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The Simple Solution to Rubik's Cube
The Simple Solution to Rubik's Cube
Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 19, 2014
Floating this one in honor of the 40th anniversary of Rubik's Cube.
Treasure of the Rubbermaids 12: Gleaming the Cube
The on-going discoveries of priceless books and comics found in a stack of Rubbermaid containers previously stored and forgotten at my parent’s house and untouched for almost 20 years. Thanks to my father dumping them back on me, I now spend my spare time unearthing lost treasures from their plastic depths.
The ‘80s were a dark time. With the Pac Man Fever epidemic sickening millions while the Soviets were invading in Red Dawn and the introduction of New Coke, a devastated nation desperately needed something to cheer it up. Fortunately, the Rubik’s Cube was there to distract us from the horrors of Howard the Duck.
My recent reading of Ready Player One gave me the urge to seek out more nostalgia porn* so it seemed like a good time to look through this little book when I came across it while digging through the tombs of the Rubbermaids.
*Copyright 2011 - Flannery
What’s that you say? Five stars for a book on solving the Rubik’s Cube seems a bit much? Well, allow me to explain my ranking. I give this book five stars because it’s one of the few things I’ve bought in my life that delivered exactly what it promised: It taught me how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.
I find the maths and the geometric thingies pretty challenging so it’s kind of amazing that I was able to read this little book back in the dark days when I couldn’t sleep for fear of Freddy Kruger and actually memorized all the moves. Back in my prime, I could solve one in two or three minutes. I had a whole routine where I’d casually pick up a cube laying around (and they were everywhere back then) and start playing with it while talking with the owner. After I solved it, I’d look down and say, “Oh, I fixed this for you.” Many is the person I tricked into thinking I was actually smart back then with that move. Of course, now I'm old and forgotten how to do it, but you should have seen me solve that cube back in the day!
And it was all the book. So if my dumb ass could use it and get that good at solving it, I’d rate it as a complete success. Of course, now you can just Google How To Solve Rubik’s Cube and get more instructions than you can shake a stick at, including You Tube videos. But back then I was just learning how to use the tape drive on a Commodore 64 so I had to make do with learning things from books and talking to people. Like a cave man.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to cut the sleeves off a sweatshirt and go watch Beverly Hills Cop.
Treasure of the Rubbermaids 12: Gleaming the Cube
The on-going discoveries of priceless books and comics found in a stack of Rubbermaid containers previously stored and forgotten at my parent’s house and untouched for almost 20 years. Thanks to my father dumping them back on me, I now spend my spare time unearthing lost treasures from their plastic depths.
The ‘80s were a dark time. With the Pac Man Fever epidemic sickening millions while the Soviets were invading in Red Dawn and the introduction of New Coke, a devastated nation desperately needed something to cheer it up. Fortunately, the Rubik’s Cube was there to distract us from the horrors of Howard the Duck.
My recent reading of Ready Player One gave me the urge to seek out more nostalgia porn* so it seemed like a good time to look through this little book when I came across it while digging through the tombs of the Rubbermaids.
*Copyright 2011 - Flannery
What’s that you say? Five stars for a book on solving the Rubik’s Cube seems a bit much? Well, allow me to explain my ranking. I give this book five stars because it’s one of the few things I’ve bought in my life that delivered exactly what it promised: It taught me how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.
I find the maths and the geometric thingies pretty challenging so it’s kind of amazing that I was able to read this little book back in the dark days when I couldn’t sleep for fear of Freddy Kruger and actually memorized all the moves. Back in my prime, I could solve one in two or three minutes. I had a whole routine where I’d casually pick up a cube laying around (and they were everywhere back then) and start playing with it while talking with the owner. After I solved it, I’d look down and say, “Oh, I fixed this for you.” Many is the person I tricked into thinking I was actually smart back then with that move. Of course, now I'm old and forgotten how to do it, but you should have seen me solve that cube back in the day!
And it was all the book. So if my dumb ass could use it and get that good at solving it, I’d rate it as a complete success. Of course, now you can just Google How To Solve Rubik’s Cube and get more instructions than you can shake a stick at, including You Tube videos. But back then I was just learning how to use the tape drive on a Commodore 64 so I had to make do with learning things from books and talking to people. Like a cave man.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to cut the sleeves off a sweatshirt and go watch Beverly Hills Cop.
August 26, 2017
This was the #1 bestselling book in 1980 when the Rubik's cube was all the rage. I was a teenager then and spent a summer reading and memorizing the steps in this book. I was then able to quickly solve the Rubik's cube in a couple minutes.
I happened upon a Rubik's cube at work recently and found that I still remembered some of the moves after all these years. I tracked down a used copy of this book on Amazon and spend 5-10 minutes a day working on the Rubik's cube. I have re-memorized all but the last couple of moves and will soon be able to do the whole thing by memory again. It's fun trying to keep up with my 15-year-old self.
