From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Dec 17 21:57:04 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id VAA05302; Tue, 17 Dec 1996 21:57:03 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: In-Reply-To: <009ACFAD.AD4345C0.1124@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 20:39:33 -0500 To: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ , cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: Nichael Cramer Subject: Re: Cube stickers David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ wrote: >This was not a real problem with older cubes, except for the orange stickers >of the 5x5x5. Right. I have 3 5Xs and they're _all_ losing their orange stickers. (And only their orange stickers, which I've had trouble with since they were new.) What is it with these things?? Nichael Cramer "...and they opened their thesaurus nichael@sover.net and brought forth gold and frankincense http://www.sover.net/~nichael and myrrh." From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Dec 18 13:19:59 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA07081; Wed, 18 Dec 1996 13:19:58 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: ba05133@binghamton.edu Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:41:04 -0500 (EST) X-Sender: ba05133@podsun15 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Is there a 15q move for this??? Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Is there a 15 quarter move algorithm for this position: L2 F' L D2 R' B R D2 L B L F L' B' ? Maybe, Kociemba's algorithm will help. Thanks a lot in advance!! Jiri Fridrich From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Dec 18 14:40:42 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA07211; Wed, 18 Dec 1996 14:40:42 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 11:39:51 -0800 (PST) From: David Barr To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Quickcam Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I have a Color Quickcam camera attached to my PC, and I was wondering how difficult it would be to write a program that would take two pictures of a cube (to cover all six sides) and determine the cube position from the images. The positions could then be fed into another program (maybe one of the WWW cube solvers) for further processing. Is there any source code out there that does image recognition of cube positions? From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Dec 19 03:26:06 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id DAA08315; Thu, 19 Dec 1996 03:26:05 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 03:24:12 -0500 (EST) From: Nicholas Bodley To: Nichael Cramer cc: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ , cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Cube stickers In-Reply-To: Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I've had the same luck, but I thought it was lubricant that had migrated; I'm reasonably sure I tried lubricating my "5". Lubricant could turn adhesive into a gel, I think. Why the orange ones only? I think the reason is that they are a different pigment (mine's fluorescent, pretty sure!) on a different backing, perhaps plastic, while the others might be a high-quality paper; the plastic might require a different kind of adhesive. (Then, again, maybe when the maker shopped around for sheets of colored adhesive sheet stock, what was available at a a good price might not have included orange...) It's just possible that the molding compound included a few percent lubricant, and that interacted with the adhesive to create a gel. Consider what happens to the adhesive on masking tape when you apply it to plasticized PVC (vinyl) and leave it there for a few weeks or longer. The plasticizer (which, I understand, is a actually low-vapor-pressure solvent) migrates into the adhesive. Migration of plasticizer is a problem with plasticized PVC. (Any flexible vinyl is plasticized; rigid vinyl is quite stiff!)) |* Nicholas Bodley *|* Electronic Technician {*} Autodidact & Polymath |* Waltham, Mass. *|* ----------------------------------------------- |* nbodley@tiac.net *|* When the year 2000 begins, we'll celebrate |* Amateur musician *|* the 2000th anniversary of the year 1 B.C.E. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Fri Dec 20 16:50:33 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id QAA11629; Fri, 20 Dec 1996 16:50:33 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 17:21:06 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time) Message-Id: <3.0.16.19961217170333.2ef7b94c@worldreach.net> X-Sender: critter@worldreach.net X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0 Demo (16) To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: Danny Chamberlin Subject: Re: Cube stickers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 02:18 PM 12/17/96 BST, you wrote: > It's distressing to hear that the current cube stickers come off. >This was not a real problem with older cubes, except for the orange stickers >of the 5x5x5. I found that one can buy plastic sheets from artist's >supply shops. These have sticky backs, on a plastic backing, like peel-off >labels. I found one could get quite a selection of colors and they adhered >quite well. > Regards >DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist I don't know if that's the case...I still have two original Ideal cubes (non-Deluxe) and on both of them, shortly after I got them some of the blue stickers started coming off, so I took the rest off, cleaned the faces off, and just had 1 blank face on each cube! From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Dec 23 17:50:23 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA20210; Mon, 23 Dec 1996 17:50:23 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 15:47:03 -0800 From: Aaron Coles Subject: Rubik's Tangle To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Reply-to: acoles@fec.gov Message-id: <32BF19F7.3B56@fec.gov> MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win16; I) Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Does anyone know if the solution located at the below address is valid?? http://www.math.uni-kiel.de/roesler/bruhn/tlsg.htm [ The moderator has taken the liberty of correcting a small typo here. The original submitted message had an underscore ("_") in the URL which I have corrected to be a hyphen ("-"). - Alan ] From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Dec 24 15:05:09 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA22724; Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:05:08 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 12:56:26 -0200 (GMT-0200) From: Rodrigo de Almeida Siqueira X-Sender: delirium@catatau To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Java Rubik's Cube! Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Wow!!! I've just found and played with a Java version of the Rubik's Cube. It's great and colorful. You can play and rotate the Cube. It's available here: http://www.zaz.com.br/vestibular/1/Demos/j3.html have fun. ---------------------------------------- Rodrigo Siqueira Personal homepage: http://www.insite.com.br/bio/rodrigo/ ---------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Dec 24 15:52:02 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA22812; Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:52:02 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 15:49:47 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <199612242049.PAA02532@spork.bbn.com> From: Allan Wechsler To: Rodrigo de Almeida Siqueira Cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Java Rubik's Cube! In-Reply-To: References: For those having trouble with http://www.zaz.com.br/vestibular/1/Demos/j3.html my Portuguese is unreliable, but here is a first cut at a translation: Magic Cube The famous magic cube is here in 3D for [desafia]ing. You can turn the cube freely (by) dragging with the mouse. To turn the faces, drag with the mouse _on the vertices_. To play: click the [seta] of the mouse over the cube and type m to mess up all the faces. With the [seta] of the mouse over the cube, type i to reinitialize. (Or you may see: Your Netscape isn't understanding Java applets! [Atualize] for a more recent version.) Game created by Marcelo Ribeiro. [I have to confess that I don't understand the heuristic by which it decides which face to turn. I actually tried to solve the thing and it gave me the screaming meemies.] -A From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Dec 26 17:07:53 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA27424; Thu, 26 Dec 1996 17:07:52 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: From: "joyner.david" To: "'acoles@fec.gov'" Cc: "'cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu'" Subject: RE: Rubik's Tangle Date: Thu, 26 Dec 1996 11:56:11 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.837.3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Aaron Coles: The Rubik's tangle I bought is 3x3 and in that puzzle there are no tiles with a straight yellow. The version of the Rubik's tangle which that page you gave describes is not, as far as I know, marketed in stores. Here is my solution to the store version I bought: Notation: green=color 1, purple = color 2, red = color 3, yellow = color 4. Each tile will be denoted by a 4-tuple (a,b,c,d), where a is the color number of the straight rope, b is the color number of the quarter circle rope, c is the color number of the twisted rope (the one going from one side to the opposite which is not straight), d is the color number of the looped rope (the one going from one side to an adjacent side which is not in the shape of a quarter circle). The "orientation" of a tile will be 0 if the straight side is lined up vertically on the left, 1 if it is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the orientation 0 position, 2 if it is rotated 180 degrees clockwise from the orientation 0 position (the straight side is lined up vertically on the right), 3 if it is rotated 270 degrees clockwise from the orientation 0 position. I labeled the (2-sided) tiles arbitrarily 1-9, with f for front and b for back. They are as follows: tile 1 f (1,3,4,2), b (1,4,2,3) tile 2 f (1,4,2,4), b (1,4,3,2) tile 3 f (1,2,4,3), b (1,2,3,4) tile 4 f (3,1,2,4), b (3,2,4,1) tile 5 f (3,4,2,1), b (3,4,1,2) tile 6 f (3,2,1,4), b (3,1,4,2) tile 7 f (2,4,3,1), b (2,1,3,4) tile 8 f (2,1,4,3), b (2,3,1,4) tile 9 f (2,3,4,1), b (2,4,1,3) Mathematics of puzzles: In general, let X be a collection of n interlocking puzzle pieces. Assume that there is a solution to the puzzle for X which uses every element of X. Call G a "subpuzzle graph on X" if there is a subpuzzle of interlocking pieces constructed from a subset Y of X such that G is a graph with vertices labeled by the subset Y of X and two vertices are connected by an edge if and only if the corresponding pieces fit or interlock in this subpuzzle. A "solution" to the puzzle will be a connected subpuzzle graph on X having n vertices associated to a solution. For almost every jigsaw puzzle I've seen and for the Rubik's tangle puzzle, a solution to a puzzle is a Hamiltonian graph. Algorithm for the Rubik's tangle: We shall construct a subpuzzle graph on the Rubik's tangle pieces as follows: Notation: Label the positions of the puzzle as 9-2-3 | | | 8-1-4 | | | 7-6-5 step 1: Pick a tile (18 possible choices) and put it in position number 1 with orientation 0. Draw a corresponding vertex and label it with this tile's 4-tuple. inductive step: Assume that k tiles have been placed in positions 1 through k and each tile fits with its neighboring tiles, k---------- >From: Aaron Coles[SMTP:acoles@fec.gov] >Sent: Monday, December 23, 1996 6:47 PM >To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu >Subject: Rubik's Tangle > >Does anyone know if the solution located at the below address is >valid?? > > http://www.math.uni-kiel.de/roesler/bruhn/tlsg.htm > >[ The moderator has taken the liberty of correcting a small typo here. > The original submitted message had an underscore ("_") in the URL >which > I have corrected to be a hyphen ("-"). - Alan ] > From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sat Dec 28 17:34:33 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA03610; Sat, 28 Dec 1996 17:34:33 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <199612281453.OAB14763@klingon.netkonect.net> From: Jon Teague To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Rubik's Tangle Date: Sat, 28 Dec 1996 14:57:49 -0000 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit There are four Rubik's Tangles. Each of them has 25 pieces and forms a 5x5 square. Once you've got all four you can mix all of the pieces up and produce a giant 10x10. I don't know if Dr Bruhns solution on his page is correct - once I get to print it out in colour at the office I'll see if it matches the tangle I have (# 4). Jon Teague From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Dec 30 00:44:06 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA06684; Mon, 30 Dec 1996 00:44:05 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Sun, 29 Dec 1996 14:03:06 +0100 From: Rob Hegge Subject: Re: Rubik's Tangle -> a new one To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-id: <9612291303.AA21898@sumatra.mp.tudelft.nl> Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII > There are four Rubik's Tangles. Each of them > has 25 pieces and forms a 5x5 square. Once you've > got all four you can mix all of the pieces up and produce > a giant 10x10. I have read somewhere that this is not possible. > I don't know if Dr Bruhns solution on his page > > is correct - once I get to print it out in colour at the > office I'll see if it matches the tangle I have (# 4). > > Jon Teague > Actually there are 5 now, a new one is on sale in the US: It contains 9 pieces, all of them are double sided with the ropes in 3D, i.e. the pieces are not flat as compared to the other 4 sets. Rob Hegge From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Dec 30 17:55:33 1996 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA09018; Mon, 30 Dec 1996 17:55:33 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: Stan Isaacs Message-Id: <199612301945.AA060415116@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> Subject: Re: 6-cube and Hofstadter; Meffert To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Date: Mon, 30 Dec 96 11:45:15 PST In-Reply-To: <1.5.4.32.19961204100309.002b8e90@mentda.me.ic.ac.uk>; from "The Official Thermo-Fluids Fan Club of the UK." at Dec 04, 96 10:03 am Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85.2.1] > > Uwe Meffret is in business, in Aberdeen, Hong Kong. > My only question is What the F=56*7c()k (apologies to anyone with a ISO > 8859-1) is a aquaculturist? Anybody have his mailing address? -- Stan Isaacs -- isaacs@corp.hp.com From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Jan 6 18:56:19 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id SAA00774; Mon, 6 Jan 1997 18:56:19 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <32D18930.225A@metronet.de> Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 00:22:25 +0100 From: Manfred Polak X-Mailer: Mozilla 2.02 [de] (Win95; I) To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Search Help! Where can I get a 5*5*5 Rubik's Cube? I have some problems with my news-server, so if you got some advice, please send me a mail! Greetings from Munich (Germany) From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Jan 8 18:16:23 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id SAA05893; Wed, 8 Jan 1997 18:16:23 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <32D426E0.267@metronet.de> Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 23:59:44 +0100 From: Manfred Polak X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (Win95; I) To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re:Search No more mails, please; I've already ordered one! Many thanks From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Jan 9 00:25:55 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA06650; Thu, 9 Jan 1997 00:25:55 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 00:25:05 -0500 Message-Id: <199701090525.AAA13431@pool.info.sunyit.edu> X-Sender: millerd1@sunyit.edu X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Version 1.4.4 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu From: David Lee Winston Miller Subject: Cube page Hi, Just thought you might want to know about my Rubik's Cube page(s). You can find it at: http://www.sunyit.edu/~millerd1/RUBIK.HTM It is mainly a demo on solution searching and algorithms. Thanks, David Lee Winston Miller David Lee Winston Miller Mail: millerd1@sunyit.edu Homepage: http://www.sunyit.edu/~millerd1 From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Jan 28 12:26:26 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id MAA18864; Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:26:25 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Tue, 28 Jan 97 11:47:38 EST Message-Id: <9701281647.AA05417@MIT.MIT.EDU> X-Sender: dokon@po9.mit.edu (Unverified) X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.1.2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu From: Dennis Okon Subject: Broken Cube I've got a problem. My cube (3x3x3) is quite old and very used. Unfortunately, I was using it the other day and the whole thing fell apart in my hands - the center cross piece that holds the whole thing together split in two. I'm afraid all my attempts with gluing it back together have failed. Does anyone know where I can get just the center piece? - Dennis Okon dokon@mit.edu From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Jan 28 23:59:33 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA19859; Tue, 28 Jan 1997 23:59:32 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <9701282354.AA25660@jrdmax.jrd.dec.com> Date: Wed, 29 Jan 97 08:54:57 +0900 From: Norman Diamond 29-Jan-1997 0854 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Apparently-To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Broken Cube Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-2022-JP >the center cross piece that holds the whole thing together split in two. >Does anyone know where I can get just the center piece? Sure! Buy a new cube and remove the 26 visible cubies. -- Norman Diamond diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp [Speaking for Norman Diamond not for Digital.] From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Jan 30 01:31:45 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id BAA22508; Thu, 30 Jan 1997 01:31:44 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Taiwan Cube-Solving Invitational Date: 29 Jan 1997 20:13:35 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5cob1f$jiq@gap.cco.caltech.edu> This is from China World News, 12/17/1996. The translation is mine. I can't vouch for any facts in the article or give any more information. (I also find a few of the claims a bit exaggerated and redundant, but what do you expect from the media?) ------------------------- NEW MAGIC CUBE REVEALED; WELCOMING ALL SPEED SOLVERS Easy Disassembly Provides a Higher Difficulty of Play; Taiwan Hosts Invitational Competition; Throws the Gauntlet to USA, Europe, etc. [TAIPEI] The craze that mesmerized Taiwan is back. This new generation of Rubik's Cube emphasizes its ability to be disassembled and assembled. Play and difficulty are enhanced. This cube researched and developed by Taiwanese won a gold in the International Invention Competition (?) in Los Angeles this past September. This new Cube is also the focus of 1997's International Magic Cube Solving Invitational. The hosts, intending to promote basic inventive education, especially welcome youths to enter the solving competition and challenge their intelligence. The Chief Organizer of the sponsor of next year's International Cube Solving Invitational, the Republic of China's Invention Group, Chi-Shin (?) Huang [no relation] said that superb inventors always have three traits: they're capable of prolonged concentration, stamina, and will. Most importantly, that have the trait of action: they know what they want to do and they do it. And this is a trait they have in common with cube-solvers. Huang especially emphasizes that the young people now pick up this toy of the previous generation, since the Rubik's Cube is a puzzle requiring hand-eye coordination, and in the process of solving, not only does it help build spatial abilities and memory, but also trains the brain in pattern recognition and organization. And as far as creativity is concerned, cube solving is good practice for sustained concentration and patience. Jein-Chen Zhu (?), a professor at Taiwan University who has written a book analyzing the mathematical principles of the cube comments: "This new generation of the Cube is challenging because it breaks the rules of the original Cube." Zhu also said that most speed solvers finish the buttom face first, and then work towards the upper levels. Since the new Cube can be disassembled and the corner cubies rearranged, the new Cube may have no valid solutions with that method. "Therefore, if a solver picks an incorrect starting face, it would be like building a bridge on top of a riverbed with hidden sand streams: almost impossible. The solver must be able to make quick decisions to finish the solution. The inventor of the new Cube, Wei-Huang Chang (?) [no relation] indicates that the breakthrough in his design is that the Cube can now be easily disassembled, allowing players to observe with their own eyes the three-dimensional secrets in the structure of the versatile cube. The original inventor of the Cube, Rubik, was himself an expert in the field of construction and originally invented the cube as a teaching tool. The new Cube would not exist without the original design. The 1997 Competition is projected to be in September. The Committee invites any players from Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Europe, America, etc. to attend. No age restriction. If interested, please phone (area code 02) 5812314. [Country code, Taiwan ROC] ---------------------------------- Magic Cube Solved in 19 Seconds WEN-YUNG KAO (?) IS THE FASTEST SOLVER IN TAIWAN [TAIPEI]"Mr. Cube" Wen-Yung Kao's fastest solving time is nineteen seconds. Compared to existing records, he is 2 seconds faster than the world record, 22.95 seconds. "A Cube solver must make decisions quickly and correctly!" says Kao, who is a successful industrialist by day. When he solves the cube, all ten of his fingers dextrously spin the cube; in the last few seconds of his solution, he finishes the solution without even having to look at the cube, truly a sight to behold. Kao notes that actually, there's a trick to solving the cube; he has had to go through meticulous recordings and observations to discover it. He recalls his first encounter with the cube: a friend of his had started up a factory set to making the cube and had sent a few to him to play with. He was immediately hooked and spent umpteen hours testing, taking notes, and recording the path of every little cubie. After one month, he could solve the cube in three minutes. After half a year he was even faster, solving in under one minute. After 20 more months he had cut his time down to 25 seconds. [TAIPEI]Sixteen years ago the cube-solving craze spread the globe. Due to the complexity of the combinations, a few turns could make it difficult to restore to its original state, easily discouraging a would-be solver. Taiwan inventor Ji-ren Chang (?) researched the "Gold Key Cube", which can be easily disassembled and reassembled, decreasing the feeling of discouragement. [PHOTO] CEO of a food company, Wen-Yung Kao is Taiwan's fastest Cube solver. [PHOTO] Inventor Ji-Ren Chang's invention "Gold Key" can disassemble the Cube. -------------------------- -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Save the earth. Then Quit and Shut Down. From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Jan 30 17:01:45 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA24476; Thu, 30 Jan 1997 17:01:45 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 15:02:25 -0500 (EST) From: Dale Newfield Reply-To: DNewfield@cs.virginia.edu To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: 2x2x2 at Taco Bell In-Reply-To: <5cob1f$jiq@gap.cco.caltech.edu> Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I know many of the people on this list are collectors, and are always looking for new and unique cubes. I also figure there may be some people on this list that would like to own one, but have yet to acquire a 2x2x2 cube. Taco Bell has a number of toys for sale commemerating the Star Wars re-release. One of these toys is a 2x2x2 cube. FYI, -Dale Newfield Dale@Newfield.org From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Jan 30 23:38:19 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA25403; Thu, 30 Jan 1997 23:38:18 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <199701310000.TAA11669@orbit.flnet.com> From: Chris and Kori Pelley To: CUBE-LOVERS@ai.mit.edu Date: Thu, 30 Jan 1997 19:04:34 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1160 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_01BC0EE0.6E7ED400" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit This is a multi-part message in MIME format. [ And the moderator really wishes that people would -not- use MIME when mailing to Cube-Lovers. It makes the archives considerably less useful. - Alan (Cube-Lovers-Request) ] ------=_NextPart_000_01BC0EE0.6E7ED400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Taco Bell has a number of toys for sale commemerating the Star >Wars re-release. One of these toys is a 2x2x2 cube. I checked into this, but it is not a real 2x2x2 magic cube. It is one of those folding cube puzzles, where you can turn the whole thing inside out and it has different graphics on each assembled exterior. Too bad though! An official Star Wars 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube would really be a find! ck1@flnet.com http://www.flnet.com/~ck1/cubes.html ------=_NextPart_000_01BC0EE0.6E7ED400 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

>Taco Bell has a number of toys for = sale commemerating the Star
>Wars re-release.  One of these = toys is a 2x2x2 cube.

I checked into this, but it is not a real = 2x2x2 magic cube.  It is
one of those folding cube puzzles, = where you can turn the
whole thing inside out and it has different = graphics on each
assembled exterior.

Too bad though!  An = official Star Wars 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube would
really be a = find!

