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Four-Dimensional Rubik's Cube Craziness

roice writes "Rubik's junkies and puzzlers will be interested in this software rendered four-dimensional analog of Rubik's Cube. With over 1.75E120 possible combinations, it's a mind bender. Free versions are available for both Windows and Linux, and they even publish their source code for download. Solving it will get your name listed in their Hall Of Fame, and there is also a running competition for the most efficient solution. To help get you started, you can check out a solution algorithm based on techniques used to solve the popular three-dimensional version."

13 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. nooo by marvy666 · · Score: 5, Funny

    it took me long enough to finish the real thing.

  2. Re:Great. by YoungFelon · · Score: 5, Funny

    instead of greasing it to make it go faster, you ad space-time fabric softener.

  3. Technique number one by RLiegh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apply a screwdriver to it; reassemble in the proper order.

    Um, though that may be a little hard with the program, I'll admit.

    Maybe if I apply the screwdriver to the ~~++5#Q%NO CARRIER

  4. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  5. thats an easy one by becktabs · · Score: 5, Funny

    and there is also a running competition for the most efficient solution.

    duh...just peel off the stickers.

  6. Be pepared... by LeiGong · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just a word of warning to the foolish and brave. Before you tackle the 4^4 hypercube, make sure you buy an ergonomic mouse and mousepad. My guess is you'll probably develop super-carpal tunnel syndrome before you even you match one side of the damn cube. Also be sure to stockpile a few extra mouses, there's no knowing how many of them you'll be throwing against the wall.

  7. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  8. When I was a kid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I memorized the solutions to the Rubik's Cube so everyone would think I was smart! Haha, fooled them!

    Now I just get drunk and masturbate a lot.

  9. Re:Lego Solution by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ahhhhhhhh!

    It's LEGO, not LEGO's, not Lego's, not lego's, not lEGO's, not leGO's, not legO's, not lego'S, not LeGo's, not lEgO'S.

    It's not LEGOS, legos, LEGOS'.. ITS LEGO

    "I have one LEGO, I have two LEGO, I have many LEGO. I enjoy playing with LEGO"

    1 LEGO = LEGO
    2 LEGO = STILL LEGO

    No farking S!!

    Ok I feel better now. :)

  10. Re:Most efficient solution by fidget42 · · Score: 5, Funny
    1) Click OPTIONS
    2) Click SOLVE

    Two clicks... anyone do better?
    Umm..
    3) PROFIT?
    --
    The dogcow says "Moof!"
  11. Movie References by HeXetic · · Score: 5, Informative

    Puzzled by the cube? Try renting two (relatively low-budget, unknown) sci-fi flicks. - Cube: Buncha people, trapped in a buncha cubes, with a buncha deadly traps. - Cube 2: Hypercube: Buncha people, trapped in a hypercube, with less deadly traps but more confusion as to wtf is going on. Both movies are fairly puzzling in their own right, with that sort of "unknown" sci-fi ending that is commonly found in lower-budgeted movies (e.g. Pi).

    --
    http://www.chmodoplusr.com/
  12. 1-D Rubik's Cube! by pyrote · · Score: 5, Funny

    I found this great 1-D Rubik's Cube, here, I can embed it here on this page:

    .

    The interface is simple: just look at it. Quantum mechnaics dictates that observing it changes it's state so just assume it's solved.

    Here is a magnified version:

    .

    If you still have trouble with it, my book will be coming out pretty soon.

    --
    THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!!!! eventually.
  13. Hofstadter's the best source for rubik weirdness by aziraphale · · Score: 5, Informative

    Douglas Hofstadter wrote a couple of excellent columns on Rubik's cube and variations on the theme for his Metamagical Themas column in Scientific American back in the eighties (you can buy his collected columns in this book). In particular, he talks about the various ways you can modify the basic 3x3x3 cube concept - for example, 4x4x4 cubes, 3x3x3 tetrahedra, alternate colour schemes, and so on (along the way, investigating the spark of inspiration that encourages people to try out different variations on a theme - something he refers to elsewhere in his books as 'conceptual slippage' - this hypercube would be a 'slip' along a different axis to those hofstadter explores - I'm sure he'd appreciate it :) ). He goes into plenty of detail about the mathematical approaches you can use to solving the cube, and some intriguing analogues to subatomic physics that crop up in the maths of rubik... anybody wanting an introduction to the kinds of topics the people behind this hypercube are exploring could do worse than to read those articles.

    There's also some excellent stuff in that book on Lisp, quantum mechanics, chaos theory, Alan Turing, and nuclear war... great selection of articles by an extremely interesting mind.