Message #3482

From: carl.n.hoff@gmail.com
Subject: Re: How to make a better 3x3x3x3
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2016 15:48:51 -0700

Hello David,

The use of the word Super in this context has been around since the 1980’s I believe. The term Multi dates back to Sept. 20, 2009. Here is the first post to use the word in this context.

http://www.twistypuzzles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=179035#p179035 http://www.twistypuzzles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=179035#p179035

Before then the concept was know but it was also called Super so you had terminology like the Super-Super Cubes being used.

Yes, you can buy the Circle 3x3x3 here:
http://www.hknowstore.com/locale/en-US/item.aspx?corpname=nowstore&itemid=1e61975c-8343-4bce-81f9-54be14cf0cc2 http://www.hknowstore.com/locale/en-US/item.aspx?corpname=nowstore&itemid=1e61975c-8343-4bce-81f9-54be14cf0cc2

The Circle 4x4x4 is here: (not my auction)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252321959913 http://www.ebay.com/itm/252321959913

The Double Circle Real 5x5x5 is here: (this is my Shapeways shop)
http://shpws.me/CLly http://shpws.me/CLly

All of these are Super-Multi puzzles.

Yes, there are other ways of breaking the degeneracies. You could put some 2D stickers on the faces of the 3D stickers for example. But I wanted to expose the core so the same approach could be used making a Super Multi 4x4x4x4 etc. This is the most general approach that I know.

Also, just a point of clarification, you say the center hypercubie can’t be scrambled anyway on the super multi 3x3x3x3, but this doesn’t mean the super multi 3x3x3x3 is the same to solve as the normal 3x3x3x3- the super multi version does break some degeneracies and increase the number of unsolved states of the puzzle, correct?

It is the core hypercubie that can’t be scrambled. All 8 cell center hypercubies can be scrambled, or at least their orientations can be as their positions never move. As to the second question, no that isn’t what it means. It does mean however that the Super Multi 3x3x3x3 is the same solve as the Super 3x3x3x3. The Super 3x3x3x3 does have more states then the Normal 3x3x3x3. All Multi does for this puzzle is add the core. And you know the orientation of the core even if you cannot see it as all the cell centers are attached to it. For example a 3x3x3 has a hidden 27 cubie we call the core on the inside. It is normally hidden out of view and unstickered but still you always know the red sticker on the core would be directly below the red face center.

Also note I’m just talking about the 3x3x3x3 here. The Super Multi 4x4x4x4 has more states then the Super 4x4x4x4 as it contains the 2x2x2x2 on the inside.

And I’ve been a member of MC4D since March 12, 2011. At least I have been getting the digest since then. I rarely have the time to read the digest and honestly I can not recall if I’ve ever posted before or not. So I certainly haven’t been a very active member. The oldest post of mine I can find on TwistyPuzzles.com is dated December 2, 2004 and I was active in the forum in the form it had before it moved to the current site. I can remember making posts about Twisty Puzzles in various locations going back to the early to mid 1990’s I believe. I remember requesting and being added to Jerry Slocum’s Directory of Puzzle Collectors sometime in the 90’s as well.

I’m sad to say I’m not familiar with the origin of MC4D so I’m not certain how long its been around.

Carl