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Rubik's Cube Now Solvable in 20 Moves

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the good-use-of-spare-time dept.

A few years ago we reported that it had been proven that Rubik's Cubes could be solved in 23 moves. Well now that number is down to just 20. Proving it required 35 years of computer time donated by Google to get it done.

14 of 309 comments (clear)

  1. Enough! by 2names · · Score: 5, Funny

    Enough with the Rubik's cube junk, someone please tell us how to unhook a bra with *1* move.

    --
    "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
    1. Re:Enough! by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Easy.

      Step 1:
      Unhook the bra

      It's all relative - what do you consider 1 move? I came across this argument during my first DnD session, and subsequently, haven't played it since.

    2. Re:Enough! by 2names · · Score: 4, Funny

      All good /.'ers seek knowledge. Whether we ever get to *use* that knowledge is another discussion.

      --
      "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
    3. Re:Enough! by MikeBabcock · · Score: 4, Funny

      Placing the hand such that the forefinger is bent against the section of the bra closest to the back and the thumb is over the piece in the foreground with the hooks, slide in the detaching direction with the thumb.

      Alternatively, just ask her to take it off for you ... but that may be a problem if you didn't actually know the girl on the bus in the first place.

      --
      - Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
    4. Re:Enough! by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Are you kidding? You expect him to talk to a girl?

      He actually only needs to know how to unhook a bra because it's currently holding a bundle of Cat6 together.

    5. Re:Enough! by Surt · · Score: 4, Funny

      That's just unhooking, not removing. Removing in one move is best accomplished through the brute force method. Grab the side opposite the clasp and yank hard.

      --
      "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
    6. Re:Enough! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      and the toy, well, I guess you still play with breasts

      Yeah, and my mom isn't there to tell me not to put them in my mouth.

    7. Re:Enough! by Abstrackt · · Score: 4, Funny

      You do realize that some of them have FOUR hooks, right? Sure it is easy on the one or two hook models for the smaller chested women. But on the 4 hook models for the larger chested - I defy you to do it with one hand in one "move"...

      Bring me a large-breasted woman and I'll show you how it's done!

      --
      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
    8. Re:Enough! by IAmGarethAdams · · Score: 4, Funny

      Why are you running sudo at a root prompt?

    9. Re:Enough! by guyminuslife · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm imagining this game session.

      You: "Alright, I'll unhook the wood nymph's bra."
      DM: "Okay, how do you do that?"
      [rest of gaming group listens intently]
      You: "Umm...I just, you know, unhook it?"
      DM: "Okay, we'll say it takes three rounds."
      You: "It doesn't take three rounds to unhook a bra!"
      DM: "Well, it takes your character three rounds."
      You: "That's bullshit. Have you ever done it?"
      DM: "SILENCE! YOU ARE BANISHED FROM DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS FOREVER!"

      --
      I don't believe in time. It's a grand conspiracy designed to sell watches.
  2. The exact sequences by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 4, Funny

    Moves 1 through 19: repeatedly hit cube with hammer

    Move 20: reassemble the smashed bits into a solved cube.

    Warning: Your cube may or may not remain functional through use of this solution.

    1. Re:The exact sequences by MozeeToby · · Score: 4, Funny

      1) Turn one face 45 degrees
      2) Pry upward on one middle edge piece until it pops out
      3) Remove all edge and corner pieces
      4) Put the cube back together, but flip exactly 1 edge piece
      5) Give it to someone who knows how to solve it
      6) Laugh maniacally when they just can't seem to get that last piece where it belongs.

    2. Re:The exact sequences by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 4, Funny

      Your method, while functional, shows a decided lack of hitting the cube with a hammer. Where's the fun in that?

  3. Re:Thank God! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thank God!

    And cancer? Still unsolved. I'll bet computer time could be used for that too.

    It can be shown that a cure for cancer can easily be derived from a method of solving any Rubik's cube in 19 moves.