
Yi is X3-symmetric.

Mike determined (without computer search) that there are 128
X1-symmetric positions.  Since four of the positions are also
M-symmetric, we have 124 positions Y for which Symm(Y)=X1.
Similar results hold for X2 and X3.  Hence, there are 124
M-conjugacy classes containing cubes for which Symm(Y)=Xi, or
perhaps we might say for which SymmClass(Y)=X.  The important
fact here is that we have determined that there are
124 M-conjugacy classes for symmetry class X without having
to do a computer search.

If we could similarly determine the number of K-symmetric positions
for each of the 98 subgroups K of M without computer search, then
we could calculate the real size of cube space.  You really only
have to determine the size of 33 subgroups.  Just as the solution
for X1 also gave us the solution for X2 and X3, similarly the
solution for any subgroup provides the solution for all conjugate
subgroups, and there are 33 classes of conjugate subgroups.

I usually get myself in trouble when I delve too much into things
I don't understand, but let's try a few examples.  The subgroup
HV={i,v} is easy to understand, where v is the central inversion.
For the edges, the number of HV-symmetric positions should be
24*20*16*12*8*4.  That is, put the first cubie anywhere (24
possibilities) which dictates the location of the respective
"opposite" cubie.  There are then 20 possibilities for the
location of the third cubie which again dictates the position
of the respective "opposite" cubie, and so forth.  In the same
manner, the number of HV-symmetric corner positions is
24*18*12*6.  The number of HV-symmetric positions is then
(24*20*16*12*8*4)*(24*18*12*6)/2 to take parity into account.

Now we have the rub.  In order to calculate the positions for
which Symm(Y)=HV, we must subtract out the HV-symmetric
positions which have stronger symmetry than HV, just as we
subtracted out the M-symmetric positions in Mike's X1 case.
But to do so, we cannot take the subgroups of M in isolation.
We have to do them all, starting with M and working our way
down.  (And HV is pretty far down the food chain.)

Some of the subgroups I can do pretty easily, and for others I have
not a clue.  Recall that A is the subgroup of M consisting of the
24 even rotations and reflections and that C is the subgroup of
M consisting of the 24 rotations (12 even and 12 odd).  As long
ago as _Symmetry and Local Maxima_, Dan Hoey and Jim Saxe
determined that there are only four A-symmetric positions and
only four C-symmetric positions, namely the four that are also
M-symmetric.  Hence, there are no positions for which Symm(Y)=A
nor for which Symm(Y)=C.  But I haven't a clue how they knew,
nor how to go about constructing an A-symmetric or a C-symmetric
position from scratch.  You can't get very far with my proposal
unless you can figure out how to construct K-symmetric positions
for any K.

For one more example, consider H, the set of 12 even rotations and
12 odd reflections.  I know from computer search and also from
_Symmetry and Local Maxima_ that there are 24 H-symmetric positions,
of which 4 are M-symmetric and 20 are H-symmetric without also being
M-symmetric.  The 20 H-symmetric but not M-symmetric positions form
10 M-conjugacy classes for which we would say SymmClass(Y)=H.  It
ought to be easy to derive this result without a computer search, but
again I confess I haven't a clue as to go about constructing the 24
H-symmetric positions from scratch.

Well, I could cheat and look up the Class H positions
in _Symmetry and Local Maxima_, but what about the classes
that haven't been figured out yet?  Also, I could cheat and
use the results from computer search, but that's hardly the
point.

One final point: just as Mike's 128 X1-symmetric positions formed
a group, similarly the set of K-symmetric positions form a group
for all 98 possible values of K.  We have to be a little careful
with our terminology.  The X1-symmetric positions form a group,
as do the X2-symmetric and the X3-symmetric positions.  But if
we want to talk about the X-symmetric positions, we no longer
have a group.  For example, we do not in general have closure
when forming the composition of X1-symmetric positions with
X2-symmetric positions.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sun Jun 18 08:48:57 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA17825; Sun, 18 Jun 95 08:48:57 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 3647; Sun, 18 Jun 95 08:25:50 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 8731; Sun, 18 Jun 1995 08:25:50 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun18.081858.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sun, 18 Jun 1995 08:25:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: <cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Crazy Corner Pattern
In-Reply-To: Message of 06/17/95 at 05:38:00 from mark.longridge@canrem.com

On 06/17/95 at 05:38:00 mark.longridge@canrem.com said:
>On Mon, 17 Jan 1994 09:06:59 EST, Jerry wrote:
>>
>>     Counting M-conjugacy classes of the corners of Rubik's cube
>>     -----------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>                   M-Class     Number     Number
>>                     Size        of         of
>>                              Classes    Elements
>>
>>                         1        1  =        1     Start
>>                         2        1  =        2     +4 -4 Twist
>>                         3        3  =        9
>>                         4        1  =        4
>>                         6       34  =      204
>>                         8       33  =      264
>>                        12      301  =     3612
>>                        16      104  =     1664
>>                        24     9064  =   217536
>>                        48  1832428  = 87956544
>>
>>                     Total  1841970    88179840

>I'm trying to find the 1 pattern with M-class size of 4 of the
>corners group.
>The only pattern that I can find is 4 alternate corners twisted
>clockwise which is in the twist orbit.

>It does not seem to be any pattern with just corners twisted in
>place.

>Jerry, if you could *please* identify this pattern before I go
>nuts...... !

The position is called T-symmetric in Dan's taxonomy (actually,
there are four T subgroups of M, T1 through T4).  The symmetry
is related to opposite corners, e.g., the UFL-DRB axis,
which is why there are four T subgroups.

Also, the position is Q-transitive, so you can check it out
in _Symmetry and Local Maxima_.  I quote ".... each edge on the
girdle may be swapped with the diametrically opposite edge,
provided that the corners on the girdle are swapped with
their opposites as well."   Here, you would fix the edges and
pay attention only to the swapping of the corners.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sun Jun 18 15:55:14 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA03583; Sun, 18 Jun 95 15:55:14 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 4771; Sun, 18 Jun 95 15:55:23 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 3480; Sun, 18 Jun 1995 15:55:23 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun18.154620.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sun, 18 Jun 1995 15:55:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?
In-Reply-To: Message of 06/17/95 at 17:18:00 from BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu

I should have said "a fourth way", I think.  Martin Schoernert
performed the same calculation with GAP.  Hence, we have three
ways in hand: 1) Dan's Polya-Burnside method, 2) Martin's GAP
calculations, and 3) brute force computer search.  My new
proposal would then be a fourth way.

Here is a question for Martin: is there any way with GAP to calculate
the number of M-conjugacy classes associated with each symmetry class?
It is this additional information about the "real cube space" which
*is* available via computer search, and for which I am proposing
an alternative which does not involve computer search.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Sun Jun 18 23:54:16 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23716; Sun, 18 Jun 95 23:54:16 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <177456-5>; Sun, 18 Jun 1995 23:55:59 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA07947; Sun, 18 Jun 95 23:50:23 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E77E1; Sun, 18 Jun 95 23:47:31 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Re: Crazy Corner Pattern
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1167.5834.0C1E77E1@canrem.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 1995 00:36:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

>>I'm trying to find the 1 pattern with M-class size of 4 of the
>>corners group.
>>The only pattern that I can find is 4 alternate corners twisted
>>clockwise which is in the twist orbit.

>>It does not seem to be any pattern with just corners twisted in
>>place.

>>Jerry, if you could *please* identify this pattern before I go
>>nuts...... !

>The position is called T-symmetric in Dan's taxonomy (actually,
>there are four T subgroups of M, T1 through T4).  The symmetry
>is related to opposite corners, e.g., the UFL-DRB axis,
>which is why there are four T subgroups.

>Also, the position is Q-transitive, so you can check it out
>in _Symmetry and Local Maxima_.  I quote ".... each edge on the
>girdle may be swapped with the diametrically opposite edge,
>provided that the corners on the girdle are swapped with
>their opposites as well."   Here, you would fix the edges and
>pay attention only to the swapping of the corners.

Hmmmmm, that's very interesting.

Below is my interpretation of "...corners on the girdle are swapped
with their opposites as well." Let's call it pattern X.

        D U D
        U U U
        D U D
F L B   R F L   B R F   L B R
L L L   F F F   R R R   B B B
F L B   R F L   B R F   L B R
        U D U
        D D D
        U D U

If I understand the terminology correctly, then for this pattern
X = |{m'Xm}|=3 and |Symm(X)|=16, same as the 4 spot.
Also X = |{c'Xc}|=3.

But perhaps this is not the same pattern....

Let's call this next cube arrangement pattern Y.

        F U U
        U U U
        D U L
R L B   R F B   D R R   B B D
L L L   F F F   R R R   B B B
U L L   F F U   L R F   L B F
        D D B
        D D D
        R D U

Y = |{m'Ym}|=4 and |Symm(Y)|=12, and Y=|{c'Yc}| = 4

This pattern was created by swapping 3 pairs of diametrically opposite
corners, which is in the *swap* orbit on a normal cube, but since we
are dealing with corners of Rubik's cube and ignoring edges we can
realize permutations with an odd number of pairs of corners swapped.

-> Mark <-

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Mon Jun 19 09:57:45 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA14163; Mon, 19 Jun 95 09:57:45 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 8039; Mon, 19 Jun 95 09:57:53 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6101; Mon, 19 Jun 1995 09:57:54 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun19.094654.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Mon, 19 Jun 1995 09:57:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: <cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Crazy Corner Pattern
In-Reply-To: Message of 06/19/95 at 00:36:00 from mark.longridge@canrem.com

Perhaps I should have quoted a little more from _Symmetry and
Local Maxima_.  Here is the T-symmetric position given by
Saxe and Hoey.  In their position, the UFL and RBD corners are
in place, and the other three pairs are swapped.  The "girdle"
includes the three pairs that are swapped.  Hence, there
is an axis of symmetry along the UFL-RBD axis.  The odd number of
swaps is compensated by an odd number in the edges.  The compensation
is not required for corners only.

        R D D
        U U D
        U U B

 D L L  F F D  L L F  L F F
 R L L  F F B  L R R  B B F
 R R B  R B B  U R R  B B U

        U U L
        U D D
        F D D

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Mon Jun 19 14:04:49 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA29637; Mon, 19 Jun 95 14:04:49 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 0056; Mon, 19 Jun 95 13:41:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 3719; Mon, 19 Jun 1995 13:41:52 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun19.133523.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Mon, 19 Jun 1995 13:41:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   3x3x3 Cubes for Sale

For the first time in years, I have seen 3x3x3 cubes for sale in a
store.  (For American readers, the store is Hills, which is a regional
chain which competes against WalMart and Kmart.  The price is $8.97 --
U.S. dollars.)  The box has a note signed by Erno Rubik, and gives
the proper size of the cube group.  Also, and I couldn't see inside
the box to verify this, the Face centers seemed to be marked in such
a way as to support the Supergroup.  Rubik's note about the size of
the  problem says it is 4^4 times bigger than the regular problem.
The manufacturer (or maybe distributor?) is Matchbox Toys (or is it
Matchbook Toys?).

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From news@nntp-server.caltech.edu  Mon Jun 19 18:36:29 1995
Return-Path: <news@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Received: from piccolo.cco.caltech.edu by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA15966; Mon, 19 Jun 95 18:36:29 EDT
Received: from gap.cco.caltech.edu by piccolo.cco.caltech.edu with ESMTP 
	(8.6.7/DEI:4.41) id PAA27121; Mon, 19 Jun 1995 15:36:21 -0700
Received: by gap.cco.caltech.edu 
	(8.6.7/DEI:4.41) id PAA16086; Mon, 19 Jun 1995 15:36:18 -0700
To: mlist-cube-lovers@nntp-server.caltech.edu
Path: whuang
From: whuang@cco.caltech.edu (Wei-Hwa Huang)
Newsgroups: mlist.cube-lovers
Subject: Re: 3x3x3 Cubes for Sale
Date: 19 Jun 1995 22:36:17 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 25
Message-Id: <3s4u51$fmk@gap.cco.caltech.edu>
References: <wvmail32.1995jun19.133523.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: accord.cco.caltech.edu
X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #12 (NOV)

"Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu> writes:

>For the first time in years, I have seen 3x3x3 cubes for sale in a
>store.  (For American readers, the store is Hills, which is a regional
>chain which competes against WalMart and Kmart.  The price is $8.97 --
>U.S. dollars.)  The box has a note signed by Erno Rubik, and gives
>the proper size of the cube group.  Also, and I couldn't see inside
>the box to verify this, the Face centers seemed to be marked in such
>a way as to support the Supergroup.  Rubik's note about the size of
>the  problem says it is 4^4 times bigger than the regular problem.
>The manufacturer (or maybe distributor?) is Matchbox Toys (or is it
>Matchbook Toys?).

What you saw was "Rubik's Cube 4th Dimension."  This was released some
time in the early 90s.  The only difference between this and the typical 3x3x3
is that four faces have pictures on their center squares, requiring 
the solver to orient them correctly.  

I belive last year there was a European Rubik Puzzle series that rereleased
the cube, along with other rubik puzzles.

-- 
   -- Wei-Hwa Huang (whuang@cco.caltech.edu)
Homepage (under construction): http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/
I have a proof that NP = P; however, it requires exponential time to write down.

From pbeck@pica.army.mil  Tue Jun 20 08:00:48 1995
Return-Path: <pbeck@pica.army.mil>
Received: from COR6.PICA.ARMY.MIL by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA19315; Tue, 20 Jun 95 08:00:48 EDT
Date:     Tue, 20 Jun 95 8:00:16 EDT
From: Peter Beck (FSAC) <pbeck@pica.army.mil>
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject:  cube availability
Message-Id:  <9506200800.aa03200@COR6.PICA.ARMY.MIL>


In Feb at the NY international toy show the KOOSH people
told me that they had bought the marketing rights for
RUBIK items from Western Publishing (the Matchbox LABEL).
They had new packaging and were changing the items to
be sold (eg, they said they were going to sell Rubuik's
amgic).

So the items seen in Hills with Matchbox packaging is
old stock that will soon no longer be around.

THE FUTURE IS PUZZLING,
BUT CUBING IS FOREVER !!!

pete beck

From mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de  Tue Jun 20 08:40:27 1995
Return-Path: <mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de>
Received: from samson.math.rwth-aachen.de by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA21537; Tue, 20 Jun 95 08:40:27 EDT
Received: from hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de by samson.math.rwth-aachen.de with smtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #11) id m0sO2aR-000MP0C; Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:39 MET DST
Received: by hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de (Smail3.1.28.1 #19)
	id m0sO2aQ-00026zC; Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:39 WET DST
Message-Id: <m0sO2aQ-00026zC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:39 WET DST
From: "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
In-Reply-To: "Jerry Bryan"'s message of Sun, 18 Jun 1995 15:55:22 -0400 (EDT) <wvmail32.1995jun18.154620.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Subject: Re: Re: A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?

Jerry wrote in his message of 1995/06/17

    We define the real size of cube space to be the number of M-conjugate
    classes {m'Ym} for m in M, set of 48 rotations and reflections
    of the cube, and for Y in G.

    Dan Hoey has calculated the real size of cube space using the
    Polya-Burnside theorem.

    Dan and I (mostly Dan) have also calculated the same result using
    exhaustive computer search.  The computer search is much less
    elegant than the Polya-Burnside results, but the search does
    provide additional information, such as the number of positions
    associated with each symmetry group.  The results from the
    computer search have not yet been posted to the list, but a draft
    paper is in progress.

    In the meantime, it occurs to me that perhaps  --  but only perhaps --
    there is a third way to calculate the real size of cube space.
    The third way would not require (much) computer searching, but would
    provide the same level of detail about number of positions per
    symmetry group as does the full blown search.

    ... detailed description of the method deleted ...

And he continued in his message of 1995/06/18

    I should have said "a fourth way", I think.  Martin Schoernert
    performed the same calculation with GAP.  Hence, we have three
    ways in hand: 1) Dan's Polya-Burnside method, 2) Martin's GAP
    calculations, and 3) brute force computer search.  My new
    proposal would then be a fourth way.

Well, I don't know about *four* ways.

Dan used the Polya-Burnside theorem.  That is, he computed the
number of M-conjugacy classes as the average number of fixed points
of the elements of M w.r.t. to their action on G.  He computed
the number of fixed points of an element m using clever arguments
about the cycle structure of elements of G that m would fix.

I simply observed that the number of fixed points of an element m is
the size of the centralizer of in G, and then used GAP to compute
those.  So I don't think it is correct to call this a way of its own.

The method you propose is indeed different from Dan's method that
uses Polya-Burnside.

I can't figure out how the brute force computer search works.
So I can't tell whether it is really different from the other methods
(and if indeed it is a method to compute the real size of the cube ;-).
Jerry, could you say a little bit more about this computation?

It appears to me that Dan and Jim Saxe must have realized all the
important pieces for your new method when they wrote their seminal
``Symmetry and Local Maxima (long message)'' message of 1980/12/14.
As Jerry points out, they did calculate the important values for
9 of the 33 conjugacy classes of subgroups of M (those whose sizes
are a multiple of 12).  It is neither clear from their message how
they found those 9 classes (in fact they apparently found all 98
subgroups of M), nor how they computed the numbers of elements of
G that have a specific subgroup of M as symmetry group.
Perhaps Dan can say a little bit more about this?

Jerry continued in his message of 1995/06/18

    Here is a question for Martin: is there any way with GAP to calculate
    the number of M-conjugacy classes associated with each symmetry class?
    It is this additional information about the "real cube space" which
    *is* available via computer search, and for which I am proposing
    an alternative which does not involve computer search.

Of course there is ;-).

Given a subgroup H of M, the centralizer of H in G is the set of all
those elements of G that commute with all elements of H.  But this is
of course simply the set of those elements of G that have either H or
a larger group as their symmetry group.

