Erno Rubik Explains the Success of His Cube

flickr / thebetaphase.com

May 9, 2012 10:05 AM Text Size: A . A . A

You?re putting together a museum exhibit for the 40th anniversary of the Rubik?s Cube. Tell us about that.

The exhibition about the Cube?it?s an idea that started a few years ago . . . Liberty Science Center will organize an exhibition here. They?ll have it for a few months, and then after that we would like to have a traveling exhibition around the world for about six years.

It?s about the Cube, and why and how it was capable [of becoming] the most popular toy in history?the best-selling toy ever. It?s really popular all around the world; it became a global phenomenon.

Has putting together the exhibit helped you to figure out what it is about the Cube that captures people?

We?re putting the exhibit this year and next year . . . so we?ll open the exhibit only in 2014, so there?s a lot of work left. But the Cube is related with very fundamental human elements. [It appears in] so many metaphors used in many contexts?in speeches in the Congress, in articles, in politics as well. The Cube is in the classroom; it?s used to understand root theory?really abstract knowledge, but with the Cube it?s easy to explain. The Cube has several artistic connections as well. It?s really a complex challenge for us.

When you thought up the Cube, were you trying to come up with an interesting puzzle, or coming at it from more of a mathematical perspective?to create something that could explore these abstract ideas?

Not any of it. I was interested in 3-dimensional constructions in space. I was lecturing design at that time, and I was searching for good examples of 3D constructions . . . to introduce to my pupils. The Cube was one of the results of this research. When I made my prototypes and I was playing with it, I discovered the potential and the difficulties of the solution. So I got the idea, why not make it available to the public.

The construction of the Cube is very simple. It?s really a cheap item in the shop. That?s probably helped to sell hundreds of millions all around the world.

Why did you settle on that iconic design of the Cube?3 x 3, and rotating in the way that it does?

My main profession is architect. So I was used to this kind of thinking and problems. What I was searching [for] was the simplest elements in space to demonstrate the possibility of simple structures. And the Cube proved those possibilities.

The Cube as a structure is very simple. It contains a [small] number of elements?only 27 small cubes put together, and the combination is tremendous. It?s an astronomical number?by the capability of human minds, it?s an endless number. So that?s a contradiction, and that gives you surprising effects when you are trying to solve it and play with it. You are not expecting such a difficult task the first time you handle it and try to discover what it is.

It?s not just that the Cube has sold so many copies?it?s an inescapable cultural symbol, too. In the U.S., a number of movies and TV shows have used a character solving a Rubik?s Cube as a symbol of their intelligence. What do you think about that?

It?s symbolic of the capability of human beings?our sensibility of challenges. To me, the challenge is difficult to solve, but after, if you are capable of doing it, it?s a very emotional feeling.

The Cube is a system?a closed system. And it?s a way of thinking about the world of one unit. The Cube teaches you it?s not possible to solve something in advance. You need to think about much more complex [patterns]. The Cube is, at the same time, a symbol of simplicity and complexity.

Now, of course, there are speedcubing competitions around the world. What do you think about that? And when you first invented the Cube, were you good at it?

I did not plan . . . the Cube as a competitive item. Because of the nature of the kids, there became the possibility to organize competitions. They like to prove their abilities, their speed, their capabilities. Right now, it?s a worldwide phenomenon. Speedcubing has a huge community around the world. In one year more than 100?and close to 200?competitions happen everywhere. That?s really very fascinating. Unfortunately, mostly boys are participating. But there are girls as well [putting in] very good times.

What?s the difference between people who "get" the Cube and those of us who fumble with it futilely?

There are many different kinds of people with different capabilities. To solve the Cube, you need special skills and understanding. For example, pattern recognition is very important to solve the Cube. Memory is important?you need to learn and to understand the positions. You need to memorize a few algorithms and steps you need to follow to discover which one is actually necessary. So not all people can do it easily.

But we are working to teach people?[and] the Net is very useful for this. When the Cube was introduced, it was very difficult to find out how to solve it. But right now, today, there is a huge community on the Net. People exchange ideas; you can find many videos on YouTube [that show] how to do it. It?s in the classroom?we are organizing "you can do the Cube" programs to organize competitions between schools.

That?s a good point?during the Rubik?s Cube craze of the 1980s, Americans couldn?t exactly jump online to find the answers. You either figured it out, knew a friend who could solve it, or fiddled with the thing until you gave up.

Today?s it?s much easier. But, you need to be patient. It?s very similar to life. Usually it?s not possible to solve any problem [all] at once?you need to work on it.

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