From cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Fri Nov 20 15:16:19 1998 Return-Path: Received: from sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil (sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil [132.250.84.38]) by mc.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1-mod) with SMTP id PAA08664 for ; Fri, 20 Nov 1998 15:16:18 -0500 (EST) Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Message-Id: Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 08:46:30 +0100 (CET) From: Bas de Bakker To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu In-Reply-To: (message from Jerry Bryan on Thu, 19 Nov 1998 15:00:06 -0500 (Eastern Standard Time)) Subject: Re: The Cylinder References: >>>>> "Jerry" == Jerry Bryan writes: [About the octagonal "cube"] Jerry> I haven't played with it in a long time. But my best Jerry> recollection is that it can be solved basically the same Jerry> way as a 3x3x3 cube, except that *I think* (don't remember Jerry> for sure) that the color scheme permits invisible swaps of Jerry> identically colored pieces which can make the puzzle seem Jerry> "impossible" to solve unless you realize that the Jerry> identically colored pieces must be swapped. Your recollection is not exact. There are no identically colored pieces to swap, but you can swap complete columns consisting of two "corners" (what would have been corners on the cube) and one "edge" without noticing. In fact, if you create an even permutation of those columns, there is no problem. But if you create an odd permutation, it will become impossible to solve the upper layer. Presuming you solve cubes in layers, the easiest way out is to not start at one of the octagonal layers (which seems the most natural way), but to start with a "side" layer. If you do it this way, it will always be possible to solve the last layer. I hope I'm making myself at least somewhat clear, Bas.