A new take on cubing -No colors, just numbers!!

[Mike Hughey]

With Stefan's sleuthing, I think it's pretty safe to say we already know enough to solve it with no additional knowledge. It would likely take me less than 10 minutes to solve it now. I suspect some people on here could solve it in less than a minute armed with the knowledge we have; I'm just not particularly good at solving picture cubes, so I suspect I'd be really slow.

 

[qqwref]

This sounds like an interesting puzzle, although I agree with the general sentiment that it may not be all that difficult for serious cubers. An aluminum cube sounds nice though

 

[Ollie]

Sorry if this point has been raised already, but surely it wouldn't be much use giving the puzzle to CEOs and top bosses etc if they have had no experience of puzzle solving? You could work out the 'solution' but not actually have the know-how to put pieces in the correct place?

Or is that the point?

 

[Stefan]

surely it wouldn't be much use giving the puzzle to CEOs and top bosses etc if they have had no experience of puzzle solving?

I'm pretty sure they're not trying to give it to CEOs and the like because they necessarily want them to solve it (I imagine most CEOs won't even bother or won't even receive it cause their assistants will filter it out already, that's why I keep saying they're *trying to* give it to them). The point probably is mainly to create publicity like this msn article. If some of the famous people actually try it or even solve it and create more publicity for the company, then that's of course even better for them, but I doubt they're counting on that.

 

[~Adam~]

Are you planning on putting aluminium cubes up for sale?

As already stated it shouldn't be too tricky to solve. Once a couple of the sequences have been worked out there will be very little trial and error required for most of this community to solve these puzzles but I really want an aluminium cube.

 

[cmhardw]

If this puzzle orients 4 adjacent sides (let's say it's all four sides the E layer passes through) the same way, then I agree with others here that solving all the corners will be a straightforward solution using 2x2x2 speedsolve methods. From there you can use orientation clues to narrow down certain spots that edges may occupy and use commutators to move them. Figuring out where the centers can go can be done using clues from the corners and any additional knowledge gained from the edges.

I think this puzzle will be hard, and a lot of fun, but I agree that they're making it out to be "nearly impossible" as a marketing strategy more than an actual claim about the puzzle's actual difficulty. Maybe they are being halfway serious about the claims of how hard the puzzle will be, but that would mean that they did most likely did not consult a cuber about the issue of orientation clues being so very useful in the solving of the corners on a number cube like this.

--edit--
If they made a puzzle similar to this that used numbers contained inside a plastic dome, sort of like the "googly" eyes you see on craft projects, now THAT would be a hard puzzle.

Wow, if they make "googly" numbers like this I might try to make a puzzle like that. This would completely eliminate all information gained from orientation clues, but it would also mean that it wouldn't really be a supercube either, but it would still be fun to try!

 

[~Adam~]

All the numbers on the corners and edges having the same orientation as each other would make the puzzle much harder to solve (the 1st time) IMO but it would ruin the aesthetic of the cube.

 

[Michael Womack]

this cube reminds me of the Sudoku cube as shown here http://goo.gl/vA02w7

 

[~Adam~]

The website says that the winner will be the person who sends pictures of all 6 solved sides 1st. If there is enough information between the video and pictures to form an image of the solved cube can we claim the prize?

 

[peterbone]

The website says that the winner will be the person who sends pictures of all 6 solved sides 1st. If there is enough information between the video and pictures to form an image of the solved cube can we claim the prize?

That would be great if a cuber wins before they even send the cubes. A good start would be to create 6 images of the sides of a scrambled cube (from the images or the video) and then texture map them onto a simulation cube to play around with solving it. My Rubix simulator allows loading of images onto the sides of the cube (see my sig).

 

[AvGalen]

That would be great if a cuber wins before they even send the cubes. A good start would be to create 6 images of the sides of a scrambled cube (from the images or the video) and then texture map them onto a simulation cube to play around with solving it. My Rubix simulator allows loading of images onto the sides of the cube (see my sig).

I applied, so I don't want to ruin the surprise/challenge by already taking a look at the video

I'm pretty sure they're not trying to give it to CEOs and the like because they necessarily want them to solve it (I imagine most CEOs won't even bother or won't even receive it cause their assistants will filter it out already, that's why I keep saying they're *trying to* give it to them). The point probably is mainly to create publicity like this msn article. If some of the famous people actually try it or even solve it and create more publicity for the company, then that's of course even better for them, but I doubt they're counting on that.

That message made me sad. It seems that although we are encouraged to apply for our selves or for others this is not aimed at puzzlers at all.
I am pretty sure that someone those companies will eventually pass it along to "the office cuber" that will get it figured out

 

[~Adam~]

I applied, so I don't want to ruin the surprise/challenge by already taking a look at the video

They are only sending 20 additional cubes out to applicants. You probably won't get one anyway.

 

[Stefan]

That message made me sad. It seems that although we are encouraged to apply for our selves or for others this is not aimed at puzzlers at all.

Well, of all the possible ways one could generate publicity, this is a rather "puzzly" one. I like it.

Btw, this doesn't seem right:

I think the third number on the corner is a 5 oriented the same way in both cases. I'd be surprised if there were two 45-4-5 corners that differ like this, so I guess their video/pics can't be trusted.

 

[peterbone]

Stefan, well spotted. I would put my trust in the left hand image rather than the right one though. Their 3D model clearly shows the same as your left image in their picture and video. It's much more likely that the sticker was put the wrong way round on the plastic one.
It's possible that all cubes are assembled in the scrambled state so that the solution isn't leaked. This would increase the chances of a mis-orientation of one of the stickers.

 

[~Adam~]

So they are going to be sending out potentially unsolvable puzzles? Awesome. I guess people will need their hints after a month after all.

 

[chardison1980]

Well, of all the possible ways one could generate publicity, this is a rather "puzzly" one. I like it.

Btw, this doesn't seem right:

I think the third number on the corner is a 5 oriented the same way in both cases. I'd be surprised if there were two 45-4-5 corners that differ like this, so I guess their video/pics can't be trusted.

Yes Stefan after checking out the videos and pics again the top of the 4 faces the 45 so looks like the 4 sticker w put on wrong com paired to the etched cubes I hope they fix that before sending out this cube to people

 

[windhero]

Meh, obvious marketing trick as said by Stefan. This is exactly why I want a cuber to solve it before it's even launched completely. Shame we can do nothing based on the video (or we probably could but it would require relying too much on assumptions).

 

[Benje00]

My idea is that the numbers have to equal a certain number on each side by adding them vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, hence the name "Magic Cube".

 

[~Adam~]

I doubt it Benje. From the still the vast majority of the numbers are single digit, then a few are larger (23, 34, 35 and 45) which are all bottom right and one is bottom middle.

 

[Rnewms]

Progress with Rubix. Exact rotations and number placements may be prone to error as seen by picture comparisons within this thread.