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Man Solves Rubik's Cube After 26 Years

Posted by samzenpus on from the time-well-spent dept.

It has taken Graham Parker almost his entire life, but today after 26 years he has finally solved his Rubik's Cube. Way back in 1983 when Graham bought the toy, Yuri Andropov was leader of the Soviet Union, and CDs were just starting to fill shelves. The 45-year-old from Portchester, Hampshire, says, "I cannot tell you what a relief it was to finally solve it. It has driven me mad over the years - it felt like it had taken over my life. I have missed important events to stay in and solve it and I would lie awake at night thinking about it. I have had wrist and back problems from spending hours on it but it was all worth it. When I clicked that last bit into place and each face was a solid color, I wept." Mr. Parker plans on spending the next 26 years untying a knot in his laces.

5 comments

  1. A confession by MyLongNickName · · Score: 2, Funny

    You know what is funny? When he first bought that damned Rubik's Cube 26 years ago, I rearanged two of the stickers. The thing was no longer solvable.

    I thought it was funny at the time. But when he missed his son's birth, it was all the more hilarious. He is sitting there screwing around with this thing while his wife is in labor. (He didn't have any more kids after that.)

    Two and a half decades later, the schmuck is still working on it. Okay... I had enough. One night as he is passed out in his recliner, I rearrange the stickers again. Only would have taken three twists to solve it. But the dumb ass takes another six months to solve it.

    Sorry for your wasted life, my second born son. But seeing how dumb you are, the world's is probably better off without you messing around in it.

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    1. Re:A confession by zubikov · · Score: 1

      You know what else is funny? You can go to puzzlesolver.com and solve the Rubik's cube in about two hours even if you never touched it. This is where natural selection kicks in and determines that Graham's genes should never be passed on.

  2. Makes me want to write a demotivator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "RTFM.
    It can save you 26 years of your life!"

  3. I can sympathize with him. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I got stuck for almost 16 years trying to get that whole "left-upper-back-red corner face shift down and right to lower-front-leftal-middle slice twist-two-times then upper-twist right-center-blue face shift turn upwardly middling shifty to second-rearward-lower-horizontal turn to face inward" move right.

    Missed my own birth twice and didn't show up for my own funeral because of this thing. D*mn toy.

  4. Just Lucky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do it again to prove you didn't just get lucky.