Buzz
Labeling the six-sided Rubik’s Cube as merely a 'toy' might be a mistake: Ernő Rubik, its Hungarian creator from 1974, views it more as a work of art. With over 350 million units sold in the last four decades, it could easily be considered one of the most iconic artistic creations ever. Dive into its history, the odd cartoon version, and why Will Smith might be owed some credit.
1. IT WAS FIRST KNOWN AS THE MAGIC CUBE.
In 1974, Ernő Rubik, a 30-year-old architecture professor in Hungary, conceived a handheld geometric puzzle to help students grasp spatial relationships. Early prototypes, crafted from wood blocks and paper clips, showed promise. Partnering with a Hungarian toymaker, Rubik’s Magic Cube saw limited release. By 1980, when Ideal Toy Company licensed it, the name was changed to Rubik’s Cube, as 'Magic Cube' was thought to evoke associations with witchcraft.
2. RUBIK ISN'T A MASTER OF HIS OWN INVENTION.
While the Rubik’s Cube has motivated countless individuals to devise faster and smarter solutions for aligning its sides, its creator isn’t one of them. In a 2012 CNN interview, Rubik confessed that solving the Cube took him over a month when he first created it, and even with practice, he needed a minute to complete it. This performance pales in comparison to today’s speedcubers, who aim to solve it in under 10 seconds.
3. THE CUBE HAS 43 QUINTILLION POSSIBLE ARRANGEMENTS.
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Featuring six sides, each with nine blocks in distinct colors—orange, yellow, green, red, white, and blue—the Rubik’s Cube boasts an astonishing 43 quintillion possible configurations. That’s 43,000,000,000,000,000,000 ways to potentially frustrate anyone attempting to solve it.
4. A 13-YEAR-OLD PUBLISHED A BESTSELLING CUBE-SOLVING GUIDE.
During the Rubik’s Cube craze of the early 1980s, enthusiasts were eager for tips to solve the puzzle quickly and impress their friends. Enter Patrick Bossert, a 12-year-old who wrote You Can Do the Cube in 1981. Initially intended for his classmates, the book caught the attention of a friend’s father, a Penguin Books editor, and became a New York Times bestseller, selling over 750,000 copies.
5. THE CUBE INSPIRED A SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON.
Despite lacking a story, personality, or consciousness, the Rubik’s Cube became the star of its own animated series. Rubik, the Amazing Cube premiered in 1983, featuring 13 episodes on ABC. The cube was given a face, legs, and magical powers, with the popular band Menudo performing the theme song, encapsulating the 1980s vibe.
6. THE YELLOW SIDE WAS ONCE CONSIDERED A HEALTH HAZARD.
When the Rubik’s Cube arrived in England in 1982, health authorities uncovered a surprising hazard beyond the mental challenge: the plastic discs on the squares contained dangerous levels of lead. The yellow pieces were the worst offenders, with some containing over 26,250 ppm (parts per million), significantly exceeding the 2500 ppm safety limit.
7. A DIAMOND-COVERED CUBE WAS CREATED.
To celebrate the puzzle’s 15th anniversary in 1995, Diamond Cutters International designed a fully-operational Rubik’s Cube adorned with 185 carats of diamonds. Valued at $1 million, the company also released 2500 silver versions priced at $2000 each.
8. IT INSPIRED A NEW ART FORM.
Building on the legacy of Cubism, the Rubik’s Cube gave rise to Rubik’s Cubism, where solved cubes are used to create mosaic-style art. In 2009, Josh Chalom created a tribute to Da Vinci’s Last Supper using more than 4000 cubes. Another piece, inspired by Michaelangelo’s Hand of God, required over 12,000 cubes, spanned 29-by-15 feet, and weighed a ton. To manage costs, Chalom sourced imitation cubes from China for $1 each.
9. WILL SMITH MAY HAVE REVITALIZED ITS POPULARITY.
Though the Rubik’s Cube has consistently sold well, certain years saw exceptional spikes. In 2006, sales surged after the puzzle appeared in The Pursuit of Happyness, where Will Smith’s character solves it swiftly to impress a potential business partner. “That Rubik’s scene in the trailer sparked massive interest,” Joe Sequino, a Winning Moves spokesperson, told The New York Times. “It was the perfect storm—the movie and a new generation discovering the Cube 27 years later.” By 2008, global sales reached 15 million.
10. A CUBE WAS SOLVED DURING A SKYDIVE.
With countless Rubik’s Cube records, Dan Knights sought a unique challenge. In 2003, he jumped from 12,000 feet, aiming to solve the Cube during his 45-second free fall before deploying his parachute. (He drilled a hole in the Cube and secured it to his wrist to prevent it from falling.) Commissioned by VH1, Knights successfully solved it in 32 seconds.
11. THE HAND-SOLVING WORLD RECORD STANDS AT 4.90 SECONDS.
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In just the time it takes to sneeze, 14-year-old Lucas Etter can solve the Rubik’s Cube in a world-record time of 4.90 seconds, achieved in November 2015. For those who prefer not to use their hands, Jakub Kipa holds the record for solving it with his feet in 20.57 seconds, though some enthusiasts find this method unappealing.
12. SOME CUBERS CAN SOLVE IT WITHOUT LOOKING.
If watching a child solve the Cube faster than you isn’t humbling enough, imagine them doing it blindfolded. In 2016, 7-year-old Chan Hong Lik memorized the cube’s configuration, covered his eyes, and solved it in just over two minutes and 21 seconds.
13. THE LARGEST RUBIK’S CUBE IS A MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE.
Hobbyist Tony Fisher secured a Guinness World Record for his colossal Rubik’s Cube, measuring 5 feet in both width and height. Remarkably, it’s fully functional, as Fisher demonstrates in a video solving it.
14. REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS ESSENTIAL.
Dedicated Cubers understand that a poorly maintained Rubik’s Cube can hinder performance. The official Rubik’s website recommends “Cube Lube,” a specialized silicone solution designed to protect the plastic parts. This practice is permitted in the biennial World Championship, as it’s not considered a performance-enhancing measure.
15. HUMANS CAN’T OUTPACE ROBOTS.
In a showdown between two iconic plastic creations, the Rubik’s Cube fell slightly behind. In 2014, engineers David Gilday and Mike Dobson built a Cube-solving robot using LEGO bricks and a Samsung Galaxy S4. Their creation solved the Cube in 3.253 seconds. However, a more advanced robot holds the official record, solving it in 1.2 seconds, with its creators continuously working to surpass their own benchmark, currently at .900 seconds.
