# Rubiks Cube **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 22, 1999, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810 "1999-10-22T14:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/1 "1999-10-22T14:00:00Z")
So, how many of you had one of these fad toys in the 80’s? If you did, did you ever solve it? Or is it still sitting scrambled in some forgotted junk drawer? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/2 "1999-10-22T14:14:00Z")
I was only ever able to complete that bastard by disassmebling it. I think I finally threw mine out the last time I moved. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/3 "1999-10-22T14:16:00Z")
I had one, but never figured it out. A friend of mine was the “designated cube fixer” for the entire eighth grade class. He had read the book, and could solve a Rubik’s in a matter of minutes. We all thought he was rather geeky. ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/4 "1999-10-22T14:20:00Z")
I tried and tried and never could figure that thing out… i still have one in my junk drawer in the kitchen… anyone one wanna give it a go? * * * We are, each of us angels with only one wing; and we can only fly by embracing one another ---
**Author:** ![metroshane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@metroshane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metroshane)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/5 "1999-10-22T14:27:00Z")
never once figured it out. i even have one of those similar games (2 demisional) where you slide the tiles around to make a picture. i can never get it, but the 7 yr old girl that lives beneath solves it about once a day ---
**Author:** ![Sealemon88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Sealemon88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sealemon88)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/6 "1999-10-22T14:29:00Z")
I solved two of the sides once. After that, I found that taking a screwdriver to it was \*much[i/]more fun. * * * You say “cheesy” like that’s a **BAD** thing. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/7 "1999-10-22T14:45:00Z")
Well, it’s unanimous so far. I could never solve it either, unless I unstuck the colored labels and put them back on correctly! Mine dissappeared sometime in 1987 (when I graduated HS) and I have yet to care about it one way or another. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/8 "1999-10-22T14:46:00Z")
My fastest times: 2x2x2: 9 seconds 3x3x3: 2 minutes 42 seconds (standard Rubik’s Cube) 4x4x4: 15 minutes This was all back in 7th grade. I even got into cube with pictures on the faces. I’ve forgotten my bottom row moves, so I can solve the top face, and one row down. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/9 "1999-10-22T15:56:00Z")
When I was little I used to peel of the stickers and place them in the correct parts. For Christmas one year I got the ill fated “Rubiks Rings”. It was like six or so tiles held together with what appeared to be fishing line. Somehow you were supposed to flip the tiles so the three rings on the puzzle’s face were joined together or something like that. I broke that thing in a matter of hours. ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/10 "1999-10-22T16:28:00Z")
I can do the 2-D sliding tiles puzzle well, but Rubik’s is beyond me. We have one at home, and it’s perfect…because we’ve peeled off all the stickers and restuck them. My brother had a Rubik’s Rings, too…he never let me touch it, and then he broke it. And of course, he blamed me… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/11 "1999-10-22T16:34:00Z")
You know, you don’t have to peel the stickers off to put them back together correctly. If you rotate one side 45 degrees, you can pry out one of the non-corner pieces. Once one comes out, the cube falls apart. I had many cubes, and needed to fix worn out ones a lot. To clarify, you pry on a non-corner piece on the rotated part. You can use the exposed black part of the unrotated section as a fulcrum for prying. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/12 "1999-10-23T05:01:00Z")
Nope. Not even once. Ever. Stupid cube. Stupid Rubik. But I’m not bitter… ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/13 "1999-10-23T05:04:00Z")
Geez, I haven’t even thought about a Rubik’s Cube in years. I had one, but was never able to figure it out. I never took mine apart or removed the stickers either. I have no idea what happened to my Cube. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/14 "1999-10-23T05:07:00Z")
Yup, that’s how how I did mine Mr. Thin Skin. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![DarkDragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@DarkDragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkDragon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 1999, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/15 "1999-10-23T05:08:00Z")
I read some where that the smartest women in the world solved in in 7 minutes. As for me, I barely have the patients to take a crap yet along solve that thing! ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/16 "1999-10-22T19:09:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I barely have the patients to take a crap Oh, so you’re a proctologist? Not a very busy one, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/17 "1999-10-22T19:20:00Z")
In junior high (around 7th grade or so) my father bought the book. I memorized the various moves as Mr. Thin Skin and could solve them fairly quickly (not as quick as MTS). Our principle banned them from school so I got out of practice. I have downloaded the moves off the internet and I have them in a folder in case I ever need them. The Pyramid was so easy I did not even need a book. Can still solve it. Jeffery p.s. you do not solve it one side at a time but one layer at a time. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/18 "1999-10-22T19:35:00Z")
Never could get the cube (I, too, was a dismantler) but was able to do most of the other stuff that came out around that time, Missing link, etc. There was a really good one I loved called (I think) Drive 'Ya Nuts which was made up of a bunch of plastic “nuts” (the hexagonal kind, like would go on a bolt?) that were numbered on each side and you had to fit them back into the frame with the numbers corresponding and there was only ONE way they would fit, supposedly. Seemed like I was always receiving people’s cast-off puzzles. DOn’t know why I could never get the cube, though. I couldn’t follow the books at all, they would cross my eyes trying to read them, haha. ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/19 "1999-10-22T23:22:00Z")
Weird. I hadn’t even thought about it for years, and last week I happened to stumble across mine. I was able to solve it, but it took a lot longer than I used to. Yep, I cheated. Read and memorized the book. I used to be able to solve it in under 3 minutes pretty consistantly. * * * “I’m not conceited. Conceit is a fault, and I don’t have any faults.” ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 1999, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810/20 "1999-10-22T23:35:00Z")
My mom used to be fairly proficient at solving them (using the book, natch), but I couldn’t ever do it. I liked making some of the patterns (using a freshly solved cube, of course) like the shooting star and the king’s X or whatever they were called. I got the Rubik’s links for Christmas once and I think I broke it that evening. We had a couple other puzzle games, like Missing Link and Orb, but I don’t remember if anyone ever solved them or where they’re at. It’s funny how people used to try to exercise their minds before the Web 🙂 * * * “I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy [The Kat House](http://members.aol.com/gr8kat1/KatGen/home.htm) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubiks-cube/9810.md?page=2)