Received: from Xerox.ARPA by MIT-MC.ARPA 15 Oct 85 01:27:00 EDT
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Date: 14 Oct 85 22:23:48 PDT (Monday)
From: Hoffman.es@Xerox.ARPA
Subject: Skewbs
To: Cube-Lovers@MIT-MC.ARPA
cc: Hoffman.es@Xerox.ARPA
Message-ID: <851014-222405-4931@Xerox>

Hey, it worked!  On Sept. 18, I sent an order for a skewb with a
cashier's check for US$16 to Meffert in Hong Kong, in response to his
apology/order form.  I included a cover letter mentioning that I was one
of those who had never received an earlier order (that is, my skewb
order of January 1983).

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, I received the promised airmail letter containing
the registered mail receipt showing the package was mailed Oct. 2, and
on Saturday, Oct. 12, I received a package containing TWO skewbs!  The
thing seems rather easy, I think, but it's great fun because it's so
weird -- so odd looking in mid-turn, so awkward to manipulate quickly,
so difficult to keep your bearings (no face centers that stay put to
navigate by).  I haven't fully explored it, but I've found a few handy
"macros" and identities that seem to get me out of most trouble.

Anyway, if you have wanted a skewb ever since first seeing the drawings
of them in Hofstadter's "Scientific American" column, go ahead and try
Meffert.  In case you've lost my note of Sept 18, here's the relevant
portion again:

			1985 PRICE-LIST
	Descriptions		Item No.	Unit Price
	
	5 x 5 x 5 cube		CE8426		US$25/Air
	Skewb			CE8431		US$15/Air
	Pyraminx		CE8423-24	US$20/Air
	Timber finished Pyraminx		US$20/Air
	Impossi-Ball		CE8429		US$29/Air
	3D Nought's + Crosses	CE8434		US$ 9/Air
	
	*All plus US$1 for registered mail.
	
	Please rush me with Item No...............Amount:...............
	
	PRICEWELL (FAR EAST) LIMITED
	P.O. Box 31008 
	Causeway Bay
	Hong Kong

--Rodney Hoffman