ck1@flnet.com
http://www.flnet.com/~ck1/cubes.html

------=_NextPart_000_01BC0EE0.6E7ED400-- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Feb 3 01:23:19 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id BAA04774; Mon, 3 Feb 1997 01:23:19 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 23:39:34 -0500 (EST) From: Nicholas Bodley To: Dennis Okon cc: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Broken Cube In-Reply-To: <9701281647.AA05417@MIT.MIT.EDU> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Realistically, IMHO, the only practical thing is to buy another. There are several makes in existence, and they have at least minor detailed differences in dimensions. I'd love to say something different! If, however, you can find someone who's an expert plastic welder (no kidding), such a person might be able to do a repair. In any event, good luck! |* Nicholas Bodley *|* Electronic Technician {*} Autodidact & Polymath |* Waltham, Mass. *|* ----------------------------------------------- |* nbodley@tiac.net *|* When the year 2000 begins, we'll celebrate |* Amateur musician *|* the 2000th anniversary of the year 1 B.C.E. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Feb 3 17:42:34 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA06909; Mon, 3 Feb 1997 17:42:34 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <32F66942.50AF@ibm.net> Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 14:40:02 -0800 From: Jin "Time Traveler" Kim X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Dennis Okon CC: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Broken Cube References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As it so happens, I have a spare 'cube' which met with unfortunate incident a number of years ago. Let's just say it involved a hacksaw and a misguided attempt at.... modification..... Anyway, if you're so inclined, I have no problems mailing you the center piece if you really want it.. But like someone else said, you'd do just as well buying a new one. And besides, the center piece may turn out to be just a little bit off kilter. I think it was a knock-off. -- Jin "Time Traveler" Kim chrono@ibm.net VGL Costa Mesa From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Feb 5 15:45:07 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA01726; Wed, 5 Feb 1997 15:45:07 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 18:19:35 +0200 (IST) From: Rubin Shai To: Cube-Lovers Subject: Magazines about the Rubik cube In-Reply-To: Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hi all I'm going to write a report about a program that learn to solve the 2X2X2 Rubik cube by itself. Does anyone know a magazine that will publish this kind of stuff? Shai From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Feb 6 14:38:30 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA03750; Thu, 6 Feb 1997 14:38:30 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <32F99BFC.7299@ibm.net> Date: Thu, 06 Feb 1997 00:53:16 -0800 From: Jin "Time Traveler" Kim X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Dennis Okon CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Broken Cube References: <9702032332.AA09252@MIT.MIT.EDU> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dennis Okon wrote: > > It would be wonderful if you could mail it to me. And, actually I have two > cubes with broken centers - one of the original type and one of the plastic > snap in tiles, which apparently (from inspection) both have the same size > centers. > I will mail you the piece as promptly as possible. I recently moved into a new residence days ago, so you will have to bear with me as I hunt for my puzzle box and hope that I didn't throw away my ravaged cube in a fit of....confusion? > Also, I'm interested in hearing more specifically what the modification you > mentioned was. The hack sent my mind in all sorts of directions. > >
You want to hear the ugly truth? Ugh... Ok.. while thumbing through Dr. Christoph Bandelow's excellent cube catalog (1992 edition, I think), I stumbled upon an object called the "Fisher Cube," in which each handmade cube had a unique "cut" to it. Basically on a standard cube the "groove" lines run parallel to the faces of the cube. On fisher's cube, two opposite faces had the groove lines running diagonally, which meant that a scrambled cube looked absolutely jacked up. I got this brilliant idea that I could make something similar, so out came the hacksaw.... After about an hour and a half of cutting I realized that I had completely ruined a perfectly good cube. And my bedroom floor (and desk, and bed, and lamp, and clothes, etc....) was COVERED in black plastic shavings which, despite their strangely appealing odor, had managed to make a terrible mess. So after giving myself disgusted looks into a mirror (as a form of "self scolding," if you will) I packed all the pieces away, thinking that maybe someday I would take the Time to reassemble it or fix it somehow. After acquiring 4 more cubes over a period of 5 years, I have lost interest in that project. Soooo, that's it. Nothing particularly drastic, but I think it might be worth a chuckle or two to those of the mailing list, so what started as a personal email has become my own public shame. So I also hope you won't have a problem with your "private email" being part of this drawn out response. -- Jin "Time Traveler" Kim chrono@ibm.net VGL Costa Mesa P.S. If I find it, you want the whole mess or just the middle? From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Feb 6 14:36:14 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA03746; Thu, 6 Feb 1997 14:36:14 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <9702060020.AA18875@jrdmax.jrd.dec.com> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 97 09:20:10 +0900 From: Norman Diamond 06-Feb-1997 0916 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Magazines about the Rubik cube Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-2022-JP Rubin Shai wrote: >I'm going to write a report about a program that learn to solve the 2X2X2 >Rubik cube by itself. >Does anyone know a magazine that will publish this kind of stuff? Shouldn't the program be smart enough to answer that question for you? :-) It would obviously be of interest in Cubism For Fun, the journal of the Dutch Cube Society (which has been published in English for about the past 10 years or so). I don't think you'd get paid for it, but the audience would be right. I would guess that Scientific American, Journal of Recreational Mathematics, and Games might also be suitable, depending on possible characteristics of the program. -- Norman Diamond diamond@jrdv04.enet.dec-j.co.jp [Speaking for Norman Diamond not for Digital.] From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sun Feb 9 17:45:35 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA12140; Sun, 9 Feb 1997 17:45:34 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 16:54:42 -0500 (EST) From: Dale Newfield Reply-To: DNewfield@cs.virginia.edu To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Broken Cube In-Reply-To: <32F99BFC.7299@ibm.net> Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII On Thu, 6 Feb 1997, Jin Time Traveler Kim wrote: > I got this brilliant idea that I could make something similar, so out > came the hacksaw.... After about an hour and a half of cutting I > realized that I had completely ruined a perfectly good cube. I finally got around to building a bandaged pair of cubes XXX XXX XXXXX XXX XXX and a bandaged 5-cube XXX XXX XXX XXX XXXXXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXX XXX XXX XXX I agree--the process was very painful and very full of black shavings, but now that I am done, I am very pleased with the final result. :-) The impetus for this fit of cube-construction came from the book "The book of ingenious & diabolical puzzles" by Jerry Slocum and Jack Botermans. Also resulting from the same fit are a round cube with what look like two 2x2x2's sticking out of it, and a regular cube in which two opposite corners and all the adjacent pieces are round. All of these came after taking a good look at pages 124 and 125 of this book--a page full of a very interesting collection of sequential movement puzzles. Thie is a really neat book that will make any collector drool, so keep your eyes out for it :-) -Dale From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Mon Feb 10 15:31:13 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA14099; Mon, 10 Feb 1997 15:31:13 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Re: Broken Cube Date: 10 Feb 1997 01:18:36 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5dlt1c$baq@gap.cco.caltech.edu> References: X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #2 (NOV) Dale Newfield writes: >The impetus for this fit of cube-construction came from the book "The >book of ingenious & diabolical puzzles" by Jerry Slocum and Jack Botermans. >All of these came after taking a good look at pages 124 and 125 of this >book--a page full of a very interesting collection of sequential movement >puzzles. Thie is a really neat book that will make any collector drool, >so keep your eyes out for it :-) I believe Jerry is still selling copies of his books. Write to him at 257 S. Palm Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (310)273-2270 FAX (310)274-3644 70410.1050@compuserve.com and ask him to send you a flier of books and prices (nicely). -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Save the earth. Then Quit and Shut Down. From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Feb 18 20:39:25 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id UAA04696; Tue, 18 Feb 1997 20:39:25 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: Stan Isaacs Message-Id: <199702190137.AA255196278@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> Subject: Super-skewb To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 17:37:57 PST X-Mailer: Elm [revision: 109.19] Anybody have any good moves for super-skewb centers? That is, ones that either twist centers in place, or move them without twisting. Tony Fisher, in England, makes some wonderful puzzles based on the Skewb, but in shapes such as an Icosahedron, or Dodecahedron, or Rhombic Dodecahedron. These are all actually Super-Skewbs. -- Stan Isaacs From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Feb 20 01:42:04 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id BAA09922; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 01:42:03 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <330BCC51.7CD7@ibm.net> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 20:00:17 -0800 From: Time Traveler X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Stan Isaacs CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Super-skewb References: <199702190137.AA255196278@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Stan Isaacs wrote: > > Anybody have any good moves for super-skewb centers? That is, ones > that either twist centers in place, or move them without twisting. > Tony Fisher, in England, makes some wonderful puzzles based on the > Skewb, but in shapes such as an Icosahedron, or Dodecahedron, or > Rhombic Dodecahedron. These are all actually Super-Skewbs. > > -- Stan Isaacs Tony Fisher still makes those things? It's HIS fault that I hacked one of my cubes into fine powder! Ah, yes. A GOOD memory. :) Happen to know how to get a hold of him? -- Jin "Time Traveler" Kim chrono@ibm.net VGL Costa Mesa From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Feb 20 13:45:33 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA11182; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 13:45:33 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: IPP17? Date: 20 Feb 1997 16:11:44 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5eht40$kmk@gap.cco.caltech.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: triskaideka.ugcs.caltech.edu X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #3 (NOV) Anyone on the mailing list going to the International Puzzle Collector's Party in San Francisco? It's be nice to meet some more people I know there... -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now surfing the Internet at 24 hours a week. From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Feb 20 17:01:07 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA11888; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 17:01:06 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: Stan Isaacs Message-Id: <199702202137.AA029444678@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> Subject: Re: Super-skewb To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 13:37:57 PST X-Mailer: Elm [revision: 109.19] Several people asked how to get the so-called "Super-skewbs" (the name is from an earlier cube-lovers message, not from Tony Fisher.) They are made by hand, by Tony Fisher (see below). He has about 9 puzzles, and says he plans to have some new ones later this year. He makes them by glueing parts onto Skewbs. The results, I think, are excellent. One corner broke off of one of the puzzles I got, but is easily glued back on. They move nicely (which means, I think, that the original Skewbs moved nicely.) He says he just buys them in shops, and then makes the transformations at home. They mostly cost around $60 - $75 (American), although a triple 5x5x5 is $90, and a mini-octahedron is $40. I don't know if these are permanent prices; they may change if prices of the cubes (or plastic) goes up. besides the skewb variations, he as "Siamese" versioin of both the skewb and the 5x5x5 cube (ie, he combines two into one; I don't have these, so I don't know exactly how the Siamese Skewb works.) He also has a Triple "Triamese 5x5x5", and a mini-octahedron based on the Tetraminx (which I also want to get a copy of. His address is: Tony Fisher 9 Cauldwell Hall Road Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 4QD, Great Britain I guess I ought to put the list of puzzles for clarity: Skewb variations: Icosahedron - $60 Dodecahedron - $60 Rhombic-Dodecahedron - $60 Octahedron - $55 Siamese Skewbs - $60 Mental Block - $75 (A strange object: looks like a 1x3x3 block, with 9 even squares on the top and bottom, but the edges are cut by an 'X' in the middle, so there are 2 triangles and 2 pentagons on each edge. When twisted, it makes all sorts of strange shapes.) Siamese 5x5x5 - $75 Triamese 5x5x5 - $90 Mini-Octahedron (based on Tetraminx) - $40 Dave Singmaster pointed out that the instructions for "Sonic's Puzzle Ball", but Christoph Bandalow, has some super-skewb moves in it. I've just glanced at it, so I haven't had a chance to try them yet. He seems to have about 3 moves that twist pairs of squares (and some triangles), of lenght 10, 14 or 18. -- Stan isaacs -- isaacs@corp.hp.com From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Fri Feb 21 13:46:38 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA13909; Fri, 21 Feb 1997 13:46:38 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Re: Super-skewb Date: 21 Feb 1997 16:47:06 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5ekjia$as@gap.cco.caltech.