So we can compute the numbers of elements of G with symmetry group H
by computing the size of the centralizer of H in G, and then subtracting
the numbers of those elements that have a symmetry group that is a
proper supergroup of H.  This is easy if we compute those numbers
for all subgroups of M, from the larger subgroups down to the smaller.
Of course it is not neccessarry to do this for all 98 subgroups
of M, but only for one subgroup for each of the 33 conjugacy classes.

Then if we simply divide the number of elements with symmetry group H by
the index of H in M, we obtain the number of M-conjugacy classes into
which those elements fall.

As a GAP program this looks as follows

    # compute the conjugacy classes of subgroups of M
    classes := ConjugacyClassesSubgroups( M );
    numbers := [];

    # for all conjugacy classes of subgroups of M
    for i  in [Length(classes),Length(classes)-1..1]  do

        # select a representative for this conjugacy class
        rep := Representative( classes[i] );

        # compute how many elements have at least this symmetry group
        number := Size( Centralizer( G, rep ) );

        # subtract the number of elements that have a larger symmetry group
        for k  in [Length(classes),Length(classes)-1..i+1]  do
            for sub  in Elements( classes[k] )  do
                if IsSubgroup( sub, rep )  then
                    number := number - numbers[k];
                fi;
            od;
        od;

        # store the number
        numbers[i] := number;

        # print the number of the class
        Print( i, ":\t" );

        # the size of the subgroups in the class
        Print( Size(rep), "\t" );

        # the number of subgroups in the class
        Print( Size(classes[i]), "\t" );

        # the number of elements whose symmetry group lies in the class
        Print( Size(classes[i]), " * ", number, "\t" );

        # and the number of M-conjugacy classes of those elements
        Print( Size(classes[i]), " * ", number, " / ", Index(M,rep), "\n" );

    od;

*Do not try this with GAP 3.4.2 (our latest release).*
GAP 3.4.2 contains several naive functions for permutation groups,
that cause this computation to take a very long time.
But with GAP 3.5 (our current development version),
this produces in about a minute the following table.

CLASS   SIZE   LENGHT NUMBER                    REAL		NAME
33:     48     1      1 * 4                     1 * 4 / 1       (M)
32:     24     1      1 * 0                     1 * 0 / 2       (C)
31:     24     1      1 * 0                     1 * 0 / 2       (AM)
30:     24     1      1 * 20                    1 * 20 / 2      (H)
29:     16     3      3 * 124                   3 * 124 / 3     (X1,X2,X3)
28:     12     4      4 * 12                    4 * 12 / 4      (T1,T2,T3)
27:     12     1      1 * 48                    1 * 48 / 4
26:      8     3      3 * 384                   3 * 384 / 6
25:      8     3      3 * 1408                  3 * 1408 / 6
24:      8     3      3 * 2944                  3 * 2944 / 6
23:      8     3      3 * 1920                  3 * 1920 / 6
22:      8     3      3 * 384                   3 * 384 / 6
21:      8     3      3 * 896                   3 * 896 / 6
20:      8     1      1 * 11892                 1 * 11892 / 6
19:      6     4      4 * 416                   4 * 416 / 8
18:      6     4      4 * 32                    4 * 32 / 8
17:      6     4      4 * 7740                  4 * 7740 / 8
16:      4     6      6 * 96232                 6 * 96232 / 12
15:      4     6      6 * 96256                 6 * 96256 / 12
14:      4     3      3 * 92928                 3 * 92928 / 12
13:      4     3      3 * 437504                3 * 437504 / 12
12:      4     3      3 * 574208                3 * 574208 / 12
11:      4     3      3 * 1163520               3 * 1163520 / 12
10:      4     3      3 * 144640                3 * 144640 / 12
9:       4     3      3 * 62208                 3 * 62208 / 12
8:       4     1      1 * 280272                1 * 280272 / 12
7:       3     4      4 * 3770864               4 * 3770864 / 16
6:       2     6      6 * 424415168             6 * 424415168 / 24
5:       2     6      6 * 2547748032            6 * 2547748032 / 24
4:       2     3      3 * 15285460992           3 * 15285460992 / 24
3:       2     3      3 * 18342768640           3 * 18342768640 / 24
2:       2     1      1 * 45862360944           1 * 45862360944 / 24
1:       1     1      1 * 43252003109885814336  1 * 43252003109885814336 / 48

As expected the numbers in the fourth column add to the size of G.
And the numbers in the fifth column add to 901083404981813616,
the real size of the cube (|M\MG/M|).

For those classes that I could identify I have added their names.
If somebody could describe Dan's taxonomy, I will name the other
classes as well.

Have a nice day.

Martin.

-- .- .-. - .. -.  .-.. --- ...- . ...  .- -. -. .. -.- .-
Martin Sch"onert,   Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE,   +49 241 804551
Lehrstuhl D f"ur Mathematik, Templergraben 64, RWTH, 52056 Aachen, Germany

From mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de  Tue Jun 20 09:29:59 1995
Return-Path: <mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de>
Received: from samson.math.rwth-aachen.de by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23574; Tue, 20 Jun 95 09:29:59 EDT
Received: from hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de by samson.math.rwth-aachen.de with smtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #11) id m0sO2bG-000MPBC; Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:40 MET DST
Received: by hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de (Smail3.1.28.1 #19)
	id m0sO2bF-00026zC; Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:40 WET DST
Message-Id: <m0sO2bF-00026zC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 95 14:40 WET DST
From: "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
In-Reply-To: "Jerry Bryan"'s message of Sun, 18 Jun 1995 15:55:22 -0400 (EDT) <wvmail32.1995jun18.154620.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Subject: Re: Re: A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?

Looking through the old messages about the real size of the cube group,
it appeared to me that no one has shown a proof for the Polya-Burnside
theorem.  Since it is not difficult to prove, I decided to write one up.

In the following I will use TeX notation for formulae, i.e., formulae
are included in '$' signs, '{}' are used to group terms, '^' is used
for superscripts, and '_' for subscripts.

If $g \in G$, then I denote the set of elements that are really
equivalent to $g$ by $g^M$.  Jerry denotes this set by {m'gm},
but $g^M$ is the more common notation in group theory.

The sum $\sum_{g \in h^M}{1/|g^M|}$ is simply 1, since it is the sum over
all elements in one M-conjugacy class (h^M) of 1 over the length of
that M-conjugacy class.  Thus the sum $\sum_{g \in G}{1/|g^M|}$ is the
number of M-conjugacy classes.

Now we need a standard lemma from group theory, which tells us that the
length of a class $g^M$ of an element $g$ under the action of a group $M$
is equal to the size of the group $M$ divided by the size of the subgroup
of those elements of $M$ that fix $g$ (more precisely the index of that
subgroup in $M$, since the lemma is true, even if $M$ is infinite).

So using Jerry's notation this lemma gives $1/|g^M| = |Symm(g)|/|M|$.
Applying that to the above formula we see that the number of
M-conjugacy classes in $G$ is $\sum_{g \in G} {|Symm(g)|/|M|}$
Or, after a trivial change, $1/|M| \sum_{g \in G} {|Symm(g)|}$.

Assume that $(g^m == g)$ is 1 if $g^m$ is equal to $g$ and 0 otherwise.
Then we have $|Symm(g)| = \sum_{m \in M}{(g^m == g)}$.
Thus the number of M-conjugacy classes is
$1/|M| \sum_{g \in G} \sum_{m \in M} {(g^m == g)}$.

Now we can simply change the order of the two summations, so we get
$1/|M| \sum_{m \in M} \sum_{g \in G} {(g^m == g)}$.

But of course $\sum_{g \in G} {(g^m == g)}$ is obviously the number of
fixpoints of $m$.  So we obtain the Polya-Burnside lemma: ``The number of
M-conjugacy classes is the average number of fixpoints of the elements
of $M$ w.r.t. their operation on $G$''.

However, here the operation is special, so we can simplify even further.
$g^m$ here means $m^{-1} g m$, so $(g^m == g)$ means $(m^{-1} g m == g)$,
which is equivalent to $(m == g^{-1} m g)$ (multiply the equation first
by $m$ and then by $g^{-1}$ from the left), which is $(m == m^g)$.

So the number of M-conjugacy classes is
$1/|M| \sum_{m \in M} \sum_{g \in G} {(m == m^g)}$.

But $\sum_{g \in G} {(m == m^g)}$ is simply the size of the subgroup of
those elements in $G$ that fix $m$.  This is the centralizer of
$m$ in $G$.  So the number of M-conjugacy classes is finally
$1/|M| \sum_{m \in M} |Centralizer(G,m)|$.

This is the formulation that I used to compute the real size of the cube
group with GAP.

Have a nice day.

Martin.

-- .- .-. - .. -.  .-.. --- ...- . ...  .- -. -. .. -.- .-
Martin Sch"onert,   Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE,   +49 241 804551
Lehrstuhl D f"ur Mathematik, Templergraben 64, RWTH, 52056 Aachen, Germany

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Tue Jun 20 18:04:35 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25438; Tue, 20 Jun 95 18:04:35 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 8764; Tue, 20 Jun 95 13:48:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 4745; Tue, 20 Jun 1995 13:48:53 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun20.114716.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Tue, 20 Jun 1995 13:48:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Re: A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?
In-Reply-To: Message of 06/20/95 at 14:39:00 from ,
           Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE

On 06/20/95 at 14:39:00 Martin Schoenert said:

>I can't figure out how the brute force computer search works.
>So I can't tell whether it is really different from the other methods
>(and if indeed it is a method to compute the real size of the cube ;-).
>Jerry, could you say a little bit more about this computation?

I look at corners and edges separately, and then combine the results.

I can't speak for how Dan did his corner search and his edge search,
but I can describe mine.  Our results do match, which is always nice.

Dan did most of the figuring out of "combining the results" for corners
and edges.

Conceptually, I look at every single corner position X and calculate
Symm(X), and I look at every single edge position Y and calculate
Symm(Y).  In practice, there are some important shortcuts.

I have a data base containing "every" corner position and a second
data base containing "every" edge position with "every" defined in
the following sense.  The set of all positions is partitioned into
equivalence classes of the form {m'Xmc} for the corners and {m'Ymc}
for the edges, for m in M (48 rotations and reflections) and c in C
(24 rotations).  The data bases contain a representative element
from each equivalence class.

For all the cases where |{m'Xmc}|=1152 and |{m'Ymc}|=1152, no searching
is required.  For these cases, we know *a priori* that there are 24
M-conjugacy classes containing 48 elements each, and that for each
of the 1152 positions we have Symm(X)=I and Symm(Y)=I.  Fortunately,
for the vast majority of the cases (over 97% for corners and well
over 99% for edges), the so-called B-class size is 1152.

Suppose the representative for {m'Xmc} is V and for {m'Ymc} is W.
For the remaining cases, the idea is to use Vc and Wc for
each fixed c in C as a base or representative element for an
M-conjugacy class of the form {m'(Vc)m} and {m'(Wc)m}.  The tricky
part here is that while Vc and Vd are distinct when c and d in C
are not equal, nonetheless Vc and Vd may be M-conjugate.  Hence,
we use each Vc and Wc which are distinct up to M-conjugacy as
a representative element for an M-conjugacy class.

Conceptually, we calculate Symm(T) for each T in {m'(Vc)m} for each
fixed c (and for Vc distinct up to M-conjugacy) and summarize the
results.  In practice, it is sufficient to calculate Symm(Vc).

Here comes another tricky part (at least it was until I figured it out).
Initially, I assumed that Symm(T) was the same for all T in {m'(Vc)m}.
However, such is not the case.  Rather, if you calculate each Symm(T), you
will discover that each one will be a group from a class of conjugate
groups, and that each group in the class of conjugate groups will appear
an equal number of times.

Given that you have picked an arbitrary representative from the M-conjugacy
class, you don't know which conjugate group you are going to get when
you calculate Symm(m'(Vc)m).  I got around this issue originally by
calculating a representative group (the 98 subgroups of M then have
33 representative groups, one for each of the 33 symmetry classes).
In the work I am doing now, I map directly from each of the 98 subgroups
to their respective symmetry class.

The exhaustive search then consists of performing the above calculations
for each B-class of the form {m'Xmc} and {m'Ymc} and summarizing the
results (that is, counting all the M-conjugacy classes).  In addition
to an overall total, you summarize by symmetry class, which gives you
the additional information I have talked about, over and above Dan's
Polya-Burnside results.

At this point, the summary results give you the real size of the corners
only problem and the real size of the edges only problem.  While you are
at it, you have to count the M-conjugacy classes for even positions and odd
positions separately in order to put corners and edges together
properly.

Finally, you put the corners and edges together in all possible ways.
The putting together of the corners and edges is described in the
draft I have mentioned, so I will just wait until the draft is
ready before posting the rest.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil  Thu Jun 22 03:44:23 1995
Return-Path: <hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil>
Received: from Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA02954; Thu, 22 Jun 95 03:44:23 EDT
Received: by Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil (4.1/SMI-4.0)
	id AA25013; Thu, 22 Jun 95 03:43:59 EDT
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 95 03:43:59 EDT
From: hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil (Dan Hoey)
Message-Id: <9506220743.AA25013@Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu,
        "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
Subject: Ways to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?
In-Reply-To: <m0sO2aQ-00026zC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>

Martin Schoenert says:
> I can't figure out how the brute force computer search works.

and while Jerry Bryan gives one answer, I have another.  For you see,
I also ran a brute force computer search for the symmetry classes,
too.  And while it agrees with Jerry's answers, mine was a
significantly different algorithm, which I discuss a little a the end
of this message.

> It appears to me that Dan and Jim Saxe must have realized all the
> important pieces for your new method when they wrote their seminal
> ``Symmetry and Local Maxima (long message)'' message of 1980/12/14.
> As Jerry points out, they did calculate the important values for
> 9 of the 33 conjugacy classes of subgroups of M (those whose sizes
> are a multiple of 12).  It is neither clear from their message how
> they found those 9 classes (in fact they apparently found all 98
> subgroups of M), nor how they computed the numbers of elements of
> G that have a specific subgroup of M as symmetry group.
> Perhaps Dan can say a little bit more about this?

First, to find all the subgoups of M.  I represented the elements of M
as a list of permutations on faces, found easily enough by finding the
closure of the generators.  Then I did a depth-first search for
subgroups, branching by computing the closure of the current subgroup
with each possible element not in that subgroup, and cutting off the
search on previously-seen subgroups.  It's quick, it's dirty, it
works.  I found the nine subgroups of order a multiple of 12, as shown
in the Hasse subgroup diagram:

    order 48 . . . M_
                  /|\\_ 
                 / | \ \_ 
                /  |  \  \_
    order 24 . A . H . C   \_
                \  |  /      \_
                 \ | /         \_
                  \|/            \
    order 12 . . . E . . . . .T[1..4]

(except we called E "AC" back then).  The trick then was to find all
the E-symmetric positions and all the T1-symmetric positions; the
tasks of finding the full symmetry group of such positions and
counting the positions for T2, T3, and T4 were straightforward.

The best tool we had for figuring out symmetric positions was
essentially the one I wrote about in ``The real size of cube space''
on 4 Nov 94.  For a subgroup J of M, if a position g is J-symmetric,
then g must commute with each operation m in J.  Recall:

The fundamental principle we use in finding whether g commutes with
m can be found by examining the cycles of m.  Suppose m permutes a
cycle (c1,c2,...,c[k-1],ck), so that
    c2=m(c1), c3=m(c2), ..., ck=m(c[k-1]), and c1=m(ck).
For g to commute with m, we have
    g(c2)=m(g(c1)), g(c3)=m(g(c2)), ..., g(ck)=m(g(c[k-1])),
    and g(c1)=m(g(ck)).
So (g(c1),g(c2),...,g(ck)) is also a cycle of m.  Thus g must map each
k-cycle of m to another k-cycle of m, and in the same order.

The orientation question was a lot more difficult, so we ran through a
bunch of little results.  The following is a cleaned-up sample of the
sort of arguments, as I remember them.  In it FRD is an unoriented
corner cubie/cubicle and FRD.D is its down-facing color-tab/facicle.
================================================================
    Lemma 1: Suppose X and Y are corners, and m is in C, m(X)=Y.
             Suppose g(X)=X and g(Y)=Y, and g commutes with m,
             Then g applies the same twist to corners X and Y.
    Proof: Let TX,TY be the clockwise 120-degree rotation of corners
           cubies X and Y, respectively.  Then m(TX(.))=TY(m(.)), as
           can be seen by the fact that we could apply a twist to X in
           place (TX) before moving it to Y with m, or we can perform
           the same twist on Y (TY) after moving it.  So if
           g(X)=TX^k(X), then
           g(Y)=g(m(X))=m(g(X))=m(TX^k(X))=TY^k(m(X))=TY^k(Y).
           performing the same twist on Y as on X,               QED.

    Lemma 2: If g is E-symmetric, then each corner cubie remains in
             its home cubicle (not considering orientation).
    Proof: Supposing otherwise, take a moved cubie (without loss of
           generality) to be FRD, and suppose (w.l.o.g.) it moves to
           one of locations FDL, FLT, or BTL.
        Case 1.  If g(FRD)=FDL, consider operation m to be the
                 120-degree rotation about FRD.
                 m(FRD)=FRD, m(FDL)=FTR.  So
                 g(FRD)=g(m(FRD))=m(g(FRD))=m(FDL)=FTR, contradicting
                 g(FRD)=FDL.
        Case 2.  If g(FRD)=FLT, then take m as in case 1; m(FLT)=BRT,
                 so g(FRD)=g(m(FRD))=m(g(FRD))=m(FLT)=BRT,
                 contradicting g(FRD)=FDL.
        Case 3.  If g(FRD)=BTL, then g(FRD.F) is BTL.B, BTL.T, or
                 BTL.L.
        Case 3a. If g(FRD.F)=BTL.B, then g(FRD.R)=BTL.T, by clockwise
                 adjacency.  But m(FRD.F)=FRD.R and m(BTL.B)=BTL.L,
                 and g(FRD.R)=g(m(FRD.F))=m(g(FRD.F))=m(BTL.B)=BTL.L
                 contradicts G(FRD.F)=BTL.B.
        Cases 3b and 3c work the same way.
           The contradictions establish that FRD does not move,  QED.

