25 Rubik's Cube Facts: Read About This 3-D Combination Puzzle

The Rubik's Cube is believed to be the biggest-selling toy in the world, with sales exceeding 300 million.

As the name suggests, the Rubik's Cube is a cube-shaped puzzle with nine squares on each of its sides. Initially, all the squares of one particular side are of the same color; the six sides of this puzzle cube are colored yellow, red, green, blue, orange, and white.

The ultimate goal of this magic cube puzzle, or as it is known these days, Rubik's Cube, is to return each small square to its solid color side. Many people use this iconic toy to enhance their logical thinking skills, motor skills, and concentration levels. Even though Rubik's Cube was invented in 1974 by the Hungarian professor and sculptor Ernő Rubik, it is still popular among the newer generations. Such was the craze about solving the Rubik's Cube that several books were published on solving Rubik's Cube, as most people could only solve one or two of its sides. Scroll down to know more about the origin and the impact of this masterpiece cube.

History And Origin Of Rubik's Cube

The Rubik's Cube, or as it was earlier known, the Hungarian Magic Cube, was invented in 1974 by the Hungary-born professor of design, Ernő Rubik. It is believed that when he invented the Rubik's Cube, he didn't know how to solve it.

• After its invention in 1974, when the Rubik's Cube was first introduced as a toy in the Hungarian market, its name was Bűvös Kocka or the Magic Cube.
• The name eventually had to be changed to Rubik's Cube from Magic Cube to overcome the international patent challenges in Hungary.
• After this cube came out into the market in 1974, the Ideal Toy Corporation bought its rights in 1980 and altered its name to Rubik's Cube.
• When Ernő Rubik invented the Rubik's Cube, he was a team member at the Department of Interior Design at the Academy of Applied Arts and Crafts in Budapest.
• It is believed that when this new cube was invented, the primary purpose was to use it as a tool to help students learn about 3D objects.
• However, the primary purpose of Rubik was to solve the structural issue of moving a particular part on its own without disrupting the entire structure.
• Ernő Rubik applied for a patent for his Magic Cube in Hungary on January 30, 1975, and received it later that year.
• When he first invented the Rubik's Cube, he did not know how to solve it and thus spent around a month figuring out the moves that would lead to solving the whole cube.
• It is no surprise that robots have had the upper hand over humans when it comes to solving such puzzles. The robot Rubik's Contraption holds the world record for solving the Rubik's Cube in 0.38 seconds.
• Over the years, Rubik's Cube has gained immense fame and also several other names such as Magic Cube, Puzzle Cube, and Speed Cube.
• The American citizen Max Park holds the world record for solving a Rubik's Cube using only one hand in 6.82 seconds, as of November 2022.

Importance Of Rubik's Cube

Many people begin solving the Rubik's Cube out of curiosity but end up developing it as a hobby. Although solving the Rubik's Cube takes an ample amount of time, it is known to be a de-stressing activity. Irrespective of the time taken to solve the Rubik's Cube, it is undoubtedly a fruitful journey and experience.

• Rubik's Cube is known to enhance the muscle memory of the person solving the cube whether one uses pre-established algorithms or tries new strategies; both help in the development of muscle memory.
• For years, the Rubik's Cube has been known for improving the problem-solving skills of a person. The cube poses a set of challenges that need to be solved simultaneously.
• Solving the Rubik's Cube benefits the cognitive functionalities of one's mind as it keeps the brain active, irrespective of whether the person is a puzzle solver or a speedcuber.
• Several individuals have experienced an improvement in agility after beginning to solve the Rubik's Cube. Solving the Rubik's Cube helps keep one's fingers agile, benefitting in typing and perhaps coding better while using a computer.
• Several speedcubing competitions have been held over the years that test how quickly one can solve a Rubik's Cube.
• Du Yusheng holds the world record for solving a 3×3×3 Rubik's Cube in merely 3.47 seconds. The Chinese individual created this world record on November 24, 2018.

Rubik's Cube Variations

Over the past decades, Rubik's Cube has gained massive popularity, and several of its versions emerged, such as the most expensive, the smallest, the largest, and others.

• The Rubik's Cube that holds the world record for the largest Rubik's Cube in the world weighs 220.5 lb (100 kg) and has a height of 5.2 ft (1.57 m).
• This massive Rubik's Cube was made by Tony Fisher. The most expensive Rubik's Cube in the world or as it is also known, the Masterpiece Cube was created by Diamond Cutters International in collaboration with Fred Cueller.
• This cube was believed to have a valuation of around $2.5 million, containing several precious gems alongside gold.
• While the smallest Rubik's Cube in the world is merely 0.2 in (6 mm) in size.
• One of the most amazing Rubik's Cube facts is that it won the Toy of the Year award for two consecutive years in 1980 and 1981.
• When it comes to the arrangement of the colors on the cubes, this arrangement varied from one cube to the other in the early cubes.
• But since 1988, the blue-colored cubes are located opposite to green, orange opposite to red, and white opposite to yellow.
• The most popular type of Rubik's Cube is the 3x3x3 variant but there are several other versions used by people such as the 5x5x5 cube or the Professor's Cube, Pocket Cube, or Mini Cube.
• Some other variants include the 6x6x6 cube called the V-cube, and the 4x4x4 cube popularly known as the Rubik's Revenge.

FAQs

What is special about Rubik's Cube?
The Rubik's Cube is known to be one of the most engaging puzzles to exist owing to the 43 quintillion different possibilities that one can come across while solving it.

Did Albert Einstein solve the Rubik's Cube?
The scientist Albert Einstein passed away on April 18, 1955. The Rubik's Cube was invented a few years later in 1974, and thus there is no evidence that Albert Einstein ever solved the Rubik's Cube.

Can you really solve a Rubik's Cube in 2 moves?
Even though there are claims, there is no scientific evidence to prove that one can possibly solve a Rubik's Cube in merely two moves.