I’m not that smart. Many of you readers who so boldly name yourselves "Anonymous" know this.
The original Rubik’s Cube was a thorn in my side for quite some time. I did solve it (without the use of a book or a hammer), but it was something of a bane in my existence.
There it would sit, hour after hour, day after day, on my bookshelf, it’s stupid little colored cubes mocking me with what I just knew was the glee of the kid who has pulled a trick on ya, but you can’t figure out what it is…
And just when I’m finally over it, finally comfortable with my place in the world of 3-D puzzles, they have to come out with this:
My new hell.
Yep. That’s the new Rubik’s Cube… or I should say, The Rubik’s 360.
I can’t think of a way to make a puzzle more impossible than by taking all of the edges away. This sucker is built up of a large plastic sphere which houses two more plastic spheres. Each of these are suspended on independent rotating axis (sort of like the insides of a gyroscope).
Get me some Tylenol.
In order to solve the puzzle, you have to steer six different colored balls through a variety of holes until they reach their respective "home slots" located on the outside of the outer sphere.
This reminds me a bit of those annoying little games where you have multiple ball bearings that you have to guide by tipping the puzzle around in your hand. I always want to go on a killing spree after messing around with one of those.
And this is in three dimensions! Gahhhhhh!!!! I can feel the migraine coming…
But, I have to admit that it does sound quite challenging. And it looks neat; sort’a like a futuristic power supply in Star Trek.
Order your own Rubik’s 360 at Rubik’s! And head down to your local pharmacy for some aspirin… I know I will.
