SmaZ cube : Pipe Connector (update black color cube)

SmaZ · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:42 am

hi all,
I made a cube like Pipe Connector,
6 wheel put on the 2x2,
my idea is six color clock turn and mixed.
this test model only made two color clock.
thanks

video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw6O-0U0GjU

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Allagem · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:45 am

That looks amazing!!!!! 8-)

Let me be the first to say excellent job, it looks perfect!!
It's also somewhat similar to a puzzle the drizzle made awhile back:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9762

Can't wait to see the other 4 clocks!!

Peace,
Matt Galla

Fractangle · **Joined:** Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:41 am **Location:** Earth

Whoa, that's messing with my head. It's like a 3x3x3 core, but a twisty puzzle in of itself!

The idea of the 1 through 12 just makes it:
1) More difficult
and more importantly
2) More unique

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this thing. You've turned my brain inside out.

EMarx · **Joined:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:00 pm

It's a Master Cheeseblock!

Very Very nice. Will you be selling them?

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:25 pm

LOL this is "Smart Alex's" older brother, he is called "SmaZ Alex", right Rox?

Michael, that is some absolutely GREAT design!

Pantazis

SmaZ · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:43 pm

kastellorizo wrote:

LOL this is "Smart Alex's" older brother, he is called "SmaZ Alex", right Rox?

Michael, that is some absolutely GREAT design!

Pantazis

yeah~~~I saw the Smart Alex's from Rox,
so........I made one to me :wink:

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THIO · **Joined:** Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:14 pm

Hi

Very nice puzzle :shock:

elijah · **Joined:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:55 am **Location:** WA, USA

taking the 2x2 to the next level!!! :lol:

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:40 pm

SmaZ wrote:

yeah~~~I saw the Smart Alex's from Rox,
so........I made one to me :wink:

But I must say, I am very impressed. The Smart Alex looks very simple compared to your puzzle
which uses a (more populated) circular part on *ALL* six sides! 8-)

You have actually came up with a way to make a series of new types of puzzles.
(yes, there have been similar puzzles in the past, but the mechanism of this one,
seems more promising to expand or simplify)

Pantazis

Jared · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:36 pm

SmaZ, this looks absolutely brilliant! Do you plan on capping the centers?

Also, if you want to make it with clocks on all the faces, may I suggest the name "Clock Block"?

Derek Tolley · **Joined:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:22 pm

Nicely done!!!!

Logan Kelly · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:09 pm

Amazing puzzle :shock:

Do the clocks twist/spin?

Please provide a video so we can see more.

-Logan

katsmom · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:38 pm

Form concept to completion in 4 days! I"m not only impressed I'm amazed!

Well done as always!

Where's mine :wink:

katsmom · **Posted:** Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:10 pm

I just have to post again :lol:

While I was being sea sick and trying to keep my stomach in check, I listened in part to Smaz and Luckystar917 discussing this idea, answered a few questions put to me, and then just sat back and watched Smaz's hands talking faster than his mouth.

He took a nap for about 20 minutes, and when he woke up again he went right back to talking abut this puzzle. The concept seemed to be a bit more defined at this point.

At dinner that night, he discussed it a bit more again, then we went on to other topics.

During this little jaunt down to Macau, I was once again impressed by Smaz, not just for his building abilities, but also by his ability to solve puzzles. He really is an amazing man. Give him a puzzle or an idea, and he goes dead still for a period of time. Then when the brain seems to finally reengage, watch out because he is as fast as lightning. The ideas come fast and furious and the solution for unsolved puzzles are equally quick!

As an example, I had an enigma I have been unable to solve for the past 5 years or so, I left it with him last week Thursday. He told me he thought about it for around an hour, and then took 5 minutes to solve. Coming from anyone else, I would have been sceptical, but after watching him in action these past years, I would believe just about anything he says now.

His puzzles are very well made, and well worth the money. I'm not a salesman, or getting a commision from him, but if you haven't got one of his custom made puzzles and are into that knid of thing, I suguest you get one, it's money well spent. :lol:

I've been so impressed with his work that I had no choice but to dedicate a case to his work in my little puzzle exhibition. For me, He ranks up there with the "Meffert's case" and the "Panda case" (too bad I wasn't allowed to show more :wink:

).

Justin · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:57 am

Brilliant idea and nicely built!

