Thread: "2x2x2x2: mini-puzzle "twisty stacky 2^3""

Hi, 4D puzzlers!

If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun
mini-puzzle.

Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set
aside the pink half, and use the purple half).   This is the solved state.

The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as
follows.   The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus you can
make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S.   Scramble and solve!

Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my
monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.

     30  Intro to twisty stacky 2^3    1m33s https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5U
     31  Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3    1m52s
https://youtu.be/IFV4tVchH8U

This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet
its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the
full puzzle.  I find it to be a useful training exercise for the larger
puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.

Enjoy!
Marc

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How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle. Some questions immed=
iately come to mind:

* Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?
* Have you solved it?
* Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other puzzles? Your monofli=
p seems to hint at such a thing.
* How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and the 2^4?
* Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the full puzzle? I love=
how the puzzle currently doubles as a simple take-apart puzzle for young c=
hildren, and is probably where even active cubers should start simply to ge=
t more familiar with the topology. Your puzzle may fit very nicely in diffi=
culty between take-apart and full puzzle.
* When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to a pure 2^3, or ar=
e the restacking moves more integral? And does that even matter?

The last question will probably take some time to answer, but perhaps you o=
r other list members will be able to inform the other questions.

What a nice little bonus puzzle!

-Melinda

On 9/1/2018 11:21 AM, Marc Ringuette ringuette@solarmirror.com [4D_Cubing] =
wrote:
> Hi, 4D puzzlers!
>
> If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun
> mini-puzzle.
>
> Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set
> aside the pink half, and use the purple half).=C2=A0=C2=A0 This is the so=
lved state.
>
> The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as
> follows.=C2=A0=C2=A0 The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plu=
s you can
> make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Scramble =
and solve!
>
> Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my
> monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.
>
> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 30=C2=A0 Intro to twisty stacky 2^3=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 1m33s https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5U
> =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 31=C2=A0 Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3=C2=A0=
=C2=A0=C2=A0 1m52s
> https://youtu.be/IFV4tVchH8U
>
> This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet
> its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the
> full puzzle.=C2=A0 I find it to be a useful training exercise for the lar=
ger
> puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.
>
> Enjoy!
> Marc
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: Marc Ringuette
> ------------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>
>
>
>


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">


How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle. Some
questions immediately come to mind:

• Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?


• Have you solved it?
  
  


• Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other puzzles?
  Your monoflip seems to hint at such a thing.
  
  


• How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and the 2^4?


• Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the full
  puzzle? I love how the puzzle currently doubles as a simple
  take-apart puzzle for young children, and is probably where even
  active cubers should start simply to get more familiar with the
  topology. Your puzzle may fit very nicely in difficulty between
  take-apart and full puzzle.


• When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to a pure
  2^3, or are the restacking moves more integral? And does that
  even matter?
  
  

cite=3D"mid:3d385b2f-18fd-e633-e53c-78a778ead962@solarmirror.com">

Hi, 4D puzzlers!

If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun=20
mini-puzzle.

Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set=20
aside the pink half, and use the purple half).=C2=A0=C2=A0 This is the solv=
ed state.

The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as=20
follows.=C2=A0=C2=A0 The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus =
you can=20
make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S.=C2=A0=C2=A0 Scramble an=
d solve!

Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my=20
monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.

 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 30=C2=A0 Intro to twisty stacky 2^3=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
1m33s 5U">https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5U
 =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 31=C2=A0 Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3=C2=A0=C2=
=A0=C2=A0 1m52s=20
ht=
tps://youtu.be/IFV4tVchH8U

This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet=20
its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the=20
full puzzle.=C2=A0 I find it to be a useful training exercise for the large=
r=20
puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.

Enjoy!
Marc





------------------------------------
Posted by: Marc Ringuette :ringuette@solarmirror.com"><ringuette@solarmirror.com>
------------------------------------


------------------------------------

Yahoo Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
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<*> Your email settings:
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CORRECTION. The pure face swap is M S R2 F2 R2 Y'.