    Lemma 3: If g is E-symmetric, then the twists of the four corner
             cubies FRD, FLT, BLD, and BRT agree with each other, and
             and the other four also agree with each other.
    Proof: For any two of the four corners (e.g. FRD, FLT), there is
           a 120-degree rotation in E taking one to the other
           (e.g. the rotation about FTR).  Lemma 1 applies
           immediately to show the twists agree,                 QED.

    Lemma 4. If g is E-symmetric, then the corner cubies are all
             solved, or are rotated alternately in opposite
             directions.
    Proof: From Lemma 2, all the cubies are in their home cubicles.
           If one of the sets from Lemma 3 is twisted, their total
           twist is the twist of a single cubie (since there are four
           of them) and so must be counteracted by having the other
           set twisted in the opposite direction, which is alternate
           corners twisted oppositely; otherwise all corner are
           solved,                                               QED.

    Lemma 5. Let T1 refer to the group that fixes the FRD-BTL axis.
             Then any T1-symmetric position g must keep the FRD and
             BTL cubies in their solved position, and rotated by the
             same amount.
    Proof: Let m be the 120-degree rotation about FRD, which is in T1.
           Since FRD and BTL are the only 1-orbits of m, they are kept
           in place or swapped.  From the proof of Lemma 2 (which uses
           the same m) they cannot be swapped.  Otherwise, the two
           cubies are kept in place, and 180 degree rotation about the
           FL-BR axis, also in T1 fulfills the requirements of Lemma 1
           to show they will both be rotated the same amount,    QED.
================================================================
That's about all I feel like remembering and formalizing right now.
As you can see, it's long, mechanical, and boring.  That's why we
never got around to writing it all down.

Early last year I wrote a computer program to find *all* the symmetry
groups of *all* the positions.  The first part did the corners and
edges separately, counting the number of positions for each symmetry
group and permutation parity.  For each of the 8! or 12! permutations,
I checked to see if the permutation commuted with some nontrivial
operation of M; if not, I just counted the appropriate number of
I-symmetric positions.  Otherwise I applied orientations and counted
up the symmetry groups of each possible orientation.  (It could
probably have been made to go faster, by cutting off partial
permutation or orientation generation as soon as all the non-trivial
operations were ruled out.)

In the above counts, I also kept track each time of whether the
permutation was even or odd.  Then after I had the count of even and
odd permutations for corners and edges in each symmetry group, I had a
program that intersected the symmetry groups, and for each pair of
subgroups J,K, and each parity P, I added
    Corners[J,P] * Edges[K,P]  to  Whole[J intersect K, P], 
with some fancy footwork so I only needed to deal with conjugacy
classes for J and K.  Then for each K, the number of whole K-symmetric
positions was Whole[K,Even]+Whole[K,Odd].

The program finished about the time I realized the application of the
Polya-Burnside theorem.  Then for most of the year, I put off writing
it all up.  I have Jerry to thank for reminding me to get with it, and
for useful comments and discussions on the early drafts.

Dan

From @secyt.gov.ar,@recom.edu.ar:administ@marben.recom.edu.ar  Mon Jun 26 11:47:47 1995
Return-Path: <@secyt.gov.ar,@recom.edu.ar:administ@marben.recom.edu.ar>
Received: from secyt.secyt.gov.ar ([200.9.244.2]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA05732; Mon, 26 Jun 95 11:47:47 EDT
Received: by secyt.gov.ar with UUCP id <12188>; Mon, 26 Jun 1995 12:43:07 -0300
Received: from marben.recom.edu.ar by recom.recom.edu.ar with bsmtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #2) id m0sQFwa-0003qDC; Mon, 26 Jun 95 12:19 ARG
Received:  by marben.recom.edu.ar (UUPC/extended 1.11q(RAN-0.95));
           Mon, 26 Jun 1995 11:57:35 ARG
Received:  by marben.recom.edu.ar (UUPC/extended 1.11q(REC-1.30));
           Mon, 26 Jun 1995 11:57:35 ARG
Date: 	Mon, 26 Jun 1995 08:57:35 -0300
From: "Marcelo Daniel Benveniste " <administ@marben.recom.edu.ar>
Message-Id: <2feecadf.marben@marben.recom.edu.ar>
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
X-Mailer:  RECMAIL [UUPC/extended 1.11q(REC-1.30)]
Subject:   Subscription request


Please, subscribe-me to this list
---
                                     Marcelo Daniel Benveniste    
                                  administ@marben.recom.edu.ar

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Tue Jun 27 23:22:41 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23088; Tue, 27 Jun 95 23:22:41 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 1105; Tue, 27 Jun 95 23:22:51 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9315; Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:22:51 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun27.215050.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Tue, 27 Jun 1995 23:22:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Constructing K-symmetric Cubes

This is a followup on several recent messages concerning the
question of K-symmetric cubes, where K is one of the
98 subgroups of M.

We recall that a permutation is a special kind of function,
namely a one-to-one and onto function on a set.  A very
common technique used with functions is to restrict the
domain to a (usually proper) subset of the original domain.
In the paradigm of a function as a general rule, the general rule
is applied to the subset of the domain to obtain the restriction
of the function.  In the paradigm of a function as a set of ordered
pairs, the restriction is simply a (usually proper) subset of the
set of ordered pairs.  A restriction of a permutation is usually
not a permutation (certainly not a permutation on the original
domain), but it is still a function.

We will treat a permutation on the cube as a set of restrictions
(functions) of the several cubicles.  We take as our first example
the function UFL->UFL.  Unlike cycle notation, it is not
assumed that the other cubicles are fixed;  rather, the other
function values are undefined (e.g., URF->?).

Let X be any function (not necessarily a permutation) whose domain
is some subset of the cubicles.  We define Symm(X) in the standard
fashion  --  Symm(X) is the set of all m in M such that
m'Xm=X.  If X is the function UFL->UFL, we have Symm(X)=AT4, not
Symm(X)=M as you might expect.  AT4 is a subgroup in Dan's taxonomy
containing six elements, and which has an axis of symmetry along
the UFL-DBR axis.

This definition of Symm(X) perhaps requires a minor bit of
justification.  In a function composition such as FG (left-to-
right notation) or G(F(x)) (right-to-left "calculus" notation),
it is sometimes taken as a convention that the range of F must
match the domain of G.  But we can also take the restriction of
G to the intersection of the range of F with the domain of G,
and we do so.  Having done so, Symm(X) is well defined.

We wish to build an M-symmetric permutation containing the
function UFL->UFL, but Symm(UFL->UFL)=AT4 is not a very
auspicious start.  Rather, we define the conditions under which
a function is K-symmetric is follows.  A function X is K-symmetric
if the union of the K-conjugates k'Xk is a function.

Given this definition, the only M-symmetric function on UFL is
in fact UFL->UFL, so we really have made a good start.  Furthermore,
any M-symmetric permutation that contains UFL->UFL must also
contain all the M-conjugates of UFL->UFL, and the union of the
M-conjugates is simply the identity permutation on the corners.

The fact that Symm(UFL->UFL)=AT4 can be of some benefit in our
investigations.  In particular, the fact that |AT4|=6 means that
there are 8 M-conjugates, so taking all the M-conjugates of
UFL->UFL means that all 8 corners are specified.

Our next example will be UFL->LUF (a twist of the corner).  In
this case, we have Symm(X)=ET4.  ET4 is the subgroup of M in
Dan's taxonomy which contains 3 elements including the identity
plus the 1/3 and 2/3 rotations around the UFL-DBR axis.

Of more import, UFL->LUF is not M-symmetric.  However, it is both
C-symmetric (C is the set of 24 rotations) and H-symmetric
(H is the set of 12 even rotations and 12 odd reflections).  As
an aside, we note that it is not A-symmetric, where A is the set
of 24 even rotations and reflections.  But since it is both
C-symmetric and H-symmetric, there is not a unique largest
subgroup K for which we can say it is K-symmetric.

It is easy to see that UFL->LUF is not M-symmetric.  The set of
M-conjugates contains both UFL->LUF and UFL->FLU, so the union
of the M-conjugates is not a function.  We can see the same thing
from the fact that |ET4|=3.  Since |ET4|=3, there are 16 M-conjugates,
but there are only 8 corners to represent the 16 M-conjugates.

Since UFL->LUF is C-symmetric, let's see if we can build a
C-symmetric permutation.  There are 8 C-conjugates (a good
start!), and the 8 C-conjugates twist each of the 8 corners
by 1/3 in the same direction.  Hence, this is a C-symmetric
but not M-symmetric permutation.  Of course, it is an "illegal"
position in the sense that it is not in the same orbit
as Start.

In the same manner, we can build a K-symmetric permutation for
any K.  We start with a K-symmetric function on a single
cubicle. (A function which is K-symmetric is L-symmetric for
any L which is a subgroup of K).  We include all
K-conjugates.  If the cube is completely specified, we stop.
Otherwise, we choose another K-symmetric function for any
previously unspecified cubicle, add in the new K-conjugates,
and so forth, repeating until the entire permutation is
specified.

Needless to say, this construction process suffers from not
preserving orbit.  Additional steps must be taken to assure that
the constructed position is in the desired orbit (usually, the
Start orbit).  And some orbits do not have representatives from
some subgroups, for example it is well known that there are
no C-symmetric but not M-symmetric permutations in the Start
orbit.

To use Dan's adjectives, this process very quickly can become
long, mechanical, and boring.  But I now see how to build a
K-symmetric permutation for any K.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed Jun 28 12:52:18 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA20782; Wed, 28 Jun 95 12:52:18 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 4454; Wed, 28 Jun 95 10:09:51 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0089; Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:09:52 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jun28.094805.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:09:51 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Re: A Third Way to Calculate the Real Size of Cube Space?
In-Reply-To: Message of 06/20/95 at 14:39:00 from ,
           Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE

I guess I am going to have to break down and get a copy of GAP.  It
is truly impressive how much GAP can do so easily.

My interpretation of Martin's GAP program is that it implements the
general outline of the algorithm I described, except that GAP was
able to calculate the number of K-symmetric permutations in a very
simple and direct way, whereas I was going to have to puzzle each one
out by hand.

The heart of Martin's program appears to be the following, and I have
a couple of questions.


>        # compute how many elements have at least this symmetry group
>        number := Size( Centralizer( G, rep ) );

The first question is:  how does the Size function work?  As a simpler
example than the one above, what if you simply say Size(G)?  I am
naively assuming that G is specified to GAP in terms of generators
only, and that it makes no attempt to actually represent each element
of G (too big!).  And I have seen snippets of GAP libraries for G
posted by Mark Longridge, and they look like generators.  I have been
in several group theory books lately, and I don't recall seeing
a general algorithm presented for determining the size of a finite
group based on its generators.

The second question is like unto the first:  how does the
Centralizer function work?  In this particular case, we don't
really need the Centralizer, we only need the Size of the Centralizer,
but the question remains in either case.  Surely, GAP does not
literally try each element of G and each element of rep to see
which elements commute (too big again).  So what is the general
algorithm?

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From rodrigo@lsi.usp.br  Wed Jun 28 17:15:45 1995
Return-Path: <rodrigo@lsi.usp.br>
Received: from ofelia.lsi.usp.br (lsi.poli.usp.br) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA06724; Wed, 28 Jun 95 17:15:45 EDT
Received: from mozart.lsi.usp.br (mozart.lsi.usp.br [143.107.3.237]) by ofelia.lsi.usp.br (8.6.12/8.6.9) with ESMTP id SAA21488; Wed, 28 Jun 1995 18:13:40 -0300
Received: (from rodrigo@localhost) by mozart.lsi.usp.br (8.6.12/8.6.9) id VAA12159; Wed, 28 Jun 1995 21:12:54 GMT
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 14:12:53 +48000
From: Rodrigo de Almeida Siqueira <rodrigo@lsi.usp.br>
To: steinark@ifi.uio.no, bagleyd@source.asset.com,
        Reinaldo Augusto da Costa Bianchi <rbianchi@mozart.lsi.usp.br>
Cc: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Subject: Rubik Cube... for Windows ?
In-Reply-To: <199506281753.OAA19377@jaguar.lsi.usp.br>
Message-Id: <Pine.SGI.3.90.950628140904.12060A-100000@mozart.lsi.usp.br>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII



On Wed, 28 Jun 1995, steinark@ifi.uio.no wrote:

> id: Email: steinark@ifi.uio.no
> comments:
> Just thought I would mention a Windows version Rubic Cube
> program. It's located at several ftp sites and the file 
> to look for is called 'cubic.zip'. Has a far better
> look-and-feel than XRubic I think. It has its own solving
> algorithm, but this can be rather slow...
> Check it out. If you don't find it I can probably send it
> to you some how.
> 
> Steinar

Hello Steinar,

Would you tell me where (ftp site) can I find cubic.zip ?
I would like to try it and put a link in the "Robot can play with the 
Cube Web homepage" (http://www.lsi.usp.br/~daia/celula/cubo/)

Thank you,

Rodrigo Siqueira
rodrigo@lsi.usp.br
(http://www.lsi.usp.br/usp/rod/rod.html)

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Mon Jul  3 14:15:37 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA06664; Mon, 3 Jul 95 14:15:37 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <181844-6>; Mon, 3 Jul 1995 14:17:04 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA20578; Mon, 3 Jul 95 14:11:10 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E9C05; Mon,  3 Jul 95 14:04:58 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Antislice Patterns
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1181.5834.0C1E9C05@canrem.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 1995 14:53:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

Patterns in the Anti-Slice Group
--------------------------------

p4   8 flip (Op sides)  (R1 L1 U1 D1 F1 B1) ^2                    (12)
p10a pons asinorum      (L3 R1 U3 D1)^3                           (12)
p16a 4 cross order 2     F1 B1 U1 D1 L2 R2 U1 D1 F1 B1 U2 D2      (12)
p17  4 diagonal         (F1 B1 R1 L1) ^3                          (12)
p18a 4 diagonal,2 cross (F1 B1 R3 L3) ^3                          (12)
p22  2 DOT, 2 Stripe     R1 L1 U2 D2 R3 L3                         (6)
p64a 4 Z                 F1 B1 L3 R3 F1 B1 L1 R1 F3 B3 L1 R1      (12)
p143 Pinwheels           F1 B1 L1 R1 F3 B3 U3 D3 L1 R1 U1 D1      (12)
p175a 6 H order 2        U3 D3 L3 R3 F2 B2 U2 D2 L3 R3 U1 D1      (12)
p198a 2 X, 4 Diag no C   L1 R1 F1 B1 L3 R3 F3 B3 L1 R1 F1 B1      (12)
p201 Pinwheels + Pons    L1 R1 F3 B3 L1 R1 U3 D3 F1 B1 U3 D3      (12)

p201 is a quite interesting position.
The square's group equivalent is no shorter in q turns:

p175 6 H order 2 type 2  U2 B2 L2 U2 D2 L2 F2 U2                   (8)

Note that p201 = |{m'Xm}|=2 and |Symm(X)|=24.

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Mon Jul  3 14:15:29 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA06658; Mon, 3 Jul 95 14:15:29 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <181839-4>; Mon, 3 Jul 1995 14:16:59 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA20583; Mon, 3 Jul 95 14:11:12 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1E9C06; Mon,  3 Jul 95 14:04:58 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Crazy Corner Pattern Revisited
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1182.5834.0C1E9C06@canrem.com>
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 1995 14:59:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

Jerry writes:

>                In their position, the UFL and RBD corners are
>in place, and the other three pairs are swapped.  The "girdle"
>includes the three pairs that are swapped.  Hence, there
>is an axis of symmetry along the UFL-RBD axis.  The odd number of
>swaps is compensated by an odd number in the edges.  The compensation
>is not required for corners only.
>
>        R D D
>        U U D
>        U U B
>
> D L L  F F D  L L F  L F F
> R L L  F F B  L R R  B B F
> R R B  R B B  U R R  B B U
>
>        U U L
>        U D D
>        F D D

Much is explained! (And this is all the way back in file "cube01" in
the archives, Date: 14 December 1980 1916-EST).

What does the 1916- mean in front of EST???

If we put the edges in place in Jerry's (and Dan's) position
then we have a position M-conjugate to the one I posted.
(re-posted below).

        F U U
        U U U
        D U L
R L B   R F B   D R R   B B D
L L L   F F F   R R R   B B B
U L L   F F U   L R F   L B F
        D D B
        D D D
        R D U

Jerry Continues:

>...there is an axis of symmetry along the UFL-RBD axis.  The odd
>number of swaps is compensated by an odd number in the edges.
>The compensation is not required for corners only.

Great! We both concur that this pattern is in the swap orbit.
There is another position with M-class 4 in the twist orbit,
but that one is *utterly* impossible unless one corner twists
on it's own (perhaps due to desperate cube turning?)

There are 2 other types of position with M-class 4, and that is
pinwheels and pinwheels + pons asinorum.

-> Mark <-

(I must be cubing too much, 1916-EST has to be 7:16 pm Eastern
Standard Time).

