by
richgain
This must surely be the smallest commercially available 3D puzzle cube in the world.
It is a tiny 7.5 mm across and presents a real challenge to solve and take apart - and not just because of its size.
It is an example of a sequentially interlocking cube which means that it won't fall apart once the pieces are slotted together.
You can find many more interlocking puzzle cubes in the microcubology shop.
The puzzle was inspired by the cover of Elbow's brilliant album, The Seldom Seen Kid.
It is a tiny 7.5 mm across and presents a real challenge to solve and take apart - and not just because of its size.
It is an example of a sequentially interlocking cube which means that it won't fall apart once the pieces are slotted together.
You can find many more interlocking puzzle cubes in the microcubology shop.
The puzzle was inspired by the cover of Elbow's brilliant album, The Seldom Seen Kid.
by
richgain
This cube really is something quite special.
About a year ago, after seeing the Transformers movie, I was inspired, by the behaviour of the alien technology in the AllSpark cube, to try and design a puzzle that could expand equally in all directions. To make things even harder, I wanted each piece to be locked in place by the preceding move.
After many prototypes I finally succeeded in creating this unique sculpture consisting of six parts.
The first stage in solving the puzzle involves discovering how the pieces fit together in the expanded configuration. (One of these moves includes a rotation, which makes it much harder to crack by computer!)
The second stage is to collapse the expanded cube down to the smaller cube by pressing each of the faces in the correct sequence.
The name of the puzzle comes from a (now obsolete) alternative to the Big Bang Theory proposed by Fred Hoyle. I like the fact that from its expanded, steady state the cube can either collapse inwards or explode outwards.
© Richard Gain 2008
About a year ago, after seeing the Transformers movie, I was inspired, by the behaviour of the alien technology in the AllSpark cube, to try and design a puzzle that could expand equally in all directions. To make things even harder, I wanted each piece to be locked in place by the preceding move.
After many prototypes I finally succeeded in creating this unique sculpture consisting of six parts.
The first stage in solving the puzzle involves discovering how the pieces fit together in the expanded configuration. (One of these moves includes a rotation, which makes it much harder to crack by computer!)
The second stage is to collapse the expanded cube down to the smaller cube by pressing each of the faces in the correct sequence.
The name of the puzzle comes from a (now obsolete) alternative to the Big Bang Theory proposed by Fred Hoyle. I like the fact that from its expanded, steady state the cube can either collapse inwards or explode outwards.
© Richard Gain 2008
by
richgain
Inspired by the logo on the cover of Elbow's album, The Seldom Seen Kid, this interlocking 3-piece puzzle is not as easy as it looks. Unlike all my other cubes, which were created in Burr Tools, this puzzle was modelled by hand to give every one of the cubes a bevelled edge. This not only makes it look more like the Elbow logo, it also makes the puzzle even trickier to take apart.
by
richgain
The Inside Out Cube is the first miniature cube puzzle from microcubology.
This is a real working interlocking cube puzzle that requires both skill and dexterity to solve. This version of the Inside Out Cube is 1.5 cm in size. Why is called the Inside Out Cube? Because the whole puzzle can be rebuilt inside out leaving a 3x3x3 hollow on the inside and all the interlocking legs on the outside.
In its life this puzzle has had three different names. As well as the 'Inside Out cube', which probably describes it best, it has been known as Triple Mirror, because three of the pieces are mirror images of the other three. And before that I used to call it the Tiresias cube. I'll leave you to figure that one out for yourselves!
© Richard Gain 2007
This is a real working interlocking cube puzzle that requires both skill and dexterity to solve. This version of the Inside Out Cube is 1.5 cm in size. Why is called the Inside Out Cube? Because the whole puzzle can be rebuilt inside out leaving a 3x3x3 hollow on the inside and all the interlocking legs on the outside.
In its life this puzzle has had three different names. As well as the 'Inside Out cube', which probably describes it best, it has been known as Triple Mirror, because three of the pieces are mirror images of the other three. And before that I used to call it the Tiresias cube. I'll leave you to figure that one out for yourselves!
© Richard Gain 2007
by
richgain
This is the first interlocking cube I ever designed. It consists of four pieces which fit together with a series of sliding movements. It is not too difficult for the average puzzler but will provide a satisfying challenge at this small scale. The completed cube is 1.6cm on each side.
by
richgain
Update: Jury 1st Prize winner at the 2011 International Puzzle Design competition
Two open-ended Superstrings with the correct spin can be merged into a super-symmetrical cube.