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: taphe.ugcs.caltech.edu X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #3 (NOV) Stan Isaacs writes: >Anybody have any good moves for super-skewb centers? That is, ones >that either twist centers in place, or move them without twisting. >Tony Fisher, in England, makes some wonderful puzzles based on the >Skewb, but in shapes such as an Icosahedron, or Dodecahedron, or >Rhombic Dodecahedron. These are all actually Super-Skewbs. If I remember correctly, all my moves for the Skewb are based on the "R1L-1R-1L1" move. Repeating this four-move sequence at different orientations does everything, including rotating centers and moving them. Unfortunately, I don't have any on hand at the moment, so I can't test them out exactly. -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now surfing the Internet at 24 hours a week. From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Fri Feb 28 13:51:54 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA12878; Fri, 28 Feb 1997 13:51:54 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: From: "joyner.david" To: "'cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu'" Subject: impossiballs Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 13:38:46 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.837.3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Does anyone know of any impossiballs for sale in a >store in the US? - David Joyner > From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sat Mar 1 01:52:20 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id BAA00371; Sat, 1 Mar 1997 01:52:20 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <33176FB7.60E5@ibm.net> Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 15:52:23 -0800 From: Time Traveler X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "joyner.david" CC: "'cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu'" Subject: Re: impossiballs References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit joyner.david wrote: > > Does anyone know of any impossiballs for sale in a > store in the US? - David Joyner > Try Peter Beck of New Jersey. I don't remember his address (my address book program was lost along with EVERYTHING else in a hard drive crash) but I've seen his name on a list or two of puzzle sources. The last Time I bought puzzles from him (ohh... about 3 years ago) he had ONE used Impossiball available. But who knows, maybe things have improved since then. Speaking of which, does anyone know where I can get my hands on a Rubik's Revenge? I saw some for sale at www.puzzlett.com, but someone said that they were an unreliable source (i.e. they ripped him off). -- Jin "Time Traveler" Kim chrono@ibm.net VGL Costa Mesa [ Note from the moderator: Peter Beck's electronic mail address is: pbeck@pica.army.mil - Alan (aka Cube-Lovers-Request@AI.MIT.EDU) ] From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sun Mar 2 02:53:57 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id CAA04211; Sun, 2 Mar 1997 02:53:56 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Sun, 02 Mar 1997 00:50:27 -0500 (EST) From: Jerry Bryan Subject: An Enhancelment for Shamir with M-conjugacy To: Cube-Lovers Message-id: MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I now have a functioning Shamir program. I do not consider it quite up to production quality just yet. I am still working on a number of improvements. Also, all the results that are easily accessible to the program have already been calculated by other means, so I have no new search results to report at this time. I do expect some new results from time to time, but the runs will probably take weeks or months. However, in the process of developing the program, I came up with an enhancement which I wished to report. Recall that the heart of the Shamir method is a mechanism which will for all s in S and all t in T produce all products st in lexicographic order. This basic mechanism can be applied in a number of ways. For example, it can be applied to the problem of determining a minimal solution for a particular position. It can also be applied to the problem of conducting a breadth first exhaustive search. The former is the basic method developed by Shamir and first reported to this group by Alan Bawden. The latter is the problem which I am currently addressing. As already reported in several previous messages, my implementation of Shamir seeks to incorporate M-conjugacy to the maximum extent possible to reduce memory requirements. As such, it does not store the sets S and T. Rather, it stores the sets A and B, where A and B contain only representative elements of the M-conjugacy classes which are contained in S and T, respectively. A and B are about 48 times smaller than S and T. However, we cannot obtain any meaningful results using only A and B. Rather, A and B have to be expanded by M-conjugation to produce S and T. That is, we represent S as A^M and T as B^M. There are no fewer positions, but only three bytes or so are required to represent each position in A^M and B^M. So we produce products st in lexicographic order for s in A^M and t in B^M. This model is slow, but it is small. At the back end of the algorithm, we determine which st values are representatives and which are not. Those which are, we keep. Those which are not, we simply discard. In my earlier messages about combining Shamir with M-conjugacy, I lamented the difficulty of producing representatives in lexicographic order. Simply discarding non-representatives is a crude but effective way to accomplish the goal. It is not quite as good as not producing the non-representatives in the first place, but it is a good bit better than nothing. As an example of the "better than nothing" idea, the Shamir method does not directly produce ST in lexicographic order. Rather, it produces St in lexicographic order for each t in T. The results then have to be merged. The non-representatives are discarded prior to the merge, so that 48 times fewer positions have to be merged. Also, the products st are tested byte by byte as they are produced to determine if they are representatives. It is usually possible to determine that a position is not a representative after no more than two or three bytes, so there are some efficiencies in the process of discarding non-representatives. That is, the only products st which are calculated in their entirety are those for representatives. The enhancement I want to report is that it is possible to discard entire branches of the Shamir tree without examining any of the nodes in the branch except the root of the branch. That is, it is possible to show that entire branches of the tree contain only non-representatives. Such branches can be pruned from the search without examining any of the nodes individually. Approximately 47/48 of the search tree can be eliminated from the search tree in this manner. Unfortunately, the speed up is not times forty-eight as I hoped, but it is significant nonetheless. The model is an S24xS24 model with S24 acting on 0..23. The corners are therefore vectors of the form [a,b,c,....], which means 0->a, 1->b, 2->c, etc. The identity is [0,1,2,....]. We focus on the corners because we consider the order of the corners first in our lexicographic order, using the order of the edges only to break ties on the corners. We call a representative element of each M-conjugacy class a canonical form, and all other elements we call non-canonical. The nature of the Shamir search is that it produces successively more complete partial permutations as a tree is searched. That is, it produces [a,?,?,...] at the zeroth level of the tree, [a,b,?,?,...] at the first level of the tree, [a,b,c,?,?,...] at the second level of the tree, and so forth until a complete permutation is constructed. The enhancement to the method consists of determining which of the partial permutations are canonical, which are non-canonical, and which are neither. A partial permutation is canonical if all daughter nodes are canonical, a partial permutation is non-canonical if all daughter nodes are non-canonical, and a partial permutation is neither if there are daughter nodes of both types. >From a theoretical point of view, the type of each node could be determined by examining each daughter and backing up the results appropriately, similar to an alpha-beta search. From a practical point of view, the whole purpose is to determine the type of node without examining any of the daughters. And in practice, we only detect non-canonical nodes vs. other than non-canonical nodes. There is no disadvantage to this procedure because it is only the non-canonical nodes which we wish to eliminate from the search. Determining non-canonical nodes depends both on the particular numbering scheme which is used for the cube facelets and also upon the particular representative element function which is chosen. We number the Front corner facelets of the cube as follows: 0 1 3 2 The Back corner facelets are then numbered 4..7, with opposite facelets summing to 7. All other facelets are numbered by adding 8 to the Front or Back facelet as you look at the facelets of the cubie in clockwise order. For example, the flt cubie is (0,8,16), and the ftr cubie is (1,9,17). The representative element function returns the M-conjugate which of all the elements in the M-conjugacy class is first in lexicographic order. Consider the partial permutation [0,?,?,...]. Its M-conjugates are of the form [?,1,?,?...], [?,?,2,?,?,...], [?,?,?,3,?,?,...], etc. It is easy to see that if a representative begins with 0, then there is at least one of the eight corner cubies somewhere in the cube which is properly positioned, both with respect to location and with respect to twist. Also, it is easy to see that the partial permutation [0,?,?,...] has both canonical and non-canonical forms as daughters. But consider the partial permutations [1,?,?,...] and [3,?,?,...]. They are conjugate, but the canonical form is [1,?,?,...]. Hence, no canonical form can begin with 3. Therefore, we eliminate all permutations which begin with 3 from the search, and we have eliminated 1/24 of the search tree. I have calculated a table of non-canonical cutoff points for the corners. The results are as follows. Notice that not all cutoffs are at the zeroth level of the tree as is the cutoff for 3, but nonetheless there are 17 cutoffs at the zeroth level. That means that there are only 7 (out of 24) ways to begin a canonical permutation. Level Noncanonical Positions Nodes Trimmed i= 0 count= 17 62460720 i= 1 count= 63 11022480 i= 2 count= 487 4733640 i= 3 count= 7610 4931280 i= 4 count= 17830 962820 i= 5 count= 138978 833868 i= 6 count= 622745 622745 Total trimmed 85567553 The positions trimmed figure is based on a corners only search, just to give a sense of proportion to the numbers. The corners only group contains about 88 million positions. For the complete cube, the numbers would be larger, but the proportions would be the same. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Robert G. Bryan (Jerry Bryan) jbryan@pstcc.cc.tn.us Pellissippi State (423) 539-7127 10915 Hardin Valley Road (423) 694-6435 (fax) P.O. Box 22990 Knoxville, TN 37933-0990 From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Mar 6 15:48:05 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA01483; Thu, 6 Mar 1997 15:48:05 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: bagleyd Message-Id: <199703061759.MAA19236@megahertz.njit.edu> Subject: winpuzzles and xpuzzles To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 12:59:28 -0500 (EST) X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24] Content-Type: text Hi I made a new release of my puzzles. They are available for Windows 3.1 and above at http://megahertz.njit.edu/~bagleyd/ as winpuz64.zip source is available also for each puzzle. For X ftp://sunsite.unc.edu//pub/Linux/games/x11/strategy/xpuzzles-5.4.1.tgz Also available at the site below, you may need a mirror though to get it from ftp.x.org since they only allow 50 users. They puzzles include: I updated all the txt/manual files. So they now contain a little history of the origins of each with references. Fixes for the Masterball Auto solve capability for Panex thanks to Rene Jansen (based on the algorithm in Quantum Jan/Feb 96). Panex with 3 tiles on each side is known to be solvable in 42 moves The version here solves it in 45. Rene and I would both like to improve this. For the X versions I added: Username, concurrency check, configure -- Cheers, /X\ David A. Bagley // \\ bagleyd@bigfoot.com http://megahertz.njit.edu/~bagleyd/ (( X xlockmore, new stuff for xlock @ ftp.x.org//contrib/applications \\ // altris, tetris games for x @ ftp.x.org//contrib/games/altris \X/ puzzles, magic cubes for x @ ftp.x.org//contrib/games/puzzles From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sat Mar 8 21:56:13 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id VAA08731; Sat, 8 Mar 1997 21:56:13 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com From: Mitch269@aol.com Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 21:37:53 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <970308213750_1383812770@emout11.mail.aol.com> To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: RUBIK'S CUBE/RUBIK'S REVENGE Does anyone know of an address I could send to order Rubik's Puzzles? I can't seem to find either one anywhere. Thanks. Mitch Brewer mitch269@aol.com From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Sun Mar 23 14:19:14 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA02111; Sun, 23 Mar 1997 14:19:14 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <199703231549.QAA15923@sun529.