These ...

...are the reason I haven't been posting much lately. I've become quite obsessed with trying to solve these funny little puzzle cubes. I started a few months ago with the 3x3x3 cube (the original Rubik's Cube, actually), studied a process for solving any scramble of it, and practiced and practiced and practiced, and also practiced, until I pretty much had it down by heart. Along the way I realized that it's kind of relaxing. Meditation ain't got nothin' on this $#@!.

So, just recently, I ordered the 4x4x4, 5x5x5 and the Pyraminx (a tetrahedral gizmo) and started learning them. Turns out that, other than having to learn a few simple algorithms to solve sticky cases, the Pyraminx is insultingly easy to solve, and consequently, less fun than the others. Meanwhile, the 5x5x5 is frustratingly hard – by which (I often have to remind myself) I really mean that I haven't worked at it long enough, and I have a lot more practicing to do.

The 4x4x4, however, is "just right." More challenging than 3x3 and not as apt to make me swear out loud as the 5x5, it calls for some critical thinking in addition to the rote patterns that I learned for the 3x3. It also has some "cases" you wouldn't encounter on ol' Rubik's Cube, and a couple of the algorithms you need to learn for them are a bit beastly. But all in all, it's a very satisfying puzzle to solve. Addictive, even.

If you're looking for something interesting to do with your hands, eyes and brain during your spare time, I recommend learning these puzzles. I'm sending for the Megaminx (a dodecahedral version, with 12 pentagonal faces) and a 2x2x2 cube as well, just to up my game a bit. And of course, I'm giving the 5x5x5 plenty of effort. At least I can solve it, but it takes me a lot longer than the 4x4x4 and it's nice to relax back down to the latter. As for my 3x3, it's kind of hard to settle back down to it. I reckon I'll keep it around and give it a spin now and then for "old times' sake."

UPDATE (Monday, Oct. 23): The 2x2x2 cube and the dodecahedral Megaminx arrived this weekend. Of course, the 2x2 is comparatively simple, but you might be surprised that taking a layer away actually adds a wrinkle. You start to solve one side and practically everything you try to do with the cube after that breaks what you've put together. Turns out you're pretty much dependent on a couple of algorithms, and they're not the short and easy-to-learn kind.

As for the Megaminx, I finally solved it last night after a two-day ordeal in which I repeatedly (and painstakingly) brought it up to configuration for the final step, only to mess up somehow. I watched three different YouTubers' videos demonstrating the step, learned two different algorithms (depending on the spacial orientation of the puzzle) but I seemingly couldn't reproduce the results I was seeing on screen. (One time I got SOOO close; the top layer was all one color, but somehow the corners got rotated out of alignment.) I thought I was losing my mind. I say this, however, knowing that it took me, like, three days to solve the 5x5 for the first time and after weeks of swearing at it, I'm starting to get it. As we musicians know, it's all about "practice, practice, practice!"