~Luna

On Mon, 3 Sep 2018, 00:12 Luna Harran, wrote:

> Solution outline (SPOILERS):
>
> M S effectively swaps U/D with the outside corners. I will call this the
> face swap. M S R2 U2 R2 Y' would do this purely.
>
> I will call the outside corners O.
>
> Therefore,
>
> 1. Use the face swap plus general 2x2 methods to orient purple on U/D.
> Guimond is good for this.
> If you find yourself with one corner misoriented, face swap that one
> corner to O, and use it to misorient another corner to set up a solvable
> case. Alternatively, use Marc's monoflip.
>
> 2. Face swap the purple to O.
>
> 3. Solve like a 2^3.
>
> As far as I know, this always works. Feel free to suggest any
> optimisations.
>
> ~Luna
>
> On Sun, 2 Sep 2018, 06:53 Melinda Green melinda@superliminal.com
> [4D_Cubing], <4D_Cubing@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle. Some questions
>> immediately come to mind:
>>
>> - Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?
>> - Have you solved it?
>> - Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other puzzles? Your
>> monoflip seems to hint at such a thing.
>> - How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and the 2^4?
>> - Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the full puzzle? I
>> love how the puzzle currently doubles as a simple take-apart puzzle f=
or
>> young children, and is probably where even active cubers should start
>> simply to get more familiar with the topology. Your puzzle may fit ve=
ry
>> nicely in difficulty between take-apart and full puzzle.
>> - When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to a pure 2^3,
>> or are the restacking moves more integral? And does that even matter?
>>
>> The last question will probably take some time to answer, but perhaps yo=
u
>> or other list members will be able to inform the other questions.
>>
>> What a nice little bonus puzzle!
>>
>> -Melinda
>>
>> On 9/1/2018 11:21 AM, Marc Ringuette ringuette@solarmirror.com
>> [4D_Cubing] wrote:
>>
>> Hi, 4D puzzlers!
>>
>> If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun
>> mini-puzzle.
>>
>> Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set
>> aside the pink half, and use the purple half). This is the solved stat=
e.
>>
>> The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as
>> follows. The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus you can
>> make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S. Scramble and solve=
!
>>
>> Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my
>> monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.
>>
>> 30 Intro to twisty stacky 2^3 1m33s https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C=
5U
>> 31 Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3 1m52s https://youtu.be/IFV4t=
VchH8U
>>
>> This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet
>> its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the
>> full puzzle. I find it to be a useful training exercise for the larger
>> puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.
>>
>> Enjoy!
>> Marc
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>> Posted by: Marc Ringuette rror.com>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Yahoo Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>=20
>>
>
> On 2 Sep 2018 06:53, "Melinda Green melinda@superliminal.com [4D_Cubing]"
> <4D_Cubing@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle. Some questions
> immediately come to mind:
>
> - Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?
> - Have you solved it?
> - Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other puzzles? Your
> monoflip seems to hint at such a thing.
> - How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and the 2^4?
> - Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the full puzzle? I
> love how the puzzle currently doubles as a simple take-apart puzzle fo=
r
> young children, and is probably where even active cubers should start
> simply to get more familiar with the topology. Your puzzle may fit ver=
y
> nicely in difficulty between take-apart and full puzzle.
> - When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to a pure 2^3, or
> are the restacking moves more integral? And does that even matter?
>
> The last question will probably take some time to answer, but perhaps you
> or other list members will be able to inform the other questions.
>
> What a nice little bonus puzzle!
>
> -Melinda
>
>
> On 9/1/2018 11:21 AM, Marc Ringuette ringuette@solarmirror.com
> [4D_Cubing] wrote:
>
> Hi, 4D puzzlers!
>
> If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun
> mini-puzzle.
>
> Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set
> aside the pink half, and use the purple half). This is the solved state=
.
>
> The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as
> follows. The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus you can
> make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S. Scramble and solve!
>
> Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my
> monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.
>
> 30 Intro to twisty stacky 2^3 1m33s https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5=
U
> 31 Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3 1m52s https://youtu.be/IFV4tV=
chH8U
>
>
> This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet
> its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the
> full puzzle. I find it to be a useful training exercise for the larger
> puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.
>
> Enjoy!
> Marc
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: Marc Ringuette ror.com>
> ------------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>

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Hi, Melinda, thanks for the thumbs-up.

