Void cube

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The Void cube is a puzzle based on the 3x3x3 cube. It features a different mechanism that makes the puzzle entirely hollow. Unlike the normal 3x3x3 cube, it does not feature centers. It can be solved like a normal cube, except that the absence of centers allows for two corners or two centers to be swapped with the rest of the cube solved, which is not possible on the normal cube. This situation can be resolved by doing a 90 degree E slice move, taking out the middle layer edges, putting them into their correct spots, and then solving the last layer.

History

The concept of a cube without its centre stickers was discussed by David Singmaster in his Cubic Circular in the 1980s:[1]

Removing just the centres gives a cube which is particularly perplexing. Half the times one tries to restore it in a pattern that has a 4-cycle of the centres, but this is not visible because the centre stickers are missing. However, such a pattern is impossible and one finds that it requires an odd permutation of the edges to complete it. This is done by a slice move which also gives the desired odd permutation of centres.

The void cube itself was invented by Katsuhiko Okamoto, and it won the Jury Grand prize at the Nob Yoshigahara Puzzle Design Competition at IPP 2007 (International Puzzle Party 2007).[2]



Cubic twisty puzzles

2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4 | 5x5x5 | 6x6x6 | 7x7x7 | more...

Skewb | Master Skewb | Rex cube | Dino cube | Helicopter cube | Curvy Copter

Crazy 4×4×4 cube (version 1) | Crazy 4×4×4 cube (version 2) | Crazy 4×4×4 cube (version 3)

Gear cube | Gear cube extreme

Constrained cube (90°) (mechanism variation of 3x3x3) | Void cube (mechanism variation of 3x3x3) | Latch Cube (mechanism variation of 3x3x3)

Void cube | Shepherd's cube (sticker variation of 3x3x3) | Labyrinth cube (sticker variation of 3x3x3) | Supercube (sticker variation of NxNxN cubes)

Square 1 | Square 2

Bandaged cube


External links