From cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Thu Jul 1 14:46:52 1999 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 OAA11749 for ; Thu, 1 Jul 1999 14:46:51 -0400 (EDT) Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 13:58:55 -0400 To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu From: pink@cartserv.rserv.uga.edu (_pink) Subject: Skewb notes Ok, while Meffert's site has the solution posted, there still seems to be some confusion about how this thing is actually made. Well I found out first hand when one of my employees dropped my skewb on a concrete floor. I have plans to take picts of the disassembled skewb and post it online but until I get around to it here's a description. The Skewb consists of: 6 Square center pieces that have small tabs on 2 opposite undersides. 4 Pyramid shaped corners with a triangular tab on its interior side. 1 4-armed spider mechanism with 4 corner pieces (described above) attached to the end of each arm. To understand the arrangement of the spider mech refer to the diagram below: A _____________________ /| /|B / | / | / | / | / | A / | B/____________________/ | | | | | | | | | | | x | | | | | | | |B | | | |_______________|____|A | / | / | / | / | / B| / A|/___________________|/ If you connect each corner marked "A" with the "x" (with the x being the exact center of the cube) you will have the spider mechanism. The corners marked "B" are only attached by the various tabs on each piece. Skewbs are EASY to disassemble if you know how... 1.) Rotate any dissection of your skewb 60 deg so that 2 centers are aligned edge to edge. 2.) Place a thin bladed screwdriver between the common edge of any 2 edge pieces and gently wiggle applying increasing pressure. 3.) Catch all the pieces as it crumbles in your hands. Putting it back together is interresting and certainly was when my employee dropped mine but after you do it it's kinda neat. 1.) Align the colors of 2 corners on the spider and insert the center of the corresponding color so that the tabs hold it in place. 2.) Align the corners and place 2 more center sections. Slight rotation of one corner helps at times. 3.) Insert the proper loose corners being sure to orient each correctly. 4.) Place one edge tab of the last center into position and snap into place. I have found it easiest to put the skewb on the table with the last center on top and firmly press it into place. Meffert's puzzle ball series are the same mechanism but some are supergroup puzzles because of the center orientations. The Meffert Beachball is IMO a subgroup because of only having 4 colors. I hope this has been of value for someone and isn't just a waste of bitspace for all. _pink