So far, the name of the mini-puzzle is just its description, the "twisty
stacky 2^3".

I've already solved it in a straightforward way; I'd say its difficulty
is 1/10 or 2/10 if you already know how to solve the regular twisty 2^3,
compared to about 8/10 for the full 2x2x2x2 puzzle.   So, I think it's a
really nice stepping stone that eases you into reasoning about the 12
orientations of the pieces, and how to "get access to" different corners
by moving them on and off the outside.   It seems particularly nice for
someone who has become stuck in trying to solve the full puzzle.

I'm not sure about the relation to other 4D puzzles.  I'm tempted to
guess that it's a physical 3D version of a 4D 2x2x2x1 twisty puzzle, or
something like that.   That'll be fun to think about later.


Spoiler alert!   If you'd like to enjoy figuring out the twisty stacky
2^3 totally on your own, you should probably stop reading and go do
that.   In fact, I should have put a spoiler alert on the link to my
monoflip video.   The initial intro video, however, is spoiler free.


(hint #1) -- One horribly inefficient way to solve the puzzle is to just
"monoflip" each of the purple corners to the outside, one by one, using
the algorithm I gave in my 2nd video, and then use any 2^3 method on the
result.   There are no weird cases; you just reduce the orientations to
the ones of the twisty 2^3 and then solve.   I think it would be much
more satisfying, though, to find your own way of putting "purple corners
out" in groups of four.

(hint #2) -- If you take the solved puzzle and apply the moves E R E,
you can see that the corners that were pointed into the center of the R
face have moved to the outside, and vice versa.  The left half of the
puzzle is unchanged.  Then applying E R' E will go back to solved.

(hint #3)  Once you're down to one or two non-purple corners, think
about conjugating E R E with a corner twister algorithm.   This is more
or less what I did with my monoflip.


Cheers
Marc


On 9/1/2018 10:53 PM, Melinda Green melinda@superliminal.com [4D_Cubing]
wrote:
>
> How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle. Some questions
> immediately come to mind:
>
> * Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?
> * Have you solved it?
> * Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other puzzles? Your
> monoflip seems to hint at such a thing.
> * How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and the 2^4?
> * Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the full puzzle? I
> love how the puzzle currently doubles as a simple take-apart
> puzzle for young children, and is probably where even active
> cubers should start simply to get more familiar with the topology.
> Your puzzle may fit very nicely in difficulty between take-apart
> and full puzzle.
> * When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to a pure 2^3,
> or are the restacking moves more integral? And does that even matter?
>
> The last question will probably take some time to answer, but perhaps
> you or other list members will be able to inform the other questions.
>
> What a nice little bonus puzzle!
>
> -Melinda
>
> On 9/1/2018 11:21 AM, Marc Ringuette ringuette@solarmirror.com
> [4D_Cubing] wrote:
>> Hi, 4D puzzlers!
>>
>> If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun
>> mini-puzzle.
>>
>> Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set
>> aside the pink half, and use the purple half).   This is the solved state.
>>
>> The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as
>> follows.   The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus you can
>> make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S.   Scramble and solve!
>>
>> Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my
>> monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.
>>
>>      30  Intro to twisty stacky 2^3    1m33shttps://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5U
>>      31  Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3    1m52s
>> https://youtu.be/IFV4tVchH8U
>>
>> This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet
>> its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the
>> full puzzle.  I find it to be a useful training exercise for the larger
>> puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.
>>
>> Enjoy!
>> Marc
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>> Posted by: Marc Ringuette
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Yahoo Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>


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Hi, Melinda, thanks for the thumbs-up.  



So far, the name of the mini-puzzle is just its description, the
"twisty stacky 2^3".



I've already solved it in a straightforward way; I'd say its
difficulty is 1/10 or 2/10 if you already know how to solve the
regular twisty 2^3, compared to about 8/10 for the full 2x2x2x2
puzzle.   So, I think it's a really nice stepping stone that eases
you into reasoning about the 12 orientations of the pieces, and how
to "get access to" different corners by moving them on and off the
outside.   It seems particularly nice for someone who has become
stuck in trying to solve the full puzzle.



