Broken Impossiball Core?

[elimescube]

As Meffert intended, the Impossiball is both a dodecahedral twisty puzzle (essentially just the corners of a Megaminx) and a spherical sliding-tile puzzle.

I recently popped a piece to solve it as a sliding-tile puzzle and was surprised to see that the hidden "centre pieces" are made of very thin, flimsy plastic. I assume this has something to do with how the puzzle turns as a twisty puzzle, since each side bulges away from the other pieces as you turn it.

As I was about to finish the solve, one of the centres along with its axle came out of the small spherical core. I was thinking of just gluing it back, considering that the centres don't really have to rotate with their associated side. Just to be safe, I tried turning some of the centres that where still attached to the core, and lo and behold - they turned.

What concerns me is: What is keeping the centres attached to the core?!? The one that came out looks as if it may have just been pegged in there, but that wouldn't make any sense, because if that were true for all 12 centres the whole puzzle would fall apart after just a few turns.

Has anyone else has a similar problem with their Impossiball? If so, did you manage to fix it? Or at least figure out how it is all held together?

Any insight would be appreciated... Muchly.

 

[rachmaninovian]

i don't think the impossible is a true twistypuzzle =P

 

[AvGalen]

As Meffert intended, the Impossiball is both a dodecahedral twisty puzzle (essentially just the corners of a Megaminx) and a spherical sliding-tile puzzle.

I recently popped a piece to solve it as a sliding-tile puzzle and was surprised to see that the hidden "centre pieces" are made of very thin, flimsy plastic. I assume this has something to do with how the puzzle turns as a twisty puzzle, since each side bulges away from the other pieces as you turn it.

As I was about to finish the solve, one of the centres along with its axle came out of the small spherical core. I was thinking of just gluing it back, considering that the centres don't really have to rotate with their associated side. Just to be safe, I tried turning some of the centres that where still attached to the core, and lo and behold - they turned.

What concerns me is: What is keeping the centres attached to the core?!? The one that came out looks as if it may have just been pegged in there, but that wouldn't make any sense, because if that were true for all 12 centres the whole puzzle would fall apart after just a few turns.

Has anyone else has a similar problem with their Impossiball? If so, did you manage to fix it? Or at least figure out how it is all held together?

Any insight would be appreciated... Muchly.

Just take it apart entirely and you will understand. I was also surprised by the "mushroom forest" when I first saw it

i don't think the impossible is a true twistypuzzle =P

hahaha. Well, if you have a ball shaped 3x3x3 would you still qualify it as a twisty puzzle?
The impossiball (great name btw) is just a 2x2x2 version of the megaminx (corners only, no centers or edges)
Because I consider both 2x2x2 and megaminx as a twistypuzzle, impossiball is one as well!

 

[rachmaninovian]

but but but...the core DOES not move =P whee.
and I think the centres are made of rubbery material? I'm not too sure but it may very well be rubber for the sake of flexibility. I would just say....glue it back =P I have no proof or whatever...but impossible seems fun =P

 

[(X)]

but but but...the core DOES not move =P whee.
and I think the centres are made of rubbery material? I'm not too sure but it may very well be rubber for the sake of flexibility. I would just say....glue it back =P I have no proof or whatever...but impossible seems fun =P

In a ball core 4x4 the core doesn't move either, but it is still considered a twisty puzzle

 

[Unknown.soul]

Wrong, the core always moves with 3 inner slices. It is a locked mechanism that prevents the core from getting "lost" in the puzzle (think of the V6 and the internal misalignments).