From kpapado@athena.auth.gr  Wed Jul  5 04:55:00 1995
Return-Path: <kpapado@athena.auth.gr>
Received: from bsa2.athena.auth.gr ([155.207.7.3]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA09624; Wed, 5 Jul 95 04:55:00 EDT
Received: from [155.207.48.131] by bsa2.athena.auth.gr with SMTP
	id AA22205; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 11:53:30 +0300
Received: by lch1.athena.auth.gr (1.38.193.4/4.7) id AA01853; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 10:52:13 +0200
Message-Id: <9507050852.AA01853@lch1.athena.auth.gr>
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Date: Wed, 05 Jul 95 10:52:13 EET
From: Kostas Papadopoulos <kpapado@athena.auth.gr>

subscribe listname Kostas Papadopoulos

From hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil  Sun Jul  9 19:53:12 1995
Return-Path: <hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil>
Received: from Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil ([192.26.18.51]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16871; Sun, 9 Jul 95 19:53:12 EDT
Received: by Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil (4.1/SMI-4.0)
	id AA03807; Sun, 9 Jul 95 19:53:10 EDT
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 95 19:53:10 EDT
From: hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil (Dan Hoey)
Message-Id: <9507092353.AA03807@Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil>
To: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>,
        "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: 3x3x3 Cubes for Sale

"Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu> writes:
> ... I couldn't see inside the box to verify this, the Face centers
> seemed to be marked in such a way as to support the Supergroup.

Just as well, you'd have been disappointed.  As I wrote on 8 Jan 92,

: While most people are content to make each face a solid color, some
: cubes have markings that display whether the face centers are twisted
: with respect to the rest of the cube.
:    [This has recently been done commercially in an spectacularly
:     braindamaged way, in a product known as ``Rubik's cube--the
:     fourth dimension'' or some such nonsense.  The mfrs have marked
:     only four face centers, breaking symmetry while they fail to show
:     the surprising invariant of the Supergroup.  What bagbiters!]

> Rubik's note about the size of
> the  problem says it is 4^4 times bigger than the regular problem.

And it could have been 4^(11/2).

Dan
Hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil

From phaedrus@future.dreamscape.com  Sun Jul  9 23:39:02 1995
Return-Path: <phaedrus@future.dreamscape.com>
Received: from zaphod.caz.ny.us (future.dreamscape.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25147; Sun, 9 Jul 95 23:39:02 EDT
Received: (from phaedrus@localhost) by zaphod.caz.ny.us (8.6.11/8.6.9) id XAA01047; Sun, 9 Jul 1995 23:38:26 -0400
From: phaedrus@future.dreamscape.com
Message-Id: <199507100338.XAA01047@zaphod.caz.ny.us>
Subject: Re: 3x3x3 Cubes for Sale
To: hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil (Dan Hoey)
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 1995 23:38:25 -0400 (EDT)
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu, Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
In-Reply-To: <9507092353.AA03807@Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil> from "Dan Hoey" at Jul 9, 95 07:53:10 pm
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24]
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Length: 1450      

> 
> "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu> writes:
> > ... I couldn't see inside the box to verify this, the Face centers
> > seemed to be marked in such a way as to support the Supergroup.
> 
> Just as well, you'd have been disappointed.  As I wrote on 8 Jan 92,
> 
> : While most people are content to make each face a solid color, some
> : cubes have markings that display whether the face centers are twisted
> : with respect to the rest of the cube.
> :    [This has recently been done commercially in an spectacularly
> :     braindamaged way, in a product known as ``Rubik's cube--the
> :     fourth dimension'' or some such nonsense.  The mfrs have marked
> :     only four face centers, breaking symmetry while they fail to show
> :     the surprising invariant of the Supergroup.  What bagbiters!]
> 
> > Rubik's note about the size of
> > the  problem says it is 4^4 times bigger than the regular problem.
> 
> And it could have been 4^(11/2).

And worse, it's not even 4^4, since there are two ways to align the face
centers so that the puzzle looks solved.  The two unmarked faces are
opposite each other, and the four marked faces are marked with symbols
(Rubik's signature, his silouette, "C*4^4", and the "Rubik's Cube"
trademark) that have a definite "up", but don't tie in to the rest of the
cube at all.  If all four are upside down, to "solve" the cube simply
requires turning the cube over.

> 
> Dan
> Hoey@AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil
> 


From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Mon Jul 10 10:46:59 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA14144; Mon, 10 Jul 95 10:46:59 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 4200; Mon, 10 Jul 95 10:46:57 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9475; Mon, 10 Jul 1995 10:46:57 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jul10.100359.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Mon, 10 Jul 1995 10:46:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Run Times, Storage Requirements, etc.
In-Reply-To: Message of 04/21/95 at 11:37:18 from mreid@ptc.com

On 04/21/95 at 11:37:18 mreid@ptc.com said:

>jerry writes

>> What would be really nice (and which may not be possible) is some
>> representation for the cube such that a cube Z and its neighbors
>> Zq or Zh are stored very close together.

>remember that the diameter of the group is small.  (my guess is
>21 face turns, 24 quarter turns.)  so this isn't possible without
>resorting to a liberal definition of "very close".

This is something I have been thinking about for a long time.  The
idea is that if large searches were run on either massively
parallel machines, or even on farms of workstations, it would be
really nice if most neighbors stayed on the same machine.

Some of my searches get so large that I have to decompose them in
a manner somewhat similar to the manner in which I envision decomposing
searches for parallel processing.  Let me use an example a project
I am working on as we speak.  I am trying to do a complete search
for edges only (with centers).

The data base for level 10 of the search is on four tapes (not so big,
really).  The data base is sorted.  The neighbors will be sorted
according to the same collating sequence.  In order to create level 11,
all neighbors have to be generated and sorted (deleting duplicates),
and then matched against the level 9 data base (again deleting duplicates).

I desire to partition the sorted neighbors using as boundary points for
the partition the first record on each of the four tapes for level 10.
My experience is that boundary points that partition one level of the
data base equally also partitions deeper levels of the data base
equally.  Having partitioned level 11, the sizes of the output files are
rather striking:

                  Neighbors in   Neighbors in   Neighbors in   Neighbors in
                    Tape 1         Tape 2         Tape 3         Tape 4
                   Partition      Partition      Partition      Partition


  Lvl 10 Tape 1    5.2 tapes      2.0 tapes      1.2 tapes      0.2 tapes
  Lvl 10 Tape 2    1.3 tapes      5.0 tapes      1.9 tapes      1.2 tapes
  Lvl 10 Tape 3    1.2 tapes      1.4 tapes      5.1 tapes      2.2 tapes
  Lvl 10 Tape 4    0.2 tapes      1.1 tapes      1.6 tapes      6.0 tapes

In real round numbers, the level 11 data base is going to have about
32 tapes, with about 8 tapes in each partition (the branching factor
is about 8 at this level of the search).  But as the chart above shows,
there is a strong tendency for neighbors to stay in the same partition.
(The chart does not reflect it, but to complete the processing for
level 11, the "Tape 1 partition" will all have to be merged together, as
will the "Tape 2 partition", etc.)

I would emphasize that these "partitions" I am talking about are totally
arbitrary subdivisions of the data into smaller chunks to make the
problem manageable.  But imagine if you will that instead of four tapes,
I had four machines, each with a sizable hard disk.  Each machine would
be assigned one of the four partitions.  As it generated neighbors, each
machine would either store the neighbor locally or would send the
neighbor on to one of the other three machines as required.  Obviously,
the more of the neighbors you can keep locally the better.

With various problems I have worked on, I have had various numbers of
partitions of the data  --  10, 16, 32, 128, etc.  The effect I am
describing is always there, and I am not totally sure why.  I have
some theories, but nothing definitive.  I think the effect is stronger
because I am using representative elements of conjugacy classes or
other equivalence classes than if I were storing all individual cubes.

Also, the effect I am describing can be characterized by the almost
silly statement that "one twist of the cube doesn't change the cube
very much".  But it's true.  For example, the dominant part of the sort
is the Front face, which isn't changed by twists of the Back.  Also,
twists of the Front don't change the Front very much when you
consider that representative elements are being stored.  It is only
twists of the Up, Down, Right, and Left faces which change the Front
very much.  Finally, the sort order for the Front face is the Upper
part, the Right part, the Down part, and the Left part, so that even
a twist of the Left face doesn't change the Front face very much with
respect to its sort order.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Mon Jul 10 19:25:51 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16842; Mon, 10 Jul 95 19:25:51 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 7039; Mon, 10 Jul 95 16:20:30 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 9562; Mon, 10 Jul 1995 16:20:30 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jul10.161821.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Mon, 10 Jul 1995 16:20:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Partial Results, Edges only (with Face Centers), Qturns

 Level   M-Conjugacy   Branching  Lcl     Positions   Branching  Lcl
            Classes      Factor   Max                   Factor   Max

   0               1               0              1               0
   1               1      1.000    0             12     12.000    0
   2               5      5.000    0            114      9.500    0
   3              25      5.000    0           1068      9.368    0
   4             215      8.600    0           9819      9.194    0
   5            1886      8.772    0          89392      9.104    0
   6           16902      8.962    0         807000      9.028    0
   7          150442      8.900    0        7209384      8.934    0
   8         1326326      8.816    1       63624107      8.825    2
   9        11505339      8.675           552158812      8.678
  10        96755918      8.410          4643963023      8.411

The local maximum unique up to M-conjugacy is the 6-H position
(see Symmetry and Local Maxima).  I do not yet have a process
for the 6-H, but I should be able to have one soon.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de  Wed Jul 12 06:50:38 1995
Return-Path: <mschoene@math.rwth-aachen.de>
Received: from samson.math.rwth-aachen.de by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16694; Wed, 12 Jul 95 06:50:38 EDT
Received: from hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de by samson.math.rwth-aachen.de with smtp
	(Smail3.1.28.1 #11) id m0sVzLJ-000MPGC; Wed, 12 Jul 95 12:48 MET DST
Received: by hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de (Smail3.1.28.1 #19)
	id m0sVzLJ-00025fC; Wed, 12 Jul 95 12:48 WET DST
Message-Id: <m0sVzLJ-00025fC@hobbes.math.rwth-aachen.de>
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 95 12:48 WET DST
From: "Martin Schoenert" <Martin.Schoenert@math.rwth-aachen.de>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Cc: BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
In-Reply-To: "Jerry Bryan"'s message of Wed, 28 Jun 1995 10:09:51 -0400 (EDT) <wvmail32.1995jun28.094805.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Subject: How to compute the size of a permutation group

Jerry Bryan wrote in his message of 1995/06/28

    I guess I am going to have to break down and get a copy of GAP.  It
    is truly impressive how much GAP can do so easily.

Hah, great, another user for GAP.
Now maybe I can get a raise from my boss ;-)

Jerry continued

    My interpretation of Martin's GAP program is that it implements the
    general outline of the algorithm I described, except that GAP was
    able to calculate the number of K-symmetric permutations in a very
    simple and direct way, whereas I was going to have to puzzle each one
    out by hand.

Let me rephrase that a little bit.  My GAP prgram implements the general
outline of the algorithm you described, except that I am able to tell GAP
to calculate the number of K-symmetric permutations in a very simple and
direct way (but GAP is going to puzzle each one out using an non-simple
and non-direct algorithm I shall outlined in another message).

Jerry continued

    The heart of Martin's program appears to be the following, and I have
    a couple of questions.

    >        # compute how many elements have at least this symmetry group
    >        number := Size( Centralizer( G, rep ) );

    The first question is:  how does the Size function work?  As a simpler
    example than the one above, what if you simply say Size(G)?  I am
    naively assuming that G is specified to GAP in terms of generators
    only, and that it makes no attempt to actually represent each element
    of G (too big!).  And I have seen snippets of GAP libraries for G
    posted by Mark Longridge, and they look like generators.  I have been
    in several group theory books lately, and I don't recall seeing
    a general algorithm presented for determining the size of a finite
    group based on its generators.

For this particular case (asking for the size of a centralizer in a
permutation group), the answer is trivial.  The algorithm that computes
(generators for) the centralizer computes the size of the centralizer as
a byproduct.  I will try to outline this algorithm in another message.

But when you say 'Size(G)', then GAP will indeed use an algorithm that
computes the size of a permutation group given by a set of generators.
The algorithm is called the ``Schreier--Sims'' algorithm.  It was
developed by C.Sims for his investigations of sporadic simple groups, and
is mostly based on a lemma by N.Schreier.  Unfortunately it is *not*
described in any of the generally available textbooks on group theory.

The funny thing is, that this algorithm works very much like the
algorithm puzzlers use to find a method to solve the cube.  Of course it
is lacking the cleverness many puzzlers use to prove that their method is
complete (i.e., solves all possible states), but then the algorithm
(resp. the computer running the algorithm) is a lot more patient.

The first step (for puzzlers and the algorithm) is to find a method to
bring the first facelet to its home place.

The algorithm does this by finding all (24) places to which this facelet
can be moved.  This is done by applying the (6) generators to all the
places found so far, and repeating until no new places are found.  For
each place it also remembers a process that moves the choosen facelet
from its home place to this place, called a representative for the place.

The second step (for puzzlers and the algorithm) is to find enough
processes that leave the first facelet in its home place.  If one has
enough such processes, one can simply start another round of the
algorithm.  I.e., one uses those processes to bring the second facelet to
its home place, finds enough processes that leave the first and the
second facelet in their respective home places, and so on.

In group theoretic terms the set of elements that leave the first facelet
is in its home place is a subgroup (called the stabilizer of that point),
and the problem is to find a set of generators for this subgroup.

So how does the algorithm find such a set of generators?  This is where
Schreier's lemma kicks in.

Let us first take a representative <r1> of a place <p1> (so <r1> moves
the first facelet to the place <p1>).  Then we multiply this by a
generator <g> of the original group.  Say <g> moves the first facelet
from the place <p1> to the place <p2>.  Finally we multiply the product
<r1> * <g> by the inverse of the representative <r2> of the place <p2>.
This obviously moves the first facelet back to its home place, so the
product <r1> * <g> * <r2>^-1 is a process that leaves the first facelet
in its home place, i.e., it is an element of the subgroup.

Now Schreier's lemma says that if we take all 24 times 6 such elements,
then the resulting set is a set of generators for the subgroup.  In fact
Schreier's lemma says that if you select the representatives carefully,
then 24 * (6 - 1) + 1 generators will suffice, and for certain subgroups
(subgroups of free groups) no smaller set of generators will do.

So we now start another round of the algorithm with this (smaller)
subgroup.  How much smaller is this subgroup?  The size of the whole
group is the size of the subgroup times 24 (we get each element of the
whole group exactely once by multiplying each subgroup element by each of
the 24 representatives).  So the subgroup is smaller by a factor of 24.

After at most 48 rounds (for the 48 facelets) we are done.

We can now easily compute the size of the entire group.  It is the size
of the subgroup of those elements that leave the first facelet in its
home place times 24 (the number of possible places for the first
facelet).  The size of this subgroup is the size of the subgroup that
leaves the first and the second facelet in their respective home places
times the number of possible places for the second facelet.  And so on.

We also have a method to solve any state as follows.  We first find the
place <p1> of the first facelet and multiply by the inverse of the
representative of <p1>, to move that facelet back to its home place.
Then we find the place <p2> of the second facelet and multiply by the
inverse of the representative found in the second round of the algorithm,
to move that facelet back to its home place.  Since that representative
was found in the second round it doesn't move the first facelet, so now
the first and the second facelet are in their respective home places.
After at most 48 rounds, we have moved all facelets to their home places.

As has been pointed out before, such a method to solve any state gives us
a membership test for <G>.  Suppose we are given an arbitrary permutation
<x> of the facelets.  Then we simply try to solve <x>.  If we can solve
it, then <x> is an element of <G>.  If we cannot solve it, then <x> is
not an element of <G>.

Now the algorithm as described above has a fatal flaw.  The number of
generators increases with each round.  In the first round we have 6
generators, in the second round we have about 24 * 6 generators, in the
third round we have about 24^2 * 6 generators, and so on.  Most of these
generators will be redundant, i.e., they will lie in the subgroup
generated by the other generators.

The solution is as follows.  Instead of taking all 24 * 6 generators for
the second round, we randomly select some (say 6) of them.  Those will
generate a subgroup <S> of the whole stabilizer (and our hope is that
this subgroup will be equal to the whole stabilizer).  Then we apply the
algorithm to <S>, and compute a method to solve any element of <S>.  As
described above, this gives us a way to test membership in <S>.  We now
compute all 24 * 6 generators for the stabilizer, and for each one test
whether it is an element of <S>.  If they are all elements of <S>, then
<S> is indeed the whole stabilizer, and we are done.  If not, then we
have found a new non-redundant generator for the stabilizer, and we start
anew, this time with 7 generators instead of the originally choosen 6.

The first algorithm is sometimes called the iterative Schreier--Sims,
because it iterates over the stabilizers.  The second algorithm is called
the recursive Schreier--Sims, because it assumes that we have solved the
problem for <S> recursively.  This is the algorithm currently implemented
in GAP.  There is a third variant called Schreier--Todd--Coxeter--Sims,
that uses a Todd--Coxeter algorithm to prove that <S> is the whole
stabilizer without computing all Schreier generators, which is important
when there are many (say 1000000) possible places for the first facelet.

Martin.

-- .- .-. - .. -.  .-.. --- ...- . ...  .- -. -. .. -.- .-
Martin Sch"onert,   Martin.Schoenert@Math.RWTH-Aachen.DE,   +49 241 804551
Lehrstuhl D f"ur Mathematik, Templergraben 64, RWTH, 52056 Aachen, Germany

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed Jul 12 10:31:12 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA26378; Wed, 12 Jul 95 10:31:12 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 0082; Wed, 12 Jul 95 10:31:11 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 5371; Wed, 12 Jul 1995 10:31:11 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jul12.012001.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 12 Jul 1995 10:31:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Partial Results, Edges only (with Face Centers), Qturns
In-Reply-To: Message of 07/10/95 at 16:20:29 from BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu

On 07/10/95 at 16:20:29 Jerry Bryan said:

>The local maximum unique up to M-conjugacy is the 6-H position
>(see Symmetry and Local Maxima).  I do not yet have a process
>for the 6-H, but I should be able to have one soon.

