Hi all,

this is my first post here, so please bear with me. Since not many twisty puzzles having a prism shape seem to be available commercially, and since I wanted to study their difficulty, I implemented some applets. You can try them out at

http://staff.fim.uni-passau.de/~kreuzer/TP/TwistyPrisms.html

In particular, I implemented the following prisms:

• Triangular Floppy Prism (Slim Pyraminx)
• Triangular Mini Prism
• Triangular Pocket Prism (Rubik's Cheese)
• Triangular Domino Prism
• Triangular Super Domino Prism
• Triangular Magic Prism (Triangular version of Rubik's Cube)

The usage of the applets is explained on the web pages.

If you find solution strategies, nice algorithms and shortcuts, I would like to know them and include them in the web pages. Further prisms (including Master Prisms and Pentagonal Prisms) are on the way, if there is enough interest.

In case you want to know: the applets were programmed using the programming language Scratch of the MIT project Lifelong Kindergarten. (That pretty much describes my programming sophistication level, a.k.a. kindergarten level.)

Hope you enjoy my Easter eggs,
Martin

P.S.: Here are some pictures to help you get an idea of the prisms:





P.P.S.: Here are some pictures of further prisms added since this first post:

Nice simulations! They work pretty well for me, even though you can't rotate them. For future updates, maybe you should implement a feature where the right click makes the side rotate in the opposite direction, rather than the same direction. e.g, R' rather than R.

Very good.

I was kind of confused by this because you can't rotate a puzzle without turning it. The only way to check what was on the back/bottom was to turn the puzzle. Great job with the rest though. I can only solve one of those puzzles, but they all are nice.

Hi,

Thanks for your kind remarks. I have tried to improve the handling of the applets:

• Every prism can now be turned over completely by pressing q.
• Where applicable, you can turn all cubelets on one side over by clicking on the top triangle of the central top edge piece.

@Kapusta: Sorry, but I do not quite understand your suggestion. The sides are always turned by 180 degrees, so it seems to me that R=R'.

Enjoy! Happy Easter,
Martin

In prisms where there are multiple vertical layers, there are 120 degrees in the U/D turns. I don't get why Kapusta mentioned R though.

Ya, I was referring to the 120 degree moves. I was just saying R to give an example, and I forgot that they were 180 degree moves on all of your puzzles. My mistake.

EDIT: Nice updates, by the way. They make things a little easier to get around.

Hi,

today I have added another applet, the Triangular Master Floppy.
Like the other twisty prisms, you can play it at

http://staff.fim.uni-passau.de/~kreuzer/TP/TwistyPrisms.html

To help you get an idea, here is a picture:



@Rentlix, Kapusta: For the 120 degree turns of the layers, I implemented two ways to execute them (both have a clockwise and a counterclockwise part):

• You can click on the leftmost or rightmost face of a cubelet of the layer. That turns the layer in the same direction as if you were "pushing" the cubelet.
• You can use the a and z keys (or the y key instead of z if you have a German keyboard like me) to turn the upper layer in either direction. The s and x keys work for the second layer, and so on.

My next plan is to upp some pentagonal prisms. Keep your fingers crossed!
Ciao,
Martin

Hi all,

today I upped applets of two pentagonal prisms:

• PentaStar Floppy Prism
• PentaStar Pocket Prism

Here are two pictures to help you understand what I mean:


A round version of the second puzzle has been built and called Star Puck.
Since I have only very partial solution strategies, all suggestions, algorithms, strategies etc. are welcome.

Enjoy the applets,
Martin

Hi all,

today I have upped three further twisty prism applets.

• Triangular Tower Prism
• Floppy Cube
• Pentagonal Floppy Prism

To help you get an idea how the prisms look, here are some pictures:


The pentagonal prisms seem to be much easier than the corresponding PentaStar types. I will post two and three layer versions soon. All three applets come with a suggested solution strategy. Any comments, suggestions or improvements are welcome.

Enjoy!
Martin

Hi all,

today I posted another update of the Twisty Prisms page with four new twisty prism applets:

• Mini Cube 1x2x2
• Pocket Cube 2x2x2
• Pentagonal Pocket Prism
• PentaStar Super Pocket Prism

Here are some pictures to give you an idea:



@PentagonalPocketPrism: I invite you to compare this shallow-cut, two-layer pentagonal prism to the analogous, but deep-cut PentaStar Pocket Prism. I think its solution is much easier, although I am still missing a nice 3-cycle for the edge pieces. (Suggestions are welcome!)

@PentaStarSuperPocketPrism: In the discussion of the Star Puck (see viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12041&p=139029&#p139029)
it was conjectured that this prism could be more difficult that then regular version. I invite you to try it yourself -- I think that actually the PentaStar pocket prism is not so easy after all and that the additional colour info of the super-cube version makes it easier.

Furthermore, I have added some definitions of the terminology / naming scheme that I am using to the index page.

Suggestions, algorithms, criticisms, and all kind of reactions are welcome!
Greetings,
Martin