It’s a known fact that people enjoy a good puzzle. Going through a brain teaser can make us feel challenged when solving it and satisfied once the solution is reached. Among some of the most popular puzzles, we have Rubik’s cube. An easily recognizable puzzle with many fans across the world, Rubik’s cube has become synonymous with 3D puzzles. Of course, nothing can exist for such a long time without experiencing some changes. For Rubik’s cube, those changes came in the form of new styles of Rubik’s cubes. Let’s look into some of the most difficult ones.
Where does the difficulty come from?
If you aren’t too invested in the world of Rubik’s cubes, you may be confused about how the regular cube could be made harder.
Well, the base difficulty of a Rubik’s cube comes from the exceptionally high number of combinations that it can have. This means that every Rubik’s cube takes a ton of time to solve, unless we apply certain approaches that make resolution easier. Algorithms to solve these cubes and different approaches to doing so have been cropping up for a while now, providing us with a blueprint with which to solve any combination.
To increase difficulty, some manufacturers simply increase the number of combinations by adding rows and columns of configurable parts to the dice. Others take more unique approaches to do so.
GAN 356 i carry
We start with something that may be more so considered a preparation device for the rest of the list than a proper difficult experience. The GAN 356 i carry is a mix of fun puzzle time and a cube-solving tutor. It’s a Rubik’s cube that utilizes smart technology to provide guidelines and advice on resolving the regular cubes. The overall course takes about 5 hours to finish and can benefit both newbies and professionals. The experience is a fun one as the versatile puzzle box provides hours of fun no matter your previous engagement with the toy. It comes with rather long battery life too so you needn’t worry about having to refill it much. The corresponding app tied to GAN 356 i carry also allows you to engage with cube solvers around the world and showcase your results. If you are interested make sure to read more over here.
Pentamix Rubik’s cube
This is an example of increasing difficulty by adding parts. Sure, the way it all functions is somewhat different too but that stems mostly from the fact the shape has changed. While the item isn’t technically a cube, it is one of the most challenging puzzles to solve. There are so many moving parts to consider when solving it that even those proficient at Rubik’s cubes will find them a huge challenge. There are almost 1000 moving parts you can twist and turn, resulting in an extreme number of combinations we could find ourselves with. Don’t be bothered by the number only, the complexity of the solution will also take a bit to get comfortable with. After all is said and done, you still have a ton of time to spend before an actual resolution is had.
Overall, expect to spend a lot of time on this one. It took a long time to build and it’ll take far longer to solve. If you have garnered a lot of practice from regular cubes, this one may be just the thing you’ve been looking for. If you are looking for something new, it’s more likely the other items on our list will entice you more.
Square-1 cube
Now for something completely different, we have Square-1 cube. This Rubik’s cube is of a very unique make. Due to its unique shape and the possibility that the edges will switch from one part to the other, the puzzle can get even more convoluted.
The solution also starts off simple but gets more elaborate as more unique traits of this cube enter the mix. It’s safe to say that a cube such as this would keep you occupied for a while. Even after resolving it there’s a lot to master and due to the unique positioning it can offer even more variations than a regular Rubik’s cube.
The main advantage of its unique shape will leave you figuring out this cube for quite a bit of time. There are also many pitfalls one can find themselves in which can result in us returning to square one of resolving the cube, which is where the name comes from.
Gear ball brain teaser
Mixing the two difficulty approaches together, we have a gear ball brain teaser. This special Rubik’s cube-inspired puzzle is anything but simple. Each of its faces has many unique gear pieces that need to be aligned with the others in order to showcase a correct result.
Not only do you need to be wary of the way you position the faces of the puzzle, you are now tasked with paying attention that the whole face is correctly aligned. The increased number of parts definitely helps the difficulty but without the uniqueness of approach, this puzzle wouldn’t stick out as much. The rotating gears are a nice addition to it, making it a lot more fun to resolve. It’s probably the most unique addition one can get for their collection of Rubik’s cubes.
Impossible Cube
This is the last and most likely the hardest cube to solve, at least thus far. This cube is rather simple in appearance, looking like a regular Rubik’s cube. However, its difficulty comes from a very unique twist. The color of its tiles changes depending on the angle it’s observed from. Each tile has two different colors and therefore there are two different solutions. You could even find yourself in a situation where one angle shows the cube as fully solved yet another has it completely scrambled.
The changes introduced by the impossible cubes are certainly less flashy and intricate than the past entries but the unique gimmick does make it the hardest Rubik’s cube to solve. This cube.