I can now give one way to do it as (UD)(RR)(LL)(UD).  It seems too
simple once you chase it down.  Note that this is *not* the 6-H
position when you apply the process to the whole cube;  you have
to omit the corners for this process to yield the 6-H.  Nonetheless,
the pattern is a nice one when the process is applied to the whole
cube, one that looks familiar, although I cannot place it.  It is
*almost* what I described as the "interesting" part of three of the
10q local maxima on the whole cube, but the "interesting" part of
the 10q local maxima is (U'D')(RR)(LL)(UD) instead.

It might be noted that the length of this position
is also 8q on an edges-only-without-centers cube (see my note
of 8 Dec 1993 22:41:38).  I did not actually provide a process
for the without-centers case, but the same process
works for the 6-H edges-only with or without centers for this position.
Such is not always true.  I have talked about it before, but many
minimal processes for without-center cubes induce an invisible
rotation which becomes visible when the Face centers are included.

This is probably as good a time as any to correct an old error, pointed
out to me by Dan Hoey.  The length of a position without centers is
the minimum taken over C of the length of the same position with
centers  --  that is, the minimum of the respective lengths of the
same position rotated 24 different ways.  For searches without centers
I store representatives of the form Y=Repr{m'Xmc}.  At one point,
I said |Y|=min{|Yc|}.  This is certainly not true.  Y is just one
of the {Yc}, and it is totally arbitrary which one it is.  The difficulty
is really a notational one.  It is the length of Y without centers
which is min{|Yc|}, not the length of Y itself (with centers).  But
I don't have a good way to say "Y without centers" or especially to
say "length of Y without centers".

But in any case, the most interesting cases to me are the ones where
the length without centers matches the length with centers, so that the
minimal process for the without centers case does not induce an
invisible rotation.  The position at hand is such a case.

Finally, the position is in the anti-slice group (i.e.,
(UD)(RL)(RL)(UD)), so the position is a local maximum in the
anti-slice edges only group with a length 4a.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed Jul 12 18:04:52 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23708; Wed, 12 Jul 95 18:04:52 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 4002; Wed, 12 Jul 95 18:04:54 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0388; Wed, 12 Jul 1995 18:04:54 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jul12.175712.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 12 Jul 1995 18:04:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Re: Partial Results, Edges only (with Face Centers), Qturns
In-Reply-To: Message of 07/12/95 at 10:31:10 from BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu

On 07/12/95 at 10:31:10 Jerry Bryan said:

>It might be noted that the length of this position
>is also 8q on an edges-only-without-centers cube (see my note
>of 8 Dec 1993 22:41:38).

Uh, the 8 Dec 1993 22:41:38 note concerns the Superflip composed
with the 6-H.  The plain old 6-H was 8 Dec 1993 23:16:50.

The length of the Superflip composed with the 6-H in edges-without-
centers was 13.  The position is even, so the length must be
at least 14 in edges-with-centers.  My search of edges-with-centers
has not gotten that far yet.  Also, the length 13 Superflip 6-H
process for edges-without-centers induces an invisible rotation,
so it is not as pretty as the length 8 process for 6-H which does
not induce an invisible rotation.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil  Wed Jul 12 18:02:55 1995
Return-Path: <hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil>
Received: from Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA23623; Wed, 12 Jul 95 18:02:55 EDT
Received: by Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil (4.1/SMI-4.0)
	id AA00318; Wed, 12 Jul 95 18:02:51 EDT
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 95 18:02:51 EDT
From: hoey@aic.nrl.navy.mil (Dan Hoey)
Message-Id: <9507122202.AA00318@Sun0.AIC.NRL.Navy.Mil>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Happy birthday
References: <12Jul81_134343_DH51@CMU-10A>

(Sorry to have neglected the last thirteen).

             \         \         \         \
             /\        /\        /\        /\
            / /    \  / /    \  / /    \  / /    \
            \/     /\ \/     /\ \/     /\ \/     /\
             \    / /  \ \  / /  \ \  / /  \ \  / /    \
             {}   \/   {}/\ \/   {}/\ \/   {}/\ \/     /\
             {}    \   {/ /  \ \ {/ /  \ \ {/ /  \ \  / /
             {}    {}  {\/   {}/\{\/   {}/\{\/   {}/\ \/
             {}    {}  {}\   {/ /{}\   {/ /{}\   {/ /  \
     +_------{}+_--{}--{}{}--{\/-{}{}--{\/-{}{}  {\/   {}
     | `-_   {}  `-{}  {}{}`-{}\ {}{}`-{}\ {}{}`-{}\   {}
     |S   `+_------{}+_--{}--{}{}--{}--{}{}--{}--{}{}  {}
     |     | `-_   {}  `-{}  {}{}`-{}  {}{}`-{}  {}{}`-{}
     |  S  |A   `+_------{}+_--{}--{}+_--{}--{}+_--{}--{}+_
     |     |    A|M`-_   {}  `-{}  {}  `-{}  {}  `-{}  {}  `-_
     +_   S|     |  M `+_------{}+_------{}+_------{}+_-------`+_
     |L`-_ |A    |M   M|*`-_   {}  `-_   {}  `-_   {}  `-_       `-_
     |  L `+_   A|  M  |* * `+--------`+--------`+--------`+--------`+
     |L   L|O`-_ |M   M|* * *|         |         |         |         |
     |     |O O `+_ M  |*   *|         |         |         |         |
     |L   L|O O O| `-_M|* * *|  Happy  |  Birth  |   day   |   to    |
     +_ L  |O O O|    `+_ * *|         |         |         |         |
     | `-_L|O O O|   Y | `-_*|         |         |         |         |
     |H   `+_ O O|     |D   `+---------+---------+---------+---------+
     |  H  | `-_O| Y   |    D|         |         |         |         |
     |H   H|    `+_    |  D  |         |         |         |         |
     |  H  |     |R`-_ |D    |  Cube   | Lovers  |    @    |   MIT   |
     +_   H|  E  |R   `+_   D|         |         |         |         |
     |W`-_ |     |R R R|E`-_ |         |         |         |         |
     |W   `+_    |R   R|E   `+---------+---------+---------+---------+
     |W W W|A`-_ |R R R|  E E|         |         |         |         |
     |W W W|A   `+_   R|E E E|         |         |         |         |
     |W W W|  A A| `-_R|E E  |   15    |  Years  |  1659   | Messages|
     +_   W|A   A|S   `+_   E|         |         |         |         |
       `-_W|A A  |  S  | `-_E|         |         |         |         |
          `+_   A|S S S|    `+---------+---------+---------+---------+
             `-_A|  S  |     |         |         |         |         |
                `+_   S|     |         |         |         |         |
                   `-_ |     |  Many   |  Happy  |Restores |         |
                      `+_    |         |         |         |         |
                         `-_ |         |         |         |         |
                            `+---------+---------+---------+---------+
--Dan

From vorms@iprolink.ch  Sun Jul 16 07:00:55 1995
Return-Path: <vorms@iprolink.ch>
Received: from badboy.iprolink.ch by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA05788; Sun, 16 Jul 95 07:00:55 EDT
Received: from port26.iprolink.ch (port26.iprolink.ch [194.41.63.26]) by badboy.iprolink.ch (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id MAA27838 for <Cube-Lovers@AI.AI.MIT.EDU>; Sun, 16 Jul 1995 12:56:34 +0200
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 12:56:34 +0200
Message-Id: <199507161056.MAA27838@badboy.iprolink.ch>
X-Sender: vorms@mail.iprolink.ch (Unverified)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
To: Cube-Lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
From: vorms@iprolink.ch (Beffa Raphael)
X-Mailer: <Windows Eudora Version 1.4.2b16>

Hello my name is Raphael Beffa

        I am a mew user on the web. I am really happy to realise that peaple
interested
on the cube have a space to talk about on the net.
        
        I spent manny hours to develop different prototypes:
An 5^3 cube in 1981 a symetrical one 2^3 cube in 1981 and one more
sophisticated 
5^3 cube 1983.
        I realised a simple simulator on my PC for a 3^3 cube . One
representation
is a classical isometrical perspective , I realised an other representation
I called
a "Planicube" view (6 faces on the same view).

        Is somebody intersted on cube rotating on the summit (4 axes) insted of
rotating on the face (3 axes the original one).
        Or even rotating on the face and on the summit (7 axes).
        Maybe those prototypes allready exist. Please let me now.

        Is anybody able to give me the solution of the Masterball.
                      
        I am happy to meet new frends, Reguards Raphael

                        


From vorms@iprolink.ch  Sun Jul 16 16:16:22 1995
Return-Path: <vorms@iprolink.ch>
Received: from badboy.iprolink.ch by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25739; Sun, 16 Jul 95 16:16:22 EDT
Received: from port33.iprolink.ch (port33.iprolink.ch [194.41.63.33]) by badboy.iprolink.ch (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id WAA68668 for <Cube-Lovers@life.ai.mit.edu>; Sun, 16 Jul 1995 22:12:02 +0200
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 22:12:02 +0200
Message-Id: <199507162012.WAA68668@badboy.iprolink.ch>
X-Sender: vorms@mail.iprolink.ch (Unverified)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
To: Cube-Lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
From: vorms@iprolink.ch (Beffa Raphael)
X-Mailer: <Windows Eudora Version 1.4.2b16>

Hello my name is Raphael Beffa

        I am a mew user on the web. I am really happy to realise that peaple
interested
on the cube have a space to talk about on the net.
        
        I spent manny hours to develop different prototypes:
An 5^3 cube in 1981 a symetrical one 2^3 cube in 1981 and one more
sophisticated 
5^3 cube 1983.
        I realised a simple simulator on my PC for a 3^3 cube . One
representation
is a classical isometrical perspective , I realised an other representation
I called
a "Planicube" view (6 faces on the same view).

        Is somebody intersted on cube rotating on the summit (4 axes) insted of
rotating on the face (3 axes the original one).
        Or even rotating on the face and on the summit (7 axes).
        Maybe those prototypes allready exist. Please let me now.

        Is anybody able to give me the solution of the Masterball.
                      
        I am happy to meet new frends, Reguards Raphael

                        



From vorms@iprolink.ch  Sun Jul 16 16:16:19 1995
Return-Path: <vorms@iprolink.ch>
Received: from badboy.iprolink.ch by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25737; Sun, 16 Jul 95 16:16:19 EDT
Received: from port33.iprolink.ch (port33.iprolink.ch [194.41.63.33]) by badboy.iprolink.ch (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id WAA67592 for <Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU>; Sun, 16 Jul 1995 22:11:54 +0200
Date: Sun, 16 Jul 1995 22:11:54 +0200
Message-Id: <199507162011.WAA67592@badboy.iprolink.ch>
X-Sender: vorms@mail.iprolink.ch (Unverified)
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
From: vorms@iprolink.ch (Beffa Raphael)
Subject: Re: 
X-Mailer: <Windows Eudora Version 1.4.2b16>

>Hello my name is Raphael Beffa
>
>        I am a mew user on the web. I am really happy to realise that peaple
>interested on the cube have a space to talk about on the net.
>        
>        I spent manny hours to develop different prototypes:
>An 5^3 cube in 1981 a symetrical one 2^3 cube in 1981 and one more
>sophisticated  5^3 cube 1983.
>        I realised a simple simulator on my PC for a 3^3 cube . One
>representation is a classical perspective , I realised an other
representation I called a "Planicube" view (6 faces on the same view).
>
>        Is somebody intersted on cube rotating on the summit (4 axes) insted of
>rotating on the face (3 axes the original one).
>        Or even rotating on the face and on the summit (7 axes).
>        Maybe those prototypes allready exist. Please let me now.
>
>        Is anybody able to give me the solution of the Masterball.
>                      
>        I am happy to meet new frends, Reguards Raphael
                       


From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Wed Jul 19 21:47:46 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA04627; Wed, 19 Jul 95 21:47:46 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 8401; Wed, 19 Jul 95 21:47:48 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 8646; Wed, 19 Jul 1995 21:47:48 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995jul19.214439.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Wed, 19 Jul 1995 21:47:47 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   Level 11, Edges-with-Face-Centers, Qturns

 Level   M-Conjugacy   Branching  Lcl     Positions   Branching  Lcl
            Classes      Factor   Max                   Factor   Max

   0               1               0              1               0
   1               1      1.000    0             12     12.000    0
   2               5      5.000    0            114      9.500    0
   3              25      5.000    0           1068      9.368    0
   4             215      8.600    0           9819      9.194    0
   5            1886      8.772    0          89392      9.104    0
   6           16902      8.962    0         807000      9.028    0
   7          150442      8.900    0        7209384      8.934    0
   8         1326326      8.816    1       63624107      8.825    2
   9        11505339      8.675    0      552158812      8.678    0
  10        96755918      8.410          4643963023      8.411
  11       750089528      7.752         36003343336      7.753

Note that there are no local maxima at level 9, although one showed
up at level 8.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From FOMEQUE@aol.com  Sat Jul 22 18:25:28 1995
Return-Path: <FOMEQUE@aol.com>
Received: from emout04.mail.aol.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA19550; Sat, 22 Jul 95 18:25:28 EDT
Received: by emout04.mail.aol.com
	(1.37.109.11/16.2) id AA060581718; Sat, 22 Jul 1995 18:21:58 -0400
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 1995 18:21:58 -0400
From: FOMEQUE@aol.com
Message-Id: <950722182158_120701269@aol.com>
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Subject: Requesting Information

Dear Cube lovers,
   How do I access your service ?
                                                  Sincerely,
                                                      Fomeque

From nichael@sover.net  Sun Jul 23 14:08:25 1995
Return-Path: <nichael@sover.net>
Received: from maple.sover.net by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA21318; Sun, 23 Jul 95 14:08:25 EDT
Received: from [204.71.18.82] (st2.sover.net [204.71.18.82]) by maple.sover.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA26687 for <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>; Sun, 23 Jul 1995 14:03:19 -0400
Message-Id: <v02120d02ac3839b1ecb3@[204.71.18.82]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Sun, 23 Jul 1995 14:12:48 -0400
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
From: nichael@sover.net (Nichael Lynn Cramer)
Subject: Rubik's Race

[I don't know if this has been discussed before.  Maybe some of the old
timers know about this --the copyright on the box is 1982-- but I don't
recall having seen it mention since I've been on the list...]

Anyway, Saturday we hit a rumage sale at the next town over (Hinsdale VT)
and I picked up an interesting game in the "toys" section.  It's called
"Rubik's Race".  (It was put out by Ideal and seems to be reasonably well
made, so I assume it's "authorized".)

The main "board" is about 18in long by about 7in wide.  The players set at
either end and their section of the board has a recessed area that holds 24
plastic pieces (about 1in square) aranged in a 5X5 grid with one empty
space.

(The square pieces are divided into six groups of four, each four-group
being one of the standard colors on the side of the Cube.)

At the start of a game, one player picks up a small box that contains nine
small "cubies" (about 3/8in on a side), shakes the box and sets it down.
The cubies settle onto the bottom of the box in 3X3 grid (thereby
resembling the face of cube).  Each player then proceeds to slide his
pieces around (using the blank as maneourvering space) until the center 3X3
grid (out of the original 5X5 grid) matches the 3X3 "face" in the small
box.

The board is also divided between the two players' area by a vertical,
hinged piece which can fall towards either end, and which has a "window" in
the center.  When the player finishes his central 3X3 grid, he pulls the
hinged pieces towards himself --the window of which exposes his central
grid-- and declares himself the winner.

An obvious variation is for one player to scramble a cube, set it on the
table and have each player try to match the topmost face.

So, as such the games provides an interesing combination of the Cube, the
15-puzzle and Battleship.   ;-)

(But probably the most amazing part is that, given that I picked this up at
rummage sale, *all* of the nearly sixty small plastic pieces were still
there!  All in all not a bad investment for 10cents.)





Nichael              -  "...did I forget, forget to mention Memphis?
nichael@sover.net           Home of Elvis, and the ancient Greeks."



From munafo@vgi.com  Mon Jul 24 14:59:46 1995
Return-Path: <munafo@vgi.com>
Received: from vgi.com (hoss.vgi.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16862; Mon, 24 Jul 95 14:59:46 EDT
Received: from frank.vgi.com ([1.0.2.139]) by vgi.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA11341; Mon, 24 Jul 95 14:59:42 EDT
Received: by frank.vgi.com (1.38.193.4/SMI-4.1)
	id AA06570; Mon, 24 Jul 1995 15:00:02 -0400
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 15:00:01 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
X-Sender: munafo@frank
To: CUBE-LOVERS List <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject: Little keychain cubes
Message-Id: <Pine.HPP.3.90.950721204433.19487B-100000@frank>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Sort of a strange question -- but at this point I don't know who else to ask. 

Does anyone know how I could get more of those little 25-cm 3x3x3 cubes that
used to be sold on a keychain for about US $3.00? I checked a few toy and
novelty stores in my area, including Games People Play near MIT in Cambridge
(and they weren't very nice about giving me a useful answer either)... 

Barring that, has anyone successfully made their own cubes? Since the 3x3x3
is relatively simple in design I suppose the tolerances wouldn't be all that
bad. 

I'd like to get a bunch of small cubes so I can keep a bunch of cubes in
different configurations. 

Yes, I am reading through the 15-year backlog and am only up to mid-December
1980. I did some grep -i searches for "key\ *chain", "mold" and "cast"  but
found nothing helpful. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Davis' principle 36:   Research-then-transfer doesn't work.
- - - - Robert P Munafo - - -  munafo@vgi.com - - - +1.617.276.8960 - - -

From ncramer@bbn.com  Mon Jul 24 16:21:02 1995
Return-Path: <ncramer@bbn.com>
Received: from BBN.COM (LABS-N.BBN.COM) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA21879; Mon, 24 Jul 95 16:21:02 EDT
Message-Id: <9507242021.AA21879@life.ai.mit.edu>
Date:     Mon, 24 Jul 95 16:04:53 EDT
From: Nichael Cramer <ncramer@bbn.com>
To: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
Cc: CUBE-LOVERS List <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:  Re:  Little keychain cubes

>Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 15:00:01 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
>Subject: Little keychain cubes
>
>Does anyone know how I could get more of those little 25-cm 3x3x3 cubes that

25-Cm!?!  Damn son, you must have a helluva lot of keys!     ;-)

>used to be sold on a keychain for about US $3.00? I checked a few toy and
>novelty stores in my area, ...