I happened upon a Rubik's cube at work recently and found that I still remembered some of the moves after all these years. I tracked down a used copy of this book on Amazon and spend 5-10 minutes a day working on the Rubik's cube. I have re-memorized all but the last couple of moves and will soon be able to do the whole thing by memory again. It's fun trying to keep up with my 15-year-old self.
January 19, 2010
For those of us who grew up in the 80s, who wasn't obsessed with the Rubik's Cube for hours on end? I certainly was, and other than peeling off the stickers or popping off the cubes, I was stumped until I read this book. It's straightforward and easy to follow, once you clearly understand what each code stands for and which way you need to turn the cube to accomplish that step.
Our girls came across a cube (all mixed up, of course) and I found my old cube and this book tucked in a drawer of my old stuff. Now, almost 25 years later, I am still able to follow the book and solve the cube with just a little bit of a learning curve. It's a good book, although I feel like I'm cheating a bit for not figuring it out by myself!
Our girls came across a cube (all mixed up, of course) and I found my old cube and this book tucked in a drawer of my old stuff. Now, almost 25 years later, I am still able to follow the book and solve the cube with just a little bit of a learning curve. It's a good book, although I feel like I'm cheating a bit for not figuring it out by myself!
August 28, 2011
This is a great book! Back during the rubiks cube craze, I was able to solve the cube consistently in a minute or two.. sometimes less after learning the techniques in this book. I wish I still had my copy since I forgot the last few steps! A must have if you want to learn how to solve the cube and have been unable to do so!
February 15, 2014
This is the book I grew up with, and its notation is the only one that my brain immediately groks. The newer notations just confuse me.
September 26, 2018
It works. What more needs to be said?
…okay, let’s say a little more.
People should be buying Rubik’s Cubes instead of fidget spinners, but of course with the cube you would actually have to learn something, god forbid.
Sorry, I usually avoid editorials and personal anecdotes when reviewing books, but this particular experience should give others confidence:
I work for a residential/commercial moving company and I received this book from a client who was downsizing her library. I was intrigued so I bought Rubik’s Cube and took both book and cube to work, reading and practicing during downtime as we drove from move to move. Six days later I could solve the cube. I’m not Einstein; the book is exemplary.
These cubes have littered shelves and toy chests for decades, but how often do you see one that has been solved? Great care is taken to ease a timid reader into this daunting task, and Nourse leads the way with a brief history of the cube itself, an explanation of the mechanics and theories that allow such a cube to function, and a generalized notation that accounts and works for every cube of any colour arrangement. Illustrated diagrams allow for easier conceptualization of moves, and each section provides a ‘pro tip’ shortcut that allows a person to condense their solving time once they have a grasp of the basics. Even with the basic moves, solving the cube in under five minutes becomes routine. If you are looking for more fun, then the book provides a couple ‘games’ you can also play with the cube.
A wonderful book, this is.
…okay, let’s say a little more.
People should be buying Rubik’s Cubes instead of fidget spinners, but of course with the cube you would actually have to learn something, god forbid.
Sorry, I usually avoid editorials and personal anecdotes when reviewing books, but this particular experience should give others confidence:
I work for a residential/commercial moving company and I received this book from a client who was downsizing her library. I was intrigued so I bought Rubik’s Cube and took both book and cube to work, reading and practicing during downtime as we drove from move to move. Six days later I could solve the cube. I’m not Einstein; the book is exemplary.
These cubes have littered shelves and toy chests for decades, but how often do you see one that has been solved? Great care is taken to ease a timid reader into this daunting task, and Nourse leads the way with a brief history of the cube itself, an explanation of the mechanics and theories that allow such a cube to function, and a generalized notation that accounts and works for every cube of any colour arrangement. Illustrated diagrams allow for easier conceptualization of moves, and each section provides a ‘pro tip’ shortcut that allows a person to condense their solving time once they have a grasp of the basics. Even with the basic moves, solving the cube in under five minutes becomes routine. If you are looking for more fun, then the book provides a couple ‘games’ you can also play with the cube.
A wonderful book, this is.
February 18, 2012
This easy step by step guide with pictures had me, my uncle and my father in timed races with the magic cube. 30 years later I still retain some of the moves subconsciously, but would have to reread and practice a bit to get back to scores around a minute like we had then.
April 21, 2013
Best book on solving the Rubik's Cube. Dug it up after 30 years to help get unstuck on my cube and also to read something to help increase my woefully slow reading speed.
March 2, 2014
This book will definitely help you solve Rubik's Cube. I got this book back in like 1982 when the Cube was popular.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews