History of the Rubik's Cube

Simple Idea to a Global Phenomenon.

The Rubik's Cube is one of the most iconic and popular puzzle toys in the world, with more than 350 million sold as of 2018¹. But how did this simple-looking cube become such a sensation? In this blog post, we will explore the origins, evolution and impact of the Rubik's Cube, from its humble invention in 1974 to its current status as a cultural icon and a competitive sport.

The Invention of the Cube.

The Rubik's Cube was invented by Ernő Rubik, a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, who wanted to create a three-dimensional model to demonstrate spatial relationships and movement to his students². He spent months experimenting with blocks of cubes made from wood and paper, held together by rubber bands, glue and paper clips, until he finally created a working prototype that he called the "Bűvös kocka", or Magic Cube³.

The Magic Cube consisted of six faces, each with nine stickers of one of six colors: white, yellow, green, blue, orange and red. The cube had an internal pivot mechanism that enabled each face to turn independently, thus mixing up the colors. The goal was to restore the cube to its original state, where each face had only one color. However, this was not an easy task, as the cube had more than 43 quintillion possible configurations⁴.

Rubik himself took a month to solve his own invention for the first time. He realized that his cube was not only a useful teaching tool, but also a challenging and fascinating puzzle that could appeal to a wider audience. He applied for a patent for his invention in January 1975 and received it in 1977.

The Rise of the Cube.

In 1979, Rubik partnered with Ideal Toy Company to market his cube internationally. The cube was renamed the Rubik's Cube and was first introduced at toy fairs in London, Paris, Nuremberg and New York in early 1980. The cube soon became a hit among children and adults alike, who were captivated by its simple design and complex challenge.

The cube also attracted the attention of scientists, mathematicians and artists, who saw it as a way to explore various concepts such as group theory, symmetry, algorithms and aesthetics. In March 1981, the cube appeared on the cover of Scientific American magazine, where Douglas Hofstadter wrote an article about its mathematical beauty and paradoxes. The cube also inspired numerous books, articles, artworks and films that explored its cultural and creative significance.

The cube also spawned a competitive sport called speedcubing, where people try to solve the cube as fast as possible using various methods and techniques. The first official world championship was held in Budapest in 1982, where Minh Thai from the United States won with a time of 22.95 seconds. Since then, speedcubing has grown into a global phenomenon, with thousands of competitions held every year under the auspices of the World Cube Association (WCA), which was founded in 2003. The current world record for solving a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube is 3.47 seconds, set by Yusheng Du from China in 2018.

The Evolution of the Cube.

Over the years, the Rubik’s Cube has undergone several changes and variations, both in its design and its size. Some of the most notable ones are:

• In 1981, Ideal Toy Company released a version of the cube with plastic panels instead of stickers, to prevent peeling and fading.
• In 1982, Rubik invented a larger version of the cube, called the Rubik’s Revenge, which had four cubes per edge instead of three, resulting in a 4x4x4 cube with 7.4 quattuordecillion possible configurations.
• In 1983, Udo Krell invented a bigger version of the cube, called the Professor’s Cube, which had five cubes per edge instead of four, resulting in a 5x5x5 cube with 282 trevigintillion possible configurations.
• In 1988, the arrangement of colors on the cube was standardized with white opposite yellow, blue opposite green, and orange opposite red, and the red, white and blue arranged clockwise in that order. This is now known as the Western color scheme. There is also an Eastern color scheme, where green is opposite yellow and blue is opposite white.
• In 1995, Tony Fisher created the world’s largest Rubik’s Cube, which measured 1.57 meters on each edge and weighed 100 kilograms.
• In 2006, Panagiotis Verdes patented a mechanism that allowed for the creation of larger cubes with more than six faces. He released a series of cubes called V-Cubes, ranging from 2x2x2 to 10x10x10.
• In 2011, Oskar van Deventer created the world’s smallest Rubik’s Cube, which measured 10 millimeters on each edge and weighed 1.2 grams.
• In 2014, Matt Parker and Laura Taalman designed a cube with twelve faces and twenty colors, called the Dodecahedron Optimal Colorings with Antipodal Resolution (DOCTOR) Cube.
• In 2018, Greg Pfennig created a cube with 33 cubes per edge instead of three, resulting in a 33x33x33 cube with more than 6.68 duovigintillion possible configurations.

These are just some examples of the many variations and innovations that have been made on the original Rubik’s Cube. There are also cubes with different shapes, such as pyramids, spheres and cylinders; cubes with different mechanisms, such as magnets and gears; cubes with different themes, such as animals, fruits and superheroes; and cubes with different challenges, such as mirror cubes, void cubes and ghost cubes.

The Future of the Cube.

The Rubik’s Cube has come a long way since its invention in 1974. It has become more than just a toy, but a symbol of creativity, intelligence and perseverance. It has inspired generations of people to explore the mysteries of mathematics, physics and art. It has also fostered a global community of enthusiasts who share their passion and skills for solving the cube.

What lies ahead for the Rubik’s Cube? Will there be new versions, new challenges, new records? Will there be new ways to use the cube for education, entertainment or social good? Will there be new discoveries and insights that can be derived from the cube? The possibilities are endless, as long as there are people who are curious and willing to twist and turn the cube.

The Rubik’s Cube is not just a puzzle, but a puzzle of us all. It reflects our diversity, our complexity and our potential. It challenges us to think outside the box and to find order in chaos. It invites us to play, to learn and to grow. It reminds us that no matter how scrambled things may seem, there is always a solution.

The Rubik’s Cube is more than a cube. It is a cube of wonder.

Source: 

(1) A Brief History of the Rubik’s Cube - Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/brief-history-rubiks-cube-180975911/.

(2) Rubik's Cube - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubik%27s_Cube.

(3) Speedcubing - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedcubing.

(4) Evolution of the Rubik’s Cube - The Strong National Museum of Play. https://www.museumofplay.org/blog/evolution-of-the-rubiks-cube/.

Image Attribution: theilr, Rubik cube (345056969), CC BY-SA 2.0

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