Right, I know the one's you mean (I've got a two or three of them around
here somewhere) but I haven't seen any of these for sale for years.  If I
remember right I picked mine up at a convience store check-out line.  (Hard
as heck to turn.)

> ... including Games People Play near MIT in Cambridge
>(and they weren't very nice about giving me a useful answer either)... 

Yeah, aren't they a pain to deal with?

>Barring that, has anyone successfully made their own cubes? Since the 3x3x3
>is relatively simple in design I suppose the tolerances wouldn't be all that
>bad. 
>
>I'd like to get a bunch of small cubes so I can keep a bunch of cubes in
>different configurations. 

Probably a dumb idea, but if they're going to stay fixed, couldn't you just
paint some up?

N

From munafo@vgi.com  Mon Jul 24 19:11:44 1995
Return-Path: <munafo@vgi.com>
Received: from vgi.com (hoss.vgi.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA02144; Mon, 24 Jul 95 19:11:44 EDT
Received: from frank.vgi.com ([1.0.2.139]) by vgi.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA00606; Mon, 24 Jul 95 19:11:41 EDT
Received: by frank.vgi.com (1.38.193.4/SMI-4.1)
	id AA11325; Mon, 24 Jul 1995 19:12:00 -0400
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 19:11:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
X-Sender: munafo@frank
To: CUBE-LOVERS List <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>,
        Nichael Cramer <ncramer@bbn.com>
Subject: Shallow-cut dodecahedron, and Re: Little keychain cubes
In-Reply-To: <9507242021.AA21879@life.ai.mit.edu>
Message-Id: <Pine.HPP.3.90.950724171843.6874A-100000@frank>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

I have also noticed that the discussion on the "shallow-cut dodecahedron" 
a.k.a. Hungarian "super nova" has come and gone a couple times. What I'm
talking about is a puzzle that looks like a Platonic dodecahedron (12
pentagonal faces) cut like

          +''':'''''':'''+                +'''':'''':''''+
         :   :        :   :              :    :      :    :
        .:...:........:...:.            .'   .'      :    `.
        :   :          :   :            :'''':'''''''':'''':
       :   :            :   :          :    :          :    :
      .'  .'            `.  `.        .'   .'          `.   `.
      :.  :              :  .:   or   :`.  :            :  .':
     :  `:                :'  :      :   `:              :'   :
     +  .'`.            .'`.  +      +   .''.          .'`.   +
      `.:   `.        .'   :.'        `. :   `.      .'   : .'
        `.    `.    .'    .'            `.     `.  .'     .'
          `.    `..'    .'                `.     ::     .'
            `.  .'`.  .'                    `. .'  `. .'
              `:    :'                        `.    .'
                `..'                            `..'

and manipulated by turning a face 72 degrees around its axis of 5-fold
rotational symmetry (an operation that moves 5 edge pieces and 5 corner
pieces).

I'd like to cast the parts for one of these as well. It seems that the only
difficult part would be the 12-pointed "spindle" that holds all the center
pieces. It has to be strong, rigid and perfectly aligned. The easiest thing
would be to screw bolts into a 12-sided die (of the D&D variety) but I think
the alignment would be too poor. 


On Mon, 24 Jul 1995, Nichael Cramer wrote:
> >Does anyone know how I could get more of those little 25-cm 3x3x3 cubes that
> 
> 25-Cm!?!  Damn son, you must have a helluva lot of keys!     ;-)

Oh, yes of course I meant to say 25 mm, not 25 cm. <-:
   Of course, a 25-cm cube would be fun to have, too. I imagine it would be
about a 25x25x25, which would have about 7.3 * 10^2328 combinations (even
without considering face centers). God's Number would be well over 1000, and
even "Pons Asinorum" would be a major effort at 150 QTW. Since it's an
odd-order cube, it could be built by the simplistic "sextapole magnet" 
method (each cubie has a north pole on its inward-pointing faces and a south
pole on its outward-pointing faces, except for the cubiess on the three
central planes which could be hollow steel) [-8

> >I'd like to get a bunch of small cubes so I can keep a bunch of cubes
> >in different configurations. 
> 
> Probably a dumb idea, but if they're going to stay fixed, couldn't you just
> paint some up?

Sort of a minimalist approach... but I have a notebook for recording
patterns. Most of what I want to do involves having a bunch of cubes in the
same pattern, then performing different transformations on each one and
comparing the results.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
More software projects have gone awry for lack of calendar time than for
all other causes combined.
[Fred Brooks, _The Mythical Man-Month_, p. 14 (and again on p. 26)]
- - - - Robert P Munafo - - -  munafo@vgi.com - - - +1.617.276.8960 - - -

From ronnie@cisco.com  Mon Jul 24 20:32:24 1995
Return-Path: <ronnie@cisco.com>
Received: from nacho.cisco.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA10201; Mon, 24 Jul 95 20:32:24 EDT
Received: from madhatter.cisco.com (ronnie-ss10.cisco.com [171.69.61.22]) by nacho.cisco.com (8.6.8+c/CISCO.SERVER.1.1) with ESMTP id RAA13280; Mon, 24 Jul 1995 17:32:13 -0700
Received: from cisco.com (localhost.cisco.com [127.0.0.1]) by madhatter.cisco.com (8.6.8+c/CISCO.WS.1.1) with ESMTP id RAA04147; Mon, 24 Jul 1995 17:32:11 -0700
Message-Id: <199507250032.RAA04147@madhatter.cisco.com>
To: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
Cc: CUBE-LOVERS List <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>,
        Nichael Cramer <ncramer@bbn.com>
Subject: Re: Shallow-cut dodecahedron, and Re: Little keychain cubes 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Mon, 24 Jul 1995 19:11:50 EDT."
             <Pine.HPP.3.90.950724171843.6874A-100000@frank> 
Date: Mon, 24 Jul 1995 17:32:11 -0700
From: "Ronnie B. Kon" <ronnie@cisco.com>

>    Of course, a 25-cm cube would be fun to have, too. I imagine it would be
> about a 25x25x25, which would have about 7.3 * 10^2328 combinations (even

And the the box would probably tout its difficulty as having "more
than 10 billion possibilities."  :-(

When they changed the lottery here in California from pick 6 of 48
numbers to pick 6 of 52 there was a steady stream of people on the
evening news whining about how the lottery used to be hard to win, but
now it's almost impossible.  (I'll save you some trouble: it went from
1 in 12,271,512 to 1 in 20,358,520).

				Ronnie

From Games@puzzles.demon.co.uk  Thu Jul 27 05:38:33 1995
Return-Path: <Games@puzzles.demon.co.uk>
Received: from puzzles.demon.co.uk by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA12920; Thu, 27 Jul 95 05:38:33 EDT
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 95 10:34:13
Message-Id: <648@puzzles.demon.co.uk>
From: Games@puzzles.demon.co.uk (Yerry Felix)
Organization: Games & Puzzles Magazine
Reply-To: Games@puzzles.demon.co.uk
To: cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Re: little keychain cubes and IQubes
X-Mailer: Newswin Alpha 0.7
Lines:  19


Hi,

I guess I could keep an eye open for those little keychain cubes when I go 
the next Essen Game Fair. There are myriads of games, puzzles and 
gadgets to be had (100000 people attend) and if I find I supplier
I will post the adress here.

On another note, a while back Games & Puzzles Magazine reviewed a cube 
called IQube. It comprised a cage containing 26 cubelets, there are two 
variants, one with 3 * 2 colours on the individual cubelets and another 
one with 2 * 3 colours. A few days later a friend of mine brought in an 
ancient cube (about 10 years old) which was made to the same principle, 
but with only one colour on one of the faces of the cubelets inside and the other 
5 sides are black. Would anyone know who manufactured these? 

-- Yerry Felix
Games & Puzzles Magazine




From munafo@vgi.com  Fri Jul 28 17:15:16 1995
Return-Path: <munafo@vgi.com>
Received: from vgi.com (hoss.vgi.com) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA04926; Fri, 28 Jul 95 17:15:16 EDT
Received: from frank.vgi.com ([1.0.2.139]) by vgi.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA12063; Fri, 28 Jul 95 17:13:58 EDT
Received: by frank.vgi.com (1.38.193.4/SMI-4.1)
	id AA26397; Fri, 28 Jul 1995 17:14:15 -0400
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 17:14:09 -0400 (EDT)
From: Robert Munafo <munafo@vgi.com>
X-Sender: munafo@frank
To: CUBE-LOVERS List <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: IQubes
In-Reply-To: <648@puzzles.demon.co.uk>
Message-Id: <Pine.HPP.3.90.950728164023.22293A-100000@frank>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Sounds like a 3-d analogue of the "15-puzzle". I have one which is called
"MagicJack", and is imported from Germany.  I bought mine at Games People
Play on Mass Ave. in Cambridge MA, USA (+1.617.492.0711). 

The cubies have varying numbers of sides colored silver, red, and green.
There are three different ways to "solve" it. The silver way is easiest; the
green way requires you to match up patterns on each facelet to make a
continuous loop, conceptually sinilar to Rubik's Tangle. The red solution
also requires a continuous loop, and there are symbols that must be matched
up too, making it harder to find a pattern that is valid. 

I haven't scrambled mine yet, because I haven't had time to write down 
the initial pattern.

On Tue, 25 Jul 1995, Yerry Felix wrote:
> 
> On another note, a while back Games & Puzzles Magazine reviewed a cube 
> called IQube. It comprised a cage containing 26 cubelets, there are two 
> variants, one with 3 * 2 colours on the individual cubelets and another 
> one with 2 * 3 colours. A few days later a friend of mine brought in an 
> ancient cube (about 10 years old) which was made to the same principle, 
> but with only one colour on one of the faces of the cubelets inside and the other 
> 5 sides are black. Would anyone know who manufactured these? 
> 
> -- Yerry Felix
> Games & Puzzles Magazine

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Davis' principle 46:   Avoid design in requirements.
- - - - Robert P Munafo - - -  munafo@vgi.com - - - +1.617.276.8960 - - -

From mbparker@share.ai.mit.edu  Fri Jul 28 19:10:14 1995
Return-Path: <mbparker@share.ai.mit.edu>
Received: from share ([199.171.190.200]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA07995; Fri, 28 Jul 95 19:10:14 EDT
Received: by share (NX5.67e/NX3.0M)
	id AA19733; Fri, 28 Jul 95 16:07:07 -0700
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 95 16:07:07 -0700
From: Michael B. Parker <mbparker@share.cytex.com>
Message-Id: <9507282307.AA19733@share>
To: mitacas@cytex.com, PuzzleParty@cytex.com
Subject: This weekend: the 1995 OC Mensa Annual Regional Gathering
Reply-To: mbparker@cytex.com

[Posted for OC Mensa member Marti L. Hitchcock; please respond to her.  If
you're interested in the local Mensa, this may be a good event to check out.
Over 200 are preregistered already, and they're expecting 100 to 200 more at
the door.]

	 THE 1995 ORANGE COUNTY MENSA ANNUAL REGIONAL GATHERING (RG):

			       ``The M Files''

	      Noon Friday July 28 til 6pm Sunday, July 30, 1995

PROGRAM:
 Friday, July 28
  1100-  Registration opens, Hospitality opens, Construction Workshop
  1200-  New Agent Orientation, Classical Musicale
  1300-  ``Common Problems'', Arts & Crafts (cont), ``What you Know May
         Not be So''
  1500-  ``Magic & Parapsychology'', ``Astrology'', ``Corazon Project''
  1600-  ``UFO lecture, ``An Artist's Perspective'', Psychic lecture
  1700-  ``The FBI Today''
  1800-  Pot luck dinner, Arts & Crafts, Classical Musicale
  1900-  ``Nattering'' by Larry Niven, ``Handwriting Analysis''
  2000-  Space Station Omicron Beta I featuring UFAUX along with psychic
         readings, Sci-fi movies
  2000-	 Rock dance.

 Saturday, July 29
  0900-2400      [About 70% more events than Friday]

 Sunday,   July 30
  0900-1800      [About 20% more events than Friday]

 Saturday & Sunday On-Going
  	Experience the ride of a life-time in David M. Mitchell's lunar
	teleoperations module (VIRTUAL REALITY)

WHERE:	At the Days Inn, 1500 South Raymond Ave., Fullerton (north of the 91
	fwy), CA.  Call 714-635-9000 and mention OC Mensa for the discount
	rate of $54/night.

COST:	AT THE DOOR REG. (after 7/15/95)

	                 ADULT CHILD
	FRI, SAT, SUN    $55   $28
	FRI, SUN         $25   $13
	SAT, SUN         $35   $18

CONTACTS:
	Chuck La Mont, 655 S.  Rosalind Dr., Orange, CA 92669-5124.
	Also Marti L. Hitchcock, 714-750-4333, mlhitch@cytex.com


From dmi@questrel.questrel.com  Sat Jul 29 01:15:47 1995
Return-Path: <dmi@questrel.questrel.com>
Received: from share ([199.171.190.200]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA01059; Sat, 29 Jul 95 01:15:47 EDT
Received: from questrel.questrel.com by share (NX5.67e/NX3.0M)
	id AA20727; Fri, 28 Jul 95 22:10:00 -0700
Received: by questrel.questrel.com (940816.SGI.8.6.9/940406.SGI)
	 id WAA19288; Fri, 28 Jul 1995 22:09:57 -0700
From: dmi@questrel.com (Dean Inada)
Message-Id: <9507282209.ZM19286@questrel.questrel.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 22:09:55 -0700
X-Mailer: Z-Mail (3.2.0 26oct94 MediaMail)
To: chris@questrel.questrel.com, mitacas@cytex.com, PuzzleParty@cytex.com
Subject: (Fwd) This weekend: the 1995 OC Mensa Annual Regional Gathering
	This weekend: the 1995 OC Mensa Annual Regional Gathering
Reply-To: mbparker@cytex.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

[Posted for OC Mensa member Marti L. Hitchcock; please respond to her.  If
you're interested in the local Mensa, this may be a good event to check out.
Over 200 are preregistered already, and they're expecting 100 to 200 more at
the door.]

	 THE 1995 ORANGE COUNTY MENSA ANNUAL REGIONAL GATHERING (RG):

			       ``The M Files''

	      Noon Friday July 28 til 6pm Sunday, July 30, 1995

PROGRAM:
 Friday, July 28
  1100-  Registration opens, Hospitality opens, Construction Workshop
  1200-  New Agent Orientation, Classical Musicale
  1300-  ``Common Problems'', Arts & Crafts (cont), ``What you Know May
         Not be So''
  1500-  ``Magic & Parapsychology'', ``Astrology'', ``Corazon Project''
  1600-  ``UFO lecture, ``An Artist's Perspective'', Psychic lecture
  1700-  ``The FBI Today''
  1800-  Pot luck dinner, Arts & Crafts, Classical Musicale
  1900-  ``Nattering'' by Larry Niven, ``Handwriting Analysis''
  2000-  Space Station Omicron Beta I featuring UFAUX along with psychic
         readings, Sci-fi movies
  2000-	 Rock dance.

 Saturday, July 29
  0900-2400      [About 70% more events than Friday]

 Sunday,   July 30
  0900-1800      [About 20% more events than Friday]

 Saturday & Sunday On-Going
  	Experience the ride of a life-time in David M. Mitchell's lunar
	teleoperations module (VIRTUAL REALITY)

WHERE:	At the Days Inn, 1500 South Raymond Ave., Fullerton (north of the 91
	fwy), CA.  Call 714-635-9000 and mention OC Mensa for the discount
	rate of $54/night.

COST:	AT THE DOOR REG. (after 7/15/95)

	                 ADULT CHILD
	FRI, SAT, SUN    $55   $28
	FRI, SUN         $25   $13
	SAT, SUN         $35   $18

CONTACTS:
	Chuck La Mont, 655 S.  Rosalind Dr., Orange, CA 92669-5124.
	Also Marti L. Hitchcock, 714-750-4333, mlhitch@cytex.com


---End of forwarded mail from "Michael B. Parker" <mbparker@share>

From alan@curry.epilogue.com  Sat Jul 29 01:43:17 1995
Return-Path: <alan@curry.epilogue.com>
Received: from curry.epilogue.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA01530; Sat, 29 Jul 95 01:43:17 EDT
Received: (from alan@localhost) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.8/8.6.6) id BAA22011; Sat, 29 Jul 1995 01:43:16 -0400
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 1995 01:43:16 -0400
Message-Id: <29Jul1995.012913.Alan@LCS.MIT.EDU>
From: Alan Bawden <Cube-Lovers-Request@ai.mit.edu>
Sender: Cube-Lovers-Request@ai.mit.edu
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
In-Reply-To: Dean Inada's message of Fri, 28 Jul 1995 22:09:55 -0700 <9507282209.ZM19286@questrel.questrel.com>
Subject: Orange County Mensa?

Many of you are probably wondering why you are getting mail about a Mensa
meeting in Orange County.  It's because some pinheaded loser with only half
a brain thought it would be a good idea to add the entire Cube-Lovers
mailing list to the "PuzzleParty@cytex.com" mailing list.  I have sent a
vigorous complaint to the culprits and to their postmaster.

