I like to consider my self a decent solver, but I'm looking for a REAL challenge. So I have a few questions.
-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITHOUT jumbling
-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITH jumbling
-What is your favorite cube to solve
-Why is that your favorite cube to solve
If you are a puzzle designer:
-Do you try to solve your own puzzles
-Do you succeed

I'll start.
The hardest cube wihtout jumbling: The master FTO
The hardest cube with jumbling: The master curvy copter
My favorite cube: The Dino 3x3
Why: A bunch of reasons. You can solve it by pieces, reduction to a 3x3, or reduction to a dino cube, so every solve is different. There are a bunch of fun parities. The turning quality is fantastic, expecially with the magnets. And the complexity of the puzzle never siezes to amaze me.
Thanks!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that sticker mods are welcome!

Hardest puzzles without jumbling:
Well, anything I've never put the effort into solve. So basically my one planet Crazy Tetrahedron, my Super Square-2 barrel thing, and other good stuff like that.

Hardest puzzle with jumbling:
Stickerless NovaMinx. Even without the stickers the jumbling is a huge pain to solve, at least for me.

Favourite cube to solve:
One of the 3D printed ones. Probably either the Rex Skewb or the Curvy Copter II.

Why are they my favourites:
The Rex Skewb is a puzzle which isn't too hard but still requires a bit of thought for the setup moves. As for the Curvy Copter II, I love it because I found an algorithm which makes it more like a speedcubing puzzle rather than a challenging puzzle. I'm determined to get it into the WCA event list.

Do I try to solve my own designs:
I solved the Hexoid, but I'm too scared to scramble the NovaMinx. Although it probably isn't too hard, I just don't want the possibility of me having to disassemble it before I sell it on eBay.

This has kind of been asked before in another thread, so you may find an answer there. That question was a bit more general, though, so I'll answer again.


I've tried to solve all of my puzzles. The only one I have yet to solve is the Quirky-Cube.

I also find the Pentultimate on Gelatinbrain's applet extremely challenging, and have not solved it yet. You could probably find one on Shapeways if you wanted a physical copy.

The hardest puzzle I have ever physically solved is Eric's Unbandaged Rhomdo. The jumbling is quite challenging and then the pieces are in orbits that require some really strange jumbling to fix.

I'm working on unjumbling Polymaker's Split Jing's Pyraminx and although I haven't unjumbled it, much less solved it yet, it's seeming like an extremely hard puzzle. The stored cuts that are only reachable via jumbling are going to make solving it once it has been put back into shape very difficult.

I noticed how you qualified that by saying "physically" solved. Here is a direct quote from another post in another thread:and this is the link to that post so you can see the puzzle he's talking about. It may be a while before anyone does a "physical" solve on that puzzle but trust me I really want to figure out a "good" way to make one in the not too distant future and I have a few ideas.
Yes, a bit. I however don't "consider my self a decent solver" but I'd like to learn more. My biggest issue is I like designing more so my free time is generally spend making or coming up with new designs. I can solve my Doctor Cube (my easiest puzzle). I can solve an unstickered Doctor Skewb and I suspect I could now solve a stickered one as well but don't have one to play with at the moment. And I suspect I could solve my Bubbloid122 puzzle but I don't have them to play with at the moment either. My other puzzles I haven't even tried to solve yet.

Carl

A physical implementation of the Complex 3x3x3 would be incredible! I used macros with Gelatinbrain and even creating those macros required a huge amount of concentration to mix anti-moves with regular moves. To physically solve it I'd have to find some shorter routines and I think I'd have to memorize the routines not as anti-move-based-commutators but just random sequences that do useful things -- the physical version of macros -- if you will permit me the simile.

Even then, a physical Complex 3x3x3 is hard for a totally different reason than the Unbandaged Rhomdo or other hard jumbling puzzles. The difficulty of those puzzles has a lot to do with the stored cuts and the need to use jumbling as part of the setups for cycles or even to do the heavy lifting in a commutator. With the Complex 3x3x3 the difficulty comes from the extreme interconnectedness of the pieces. On complex puzzles half the pieces turn with every move and there are a lot of pieces whose position or orientation are linked up with another piece type. You can't just break a Complex puzzle down into small easily digestible pieces and tackle one thing at a time.

Of course there are somewhat hard puzzles I haven't physically solved (such as the MD). Sometimes to solve a puzzle requires too much concentration for too long. When a single physical mistake sets you back to the beginning the puzzle is hard even if solving it in theory is not.

I know what it probably will be: Mike's Mixup

You've never solved the MD? I'm surprised.

I have tried several times but I have always messed up while cycling the Starminx points. It's my only habitually scrambled puzzle.

Wow. Do you think its because of the super stickers?

Eh that's part of it. The setup moves are more complex because you have fewer options for each spot and each piece. I usually do the setup moves just fine, then execute the commutator just fine, but have trouble undoing the setup moves.