I wish I could build things in 4 days. It takes me 4 days to contemplate picking up a hacksaw

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 5:30 am

Jared wrote:

Also, if you want to make it with clocks on all the faces, may I suggest the name "Clock Block"?

Actually, I would call it the "Time Machine"!!!

katsmom wrote:

He took a nap for about 20 minutes, and when he woke up again he went right back to talking abut this puzzle. The concept seemed to be a bit more defined at this point.

You see what I mean? He did not take a nap, he traveled in time and then had all the time in the world to think
and invent it!!! (same thing applies for finding the solutions of puzzles)

Now the big universal question is: Did the machine made the time, or did time made the machine?

:mrgreen:

Pantazis

KelvinS · **Joined:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:13 pm

Amazing puzzle. I agree it would be good to cover the caps and I would even round off the corners of the 2x2 as they look a bit strange with small triangle faces sticking out. Then you you could even consider shaping the rim of the clock to be more curvey and less angular/orthogonal.

Also I really like the name "clock block", much better than "time machine".

Once again, great puzzle.

flambore · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 10:23 am

Amazing puzzle! That has to be an extremely complicated puzzle to solve with the orientation of the roman numerals!

SmaZ · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:59 pm

thanks all

video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw6O-0U0GjU

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KelvinS · **Joined:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:13 pm

The other good thing about this puzzle is it has very few unique pieces and so should be relatively cheap to manufacture...

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:10 pm

SmaZ wrote:

this test model use 2x2 rubik's structure,
hard turning, and easy to pop,

so I think to use east sheen 2x2 to made it,
but the circle size not match, it need more time to solve.

maybe in the future, when selling this cube,

the black color cube the name is "Clock Block"

the white color cube the name is "time machine".

thanks all

video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw6O-0U0GjU

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Thanks Michael. And I must say, that regardless if the puzzle pops or is difficult to turn,
I am still interested in one of those, as it simply looks very cool.

Don't give any Time Machine to Rox, only to me!!!

:mrgreen:

Pantazis

katsmom · **Posted:** Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:47 pm

And don't listen to Pantazis!

They are wonderful. It reminds me of the pipings on the outside of the buildings here. The joints where it goes from one lat to the next. I now get the first title of pipe connectors!

Jared · **Posted:** Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:02 am

SmaZ, do you have a rough estimate of how much these will sell for, if you decide to do so?

Frank Tiex · **Posted:** Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:03 am

The concept itself was already shown at the DCD 2008 with a 4x4x4 which had attached some Square-1 layers.

The inventor of this puzzle is Olivier Polspoel from Belgium.

(larger picture versions can be found here: Dutch Cube Day 2008)

Both puzzle versions are indeed a very intelligent idea merge different types of puzzles.

Well done!

Frank

SmaZ · **Posted:** Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:28 pm

yes, they are similar puzzle.
I'm happy we have the same idea,
and in frank's website, I found an other similar puzzle
2x2 ball puzzle, the top can 360 turn.

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LuckyStar917 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:33 am

Congratulations SmaZ!!!!

YOU'VE MADE IT!
your first really really COOL original puzzle.

so happy to see the puzzle worked not only by 4 wheels but "6" !!!

so now, even more complex than the Smart Alex.

can't wait to see the final modal.

SmaZ · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 12:57 pm

SmaZ cube : Time Machine black cube

thanks.

VIDEO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cCAx0yfRxA

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTA0NzY1MzY4.html

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elijah · **Joined:** Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:55 am **Location:** WA, USA

you made it even more difficult by putting numbers on the inside too!! :shock:

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:04 pm

WOW!!! This is what I would call "Back to the Future"! LOL
Michael, the Time Machine looks absolutely fantastic!!!

Pantazis

KelvinS · **Joined:** Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:13 pm

Looks fantastic, really unique and original looking. And the name is growing on me too! Congratulations!
:mrgreen:

Kapusta · **Posted:** Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:28 am

I'm trying to form ideas on how this is solved...

v
Could it be solved with the basic knowledge of how to solve a 4x4? Centers/2x2 babyface for the inside and something similar to edge pairing for the outside?

Danny Devitt · **Posted:** Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:08 am

Both puzzles are of equal solving difficulty because stickering the inner pieces is equivalent to stickering the 2x2.

As for a solution, I'd solve the 2x2 first and then the rest of the pieces using commutators. If I had the puzzle in my hands, I'm sure I could figure out said commutators.

SmaZ cube : Pipe Connector (update black color cube)

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