I'm not sure about the relation to other 4D puzzles.  I'm tempted to
guess that it's a physical 3D version of a 4D 2x2x2x1 twisty puzzle,
or something like that.   That'll be fun to think about later.





Spoiler alert!   If you'd like to enjoy figuring out the twisty
stacky 2^3 totally on your own, you should probably stop reading and
go do that.   In fact, I should have put a spoiler alert on the link
to my monoflip video.   The initial intro video, however, is spoiler
free.





(hint #1) -- One horribly inefficient way to solve the puzzle is to
just "monoflip" each of the purple corners to the outside, one by
one, using the algorithm I gave in my 2nd video, and then use any
2^3 method on the result.   There are no weird cases; you just
reduce the orientations to the ones of the twisty 2^3 and then
solve.   I think it would be much more satisfying, though, to find
your own way of putting "purple corners out" in groups of four.



(hint #2) -- If you take the solved puzzle and apply the moves E R
E, you can see that the corners that were pointed into the center of
the R face have moved to the outside, and vice versa.  The left half
of the puzzle is unchanged.  Then applying E R' E will go back to
solved.  



(hint #3)  Once you're down to one or two non-purple corners, think
about conjugating E R E with a corner twister algorithm.   This is
more or less what I did with my monoflip.





Cheers

Marc

cite="mid:7652871e-6b39-4c91-b0f0-744e2faa854c@superliminal.com">

 

How clever you are, Marc! That's a neat little puzzle.
Some questions immediately come to mind:

• Is "twisty stacky 2^3" the name or the description?


• Have you solved it?
  
  


• Does it have any relation to the 2^4 or any other
  puzzles? Your monoflip seems to hint at such a thing.
  
  


• How does the difficulty compare to both the 2^3 and
  the 2^4?


• Exactly how useful is it as a stepping stone to the
  full puzzle? I love how the puzzle currently doubles as
  a simple take-apart puzzle for young children, and is
  probably where even active cubers should start simply to
  get more familiar with the topology. Your puzzle may fit
  very nicely in difficulty between take-apart and full
  puzzle.


• When solving this puzzle, can it be easily reduced to
  a pure 2^3, or are the restacking moves more integral?
  And does that even matter?
  
  

The last question will probably take some time to answer,
but perhaps you or other list members will be able to inform
the other questions.



What a nice little bonus puzzle!



-Melinda

On 9/1/2018 11:21 AM, Marc
Ringuette href="mailto:ringuette@solarmirror.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">ringuette@solarmirror.com
[4D_Cubing] wrote:

cite="mid:3d385b2f-18fd-e633-e53c-78a778ead962@solarmirror.com">

Hi, 4D puzzlers!

If you already have Melinda's 2x2x2x2, then you can easily try this fun 
mini-puzzle.

Take half of your 2x2x2x2 puzzle (I put the pink-purple corners out, set 
aside the pink half, and use the purple half).   This is the solved state.

The puzzle is called the "twisty stacky 2^3", and the rules are as 
follows.   The puzzle can be face-twisted like a 2^3 Rubik, plus you can 
make any of the three restacking moves E, M, and S.   Scramble and solve!

Here are two YouTube videos -- a brief intro, and then a demo of my 
monoflip (yes, it has one!) for the puzzle.

      30  Intro to twisty stacky 2^3    1m33s https://youtu.be/IyJ_QdT0C5U
      31  Monoflip for twisty stacky 2^3    1m52s 
https://youtu.be/IFV4tVchH8U

This cute little puzzle is a lot easier than the full 2x2x2x2, and yet 
its pieces still share the 12 possible orientations of the pieces of the 
full puzzle.  I find it to be a useful training exercise for the larger 
puzzle, as well as being fun to play with.

Enjoy!
Marc





------------------------------------
Posted by: Marc Ringuette <ringuette@solarmirror.com>
------------------------------------


------------------------------------

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<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4D_Cubing/

<*> Your email settings:
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<*> To change settings online go to:
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