I've tried limiting myself to just 2 setup moves but I usually wind up having to use 3 or 4 once in a while which sometimes gets me into trouble undoing them.

With the MD it only takes one mistake to put you back to solving the Megaminx.

Do you write down your setup moves? That would be helpful...

1. 3x3x3. After that everything else is just a "variation".

2. Shallow Mixup Cube. The jumbling just loves to block moves!

3. Pyraminx Crystal

4. Love solving it like two puzzles.

5. Of course!

6. Of course! With Mike's Mixup I'll be cheating a bit though, I don't like unsolved puzzles on my shelf.

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITHOUT jumbling
Considering you are looking for puzzles you want to purchase and solve: I'm going to have to say the Neptune Megaminx which is the equivalent of the Saturn 333. Or maybe the Earth of both too. Here I'm going for an incredibly difficult solve with a great amount of enjoyment and repeatability.

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITH jumbling
Well, the hardest one I have is Eitan's Master Curvy Copter, but I'm looking to get into a few more.

-What is your favorite cube to solve
Earth & Saturn333s (or a random Planet or Bermuda), Gem4, 345, Wall4, Master Skewb, Circle444 II, Normal 222 or 444, Pyraminx Crystal, and fast becoming: Eric's Master Starminx (and I think the 333Mixup Plus will remain in that group too).

-Why is that your favorite cube to solve
I'm just relaying what I think I generally `go for` on the shelf.. for that there is no particular reason other than taste.

Cheers,
Burgo.

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITHOUT jumbling
Perhaps Crazy Megaminx Earth, or Faceturning Starminx.
(Not Crazy Tetrahedron Uranus, Uranus isn't hard enough, Mars is harder )

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITH jumbling
Is jumbling different to shapeshifting ? Ok, I only own the Helicopter Cube as jumbling puzzle. Square-1 ?

-What is your favorite cube to solve
Crazy Cube Earth (3x3x3), oll other Crazy Cubes 3x3x3 , 345, Bermudas, 446 , Mixup Plus, Burr4, Crazy Tet Uranus Master Skewb !!
Wormhole Cube, it's not to easy !!! It's fun.

-Why is that your favorite cube to solve
It's a feeling. Not to easy not to hard. Solving with reduction. It turns very smooth. I prefer strategic solution. ( not memorize many setup moves)

Cheers,
Andrea

I've not really been cubing for very long so this may not be terribly enlightening for you all!
However, I have really caught a very bad bout of twisty fever and been going at this very hard for several months!
So here are my answers:

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITHOUT jumbling
I really struggled with the Gear cube extreme and have been working my way through the Crazy 3x3 series. I am proud to say that I am actually able to solve most of these from first principles and (after some coaching from Rline and Burgo) have been able to work out how to solve them myself using a number of techniques. I think that the Crazy 3x3 Mars nearly killed me. I haven't yet tried the Saturn You may find me a gibbering wreck after I attempt that one.

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITH jumbling
I only have the Curvy copter so that will be it. My hardest shape shifter was the 3x4x5

-What is your favorite cube to solve
Crazy 3x3 Neptune, Curvy copter and 4x4x6

-Why is that your favorite cube to solve
Just being able to use first principles from simpler cubes and upgrade them to these is a truly great feeling!

I believe the hardest puzzle ever is probably this one- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMCMScomc6g

Tony, I wanted to clear up a misconception of yours: you are not funny.
ok, maybe just a little.

Well upon reflection this puzzle is by far the most challenging puzzle to solve in the world!

Just listen to the guy getting out of breath from it; he probably started sweating towards the end And after every three moves the puzzle needs to be reassembled. Now that is hard.

@X-Town Cuber- I thought Tony was pretty funny...
@Mike- HAHAHAHAH

-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITHOUT jumbling: Megaminx
-What is the hardest cube you have ever had to solve WITH jumbling: None, i'v had only one jumbling puzzle but i hated it.
-What is your favorite cube to solve: 3x3x2
-Why is that your favorite cube to solve: It's just fun! Can't explain it.

More Madness is a jumbling puzzle that many people have bought and tried, but no-one solved.

Oskar

I will start by saying that I never look at tutorials or solution guides when I solve puzzles.

Clarification: I did use a tutorial to solve 3x3x3, Vcube 7, megaminx, and curvy copter with jumbling. Those tutorials, plus solving simple puzzles like the pyraminx, have given me the experience and intuition needed to solve any puzzle I have come across so far.

Hardest puzzle without jumbling: Either the latch cube or my mayan cube. The mayan cube actually took longer.

Hardest puzzle with jumbling: I don't have many jumbling puzzles. The hardest was Dayan gem I.

Favorite cube: The original Rubik's cube. I prefer Dayan Zhanchi.

It's difficult to explain why it's my favorite.

I am a puzzle designer, and I do try to solve my designs. I have succeeded thus far.



I take that as a challenge.

Not the case! Back at the 2010 national championships, someone solved the more madness (for the life of me I cant remember who). Both Eitan and I witnessed the solve.