Rubik's Cube -- 01 March 2008
It was the summer of '81 (I think) and one of the toy crazes at that time was the Rubik's cube. The Rubik's Cube is a mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Mr. Rubik originally called it the "Magic Cube". The U.S. patent was granted in 1983. It was a fascinating toy. One minute it was in perfect order. The next minute it was a cube of total color chaos. Truth be told, getting one side fixed was a no-brainer. The hard part came when you tried to get the rest of the colors to come together.
I spent the whole summer (yes, literally the WHOLE summer) figuring out the Rubik's cube. I had a tiny notebook where I noted down where the cubes would go if I moved it this way or that. I was ecstatic when I finally figured it out. After getting one side fixed, I worked on the corners of the opposite side. Once the corners were all in place, I had a set of moves to get the middle cubes into their proper places.
When Eldest Sis went to the States one summer, she brought home a Rubik's cube. It was so much better than the China-made version available locally at that time. And by virtue of being the only one in the house capable of solving the Rubik's cube, I ended up being the keeper of the cube.
Years passed, I got married, moved out of the house, had children ... and Rubik's cubes came and went. There was a time that there were three regular sized cubes in the house and several mini Rubik's cube keychains. The children were too young to figure out how to solve them and Dad had no patience for such things. I ended up fixing the cubes and giving all of them away. Except, of course, for the one which Eldest Sis had brought home over twenty years ago. That was special.
Fast forward to 2007, the age where computers rule the young and Google has the answer to (almost) everything. And apparently, youtube has the solution to Rubik's cube for everyone to see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQIoPyfQzM). What took me a whole summer to figure out, GI learned in a couple of days. I tried to teach him my technique but he figured the Pogobat's version was easier. He saved the recommended algorithms in his cellphone and practiced a whole lot.
I remember when he solved the cube for the first time, he was jumping around like a mad rabbit. Not only did he learn how to solve the Rubik's cube, but he also managed to solve it fast. Faster than I've ever solved it in my entire life. His record at the moment is 1 min 5 seconds.
Eventually, RD decided HE also wanted to solve the Rubik's cube. Fortunately his brother was a patient tutor. GI walked RD through the steps, showed him the links, gave him tips and most importantly, lent him Eldest Sis' Rubik's cube. RD took slightly longer to figure out how to solve it, given that he is four years younger than his kuya, but he did it! He solved the Rubik's cube.
It didn't matter to RD that he just solved the Rubik's cube for the first time yesterday. This afternoon, he challenged me to a speed round. Yes, little 10-year old RD challenged ME. He said he could solve the Rubik's cube faster than I could. (Really now?)
I pulled out my trusty timer and set it for 15 minutes. I mixed up the Rubik's cube and handed it over to him. RD went through the steps his brother had taught him. After a couple of minutes -- Done! Time left was 7 mins 55 seconds. He solved it in 7 mins 5 seconds.
My turn.
RD mixed up the cube and asked me how long I wanted the timer set. This was the first time I ever timed myself solving the puzzle. (I never had any competition, you see, so I always took my sweet time.) Not wanting to discourage the little boy, I had him set it to twenty minutes.
I solved it in five.
I guess RD felt he could do better than my five minutes because he immediately challenged me to a second round. This time, he finished solving the cube in 2 mins 38 seconds. Goodness, that was fast! He handed me over the mixed-up cube then reset the timer. Lucky for me, RD mixed up the cube just a little bit. After I got one side fixed, the corners on the other side were already in place. I knew I could fix up the cube in a jiffy. I beat his record by a minimal margin of 38 seconds.
My time thus stands at 2 minutes. I don't think I can solve it much faster than that. I'm sure both GI and RD will beat the one minute mark with a little more practice. I am happy just to get all the colors in the proper places. That's me, being somewhat OC.
Eldest Sis' Rubik's cube is getting more than its fair share of twisting and turning. I think it will go into retirement soon, having enabled two generations to enjoy solving it. GI has been hankering for a new one. I'm not sure whether I will indulge him because I can't tell if it is just a phase. I worry that if I get a new one, it'll simply gather dust in a couple of months.
Of course, it is also possible that this new cube might be something that will survive the test of time. Who knows? Perhaps in thirty or so years, RD or GI will be challenged by THEIR kid, who will be able to solve it even faster than I could imagine possible.
Who knows?
It was the summer of '81 (I think) and one of the toy crazes at that time was the Rubik's cube. The Rubik's Cube is a mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Mr. Rubik originally called it the "Magic Cube". The U.S. patent was granted in 1983. It was a fascinating toy. One minute it was in perfect order. The next minute it was a cube of total color chaos. Truth be told, getting one side fixed was a no-brainer. The hard part came when you tried to get the rest of the colors to come together.