				- Alan

------- Begin Junk Mail -------

From: Dean Inada <dmi@questrel.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 1995 22:09:55 -0700
To: chris@questrel.questrel.com, mitacas@cytex.com, PuzzleParty@cytex.com
Subject: (Fwd) This weekend: the 1995 OC Mensa Annual Regional Gathering
	This weekend: the 1995 OC Mensa Annual Regional Gathering
Reply-To: mbparker@cytex.com

[Posted for OC Mensa member Marti L. Hitchcock; please respond to her.  If
you're interested in the local Mensa, this may be a good event to check out.
Over 200 are preregistered already, and they're expecting 100 to 200 more at
the door.]

	 THE 1995 ORANGE COUNTY MENSA ANNUAL REGIONAL GATHERING (RG):

			       ``The M Files''

	      Noon Friday July 28 til 6pm Sunday, July 30, 1995

PROGRAM:
 Friday, July 28
  1100-  Registration opens, Hospitality opens, Construction Workshop
  1200-  New Agent Orientation, Classical Musicale
  1300-  ``Common Problems'', Arts & Crafts (cont), ``What you Know May
         Not be So''
  1500-  ``Magic & Parapsychology'', ``Astrology'', ``Corazon Project''
  1600-  ``UFO lecture, ``An Artist's Perspective'', Psychic lecture
  1700-  ``The FBI Today''
  1800-  Pot luck dinner, Arts & Crafts, Classical Musicale
  1900-  ``Nattering'' by Larry Niven, ``Handwriting Analysis''
  2000-  Space Station Omicron Beta I featuring UFAUX along with psychic
         readings, Sci-fi movies
  2000-	 Rock dance.

 Saturday, July 29
  0900-2400      [About 70% more events than Friday]

 Sunday,   July 30
  0900-1800      [About 20% more events than Friday]

 Saturday & Sunday On-Going
  	Experience the ride of a life-time in David M. Mitchell's lunar
	teleoperations module (VIRTUAL REALITY)

WHERE:	At the Days Inn, 1500 South Raymond Ave., Fullerton (north of the 91
	fwy), CA.  Call 714-635-9000 and mention OC Mensa for the discount
	rate of $54/night.

COST:	AT THE DOOR REG. (after 7/15/95)

	                 ADULT CHILD
	FRI, SAT, SUN    $55   $28
	FRI, SUN         $25   $13
	SAT, SUN         $35   $18

CONTACTS:
	Chuck La Mont, 655 S.  Rosalind Dr., Orange, CA 92669-5124.
	Also Marti L. Hitchcock, 714-750-4333, mlhitch@cytex.com


---End of forwarded mail from "Michael B. Parker" <mbparker@share>

------- End Junk Mail -------

From BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu  Sat Aug 12 20:32:51 1995
Return-Path: <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA10662; Sat, 12 Aug 95 20:32:51 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2)
   with BSMTP id 1373; Sat, 12 Aug 95 20:09:29 EDT
Received: from WVNVM.WVNET.EDU (NJE origin BRYAN@WVNVM) by WVNVM.WVNET.EDU
 (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 6935; Sat, 12 Aug 1995 20:09:29 -0400
Message-Id: <wvmail32.1995aug12.200305.bryan@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
Date:      Sat, 12 Aug 1995 20:09:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jerry Bryan" <BRYAN@wvnvm.wvnet.edu>
To: "Cube Lovers List" <Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu>
Subject:   More on Polya-Burnside

Dan Hoey was the first to write concerning the Polya-Burnside theorem
(he used it in has calculation of the real size of cube space),
and Martin Schoenert recently posted a proof of the theorem.
I would like to add some additional comments.

First, I quote from Martin:

> If $g \in G$, then I denote the set of elements that are really
> equivalent to $g$ by $g^M$.  Jerry denotes this set by {m'gm},
> but $g^M$ is the more common notation in group theory.

I have just copied the {m'gm} notation from others on this list.
I haven't searched the archives to see when it first appeared.
In fact, what I really say is {m'Xm}.  A few points:

    1) {m'Xm} is a shorthand for {m'Xm | m in M}, where X is assumed
       to be a fixed but arbitrary element of G.

    2) m' is used rather than Martin's preferred m^(-1) as a concession
       to the difficulties of using mathematical notation in E-mail.
       Again I haven't searched the archives, but this convention seems to
       go back to the earliest days of Cube-Lovers.

    3) X is used rather than g throughout Cube-Lovers, I think due
       to Singmaster.  Singmaster uses upper case letters for processes
       and lower case letters for the cycles of cubies.
       Hence, we have such things as X=URB'L or Y=RL'UD', etc.  For
       most purposes, we simply identify processes such as X and Y
       with the permutation which is effected by the respective
       process, and there is no loss of generality from such
       identification.  I interpret g in G as being a permutation
       directly, without regard to which process might
       effect the permutation.  But again, for most purposes there
       is no loss of generality in identifying the X's with the g's.

But let's go along with Martin for a moment and write {m'gm}.
We normally interpret this as {m'gm | m in M}, but we could
just as well interpret it as {m'gm | g in G}.  This new interpretation
simply yields G, but in a different order.  To say "in a different
order" is a bit of a corruption because sets don't have order. But
it's useful to think about the "different order" anyway.

M-conjugation for a fixed m in M can be viewed as a permutation on
the set of quarter turns Q.  (See for example Hoey and Saxe's
_Symmetry and Local Maxima_).  But it can also be viewed as a
permutation on G itself.  So for each of the forty-eight m in M,
M-conjugation is a different permutation on G.  This will shortly prove
to be very useful.

What if we interpret {m'gm} as {m'gm | m in M and g in G}?
Again, this is a bit of a corruption, because "m in M and g in G"
will list each element of G forty-eight times, and Set Theory 101
says each element of a set is listed only once.  But
let's ignore that difficulty and picture "m in M and g in G"
as creating a matrix with forty-eight columns indexed by M and
|G| rows indexed by G.  Each column is a different permutation
on G.

Now we detour a minute and note that this matrix contains
|G|*|M| cells.  Given that, how big is G?  Well, it is (|G|*|M|)/|M|.
This may seem tautological, but not quite.  That is, I am not
asking how many rows in a 7 by 3 matrix.  Rather, I am asking
how many rows in a matrix if the matrix has 21 cells and 3 columns.
Trivial though it may be, we have to perform the division to determine
the answer.

I am reminded of an old joke.  A mathematician is asked how many
legs a horse has.  The mathematician observes that the horse has
two front legs, two back legs, two left legs, and two right legs
for a total of eight.  But this procedure counts each leg twice,
so the mathematician divides by two to obtain the correct answer.

Many counting formulas work in a similar fashion.  They overstate
the correct number, and then adjust by dividing out or subtracting
out the excess.  In this manner, the number of cells in the
|G|*|M| matrix overstates the size of G by forty-eight, so we must divide
by forty-eight to get the true size of G.

The Polya-Burnside theorem has to do with counting conjugacy classes.
Martin's proof does not mention the word "matrix", but it effectively
creates a binary matrix with dimension |G|*|M| where each
cell contains the Boolean value (g == m'gm).  In other words, the cell
contains a 1 if g=m'gm and 0 otherwise.  Martin's proof shows that the
number of M-conjugacy classes is the number of 1's divided by forty-eight.

In his note about the real size of cube space,
Dan mentions a book called *Geometry and Symmetry* by Paul Yale.
Yale's book includes a Polya-Burnside proof similar to Martin's.
In an example accompanying his proof, Yale shows a matrix where the
cells are either blank or contain a check mark.  Yale counts the
check marks, and Martin counts the 1's.  Martin's approach has the
advantage that you can count 1's simply by summing them.

To me, the key point in both proofs is the observation that
you get the same answer whether you count the 1's or checkmarks
by row, or whether you count them by column.  This observation
manifests itself in Martin's proof as follows:

> Thus the number of M-conjugacy classes is
> $1/|M| \sum_{g \in G} \sum_{m \in M} {(g^m == g)}$.
>
> Now we can simply change the order of the two summations, so we get
> $1/|M| \sum_{m \in M} \sum_{g \in G} {(g^m == g)}$.

(When I read this last sentence in Martin's proof, the thought that
came to mind was "He transposed the matrix!", even though there is
no matrix there explicitly.)

The essence of Polya-Burnside is that summing by row gives us the
answer we desire (namely the number of M-conjugacy classes),
but summing by column is the calculation which is possible in
practice.  And serendipitously, both sums give us the same answer.

Let us consider each sum in turn.  (Actually, the matrix I am
describing is transposed compared to the one in Yale's book, but
we will continue with |G| rows and |M| columns for the purposes
of this note.)

Martin's proof gives a good explanation why summing by row gives us
the answer we desire.  Let me give a slightly different (but I think
equivalent) explanation.

Suppose |{m'Xm}|=48.  This is the case where Symm(X)=I, so that the
position is "completely asymmetric".  The row indexed by X will
contain a single 1 and forty-seven 0's.  The single 1 will appear
in the column indexed by the identity in M.  The other forty-seven
elements of {m'Xm} will similarly appear in a row containing only
a single 1.  Hence, the number of 1's in these forty-eight rows
will be 48*1, and the number of M-conjugacy classes represented by
these forty-eight rows will be (48*1)/48.  The number of 1's has
overstated the number of conjugacy classes by exactly 48.

Now suppose |{m'Xm}|=24.  We have |Symm(X)|=2.  The row indexed
by X will contain two 1's and forty-six zeros.  Similarly, the
rows indexed by the other twenty-three elements of {m'Xm} will
also contain two 1's and forty-six 0's.  The number of 1's in these
twenty-four rows will be 24*2, and the number of M-conjugacy classes
represented by these twenty-four rows will be (24*2)/48.  Again,
the number of 1's has overstated the number of conjugacy classes
by exactly 48.

The pattern should be clear.  If |{m'Xm}|=16, we will have
(16*3)/48 M-conjugacy classes scattered over three rows.
If |{m'Xm}|=12, we will have (12*4)/48 M-conjugacy classes scattered
over four rows.  Etc.  In all cases, summing the 1's
overstates the number of M-conjugacy classes by exactly forty-eight,
so in all cases we must divide by forty-eight to compensate.
It is therefore clear that to calculate the total number of
conjugacy classes, we simply sum the entire binary matrix and divide
by forty-eight.  It doesn't really matter whether we sum by rows,
sum by columns, some in some other order, or sum in no order at
all.

Polya-Burnside essentially says that we can sum by columns.  The
forty-eight column sums are the number of elements of G which
are fixed by conjugation by the respective elements of M.  Polya-
Burnside is usually stated something like "the number of conjugacy
classes is equal to the average of the number of fixed points  ....",
where there is sufficient language to make sure that the fixed
points in question are the points in G fixed by conjugation by M.
In the matrix at hand, we form the forty-eight column sums,
add them up, and divide by forty-eight.

If that is not an average (adding up forty-eight numbers and dividing
by forty-eight), then I don't know what is.  But I confess this does
not look and feel like an averaging problem to me.  Rather, it looks
and feels like a horse's legs problem where we are overstating the
answer and dividing out the excess.  It feels more comfortable to me
just to add up the entire binary matrix without regard to rows and
columns and then to divide by forty-eight, but that is not the way
Polya-Burnside works.

Forming the forty-eight column sums is no small problem.  Martin's
little GAP program accomplished this task using the Centralizer function.
Unless my E-mail system has lost it, we are still awaiting a description
of GAP's algorithm for calculating the Centralizer.

Dan's method was a "by hand" calculation of the column sums.  He
determined the number of elements of G fixed by m based on an
argument concerning the cycle structure of elements of G.
Dan took one very nice shortcut.  There really is no need to
calculate all forty-eight column sums.  A number of the elements
of M are themselves M-conjugate and there are ten conjugacy classes,
so Dan only had to calculate ten column sums.

One of the ten calculations really wasn't necessary.  The column
indexed by the identity in M contains |G| 1's, so we have
one of the ten required column sums without further ado.  This column
alone shows that the number of M-conjugacy classes is at least
|G|/|M| = |G|/48.  As it turns out, this is very close to the
true value.  The other forty-seven columns of the matrix are extremely
sparse, so relatively speaking, there are not many more
conjugacy classes than |G|/48.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan)                        (304) 293-5192
Associate Director, WVNET                            (304) 293-5540 fax
837 Chestnut Ridge Road                              BRYAN@WVNVM
Morgantown, WV 26505                                 BRYAN@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU

From mbparker@share.ai.mit.edu  Fri Aug 18 19:24:29 1995
Return-Path: <mbparker@share.ai.mit.edu>
Received: from share ([199.171.190.200]) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA02465; Fri, 18 Aug 95 19:24:29 EDT
Received: by share (NX5.67e/NX3.0M)
	id AA09843; Fri, 18 Aug 95 16:11:30 -0700
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 95 16:11:30 -0700
From: Michael B. Parker <mbparker@share.cytex.com>
Message-Id: <9508182311.AA09843@share>
To: PuzzleParty@cytex.com, Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu, mitacas@cytex.com
Subject: PUZZLE PARTY 3 TOMORROW!, 7pm  (in Orange County, CA)
Reply-To: mlhitch@cytex.com, mbparker@cytex.com


			      PUZZLE PARTY III!

		   "A box without hinges, a lock or a lid,
		     Yet golden treasure inside is hid."

		     Answer this riddle and in you'll be,
		     challenges await at Puzzle Party 3.

		      Arrive at 7, and stay until late,
			August 19th, that's the date!


Bring your brain teasers, mechanical puzzles and mental games, and prepare
yourself to have an incredibly good time with like-minded puzzle gurus.  Only
those seeking a warm and friendly atmosphere, puzzle challenges galore, and an
evening of good times need to enter the door. Home-cooked hamburgers,
hot-dogs, and plenty of snacks and refreshments provided.

This one is sponsored by a member of the Orange County Mensa Chapter, so both
MITCSC and MENSA will be there!

 WHEN:  Saturday, 1995 August 19th, 7pm until...

 WHERE: 11382 Fredrick Drive, Garden Grove, CA (near 22, 57 and 5 freeways).
        FROM 57 or 5 FWY: exit WEST on CHAPMAN; PASS HARBOR; turn SOUTH/LEFT 
             on 9TH then first RIGHT (WEST) onto FREDRICK DRIVE.
        FROM 22 FWY: exit NORTH on HARBOR; turn WEST/RIGHT on CHAPMAN, turn 
             SOUTH/RIGHT on 9TH then first RIGHT (WEST) onto FREDRICK DRIVE.

 COST:	$4      Members & Guests with puzzles
	$6  Non-Members & Guests with puzzles
	$8      Members & Guests w/o  puzzles
	$10 Non-Members & Guests w/o  puzzles

 RSVP:	You may pay at the door, but please try to contact me beforehand so
	I can put you on the list.  Please email, fax, or phone the following
	info: Your NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, FAX, EMAIL, and what you're bringing:

              ___ puzzle-bearing     members at $ 4 each: $___
              ___ puzzle-bearing non-members at $ 6 each: $___
              ___ puzzle-less        members at $ 8 each: $___
              ___ puzzle-less    non-members at $10 each: $___
              ___ <- total persons          total cost -> $___
                 total number of puzzles being brought ___

 SPONSOR: marti hitchcock, member of Orange County Mensa
          email mlhitch@cytex.com, fax 714-750-4344
          11382 Fredrick Dr., Garden Grove, CA 92640
          day 714-750-4333, eve 714-530-7605

From AirWong@aol.com  Sat Aug 19 15:41:31 1995
Return-Path: <AirWong@aol.com>
Received: from mail06.mail.aol.com by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA10856; Sat, 19 Aug 95 15:41:31 EDT
Received: by mail06.mail.aol.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) id PAA21009 for Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu; Sat, 19 Aug 1995 15:41:31 -0400
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 1995 15:41:31 -0400
From: AirWong@aol.com
Message-Id: <950819154130_78502965@mail06.mail.aol.com>
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes

Hello All,

I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where I can
get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube. I have already mastered the 3 and 4 cubes, and
I don't think that the 5 will be much different. I would like to try it
anyways.

Aaron Wong
AirWong@AOL.com

From mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu  Sat Aug 19 16:19:27 1995
Return-Path: <mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>
Received: from Collatz.McRCIM.McGill.EDU by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA12950; Sat, 19 Aug 95 16:19:27 EDT
Received: (root@localhost) by 21939 on Collatz.McRCIM.McGill.EDU (8.6.12 Mouse 1.0) id QAA21939; Sat, 19 Aug 1995 16:19:15 -0400
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 1995 16:19:15 -0400
From: der Mouse <mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>
Message-Id: <199508192019.QAA21939@Collatz.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>
To: AirWong@aol.com
Subject: Re:  5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes
Cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu

> I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where
> I can get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube.

Can't help with this...unless you're in Montreal, in which case you
might give Valet de Coeur a try.  I think that's where I got mine.

> I have already mastered the 3 and 4 cubes, and I don't think that the
> 5 will be much different.

You're right; it won't.  If you can handle the 3-cube and 4-cube,
you've got all the necessary skills.  About the only further challenge
is the supergroup, where (for example) each face has a picture on it,
so that the inner face cubies have to be positioned (and oriented, for
the center cubie on an odd-sized cube) correctly.  I have never seen
such a thing for cubes larger than 3x3x3, but I also have never
bothered really looking for one.

					der Mouse

			    mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu

From ccw@eql12.caltech.edu  Sun Aug 20 18:32:21 1995
Return-Path: <ccw@eql12.caltech.edu>
Received: from eql12.caltech.edu by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA06278; Sun, 20 Aug 95 18:32:21 EDT
Date:    Sun, 20 Aug 95 15:32:15 PDT
From: ccw@eql12.caltech.edu
Message-Id: <950820153215.26204902@eql12.caltech.edu>
Subject: "Cubism For Fun" Rumor.  (and Dinosaur cube info)
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu, pbeck@pica.army.mil, dik@cwi.nl,
        rik@dutncp8.tn.tudelft.nl, ronnie@cisco.com
X-St-Vmsmail-To: ST%"cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu"

(Note: The second half of this message lists a place to purchase
Rubiks Dinosaur Cube)

Can anyone confirm or refute this rumor?
If true, can enough information be provided to allow ordering?
I heard this rumor last night (or was it this morning :) at a puzzle party.


Rumor:
The Nederlands Kubus Club (NKS, Dutch Cubists Club) has been receiving
a lot of orders for reprints of their newsleter "Cubism For Fun" (CFF).
Because of this, they are going to do a massive (1 time?) reprint of all
of the newsletters, but only enough to fill orders received by September 1.


Questions:
Where do I send my order?
How much for a full set of reprints? (#1 through current)
How much for a full set of the selected English translations from
the early issues?
How much additional would shipping and handling be (to U.S.A.)?
What shipping service will be used?  (in the U.S., only the U.S. Mail
is allowed to deliver to Post Office Boxes)
What are the current membership fees and info?
What is the official name of the Dutch currency?  (so I can tell the bank
what to turn my dollars into.)
Is there any person/address that email inquiries could be sent to?
(in case the one below is no longer valid)


Background (from Cube-Lovers archives):
The first 12 issues of CFF were in Dutch, thereafter in English.
Selected older articles may be available in English translations.
<pbeck@pica.army.mil>
CFF issue number 35 was published in December 1994. <dik@cwi.nl>
At that time, Dik reported that one of the editors was
<rik@dutncp8.tn.tudelft.nl>


Rubiks Dinosaur Cube:
While searching old Cube-Lovers mail to see if any information had been
posted about the above, I noticed that <ronnie@cisco.com> asked where
the Rubiks Dinosaur Cube might be purchased.  I did not see any answers
posted.  I just bought one of these last week.  I got it from
        Gametrends
        36 W. Colorado Bl.      (actually in a side alley)
        Pasadena, CA
        818-577-1882
I believe the price is $13.99.  Before posting this, I confirmed that they
will take phone orders.
If you order one, I suggest you have them test it first.  Make sure all
8 corners turn when in the initial position.  The first one I got had 2
pieces stuck together which I could not free up.  I had to return it.

For those who don't know what this puzzle is...
It is a cube.  All 8 corners turn, rotating 3 edge pieces at a time.
There are 12 visible pieces which are the edges of the cube.
Each face has cuts accross it which look like an "X".  In the solved
position, each face is a solid color.
The name Dinosaur seems to mean nothing, except that there are extra
Dinosaur decorations on the box.  (Can you say Jurassic Park?)


Thanks.
Chris Worrell
ccw@eql.caltech.edu     (current)
ccw@alumni.caltech.edu  (permenant)

From nichael@sover.net  Sun Aug 20 20:22:50 1995
Return-Path: <nichael@sover.net>
Received: from maple.sover.net by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA07918; Sun, 20 Aug 95 20:22:50 EDT
Received: from [204.71.18.82] (pm1st2.sover.net [204.71.18.82]) by maple.sover.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id UAA25961; Sun, 20 Aug 1995 20:15:18 -0400
Message-Id: <v02120d00ac5d7a682e56@[204.71.18.82]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 1995 20:27:38 -0400
To: der Mouse <mouse@collatz.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>, AirWong@aol.com
From: nichael@sover.net (Nichael Lynn Cramer)
Subject: Re:  5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes
Cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu

At 4:19 PM 19/08/95, der Mouse wrote:
>> I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where
>> I can get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube.
>
>Can't help with this...unless you're in Montreal, in which case you
>might give Valet de Coeur a try.  I think that's where I got mine.

I think the last brochure I got from Ishi had some 5bys.  Unfortunately I
can't find a copy.  Anybody else?


Nichael              -  "...did I forget, forget to mention Memphis?
nichael@sover.net           Home of Elvis, and the ancient Greeks."



From diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp  Sun Aug 20 21:45:11 1995
Return-Path: <diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp>
Received: from jnet-gw-1.dec-j.co.jp by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA09041; Sun, 20 Aug 95 21:45:11 EDT
Received: by jnet-gw-1.dec-j.co.jp (8.6.12+usagi/JNET-GW-940327.1); id KAA27528; Mon, 21 Aug 1995 10:40:51 +0900
Message-Id: <9508210145.AA21282@jrdmax.jrd.dec.com>
Received: from jrdv04.enet.dec.com by jrdmax.jrd.dec.com (5.65/JULT-4.3)
	id AA21282; Mon, 21 Aug 95 10:45:32 +0900
Received: from jrdv04.enet.dec.com; by jrdmax.enet.dec.com; Mon, 21 Aug 95 10:45:34 +0900
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 95 10:45:34 +0900
From: Norman Diamond  21-Aug-1995 1039 <diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp>
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Apparently-To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Re:  5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-2022-JP

At 4:19 PM 19/08/95, der Mouse wrote:
>> I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where
>> I can get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube.
>
>Can't help with this...unless you're in Montreal, in which case you
>might give Valet de Coeur a try.  I think that's where I got mine.

Puzzletts in Seattle, USA also has them, I think for $32 each.

It's time I should write to Dr. Bandelow in Germany too; his company used
to be the primary distributor for these.

>> I have already mastered the 3 and 4 cubes, and I don't think that the
>> 5 will be much different.

>You're right; it won't.  If you can handle the 3-cube and 4-cube,
>you've got all the necessary skills.

True, you've got all the necessary skills.  However, there is a pattern
that can occur on the 5x5x5 which needs a new algorithm which can be found
rather easily using the same old skills.

Now, Nob Yoshigahara told me that he has seen a working 6x6x6, and he
received a business card from the person who had manufactured the 6x6x6,
and he was playing with the business card and then lost the business card.
The maker was in Europe.  Anyone know who and where?

-- Norman Diamond        diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp
[Speaking for Norman Diamond not for Digital.]

From R.F.Hegge@mp.tudelft.nl  Mon Aug 21 05:07:57 1995
Return-Path: <R.F.Hegge@mp.tudelft.nl>
Received: from TUDRNV.TUDELFT.NL by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA16037; Mon, 21 Aug 95 05:07:57 EDT
Received: from komodo.mp.tudelft.nl (gf35.mp.tudelft.nl) by TUDRNV.TUDelft.NL
 (PMDF V4.2-12 #4426) id <01HUBZOC786O00273P@TUDRNV.TUDelft.NL>; Mon,
 21 Aug 1995 11:07:41 +0200
Received: from sumatra.mp.tudelft.nl by komodo.mp.tudelft.nl (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id
 AA24325; Mon, 21 Aug 1995 11:07:33 +0200
Received: by sumatra.mp.tudelft.nl (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA08152; Mon,
 21 Aug 1995 11:07:33 +0200
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 1995 11:07:33 +0200
From: R.F.Hegge@mp.tudelft.nl (Rob Hegge)
Subject: Re:  5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes & buying puzzles
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Cc: rob@gf35.mp.tudelft.nl
Message-Id: <9508210907.AA08152@sumatra.mp.tudelft.nl>
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII

> At 4:19 PM 19/08/95, der Mouse wrote:
> >> I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where
> >> I can get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube.
> >
> >Can't help with this...unless you're in Montreal, in which case you
> >might give Valet de Coeur a try.  I think that's where I got mine.
> 
> Puzzletts in Seattle, USA also has them, I think for $32 each.
> 

Last year I bought one in San Francisco in a shop located at the 
Trocadero Center (probably misspelled). However I can't really recall the
name of the shop (Game-something), but I did find shops with the same name in
Carmel and Santa Barbera.

> I think the last brochure I got from Ishi had some 5bys.  Unfortunately I
> can't find a copy.  Anybody else?

Having seen mentioned this Ishi so many times I finally take the time to ask some
questions myself:

Does Ishi also sell puzzles by mail order overseas (i.e. in Europe,
especially in the Netherlands) or better: do they a distributor overhere ?
How can I contact them for a brochure ? Is this the same Ishi which sells
GO boards etc ? (I believe I have seen them on a Web-site somewhere).

I am also looking for other company's which sell good puzzles by mail order to the
Netherlands.
Does anyone have the address of Meffert in HongKong ?

Maybe it is good idea to make a list of company's, shops ordered by location etc,
since questions like the above pop up from time to time. I know I would be interested
in a such a list. It would be very useful when I am planning my holidays :).


Rob Hegge.
r.f.hegge@ctg.tudelft.nl










From MOORE@bnlwbc.med.bnl.gov  Mon Aug 21 10:17:25 1995
Return-Path: <MOORE@bnlwbc.med.bnl.gov>
Received: from BNLWBC.MED.BNL.GOV by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA25528; Mon, 21 Aug 95 10:17:25 EDT
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 1995 10:17:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: MOORE@bnlwbc.med.bnl.gov
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Message-Id: <950821101724.67e@BNLWBC.MED.BNL.GOV>
Subject: 3x3x3 Rubik's cube

Hello,
	Speaking of cubes, is it possible to still b
	Speaking of cubes, is it possible to still purchase the original
Rubik's cube?  
-RIM

From ishius@ishius.com  Tue Aug 22 13:42:04 1995
Return-Path: <ishius@ishius.com>
Received: from holonet.net (zen.holonet.net) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA28740; Tue, 22 Aug 95 13:42:04 EDT
Received: from DialupEudora (ishius@localhost) by holonet.net (Anton Dovydaitis) with SMTP
	id KAA28092; Tue, 22 Aug 1995 10:36:43 -0700
Message-Id: <199508221736.KAA28092@holonet.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 10:38:34 -0800
To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu
From: ishius@ishius.com (ishius@holonet.net)
Subject: Re: 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cubes
Cc: AirWong@aol.com

>Hello All,
>
>I am new to this list, and i would like to ask if anyone knows where I can
>get a 5 X 5 X 5 Rubik's Cube. I have already mastered the 3 and 4 cubes, and
>I don't think that the 5 will be much different. I would like to try it
>anyways.
>
>Aaron Wong
>AirWong@AOL.com

5x5x5 Rubik's Cubes are available for $20 (regularly $30) from Ishi Press
International.  They have two flaws (which is why I am selling them for $20
and not $30).  First, the orange stickers have a tendency to slide.  This can
be fixed by putting a piece of wax paper over the orange stickers and heating
them slightly with a clothes iron, just enough to melt the glue and reset it.
Second, the middle cube faces have a tendency to fall off.  Remove them and
put them back on with a bit of glue.


Always feel free to write me if you have any questions or comments.

Anton Dovydaitis
Customer Support
===========================================================================
Ishi Press International                408/271-0415 vc, 408/271-0416 FAX
1702-H Meridian Avenue, #193            800/859-2086 Toll Free Order Line
San Jose, CA  95125                     ishius@ishius.com (or @holonet.net)



From ccw@eql12.caltech.edu  Tue Aug 22 20:10:37 1995
Return-Path: <ccw@eql12.caltech.edu>
Received: from eql12.caltech.edu by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA26236; Tue, 22 Aug 95 20:10:37 EDT
Date:    Tue, 22 Aug 95 17:10:31 PDT
From: ccw@eql12.caltech.edu
Message-Id: <950822171031.26205361@eql12.caltech.edu>
Subject: Re: "Cubism For Fun" Rumor
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
X-St-Vmsmail-To: ST%"cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu"

I wrote
> Rumor:
> The Nederlands Kubus Club (NKS, Dutch Cubists Club) has been receiving
> a lot of orders for reprints of their newsleter "Cubism For Fun" (CFF).
> Because of this, they are going to do a massive (1 time?) reprint of all
> of the newsletters, but only enough to fill orders received by September 1.

Summarizing information I received from Rik van Grol, Editor of CFF.

Reprints are only available to club members.
The next full reprint will probably not be for several years.
Deadline for guaranteed orders is the end of August.  Some small quantities
of extras may also be printed.
Rik estimated the cost as 145 Dutch Guilders, though this is unconfirmed.
Club membership (1995) 30 Guilders.
Orders to Treasurer of the club.  (same address as in archives)

Now all I have to do is join up in the next 8 days. :)
Chris Worrell

From dik@cwi.nl  Tue Aug 22 20:37:47 1995
Return-Path: <dik@cwi.nl>
Received: from charon.cwi.nl by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA26829; Tue, 22 Aug 95 20:37:47 EDT
Received: from bever.cwi.nl by charon.cwi.nl with SMTP
	id <AA01110@cwi.nl>; Wed, 23 Aug 1995 02:37:42 +0200
Received: by bever.cwi.nl 
	id AA23269 (5.65b/3.8/CWI-Amsterdam); Wed, 23 Aug 1995 02:37:42 +0200
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 02:37:42 +0200
From: Dik.Winter@cwi.nl
Message-Id: <9508230037.AA23269=dik@bever.cwi.nl>
To: ccw@eql12.caltech.edu, cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: Re: "Cubism For Fun" Rumor
Content-Length: 980

 > Summarizing information I received from Rik van Grol, Editor of CFF.

I add some information:

 > Rik estimated the cost as 145 Dutch Guilders, though this is unconfirmed.
 > Club membership (1995) 30 Guilders.
 > Orders to Treasurer of the club.  (same address as in archives)

# 1-13 NLD 20,- (these are in Dutch, no translation available), the remainder
is in English and sold per year (NLD 5,- for each issues, #25 counts as 5
issues):
#14-16 NLD 15,- (1987)
#17-19 NLD 15,- (1988)
#20-22 NLD 15,- (1989)
#23-25 NLD 35,- (1990)
#27    NLD  5,- (1991)
#28-30 NLD 15,- (1992)
#31-32 NLD 10,- (1993)
#33-35 NLD 15,- (1994)

#26 was never issued (or was it 27?, I disremember).  Total cost English
issues only: NLD 125,-; including Dutch issues NLD 145,-.  So Rik's
estimate is correct.  1995 has upto now #36 and #37.

dik
--
dik t. winter, cwi, kruislaan 413, 1098 sj  amsterdam, nederland, +31205924098
home: bovenover 215, 1025 jn  amsterdam, nederland; e-mail: dik@cwi.nl

From @mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com  Sat Sep  2 03:19:58 1995
Return-Path: <@mail.uunet.ca:mark.longridge@canrem.com>
Received: from seraph.uunet.ca (uunet.ca) by life.ai.mit.edu (4.1/AI-4.10) for /com/archive/cube-lovers id AA22073; Sat, 2 Sep 95 03:19:58 EDT
Received: from portnoy.canrem.com ([198.133.42.17]) by mail.uunet.ca with SMTP id <210209-7>; Sat, 2 Sep 1995 03:01:51 -0400
Received: from canrem.com by portnoy.canrem.com (4.1/SMI-4.1)
	id AA09737; Sat, 2 Sep 95 02:55:22 EDT
Received: by canrem.com (PCB-UUCP 1.1f)
	id 1F29E7; Sat,  2 Sep 95 02:49:49 -0500
To: cube-lovers@life.ai.mit.edu
Reply-To: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Sender: CRSO.Cube@canrem.com
Subject: Ranking the Puzzles
From: mark.longridge@canrem.com (Mark Longridge)
Message-Id: <60.1223.5834.0C1F29E7@canrem.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Sep 1995 03:48:00 -0400
Organization: CRS Online  (Toronto, Ontario)

Ranking the Puzzles by Number of Combinations
---------------------------------------------

    Name                     Combinations   Mechanism
    ----                     ------------   ---------

 1. Rubik's Wahn (5x5x5)     2.8*10^74      Udo Krell
 2. Megaminx                     10^68      Kersten Meier, Ben Halpern
 3. Rubik's Revenge (4x4x4)  7.4*10^45      Unknown
 4. Pyraminx Hexagon (A)     2.9*10^30      No known mechanism
 5. VIP Sphere               4.4*10^26      Unknown
 6. Impossi-ball             2.4*10^25      Wolfgang Kuppers
 7. Picture Cube (3x3x3) (E) 8.8*10^22      Erno Rubik, Dan Hoey
 8. Calendar Cube (3x3x3)(F) 4.4*10^22      Marvin Silbermintz
 9. Rubik's Cube 4th Dim.(D) 1.1*10^22      Erno Rubik
10. Rubik's Cube (3x3x3)     4.3*10^19      Erno Rubik
11. Pyraminx Octahedron      8.2*10^18      Unknown
12. Octagon                  5.4*10^18      Unknown
13. Christoph's Jewel (B)    2.0*10^15      Christoph Bandelow
14. Master Pyraminx (C)      4.5*10^14      Uwe Meffert
15. Barrel                   2.7*10^14      Gumpei Yokoi
16. 15 Puzzle                1.3*10^12      Sam Lloyd
17. Missing Link             8.2*10^10      Marvin Glass & Associates
18. Trillion                 1.0*10^9       Unknown
19. Rubik's Domino (3x3x2)   4.0*10^8       Erno Rubik
20. Picture Skewb            1.0*10^8       Tony Durham, Uwe Meffert
21. Pyraminx                 7.6*10^7       Uwe Meffert
22. Pocket Cube (2x2x2)      3.6*10^6       Enro Rubik
23. Skewb                    3.1*10^6       Tony Durham
24. Snub Pyraminx            9.3*10^5       Uwe Meffert
25. Simple Octahedron        5.0*10^4       No known mechanism

(A) This assumes 90 degree turns for the faces adjacent to the top face
(B) This is a snub Pyraminx Octahedron (Octahedron minus the tips)
(C) This assumes a Pyraminx visually the same as a regular pyraminx
     with rotations about the 4 vertices AND 6 edges.
(D) Yet another picture cube that does not have 4 orientations for
     each of it's 6 centres.
(E) This assumes a cube with centres which can show 4 distinct
     orientations for all 6 centres, and the only example I know
     of is Dan Hoey's Tartan Cube.
(F) Interestingly, due to the 'O' character on one of the centres
     of the Calendar Cube having only 2 distinct orientations,
     this picture cube has only half of the number of combinations
     of the Tartan Cube.

-> Mark <-