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> Comments: Authenticated sender is From: bandecbv@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 17:47:14 +0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: Quoted-printable Subject: Super-skewb Priority: normal X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Windows (v2.42a) > Anybody have any good moves ... (Stan Isaacs, 19 Feb 1997) > Several people asked ... (Stan Isaacs, 20 Feb 1997) > Hi, Cube-Lovers! My name is Chistoph Bandelow, and I am new in this exclusive club. Having finally aquired a modem and the necessary software a few weeks ago, I'm still overwhelmed and confused by everything. I have read all the contributions from July 1996 till now and the complete "Index by Subject". To begin with something, I would like to make some remarks about the Skewb, especially the wonderful Skewb variations made by Tony Fisher. I suggest to call them "Fisher's Icosahedron", "Fisher's Dodecahedron", and so on..Owing all of these puzzles, I am very enthusiastic because of their originality and first-class quality. Just in case you are considering to acquire one or the other from him: Tony Fisher is a very reliable, modest and decent person. THE SKEWB has been first described to a larger public by Douglas R. Hofstadter in the July 1982 edition of Scientific American. This treatise is included in Hofstadter's book "Metamagical Themas" (Basic Books 1985 and Bantam Books 1986). It was here where Hofstadter suggested the name 'skewb' as a reminder of skew and cube. One of the wonderful features of the Skewb is that we don't have to quarrel how to count single moves: no trouble with outer layer moves versus slice moves or with 90=B0 moves versus 180=B0 moves, there is just one type of move rotating one half of the Skewb by 120=B0 against the other half. >From 1985 to 1988 I had an intensive correspondence with Ronald Fletterman where I used the following NOTATION: Hold the (ordinary cubical) Skewb such that there is a unique Right upper corner, Left upper corner, Front upper corner and Back upper corner. R, L, F and B respectively denote a clockwise 120=B0 rotation of the associated half cube (as seen from the outside). R', L', F' and B' denote counterclockwise turns. Small letters r, l and so on are used for rotations around the bottom corners. Though this notation is short and handy, it is probably not as good as the one used by D. J. Joyner in his Skewb page (see http://www.nadn.navy.mil/MathDept/wdj/rubik.html) But I stick on my old notation, especially after Ronald Fletterman, used this notation in two papers in CFF (Cubism For Fun, the newsletter of the Dutch Cubist Club) in which he provides an enormous collection of Skewb maneuvers, see CFF 17 (May 1988) and CFF 18 (September 1988). The square center pieces of the Skewb can only rotate pairwise and only by 180=B0, not by 90=B0. Ronald Fletterman's collection covers these "invisibles". He, the perfectionist, gives maneuvers for all 5 possible cases: 2 neighboring squares, 2 opposing squares, 4 squares all but 2 neighborings, 4 squares all but 2 opposing, all 6 squares. However, all his other maneuvers (those for the corner pieces of the Skewb) pay absolutely no heed to the orientation of the center pieces. Every short and elegant solution method for the new Skewb variations of Tony Fisher or for the beautiful round versions of the Skewb like Mickey's Challenge or Sonic's Puzzle Ball or the Mach Balls require maneuvers for the corner pieces which do not twist the center pieces. Some of those maneuvers are given in my 80 page booklet about Mickey's Challenge or about Sonic's Puzzle Ball or on the leaflets accompanying some other puzzle balls from Meffert. Here is a selection: SOME SUPER SKEWB MANEUVERS. 1. (FL'R)^6 (18) twists the 2 neighboring squares on the left side. 2. R'BLF'L'FRLB'R'FRF'L' (14) achieves the same thing. 3. FfRr'f'FfF'R'f'rRF'R' (14) twists the top and bottom square. 4. (RF')^2 (R'F)^2 (8) twists the four top corner pieces: ... the right and front one clockwise, the left and back one counter- ... clockwise, in short: (+R) (+F) (-L) (-B). 5. R'FR' (F'R)^2 fF'f (Ff')^2 (14) twists 2 corner pieces: (+R)(-L) 6. rF'rfR'F'rfR'r'F (11) twists the top front corner piece clockwise ... and exchanges (3-cycles) the 3 neighboring corner pieces, ... in short: (+F) (L,R,f). The very last notation does not precisely ... describe the effect of the maneuver since the orientation of the ... three corner pieces is not given. A remarkable and fundamental ... difference between Rubik's Cube and the Skewb is that the Skewb ... does not allow pure corner-3-cycles: It is impossible to achieve ... (L,R,f) without any other corner piece change! CALL TO CUBE-LOVERS: I'm convinced that the maneuvers given above, especially number 2, 3 and 5, may be improved. Who can give shorter maneuvers or a good maneuver for (+L) (+R) (+f) ? PROPAGANDA. One last remark: I don't want to offend the good rules of netiquette by doing any kind of advertising here. But to avoid unnecessary questions and loss of time, allow me to say that I will send my free mail order cube catalog (1996 edition, this is still the latest) to everybody who requests one and provides his postal address. Christoph Christoph Bandelow mailto:Christoph.Bandelow@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Mar 27 11:43:20 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id LAA12287; Thu, 27 Mar 1997 11:43:20 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 04:56:51 -0500 (EST) From: Nicholas Bodley To: bandecbv@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: "Propaganda": OK with me! In-Reply-To: <199703231549.QAA15923@sun529.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Here's one list recipient who thinks Christoph Bandelow was quite courteous in his "propaganda"; I was quite glad to finally have a convenient way to request his catalog. I hope he's not overwhelmed by requests! As some (perhaps most) of you know, he has quite a reputation (and a good one) already. Christoph: It's fine with me! Next message (private) will be a catalog request to you. Welcome to the 'Net! |* Nicholas Bodley *|* Electronic Technician {*} Autodidact & Polymath |* Waltham, Mass. *|* ----------------------------------------------- |* nbodley@tiac.net *|* When the year 2000 begins, we'll celebrate |* Amateur musician *|* the 2000th anniversary of the year 1 B.C.E. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Mar 27 14:21:52 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id OAA12601; Thu, 27 Mar 1997 14:21:52 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <333AC80B.4811@ibm.net> Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 11:18:35 -0800 From: Time Traveler X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Super-skewb References: <199703231549.QAA15923@sun529.rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit bandecbv@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de wrote: > PROPAGANDA. One last remark: I don't want to offend the good rules of > netiquette by doing any kind of advertising here. But to avoid > unnecessary questions and loss of time, allow me to say that I will > send my free mail order cube catalog (1996 edition, this is still the > latest) to everybody who requests one and provides his postal > address. > > Christoph > Christoph Bandelow > mailto:Christoph.Bandelow@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de I must vouch for Dr. Bandelow, as I had an opportunity to purchase a number of pieces from him some years ago, specifically an intriguing variant of the spherical skewb called the Moody Ball by Gerd Braun. -- Jin "Time Traveler" Kim chrono@ibm.net VGL Costa Mesa From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Apr 1 15:56:31 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA28238; Tue, 1 Apr 1997 15:56:31 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 06:36:01 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199704011436.GAA22709@f5.hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [194.239.24.235] From: Philip Knudsen To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Greg's Cubes Content-Type: text/plain Hi everybody! I'm Philip Knudsen, and i live in Copenhagen, Denmark. Last year i found out about this list, and read most of the old messages. The past few months i have subscribed to the list using a free email account at my library. Now for my 1st message: Since the talk is of Fisher's Skewb variants (which sound very interesting indeed), i would like to mention to those whom it might interest, that Greg Stevens, Seattle, is making various types of cube variants. I have one of his catalogues, and have also received from him an "Off Center Cube". His designs, about 12 different, seem to be in the following categories: 1) Bandaged Cubes, made from standard 3x3x3 2) Shape modifications, made from standard 3x3x3 3) 1) and 2) combined 4) Bandaged Square-1 5) Bandaged 4x4x4 (where did he get the raw material???) 6) Shape variations of Pyraminx, i.e. "Pyraminx Star" The "Off Center-Cube" is a 3. It is well made, and very tough to solve. In fact i still need to find out how to turn the center pieces, which by the way are disguised as edge pieces. Last but not least - Greg also is a very reliable and decent person. If anyone's interested i shall forward his postal address to the list. --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Apr 2 15:54:57 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA00887; Wed, 2 Apr 1997 15:54:57 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Wed, 2 Apr 1997 06:24:45 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <199704021424.GAA18542@f17.hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [194.239.24.235] From: Philip Knudsen To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Greg's Cubes Content-Type: text/plain Greg is not online. His postal address is: Greg Stevens, 313 N.E. 151st, Seattle, WA 98155, U.S.A. I'll try and find his phone number too. Good Luck! Philip K --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Wed Apr 2 15:54:25 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA00883; Wed, 2 Apr 1997 15:54:25 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: From: "joyner.david" To: "'cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu'" Subject: RE: Greg's Cubes Date: Wed, 2 Apr 1997 07:14:54 -0500 X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.837.3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I have bought cubes from Greg Stevens and can second Philip Knutsen's opinion about his reliability. - David Joyner >---------- >From: Philip Knudsen[SMTP:philipknudsen@hotmail.com] >Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 1997 9:36 AM >To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu >Subject: Greg's Cubes > >Hi everybody! > >I'm Philip Knudsen, and i live in Copenhagen, Denmark. Last year i >found out >about this list, and read most of the old messages. The past few months >i have >subscribed to the list using a free email account at my library. >Now for my 1st message: Since the talk is of Fisher's Skewb variants >(which >sound very interesting indeed), i would like to mention to those whom >it might >interest, that Greg Stevens, Seattle, is making various types of cube >variants. >I have one of his catalogues, and have also received from him an "Off >Center >Cube". >His designs, about 12 different, seem to be in the following >categories: >1) Bandaged Cubes, made from standard 3x3x3 >2) Shape modifications, made from standard 3x3x3 >3) 1) and 2) combined >4) Bandaged Square-1 >5) Bandaged 4x4x4 (where did he get the raw material???) >6) Shape variations of Pyraminx, i.e. "Pyraminx Star" > >The "Off Center-Cube" is a 3. It is well made, and very tough to solve. >In fact >i still need to find out how to turn the center pieces, which by the >way are >disguised as edge pieces. >Last but not least - Greg also is a very reliable and decent person. >If anyone's interested i shall forward his postal address to the list. > > > > >--------------------------------------------------------- >Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >--------------------------------------------------------- > > From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Apr 3 12:16:11 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id MAA01927; Thu, 3 Apr 1997 12:16:11 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-ID: <01BC4004.EC0AAA20@p10.ts3.danve.MA.tiac.com> From: Karen Angelli To: "'Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU'" Subject: Cube History: Triumph and Defeat Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 07:58:25 -0500 A recent addition to the Cube-Lovers list, I would like to share one of the least known events in the history of Cube entertainment, and its repercussions in the mass media and ultimate disgrace of one of the most powerful men in entertainment. It was the early '80s and Rubik's-Cube-Mania was all the rage. Although not nearly as accomplished as some of this list's members were, I could solve the cube in about one minute. I was also a lifeguard at a public pool, and a locally renowned under-water swimmer (with a personal best of 75 meters). With such amazing and narrowly acclaimed accomplishments in such diverse fields of endeavor, it was only natural that I would feel public pressure to combine the two. Thus was born underwater cube solutions. I took my best lubricated cube, a dive mask and a weight belt, and started solving the cube in 10 feet of water. After several practice attempts, to ensure that I could hold my breath long enough to complete the cube, I volunteered my services to the local synchronized swimming club which was looking for an opening act for their show. The show took place before a not so overflowing crowd during the busiest season of the year, the local Nordic Fest celebration of Scandinavian heritage. The international crowd of aquatic enthusiasts