Ernő Rubik, a Hungarian inventor, created the first version of the Rubik's Cube in 1974. Initially made of wood and held together with elastic bands and paper clips, it was later patented and released in Hungary in 1977 as the "Bűvös Kocka" (Magic Cube). The cube gained international popularity after partnering with the Ideal Toy Company in 1980 and was renamed the Rubik's Cube. Over 350 million Rubik's Cubes have been sold, making it one of the best-selling toys of all time.
The cube's simplicity belies its complexity, with over 43 quintillion possible combinations. The "God's Number" – the maximum number of moves needed to solve any scrambled cube – was discovered to be 20 in 2010. The cube has been the subject of numerous speedcubing competitions, and its cultural impact extends to a TV show and various merchandise.
The largest Rubik's Cube was built in 2019, standing over two meters tall, while the smallest was created in 2016, measuring 5.6 millimeters. A 33x33x33 cube with 6153 parts was made in 2017, and a one-of-a-kind cube worth $2.5 million was crafted with 18-karat gold and precious gemstones in 1995.
Today, the Rubik's Cube remains a popular puzzle, with various designs and merchandise available, and its legacy continues to inspire new generations of cubers and puzzle enthusiasts.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Ernő Rubik created the first version of his cube in 1974 in Hungary.
2. The first version of the cube was made out of wood and held together using elastic bands and paper clips.
3. Ernő Rubik added one color to each side of the cube and began turning it, but he quickly discovered that he was unable to bring the colors back to the start.
4. It took Ernő Rubik a whole month to devise a method for solving his cube.
5. Ernő Rubik patented his cube mechanism and in 1977, it was being sold in Hungary as the "Bűvös Kocka" (Magic Cube).
6. In 1980, Rubik partnered with Ideal Toy Company to move his product to the international market, and it was renamed to "Rubik's Cube".
7. Over 350 million Rubik's Cubes have been sold, making it one of the best-selling toys of all time.
8. The Rubik's Cube has over 43 quintillion possible combinations.
9. The 2x2 cube, also known as the "Easy One", has over 3 million combinations.
10. In 1981, a book called "The Simple Solution to the Rubik's Cube" by James G. Nourse sold over 6 million copies.
11. The maximum number of turns needed to solve any scrambled cube is known as "God's Number", which is 20.
12. A search was done using a large number of computers at Google in 2010 to prove that every scramble could be solved in 20 moves or less.
13. The Devil's Algorithm is a sequence of turns that can be repeated over and over to solve the cube, but it is not an efficient method.
14. The maximum number of times a sequence can be repeated before it brings the cube back to the start is 1260.
15. Larry D. Nichols, a puzzle designer, came up with the idea to make a 2x2 cube with six colored sides that could rotate in 1957.
16. Nichols constructed a prototype in 1968 and received a patent for his design in 1972.
17. The Rubik's Cube was originally going to be called the "Inca Gold" or the "Gordian Knot", but the names were not used.
18. The official name for the 2x2 Rubik's Cube is the "Pocket Cube", and the 4x4 is called the "Rubik's Revenge".
19. The 5x5 cube is called the "Professor's Cube".
20. In Chinese, the Rubik's Cube is known as "Mu Fang", which directly translates to "Magic Square" or "Magic Cube".
21. A TV show called "Rubik, the Amazing Cube" aired from 1983 to 1985, featuring a talking Rubik's Cube with a face.
22. Tony Fisher holds the record for the largest Rubik's Cube, built in 2019, standing at over 2 meters tall.
23. Tony Fisher also holds the record for the smallest Rubik's Cube, created in 2016, measuring 5.6 millimeters.
24. The Rubik's Cube with the most layers is a 33x33 cube made by Greg's Puzzles in 2017.
25. The cube has 6153 parts and 30,653 stickers.
26. The Masterpiece Cube, crafted by Fred Kehler in 1995, is made of 18-karat gold and features 25 little gemstones for each color.
27. The Masterpiece Cube is valued at $2.5 million and comes with free shipping and a 14-day return policy.