The idea for this puzzle emerged when I was designing shapes based on two interlocked tetrahedra. Inspired by ideas from 'string theory' and 'super-symmetry', I began to search for shapes that were both symmetrical and as similar as possible.
Taking the two pieces apart is not too difficult; reassembling them back into a cube can be more challenging. Hold one of the pieces still; move the other piece through the correct sequence of lateral and rotational moves.
Two colour dyed version in a perspex display case available from Etsy.
Reviews of Superstrings by puzzle enthusiasts from around the world.
"Another great little pocket puzzle from Richard Gain" - Allard Walker - Puzzling Times
"I can't really think of any downsides with this one, it was an elegantly designed puzzle that was fun to solve. Well done, Richard!" - Brian Pletcher - Mechanical Puzzles
"An attractive tactile puzzle with a decent challenge but not too awful - a really good addition to my display." - Kevin Sadler - Puzzlemad
"This is a really tough puzzle, and I can see why it won favor with the judges at IPP. Much easier to take apart than it is to put together, Richard can be rightly proud of this one." - Neil Hutchison - Puzzling Parts
by
richgain
OK, I hear you cry, why Tertiary? Whatever happened to Secondary Gain?
Well there is one, but this is just a much better puzzle. It has a level of 9 (5.1.1.2) which is trickier than Primary Gain and is definitely approaching the top end of the range for a 4x4x4 cube. The completed cube is 1.6cm on each side.
Well there is one, but this is just a much better puzzle. It has a level of 9 (5.1.1.2) which is trickier than Primary Gain and is definitely approaching the top end of the range for a 4x4x4 cube. The completed cube is 1.6cm on each side.
by
richgain
Happiness Cube #20 (2.1cm). This is a brilliant 6x6x6 cube by Japanese puzzle designer, Sekog Yukiyasu.
This is a level 30 puzzle (15.4.3.6.2) which will prove challenging for most puzzlers. It is currently the most difficult puzzle in the collection.
© Sekoguchi Yukiyasu 2006
This is a level 30 puzzle (15.4.3.6.2) which will prove challenging for most puzzlers. It is currently the most difficult puzzle in the collection.
© Sekoguchi Yukiyasu 2006
by
richgain
This is a very clever puzzle designed by Tom Jolly, who will receive a share of profits from any sales. It has the mechanism of a burr puzzle inside the shape of a 6x6x6 cube. The completed cube is 2.1cm on each side.
© Tom Jolly 2004
© Tom Jolly 2004
by
richgain
This is Quinsequential Gamma (2.4 cm) the third version of the Quinsequential design. Quinsequential Alpha required 9 separate moves before the first piece came free. Quinsequential Beta improved that to 11 moves, and now Quinsequential Gamma is ready for public viewing with a respectable 13 moves for first removal.
As far as I know, this is a record for a 5x5x5 cube, so I am laying down the gauntlet!
I have given the design a nickname of 'The Switch Cube' - you'll understand why when you've solved it!
Available in four sizes to suit all budgets.
As far as I know, this is a record for a 5x5x5 cube, so I am laying down the gauntlet!
I have given the design a nickname of 'The Switch Cube' - you'll understand why when you've solved it!
Available in four sizes to suit all budgets.
by
richgain
This is a brand new two piece interlocking cube puzzle which is my adaption of a design by Bram Cohen. It's an interesting challenge to insinuate the spiral piece into the loopy piece using a sequence of 7 moves (including slides and rotations) until they take the shape of a 4x4x4 cube. A great little puzzle to keep in your pocket and show to puzzlers and non-puzzlers alike.
This puzzle is one of the few that works really successfully when printed in metal.
This puzzle is one of the few that works really successfully when printed in metal.
by
richgain
A hollow cube shape based on 13x13x13 1mm cubelets.
The design replaces the straight edge between each cube vertex with a long folded spring. The White Strong and Flexible material is ideal for making a strong, springy cube that can be used to make puzzles and perhaps many other things.
The design replaces the straight edge between each cube vertex with a long folded spring. The White Strong and Flexible material is ideal for making a strong, springy cube that can be used to make puzzles and perhaps many other things.
