WCA Rule- No Transparent Cubes Allowed?!

[CubeX]

Hey guys,

I was just wondering why transparent cubes are not allowed in competitions?

As i had brought my square-1 which was transparent (which i didn't know it was), and then the people there told me i couldn't use it because it is transparent and that 'you can cheat from it'.

I don't see how you can cheat with transparent cubes. And now technically my Square-1 is useless. I can't use it in my competitions now...

 

[ThatGuy]

I think it's because of the possibility of seeing the colors on the sides not facing you.
at least that's what this seems to suggest

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more pieces are visible, colours on the backside of the puzzle are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

not too sure about it.

 

[Mitch15]

because you can see the color of faces that you can't ordinarily see. most people would agree it doesn't help you much, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and that's the most clear place to draw it at: this puzzle lets you do things you aren't allowed to do is pretty much the rule

 

[PatrickJameson]

The rule is meant to prevent people from being able to see stickers that would normally not be seen with a non-transparent cube. It's one of the more silly rules in the regulations, but it's there.

 

[CubeX]

I think it's because of the possibility of seeing the colors on the sides not facing you.

That's what they told me also.

But what is the point of 'being able to see the colours on the opposite sides. I don't think there will be algs. for those anyway. Plus, it will take years to learn all those 'cheated' algs' anyway.

Edit: Plus, using that 'cheat method' won't get you any good times, probably not even sub-1 minute

 

[hawkmp4]

The idea is that you can see more of the puzzle, which is a prohibited modification under a different WCA rule.
EDIT: Ninja'd x9879

 

[musicninja17]

yeah i know, you can see the stickers on faces that normally would be unseen, but you can't really benefit from that at ridiculous high speed....idk not exactly the best rule, but it is one.

 

[aronpm]

If you can't see the other stickers, the puzzle shouldn't be called transparent in the first place.

 

[Forte]

You can do what Bence Barát did, and paint the inside black or whatever colour.

 

[Meep]

I think it's because of the possibility of seeing the colors on the sides not facing you.

That's what they told me also.

But what is the point of 'being able to see the colours on the opposite sides. I don't think there will be algs. for those anyway. Plus, it will take years to learn all those 'cheated' algs' anyway.

Edit: Plus, using that 'cheat method' won't get you any good times, probably not even sub-1 minute

What algs are you talking about? Seeing the other colors will let you know what case you have without having to rotate the cube and peek, it's as simple as that.

Whether it won't help much or not, it lets you do something that regular cubes can't do, and is therefore not allowed in competitions.

 

[krnballerzzz]

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more pieces are visible, colours on the backside of the puzzle are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

Solid: You have to rotate the cube to see what the stickers are on the other side.
Transparent: You can potentially see the stickers on the other side without rotating.

The WCA sees a transparent cube as a modification. Although in real speedsolving it is pretty much pointless, I can see why they implemented the rule.

 

[qqwref]

You can do what Bence Barát did, and paint the inside black or whatever colour.

this is a REALLY good idea

 

[aronpm]

http://worldcubeassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=232

Fellow cubers,

This week I received some transparent cubes from Korea.
With these cubes you can see the colour of some stickers on the non visible three sides. This means these cubes violate regulation 3h of WCA regulations 2006 v2.

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more colours/pieces are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

Therefore these specific transparent cubes cannot be used in official WCA competitions.

Have fun,

Ron

If you can't see any stickers that should otherwise be hidden, the cube doesn't modify the basic concept of the puzzle and it should be within WCA regulations.

Also note that he said "these specific transparent cubes", not "transparent cubes".

The cube may be called 'transparent' but that does not mean that the cube is actually transparent in the sense that you can see more pieces and stickers.

(How are they defining 'pieces'? Is a corner cap a piece? Would having external corner caps then fall under 'more pieces are visible'? I think it should say 'cubies' instead of pieces)

 

[Joker]

I think it's because of the possibility of seeing the colors on the sides not facing you.

That's what they told me also.

But what is the point of 'being able to see the colours on the opposite sides. I don't think there will be algs. for those anyway. Plus, it will take years to learn all those 'cheated' algs' anyway.

Edit: Plus, using that 'cheat method' won't get you any good times, probably not even sub-1 minute

What algs are you talking about? Seeing the other colors will let you know what case you have without having to rotate the cube and peek, it's as simple as that.

Whether it won't help much or not, it lets you do something that regular cubes can't do, and is therefore not allowed in competitions.

But really, it would take time out of your solve to really focus on the colours at the back as long as it as transparent as a normal transparent cube. Better to do a rotation.
Maybe you can take your puzzle to a competition and ask if you are allowed to use it, and if not, try to borrow one from someone else (if you are competing with it)

 

[PhillipEspinoza]

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more pieces are visible, colors on the backside of the puzzle are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

Wouldn't this rule out Guhong cubes which could do reverse corner-cutting? If so, there goes my NAR. What exactly constitutes "new moves" again?

 

[aronpm]

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more pieces are visible, colors on the backside of the puzzle are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

Wouldn't this rule out Guhong cubes which could do reverse corner-cutting? If so, there goes my NAR. What exactly constitutes "new moves" again?

No. Reverse corner-cutting in no way constitutes 'new moves'

 

[Wickex]

3h) No modifications are allowed that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle. Some examples of enhancing the basic concept are: new moves are possible, normal moves are impossible, more pieces are visible, colors on the backside of the puzzle are visible, moves are done automatically, more or other solved states.

Wouldn't this rule out Guhong cubes which could do reverse corner-cutting? If so, there goes my NAR. What exactly constitutes "new moves" again?

That's not a new move. A new move is for example the ability to move the 3x3x3 diagonally.

 

[@uguste]

Is a corner twist a new move ?

 

[~Adam~]

colours on the backside of the puzzle are visible

Does that mean no thick tiles? Like the Mefferts and QJ 4x4x4s and 5x5x5s?

 

[Edward]

colours on the backside of the puzzle are visible

Does that mean no thick tiles? Like the Mefferts and QJ 4x4x4s and 5x5x5s?

3f) Stickers/tiles/textures/paint must not be thicker than 1.5 mm, or the generally available thickness for non cube puzzles.