RUBIK’S CUBE – Here is the origin, history and step-by-step guide on how to solve this 3D puzzle.
The Rubik’s Cube is a six-faced, multi-colored 3D combination puzzle. Each face is originally covered with nine stickers in six colors: white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow. Modern versions use colored plastic panels to prevent wear and tear.
The goal of the puzzle is to align all six faces with one solid color each, achieved through strategic rotations of its smaller cube segments.
The Rubik’s Cube, a 3D puzzle invented in 1974, has become a global phenomenon and cultural icon. With approximately 500 million cubes sold as of 2024, it remains one of the world’s most popular puzzles.
HISTORY
Hungarian professor Ernő Rubik invented the cube in 1974, originally naming it the “Magic Cube.” It was renamed and released internationally in 1980. Larry D. Nichols had earlier patented a similar 2x2x2 puzzle. In 1988, a standardized color scheme was established.
Initially, the cube’s complexity led to widespread fascination and the publication of solving guides. Though interest declined in the mid-1980s, it resurged in the 2000s, partly due to online tutorials.
Speed-solving competitions, governed by the World Cube Association (formed in 2004), now take place worldwide. The cube was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Here is a step by step guide on how to solve Rubik’s Cube:
- Create a white cross
- Solve first two layers
- Make a yellow cross
- Solve yellow face
- Position corners
- Position edges
Each step uses specific “algorithms” – sequences of turns. Standard notation includes R (right), L (left), U (up), D (down), F (front), and B (back).
The 3x3x3 cube has over 43 quintillion possible arrangements. It’s important to understand piece movement, not just sticker placement, when solving. After the patent expired in 2000, numerous companies began producing variations.