I spent the whole summer (yes, literally the WHOLE summer) figuring out the Rubik's cube. I had a tiny notebook where I noted down where the cubes would go if I moved it this way or that. I was ecstatic when I finally figured it out. After getting one side fixed, I worked on the corners of the opposite side. Once the corners were all in place, I had a set of moves to get the middle cubes into their proper places.
When Eldest Sis went to the States one summer, she brought home a Rubik's cube. It was so much better than the China-made version available locally at that time. And by virtue of being the only one in the house capable of solving the Rubik's cube, I ended up being the keeper of the cube.
Years passed, I got married, moved out of the house, had children ... and Rubik's cubes came and went. There was a time that there were three regular sized cubes in the house and several mini Rubik's cube keychains. The children were too young to figure out how to solve them and Dad had no patience for such things. I ended up fixing the cubes and giving all of them away. Except, of course, for the one which Eldest Sis had brought home over twenty years ago. That was special.
Fast forward to 2007, the age where computers rule the young and Google has the answer to (almost) everything. And apparently, youtube has the solution to Rubik's cube for everyone to see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQIoPyfQzM). What took me a whole summer to figure out, GI learned in a couple of days. I tried to teach him my technique but he figured the Pogobat's version was easier. He saved the recommended algorithms in his cellphone and practiced a whole lot.
I remember when he solved the cube for the first time, he was jumping around like a mad rabbit. Not only did he learn how to solve the Rubik's cube, but he also managed to solve it fast. Faster than I've ever solved it in my entire life. His record at the moment is 1 min 5 seconds.
Eventually, RD decided HE also wanted to solve the Rubik's cube. Fortunately his brother was a patient tutor. GI walked RD through the steps, showed him the links, gave him tips and most importantly, lent him Eldest Sis' Rubik's cube. RD took slightly longer to figure out how to solve it, given that he is four years younger than his kuya, but he did it! He solved the Rubik's cube.
It didn't matter to RD that he just solved the Rubik's cube for the first time yesterday. This afternoon, he challenged me to a speed round. Yes, little 10-year old RD challenged ME. He said he could solve the Rubik's cube faster than I could. (Really now?)
I pulled out my trusty timer and set it for 15 minutes. I mixed up the Rubik's cube and handed it over to him. RD went through the steps his brother had taught him. After a couple of minutes -- Done! Time left was 7 mins 55 seconds. He solved it in 7 mins 5 seconds.
My turn.
RD mixed up the cube and asked me how long I wanted the timer set. This was the first time I ever timed myself solving the puzzle. (I never had any competition, you see, so I always took my sweet time.) Not wanting to discourage the little boy, I had him set it to twenty minutes.
I solved it in five.
I guess RD felt he could do better than my five minutes because he immediately challenged me to a second round. This time, he finished solving the cube in 2 mins 38 seconds. Goodness, that was fast! He handed me over the mixed-up cube then reset the timer. Lucky for me, RD mixed up the cube just a little bit. After I got one side fixed, the corners on the other side were already in place. I knew I could fix up the cube in a jiffy. I beat his record by a minimal margin of 38 seconds.
My time thus stands at 2 minutes. I don't think I can solve it much faster than that. I'm sure both GI and RD will beat the one minute mark with a little more practice. I am happy just to get all the colors in the proper places. That's me, being somewhat OC.
Eldest Sis' Rubik's cube is getting more than its fair share of twisting and turning. I think it will go into retirement soon, having enabled two generations to enjoy solving it. GI has been hankering for a new one. I'm not sure whether I will indulge him because I can't tell if it is just a phase. I worry that if I get a new one, it'll simply gather dust in a couple of months.
Of course, it is also possible that this new cube might be something that will survive the test of time. Who knows? Perhaps in thirty or so years, RD or GI will be challenged by THEIR kid, who will be able to solve it even faster than I could imagine possible.
Who knows?
4 comments:
I have my own memories of the CUBE. Made you think, grind your teeth and pause just to solve a problems. =) Will make sure that my own kids will somehow play Rubik's Cube.
The Toy of our times is back and the original item is selling at Php900 for the Made in USA and you have to make reservations pa!!!
P700 for the made in china.
Bless -- I heard PHP300, but haven't seen any in the stores. I must have missed these imported cubes in the malls.
I picked up two imitation Rubik's cubes outside MyGirl's school at P40 a piece. There was a P25 version but I was hoping the boys would appreciate the 'higher' version.
Cheers!
As I post this message, MyGirl is taking lessons from RD on how to solve the Rubik's cube. She can already solve two layers! I'm sure she'll figure out how to solve the thing before summer ends.
GO! GO! GO! MAi!
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