Twenty-six turns all that's required to solve Rubik's Cube

Could either of these Rubik's Cube prodigies solve the cube in 26 moves? Leyan Lo talks strategy with Shotaro Makisumi at a competition in January 2006.

(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com)

Editors' note: This blog initially misspelled the name of a record holder for solving a Rubik's Cube. He is Leyan Lo.

Clearly, I've been doing something wrong.

Since the early 1980s, when I got my first Rubik's Cube, I've never been able to solve it. Oh, sure, I got one side done, and maybe even two. Or, I could break the thing open and put it back together in its original, solved position.

But now, according to the BBC, a supercomputer has determined that a Rubik's Cube is solvable in less than 26 moves, regardless of the starting position. So, boy, don't I feel dumb?

It turns out, thanks to research done by Northeastern University graduate students Daniel Kunkle and Gene Cooperman that that's all it takes to solve one of the famous toys. Duh.

Yet, I wonder: Could the computer that proved this beat the likes of Leyan Lo, who early last year set the world's record of 11.13 seconds? I sort of doubt it. After all, have you ever seen a supercomputer try to turn a Rubik's Cube?

[the Otter]

Rubik?s Revenge

Note that each of the guys in this picture is holding a Rubik?s
Revenge, with 4×4 grids on each side instead of the 3×3 grids on
the original Cube. Of course, I always thought Rubik?s Revenge was
easier, anyway: I solved it once, which is one more time than I
solved the cube. (It was also much flimsier, though; it completely
fell apart before I could solve it a second time.) :-B

[ethana2]

You sort of doubt it? Whatever.

I have Gnubik on Ubuntu, and as long as the cube is digital, let me assure you it has no problems turning it.

If they had the right peripherals, even that wouldn't be an issue. If there's any place to flaunt your sentient superiority, it is _not_ the mathematics behind a rubik's cube. That machine could kick this kid's butt for the time record, hands down.

Heck, my p4 celly can do a 3^3 in .5 seconds.

[hughslater]

Have you ever seen a supercomputer solve a Rubik's cube?

Robot Solving Rubik's cube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkft2qaKv_o

[ad0rkkablejoey]

ever heard of the maos?

toby and/or tyson could kick their ***** any day.


maybe even the computer's...

[ad0rkkablejoey]

eh?

..and why are they holding four by fours...?