was stunned when I was introduced. My bikini clad assistant handed the pristine cube to one of the audience members to randomize and returned to me. Then, in four and a half feet of water, I submerged and started solving the cube. After about 10 seconds of hurried twisting, I dropped the cube and lost my place - I had to start over. In practice, it had never taken me more than about 1 min, 15 seconds to solve the cube, and I had practiced holding my breath comfortably for about 1 min, 25 seconds. I wasn't sure whether I would complete the task. After about 1 min 30 seconds, my sister started yelling for someone to help me. However, at the 1 min 38 second mark, I surfaced - to thunderous applause. Certainly one of the greatest moments of cube history. How sad that this would lead to infamy and no greater laurels. After hearing the story of how I wowed a normally reserved Iowan crowd, my classmates in college in Pennsylvania encouraged me to find a larger audience, on a national stage. Naturally, I wrote to NBC's Late Night with David Letterman to pitch my idea for a stupid human trick. Uncharacteristically, however, Dave turned down a good idea. I haven't forgiven him since. I hope I haven't disappointed any Dave fans out there, but the truth had to surface some day. Thanks for keeping the flame alive Cube-lovers. Pete Reitan From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Fri Apr 4 11:35:52 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id LAA04602; Fri, 4 Apr 1997 11:35:52 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 09:28:08 -0500 (EST) From: Jiri Fridrich X-Sender: fridrich@bingsun2 To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Pretty patterns with Kociemba (help) Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I would like to ask for your help to find short algorithms for some pretty patterns below. The algorithms are just working algorithms and are probably too long. Can anybody apply Kociemba's algorithm to those positions? The patterns form a small portion of a very large collection of pretty patterns found by Mirek Goljan and Peter Nanasy from Czech Republic. The algorithms below are the awkward "outliers" for which we were unable to find a reasonably short "logical" algorithm. It looks like Kociemba's algorithm is the only chance. Thanks in advance for your help! Jiri Fridrich P.S.: Visit my speed cubing page at http://ssie.binghamton.edu/~jirif. The complete collection of pretty patterns will be there soon. F'R2D'RsF RsF D'R2D F'L2F D'R2D2B LsU'F' 28,23,20 DLV U'R B'R'U R'D2F U F U'F'D'U2BsLsD F 22,20,18 U4V R2F'D'F2L F'R F R'aF'D B LsDsF'U2 22,19,17 U5V F'R2D'RsF RsF D'R2D F'L2F D'R2D2F UsL'U' 28,23,20 LV D B'L'B2L B D2B'L'B2L B D'L2B2D2 22,16 L'2 D2B2D2B2U2F2U R2U F2U2R2D R2D 26,15 L'8 FaR2F'aD'aR2U'F2D R2D2F2U F2U 24,17 L'9 D2F2L2U2D B R B2R'B'D2R'B'R2B R D 24,17 L'10 LsF2R2D'FsU'F2sDFsDR2F2Rs 24,18,13 [SS'] U L D R2U R U'R B'D B'D'B2D'L'U' 18,16 [VH] R'D2R B'U2B R'D2R B'U2B . U B2L BsL2R'FsU2D L'B2U' [VHH'] R U'R B'D B'D'B L B'U R'U R U2B2R2L'U 22,19 [VSS'] LsF2R2D'FsU'F2sDFsDR2F'L'FsU F'U'BsR [SS'H] U'R F'R'F L F'DsBsL U'R'D R D'F 18,18,16 [DOO'] U L D R2U R U'L DsBsR'B L'B'L2B'D'F' 22,20,18 [DVH] LsF2R2D'FsU'F2sDFsDR2F'R'DsBR'F'LsU [DSS'H] B'L'D L'U'BsLsU'R DsR'D R U R'D L 20,20,17 [DHOO'] B'L F'L2FsR'B R F'LsB'R B2L F L' 20,18,16 [VO] LsU FsD F2sU'FsU'F L'FsU F'U'BsR 24,22,16 [SHH'] R'F2L'D'L F2B D B'D'FsL B L2D L F'R 22,19,18 [SS'O] D'L F R U2L U2R2U2L'U R2U R'F'L'D 22,17 [VHO] R'F'L BsD'F'D B'L'B L F R'DsBsR U 20,20,17 [DSO'] LsU FsD F2sU'FsU'F R'DsB R'F'LsU 24,22,16 [DSHH'] R'D B D R'DsB L B'U'aR B'D'R2B'D'R 20,19,18 [DVSO] D F'UsL'DsF UsL2F'L DsF'LsD BsR'D B'R' 26,25,19 [DU3U4] U L F'L DsF'LsD BsR'D LsU'L'U'F'aU'BsL F2U 28,27,22 [DU2U3] R2sF2R2F2sR2F2.FD'L'DLD'L'DLD'L'DLF' FD'L'DLD'L'DLD'L'DLF'. F2sR2sD F2sU2R2sD D'F'D F DsB L'D L UsB'D'B R'F'D'F'D 20,20,18 [WORKS(14)] U'B2RaU2R'B'U L'B UsR'B U'R B'DsB2R2U 26,22,20 [WS(14)S'(23)] R D'F2D F'R F UsF DsF'R2D F D'R D F'D' 23,21,19 [ORKK'S(14)(23)] R U'F R'B'D2R'U'BsLsD B L U'R'U'F U'Ls 23,22,19 [DK] D'R'BULsB'UB'U'BL'BLB'UB'U'BRsDB'DsF'UsLB 30,30,26 giant meson 1 L D R2D'L2U B'D'B D'R'D R DsL D'B2D 22,19,18 giant meson 2 R2L'DBR'D'BLBL'D'B'D2LDL'U'FD'F'RFL'FLF2R'D2U DFRsU'B'D'R'aD'LsBDFD2F2DF'R'B'L'DLBF2RD'R2D Notation: Ra = antislice RL, Fa = FB, etc. Fs = slice move FB', Rs = RL', etc. F2s = 180 deg. slice move, etc. The three-tuple in the second column means the number of quarter, face, and slice moves. You can Ignore the cryptic notation in square brackets. ********************************************************************** | Jiri FRIDRICH, Research Associate, Dept. of Systems Science and | | Industrial Engineering, Center for Intelligent Systems, SUNY | | Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, Tel.: (607) 797-4660, | | Fax: (607) 777-2577, E-mail: fridrich@binghamton.edu | | http://ssie.binghamton.edu/~jirif/jiri.html | ********************************************************************** ...................................................................... Remember, the less insight into a problem, the simpler it seems to be! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Tue Apr 15 13:20:28 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA18947; Tue, 15 Apr 1997 13:20:28 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Message-Id: <199704151245.NAA02212@mail.iol.ie> From: Goyra To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Java cubes Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 10:53:27 +0100 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Yo! The world's largest collection of Java Rubik puzzles is now under construction at http://www.iol.ie/~goyra/Rubik.html All comments are appreciated. An up-to-date Java browser is required. Goyra From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Fri May 9 15:02:56 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA18562; Fri, 9 May 1997 15:02:55 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 18:03:26 BST From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-ID: <009B402B.C196AB40.297@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Subject: Underwater cube solving I found the story in my Cubic Circular 1, p. 16. Pete promised to marry his lady when she got down to 60 seconds, which wasn't too hard as she was already at 70 seconds. Her name was Chris Clark. The TV recorded only showed a lot of bubbles! One would need a underwater TV camera to get antything interesting. DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics Southbank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK. Tel: 0171-815 7411; fax: 0171-815 7499; email: zingmast or David.Singmaster @sbu.ac.uk From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Fri May 9 15:21:07 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA18614; Fri, 9 May 1997 15:21:07 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 17:16:09 BST From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-ID: <009B4025.26B4C360.894@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Subject: Underwater cube solving I've been away from my email for some time and have just seen the message of 3 Apr 1997 from Pete Reitan via Karen Angelli. In England, we also had some underwater cube solving. This is probably in my Cubic Circular somewhere, but I can't find it. A lecturer in mathematics at the open University, Pete Strain, got interested in the Cube when I brought early examples to the Open University in early 1979. He got married about that time and took on the name Strain-Clark, and his wife was also interested. They performed underwater for Anglia Television, probably in 1980. This is a regional television and I've never seen the program. They had similar problems to Pete - in particular, her face mask leaked and she couldn't see for the last 15 seconds and had to solve the cube by memory! I've looked through my Cubic Circular again and can't find that I ever included the above. Some day I may assemble another issue, mostly of anecdotes. DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics Southbank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK. Tel: 0171-815 7411; fax: 0171-815 7499; email: zingmast or David.Singmaster @sbu.ac.uk From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Sat May 10 00:03:41 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA19501; Sat, 10 May 1997 00:03:40 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705100139.CAA28245@mail.iol.ie> From: Goyra To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Strange new Rubik puzzle in Java Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 02:28:38 +0100 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1161 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Those of you with Java browsers may want to see a new Rubik puzzle I've just posted at http://www.iol.ie/~goyra/Rubik.html It's a dodecahedron sliced on 8 axes. I would not have believed that it was possible that you could take the 20 evenly spaced corners of a dedecahedron and find 8 of them that are ALSO evenly spaced - but there it is. David Byrden From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Sat May 10 15:47:13 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA22647; Sat, 10 May 1997 15:47:13 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970510154818.0069490c@pop.tiac.net> X-Sender: kangelli@pop.tiac.net X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 15:48:18 -0400 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: karen angelli Subject: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I just ran across a store selling a double long rubik's magic rings (the flat folding puzzle) that instead 2x4 squares with three rings was 2x8 (I think)with about six rings. They were made by matchbox in 1987. I would have purchased one, but the price seemed like it might be steep. Does anyone know if these are common or can be found elsewhere? Or should I rush back and buy one before they disappear? Please let me know. Pete Reitan From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Sun May 11 16:56:07 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id QAA25020; Sun, 11 May 1997 16:56:07 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-ID: <3375DC72.44B3@ipass.net> Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 10:49:22 -0400 From: "Richard W. Pearson, Jr." Reply-To: rwpearso@ipass.net X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: karen angelli CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings References: <3.0.1.32.19970510154818.0069490c@pop.tiac.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I just ran across a store selling a double long rubik's magic rings (the > flat folding puzzle) that instead 2x4 squares with three rings was 2x8 (I > think)with about six rings. They were made by matchbox in 1987. I would > have purchased one, but the price seemed like it might be steep. Does > anyone know if these are common or can be found elsewhere? Or should I rush > back and buy one before they disappear? Please let me know. > Pete Reitan I'd say they're pretty uncommon. I've been looking for one for about 5 years now. Would you mind sending me the address and phone number of the company that is selling them. I've also been looking for a "Rubik's Magic Create the Cube." It was originally described as a 'Level 2' Rubik's Magic. I snapped the strings on mine and haven't seen one since. Thanks, Ricky Pearson rwpearso@ipass.net From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Sun May 11 17:46:25 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA25168; Sun, 11 May 1997 17:46:24 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970511174453.00a5aba0@mail.interlog.com> X-Sender: aaweint@mail.interlog.com X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 17:44:53 -0400 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: Aaron Weintraub Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >I'd say they're pretty uncommon. I've been looking for one for about 5 >years now. Would you mind sending me the address and phone number of >the company that is selling them. I've also been looking for a "Rubik's >Magic Create the Cube." It was originally described as a 'Level 2' >Rubik's Magic. I snapped the strings on mine and haven't seen one >since. I have one of these that I bought when they originally came out. I wouldn't really call it a "level 2" puzzle, as the mechanics are identical to that of the original Rubik's Magic. The goal is different, however. Each plate is divided into different coloured quarters. The object is to get both the proper shape - a cube resting on one of it's edges, centred atop a "platform" of the two other plates - and the proper colour orientation - the three faces that join in each corner of the cube must have identical colours in the quadrant at that corner. -Aaron From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Mon May 12 13:39:03 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA28182; Mon, 12 May 1997 13:39:03 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705121154.HAA01989@life.ai.mit.edu> From: Pete Beck To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 07:53:38 -0400 X-Msmail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit As I recollect the 12 panel Magic Rings was called the Master's Edition. Since they have been out of manufacture for quite awhile suggest you buy it when you see it. The 8 panel edition has been released by ODDZON and is in some toy stores along with some other Rubik's items. As some of you might remember there also was a 4 panel magic sold. If you have ever taken one apart you know that any multiple of 4 is possible. Awhile back I posted intstructions on CUBE LOVERS for restringing and or making your own variant. The panels are just 2 pieces of plastic with the design sandwiched in bewteen. They are not glued but held together by the strings. Does anybody know where to get I BET YOU CAN"T ?? a variant made with hexagon panels. THE FUTURE IS PUZZLING, BUT CUBING IS FOREVER !!! Pete, aka JUST PUZZLES From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Mon May 12 13:40:54 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA28190; Mon, 12 May 1997 13:40:54 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings Date: 12 May 1997 15:47:57 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5l7e3d$5k5@gap.cco.caltech.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: blend.ugcs.caltech.edu X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #2 (NOV) "Richard W. Pearson, Jr." writes: >> I just ran across a store selling a double long rubik's magic rings (the >> flat folding puzzle) that instead 2x4 squares with three rings was 2x8 (I >> think)with about six rings. They were made by matchbox in 1987. I would >> have purchased one, but the price seemed like it might be steep. Does >> anyone know if these are common or can be found elsewhere? Or should I rush >> back and buy one before they disappear? Please let me know. >> Pete Reitan >I'd say they're pretty uncommon. I've been looking for one for about 5 >years now. Would you mind sending me the address and phone number of >the company that is selling them. I've also been looking for a "Rubik's >Magic Create the Cube." It was originally described as a 'Level 2' >Rubik's Magic. I snapped the strings on mine and haven't seen one >since. It has 12 panels and 5 rings, and was marketed as "Unlink the Rings". I have one with the original packaging. They are hard to find; I only found mine through a very lucky occurence (and paid only $1 for it!) I am still searching for a "Make the Cube." I also have a broken one. Perhaps I should just take the string from one of my normal Magics and transfer it. -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The cynical poet -- is worst of the worst. What others are thinking -- he says out loud first. From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Mon May 12 21:52:48 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id VAA00981; Mon, 12 May 1997 21:52:48 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 02:50:14 BST From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ To: Goyra@cheerful.com CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-ID: <009B42D0.D8685A60.2@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Strange new Rubik puzzle in Java What Goyra is describing as 'Strange new Rubik puzzle in Java' is clearly based on the fact that one can inscribe a cube in a dodecahedron using 8 of the dodecahedron's vertices. This is pretty well known and one can probably see versions of it in some of the books on polyhedra. Adapting a cube to having a dodecahedral appearance was certainly considered in the 1980s, thoguh I can't remember if anybody ever made them for sale - e.g Greg Stevens or Jean-Claude Constantin. I don't have any in my collection, so I'd be grateful to hear hpw to get one. Incidentally, a 2x2x2 version is being made in Spain in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head (and perhaps Donald Duck's head). These are supposed to be coming on the market here soon. DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics Southbank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK. Tel: 0171-815 7411; fax: 0171-815 7499; email: zingmast or David.Singmaster @sbu.ac.uk From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Mon May 12 23:04:42 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA01374; Mon, 12 May 1997 23:04:41 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 03:38:27 BST From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-ID: <009B42D7.94F5F2E0.2@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Subject: Rubik's Magic Peter Beck says one can make these with any number of panels which is a multiple of four. Actual any even number is possible. I have several example of 2 x 3. Actually, there are two examples - the third is the one with six hexagons. Both the 2 x 3 examples were promotional items for magazines, one in Italy and one in France. I happened to be in France when the French example was attached to a magazine called Super in Jun 1988. I bought about a dozen example, but I have no spares left! The 2 x 2 was marketed in four forms and one could assemble all four into a bigger pattern. However, I've also got three Hungarian versions. One has religious symbols and comes in a folder with a picture of the Pope on the front, apparently commemorating the Pope's visit to Hungary or Austria. DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics Southbank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK. Tel: 0171-815 7411; fax: 0171-815 7499; email: zingmast or David.Singmaster @sbu.ac.uk From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Mon May 12 23:04:11 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA01370; Mon, 12 May 1997 23:04:10 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 03:27:02 BST From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ To: whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-ID: <009B42D5.FC6B2820.2@vax.sbu.ac.uk> Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings Several people have remarked about having broken strings on a version of Rubik's Magic. When one of mine first came apart, I thought it would be impossible to get it back together correctly as I thought there would be some critical weaving of the strings. However, once one examines it closely, one sees that no magic is needed. Simply rethread the strings along the correct paths and it works. All one needs is a small screwdriver to stretch the end of a loop over the corner of a panel. So it is much easier to assemble or to reassemble than one initially thinks and I'd encourage anyone who has a little manual dexterity to remake a broken one using strings from other ones. DAVID SINGMASTER, Professor of Mathematics and Metagrobologist School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics Southbank University, London, SE1 0AA, UK. Tel: 0171-815 7411; fax: 0171-815 7499; email: zingmast or David.Singmaster @sbu.ac.uk From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 13 12:38:16 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id MAA03375; Tue, 13 May 1997 12:38:16 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 11:50:30 +0100 Message-Id: <9705131050.AA12905@mentda.me.ic.ac.uk> X-Sender: ars2@mentda.me.ic.ac.uk X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: "Andrew R. Southern" Subject: Re: Extra-long Rubik's magic rings At 07:53 12/05/97 -0400, you wrote: >As I recollect the 12 panel Magic Rings was called the Master's Edition. >Since they have been out of manufacture for quite awhile suggest you buy it >when you see it. > >The 8 panel edition has been released by ODDZON and is in some toy stores >along with some other Rubik's items. > >As some of you might remember there also was a 4 panel magic sold. If you >have ever taken one apart you know that any multiple of 4 is possible. >Awhile back I posted intstructions on CUBE LOVERS for restringing and or >making your own variant. The panels are just 2 pieces of plastic with the >design sandwiched in bewteen. They are not glued but held together by the >strings. > > >Does anybody know where to get I BET YOU CAN"T ?? a variant made with >hexagon panels. > I must point out at this point that the magic's stringing pattern actually revovles around just two patterns, which are equivalent to each other in some positions. These patterns actually only require three tiles. Three tiles will not make a circuit, but they will make a nice line or L-shape. For a bit of real(?) excitment(??) you could try to make one out of just two panels. This is highly possible, as I did it back when I was 12 or 13 in Senior school. The secret is that you loop one of the "Ligaments" as I used to call them back around one panel twice. I cannot remember whether or not this could go around for ever or whether it had a definiate start and end point, but it certainly confused my classmates. I also know that it is possible to add just two panels onto an ordinary Rubik's Magic, creating a 2x5 array, which I don't have to say, is not exactly divisible by four. This was fully functional, but when it was folded in half, it did not go into "Loop" or "Tie Fighter", it went into "Fish" from either side, unless the last two squares were folded in before folding along the centre line. I called this the "Diabolical Edition" because it was harder than the Master Edition, and I made about four of them for members of my old school (Blue Coat, Liverpool). loop: !--! !__! tie fighter: \/\/ /\/\ Fish: \/-\ /\_/ I also created a "master Edition" from Two ordinary magics when someone drew freehand the "Sandwich Filler" pieces of paper. But my Piece de Resistance is the 64-panelled monstrousity that used to take me an hour to solve, and was a complete work-out as there was so much to-and-fro ing of the entire magic. I had to use the pictures from 12 magics, and is just an extension of the master editions solution. When it is in a 32x2 state, it was higher than my (then) best friend, and you require quite substantial floor space to solve it. -Andy Southern (The artist formerly known as the Unofficail Thermo-Fluids Fan Club of the UK). From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 13 15:14:04 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA03658; Tue, 13 May 1997 15:14:03 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705131902.UAA24724@mail.iol.ie> From: Goyra To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu MMDF-Warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at moag.epilogue.com Subject: Re: Strange new Rubik puzzle in Java Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 20:03:49 +0100 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1161 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > From: David Singmaster Computing & Maths South Bank Univ > Adapting a cube to having a dodecahedral appearance was certainly considered > in the 1980s, thoguh I can't remember if anybody ever made them for sale This puzzle is depicted on page 335 of "Metamagical Themas" by Douglas Hofstadter, which has just come back into print. He says that it was in Meffert's catalogue way back then, called the "Pyraminx Ball" David Byrden From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 13 23:24:09 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id XAA05612; Tue, 13 May 1997 23:24:09 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <3.0.1.32.19970513222622.006933b8@pop.tiac.net> X-Sender: kangelli@pop.tiac.net (Unverified) X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.1 (32) Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 22:26:22 -0400 To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu From: karen angelli Subject: 2x6 Rubik's Magics Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Wow, what a response. Yes, you are all correct, the ones I saw are 6x2, not 8x2. However, as I now know, almost any number are possible. I saw the puzzles for sale at The Games People Play at 1100 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, Ma 02138 617-492-0711 (not far from the cube-lovers administrators at MIT) (They are also available from Puzzletts in Seattle). The owner of Games People Play had about five for sale, and also several of the original black background 8panel Magics. She sells the 12 panel for $20 and the 8 panel for $15. However, the buyer must beware. Each of the 12 panel ones I looked at in Games People play had one broken string each. I bought one despite the flaw, because she gave me the phone number for someone who knows how to fix them, and the $20 price was substantially below the $35 plus s.h. from Puzzletts. I had lunch with my Rubiks Magic repair-man today, got a lesson in Rubiks magicology and now have a fully functional toy. According to my sources, the Magics can function with as few as half of the original strings. Each string set is double strung for extra strength. Accordingly, the thing will still work properly if any one breaks, or if any number break, so long as both strings on any particular loop both break. He suggests removing any broken string as soon as possible so that it does not get in the way of the other ones and create a cascading loose loop catastrophe. He happened to have a number of extra loops of fishing line because he fixes the puzzles for a puzzle mail-order company. The company told him that there was a large batch of puzzles made with defective strings. They send him the puzzles, and he canabalizes them to make n-1 Magics from n defective magics. He fixes the Magics by wrapping the loop around the same path as the one path that has only one loop around it. There are only a couple of rules to follow: the string paths on one side cross the string paths on the other side at 90degree angles, and when the two strings from one side pass the strings from the other side between panels, the two from one side must be either both outside of the two from the other side, or both inside the ones from the other side. Personally, I've always been too paranoid about my puzzles to abuse them enough to actually find out how to take them apart. I also usually hesitated at spending the money to get several puzzles when one seemed sufficient. I guess I need to learn how to live life on the wild side. 'e-ya later, Peter Reitan From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 20 13:57:16 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id NAA29197; Tue, 20 May 1997 13:57:15 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705201447.HAA16982@f16.hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [194.239.24.234] From: Philip Knudsen To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Triamid Content-Type: text/plain Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 07:47:33 PDT Hi everybody! I recently purchased a Rubik's Triamid, Matchbox version. Do any of you know whether that version differs from the new Oddzon release? The Oddzon Tangle certainly is different from the Matchbox Tangle. The leaflet that comes with the new Oddzon Tangle says the following puzzles are in the new series: Tangle, 2x2x2 Mini Cube, Rubik's Cube, Snake, and Triamid. I'd like to know if they have re-released even more of the old stuff. None of them are available where i live (Copenhagen, Denmark) Also, if anyone has a Rubik's Hat they's like to part with, i'd be real interested. Philip K --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Thu May 22 16:39:15 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id QAA04555; Thu, 22 May 1997 16:39:15 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Re: Triamid Date: 22 May 1997 18:49:46 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5m24ga$qie@gap.cco.caltech.