Records and curiosities in solving of Rubik's cube
There are people who will never solve the 3x3x3 Rubik's cube. It takes several years to some, other need a couple of minutes, and there are even people who can solve it within a few seconds. Last mentioned ones occasionally no longer know what else to do while solving. Well, see for yourself.
Rubik's cube solved using knife and fork
Not always we have to talk about silverware in connection with culinary delights. A young man on video will convince you about it.
Rubik's cube solved while free-falling
Have you ever wondered what one can do after jumping out of an airplane? When heading to Earth at a speed of 200 kph (124 mph), Dan Knights manages to solve the cube. He needs less than 40 seconds for it.
Fastest solve of Rubik's cube
Maybe you know that the official world record for the 3x3x3 cube is 3.47 seconds. It applies to human race. However, software engineers Ben Katz and Jared Di Carlo built a robot that solves this puzzle well below 0.5 seconds on average, making it the fastest Rubik's cube solver in the world. In addition to 2 webcams to capture a configuration of a scrambled puzzle, 6 modded motors and their drivers, several printed curcuit boards and power supplies, couple of wires and acrylic box to hold all components in their places, the heart of that machine is Kociemba's 2-phase algorithm. Although it doesn't guarantee the optimal number of moves (unlike IDA*), it finds quickly at least nearly optimal solution.
Solving time of the robot consists of acquiring the image from the webcams, detecting colors, finding a solution, and actually rotating the faces of the cube.
Rubik's cube solved while blindfolded and riding a bicycle backwards
Some say that women can handle several things simultaneously. Probably a very few women (as well as men in this case) can handle what Roman Strakhov does. Alone riding a bicycle in a figure cycling style is impressive, yet alone solving a Rubik's cube while blindfolded is impressive too. A combination of these two activities makes Roman to be one in a tiny group of people who can do both at once.
Most Rubik's cubes solved while blindfolded
Phenomenal Graham Siggins has solved, while being blindfolded, 189 out of 200 scrambled cubes. He spent 5 hours, 2 minutes and 16 seconds memorizing them. Then he needed 1 hour, 19 minutes and 15 seconds to solve them. I can teel you I would definitely fell asleep during my attempt.
Rubik's cube solved while blindfolded in a pair
Two are better than one. That was apparently a motto for Tim Habermaas and Stefan Pochamnn. They were memorizing the same cube, then they were putting their blindfolds on and they were solving it (but from different angles, so each of them basically got different scramble). Fascinating.
Did you know that...
- Rowe Hessler solved 6 680 cubes within 24 hours, making an entry into the Guiness book of records?
- Louise Cormier is able to solve a 7x7x7 Rubik's cube with feet in less than 20 minutes?
- Kevin Hays can hold a breath and solve 10 cubes underwater?
- Gaël Dusser solved a cube while idling on unicycle during the Czech Open 2009 and that he only needed roughly 20 seconds for it?
- Mike Hughey can not only solve 10 Square-1 puzzles while blindfolded (!!), but he is also capable of juggling with two balls in one hand and at the same time solving a cube in the other hand behind his back?
Do you find this list of curiosities too extreme? You can try something "normal", such as solving a cube in the mirror or while being on a rollercoaster. If you have several months (years in the worst case) of spare time
and abnormal degree of patience, how about trying to solve a 129x129x129 cube - or the biggest cube ever to be solved? Good luck, you will need it :-)