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: liquefy.ugcs.caltech.edu X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #2 (NOV) Philip Knudsen writes: >I recently purchased a Rubik's Triamid, Matchbox version. >Do any of you know whether that version differs from the new Oddzon release? The >Oddzon Tangle certainly is different from the Matchbox Tangle. As far as I can tell, the only difference is the Tangle. (Well, and the colors of the Snake and the Magic.) >The leaflet that comes with the new Oddzon Tangle says the following puzzles are >in the new series: >Tangle, 2x2x2 Mini Cube, Rubik's Cube, Snake, and Triamid. I believe the Magic was released in this release as well. >I'd like to know if they have re-released even more of the old stuff. >None of them are available where i live (Copenhagen, Denmark) >Also, if anyone has a Rubik's Hat they's like to part with, i'd be real >interested. Heh heh. (No, I don't have one. I do have a Rubik's Maze, though.) >Philip K >--------------------------------------------------------- >Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >--------------------------------------------------------- -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The cynical poet -- is worst of the worst. What others are thinking -- he says out loud first. From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 27 15:51:48 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA13327; Tue, 27 May 1997 15:51:48 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705271134.EAA07180@f9.hotmail.com> X-Originating-IP: [194.239.24.233] From: Philip Knudsen To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Tangle & Triamid Content-Type: text/plain Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 04:34:47 PDT Thanks alot for the info on Triamid (no major difference). Pete Beck asked: How is tangle different. I know it is plastic and the strings are raised but is the puzzle different? The Oddzon version has only nine pieces, which are double-sided. For these 18 sides, all pieces from the original tangle, except the six with a straight yellow line are used. Of the 9 puzzle pieces, 3 have straight red on both sides, 3 have a straight green, and 3 a straight purple. The result is a somewhat easier puzzle, at least it's solveable without computer aid. Back to the Triamid: Has anyone ever tried to build a large one out of several small? To build a 4x4 one would need three Triamids to get enough connector pieces. The question is, would the puzzle work, or would it be too hard to disconnect a 3x3 top from a 4x4 base? Me, i'm seriously considering buying 2 extra. Philip K --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 27 15:52:28 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id PAA13331; Tue, 27 May 1997 15:52:28 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705271845.TAA31887@mail.iol.ie> From: Goyra To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Java Rubik Gallery now open Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 19:46:27 +0100 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1161 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Those of you with Java browsers, powerful PCs and fast Internet connections may want to revisit my Rubik Gallery at http://www.iol.ie/~goyra/Rubik.html I have just installed Rubik cubes of all sizes up to 11. I intend to maintain the Gallery as the world's largest collection of "Rubik" puzzles, a place where you can play with that obscure puzzle you were never able to find in the shops. Any suggestions as to what should go in it next, are welcome. David Byrden From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Tue May 27 17:37:53 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA13588; Tue, 27 May 1997 17:37:53 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705272118.RAA09157@life.ai.mit.edu> Date: Tue, 27 May 97 17:18:18 EDT From: Nichael Cramer To: Goyra cc: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: Java Rubik Gallery now open >From: Goyra >Subject: Java Rubik Gallery now open >Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 19:46:27 +0100 > > > Those of you with Java browsers, powerful >PCs and fast Internet connections may want to >revisit my Rubik Gallery at > > http://www.iol.ie/~goyra/Rubik.html > [...] I freely admit that I tuned in fully expecting to be disappointed. But this is really slick. N From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Wed May 28 16:35:19 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id QAA17056; Wed, 28 May 1997 16:35:19 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-Id: <199705281233.IAA05016@life.ai.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 28 May 97 8:30:53 EDT From: Nichael Cramer To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: [gknauth: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery] [Simply passing along bits --N] ----- Forwarded message # 1: Date: Wed, 28 May 97 08:13:32 EDT From: gknauth@BBN.COM Subject: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery > From: Andy Lee Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery LOS ANGELES (May 27, 1997 5:43 p.m. EDT) - A University of California computer science professor has solved the long-standing mystery of Rubik's cube, university officials said Tuesday. Richard Korf found a way to line up the colored squares of the cube in an average 18 moves and a maximum of 20, officials said without explaining exactly how it is done. Rubik's cube, launched in the 1970s by the Hungarian Erno Rubik, became a worldwide phenomenon, with people spending hours trying to manipulate it into color-coordinated rows. Korf is due to reveal his method at a national conference on artifical intelligence July 28 in Providence, Rhode Island. Copyright 1997 Nando.net, Agence France-Presse ----- End of forwarded messages From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Wed May 28 17:37:15 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA17223; Wed, 28 May 1997 17:37:15 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-ID: <338CA4A0.79A7@snowcrest.net> Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 14:33:20 -0700 From: Joe McGarity Reply-To: joemcg3@snowcrest.net X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Mailing List, Rubik's Cube" Subject: Solved in 20 moves? Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Forgive me for saying so, but, "Bulls**t" From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Wed May 28 17:40:08 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id RAA17238; Wed, 28 May 1997 17:40:08 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Sender: mark@ampersand.com To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Cc: Nichael Cramer Subject: Re: [gknauth: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery] References: <199705281233.IAA05016@life.ai.mit.edu> From: Mark Atwood Date: 28 May 1997 17:38:41 -0400 In-Reply-To: Nichael Cramer's message of Wed, 28 May 97 8:30:53 EDT Message-ID: X-Mailer: Gnus v5.2.40/Emacs 19.31 Nichael Cramer writes: > > ----- Forwarded message # 1: > > Date: Wed, 28 May 97 08:13:32 EDT > From: gknauth@BBN.COM > Subject: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery > > ... > > Richard Korf found a way to line up the colored squares of the cube in an > average 18 moves and a maximum of 20, officials said without explaining > exactly how it is done. > ... > Is this a new upper bound? -- Mark Atwood | We must not remind them zot@ampersand.com | that Giants walk the Earth. From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Thu May 29 00:28:22 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA18141; Thu, 29 May 1997 00:28:21 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 15:18:10 -0700 From: Richard E Korf Message-Id: <199705282218.PAA17014@denali.cs.ucla.edu> To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: rumor control Dear Cube-Lovers, Apparently some work I did recently has gotten badly mangled by the press. I have NOT resolved the question of whether or not 20 face turns is the maximum distance one can get from a scrambled cube. What I did is to write a heuristic search program that finds optimal solutions to arbitrary scrambled cubes. The algorithm is very different from the method of Fiat, Moses, Shamir, et al, and seems to be competitive with their algorithm in terms of time and space. The current version of my program is practical for cubes up to 18 moves away from solved. Out of 10 randomly generated cubes, one was solved in 16 moves, 3 required 17 moves, and 6 required 18 moves, suggesting that the median optimal solution length is probably 18 moves. A paper on this work will be presented at the National Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-97) in Providence, RI in July. I'd be happy to send a postscript copy of the paper to anyone who is interested, unless there are a lot of requests, in which case I'll just post it on my web site and put a pointer here. In addition, if there is enough interest, I could write a short summary of the paper for this list. Thanks for your attention. -rich korf From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Thu May 29 00:28:49 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA18145; Thu, 29 May 1997 00:28:48 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-ID: <338CEAA0.6CBB@idirect.com> Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 19:32:00 -0700 From: Mark Longridge Organization: Computer Creations X-Mailer: Mozilla 2.01 (Win16; U) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Nichael Cramer CC: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: [gknauth: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery] References: <199705281233.IAA05016@life.ai.mit.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Nichael Cramer wrote: > > [Simply passing along bits --N] > > ----- Forwarded message # 1: > > Date: Wed, 28 May 97 08:13:32 EDT > From: gknauth@BBN.COM > Subject: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery > > > From: Andy Lee > > Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery > > LOS ANGELES (May 27, 1997 5:43 p.m. EDT) - A University of California > computer science professor has solved the long-standing mystery of Rubik's > cube, university officials said Tuesday. > > Richard Korf found a way to line up the colored squares of the cube in an > average 18 moves and a maximum of 20, officials said without explaining > exactly how it is done. > > Rubik's cube, launched in the 1970s by the Hungarian Erno Rubik, became a > worldwide phenomenon, with people spending hours trying to manipulate it > into color-coordinated rows. > > Korf is due to reveal his method at a national conference on artifical > intelligence July 28 in Providence, Rhode Island. > > Copyright 1997 Nando.net, Agence France-Presse > > ----- End of forwarded messages Let's say the cube-lovers of the world are skeptical... Are we talking about q turns or q+h turns? My own conjecture (which I have kept to myself until now) was that Mike Reid's 12-flip pattern in 24 q turns was the antipode in q turns only. I have no proof of this fact. It is possible Professor Korf has found a totally new approach to the rubik problem. Dik Winter (months and months before) never did find any position on the 3x3x3 which required more than 20 moves in the q+h metric. Conventional wisdom (using Kociemba type algorithms) was that the god's algorithm for the standard 3x3x3 cube was intractible. In case case, without more evidence, this news message does not add to the existing level of cube knowledge. I'm still waiting and watching for any optimal solutions to the Megaminx spot patterns! Perhaps Professor Korf has a mathematical proof. It does seem unlikely that he sifted through all the possible positions. -> Mark From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Thu May 29 00:29:17 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA18149; Thu, 29 May 1997 00:29:16 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Professor cracks Rubik's cube mystery Message-ID: <19970528.222126.9494.2.shaggy34@juno.com> X-Mailer: Juno 1.15 X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 0,2-3,5-6,9-10,12 From: Josh D Weaver Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:22:16 EDT What do the skeptics have to say about the 20 move solve? It was said that in theory it could be done; but is it really possible? Does anyone know how long time wise it took Richard Korf to solve it using the 20 move method? I'm just a 15 year old who can solve the cube so I don't know much about theories or mathematical patterns. So if someone can explain it to me that would be great. If it all that is claims to be, then I can't wait to know how to use the method. From cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Thu May 29 00:30:06 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Received: from oolong.camellia.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by oolong.camellia.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id AAA18159; Thu, 29 May 1997 00:30:06 -0400 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org From: SCHMIDTG@iccgcc.cle.ab.com Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 23:39:18 -0400 (EDT) To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu Message-Id: <970528233918.21401a3a@iccgcc.cle.ab.com> Subject: Re: Solved in 20 moves? From: SMTP%"joemcg3@snowcrest.net" 28-MAY-1997 22:02:17.57 To: SCHMIDTG CC: Subj: Solved in 20 moves? Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@oolong.camellia.org Message-ID: <338CA4A0.79A7@snowcrest.net> Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 14:33:20 -0700 From: Joe McGarity Reply-To: joemcg3@snowcrest.net X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: "Mailing List, Rubik's Cube" Subject: Solved in 20 moves? Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On the subject of a new upper bound for Rubik's cube solution, Joe McGarity wrote: >Forgive me for saying so, but, "Bulls**t" While it's certainly