Puzzles in public

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

I don't know if this has been done before on the forum but I thought it would be a good idea to have a new thread which covered interesting twisty puzzle sightings in films, magazines, newspapers, TV etc. The name is taken from a section which used to appear in CFF (the newsletter for the Nederlandse Kubus Club).
This advert appeared in Celebs magazine which came free with today's Sunday Mirror. There is a high resolution version beneath it.

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 6:52 pm

i dont understand that add? can anyone explain?

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

I guess they are saying now that Fanta has less sugar the sugar cube has to find something else to do.

Pembo · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:03 pm

I know there has been two threads regarding puzzles in films/TV shows. I guess paper media is another good one to find.

Rubo d Cubik · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:16 pm

Roger Ebert mentioned the Rubik's cube in two of his latest reviews, both appearing within the span of 5 weeks.

In his Rush Hour 3 review, he wrote:
Yao Ming, the basketball player, is only 7 feet, 6 inches, and Sun Ming Ming is 7 feet, 9 inches. A guy that tall, on his wedding night he could be making love and solving a Rubik's Cube at the same time.

In his Transformers review, he wrote:
The movie is inspired by the Transformer toys that twist and fold and double in upon themselves, like a Rubik's Cube crossed with a contortionist.

Georges · **Posted:** Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:40 pm

Good idea, Tony. I have been collecting some of those for the CFF newsletter.
Here is one using a 4x4x4:

kastellorizo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:13 am

Some interesting advertisements there...

Well, I have one sort of... have you guys seen the condom one?

Click on the image to enlarge its.... size!!! :oops:

(The caption is priceless LOL)

Pantazis

Georges · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:38 am

Here are some more
http://www.helm.lu/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=8633

Thomas · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:40 am

I designed this cover sometime last year.

Thomas

Celia · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:03 pm

There is a cd cover with a Cube on it. I'm posting this here because I first saw this on a huge advertising board. The cd is by "Revolverhelden", a German Band. It's called "Chaostheorie".
Here's the link to amazon:
http://www.amazon.de/Chaostheorie-Limited-Revolverheld/dp/B000PHX7VW/

While searching for that I also found a cd called "Rubik Cubic" by Various Artists:
http://www.amazon.de/Rubik-Cubic-Various-Artists/dp/B000BR2MTY/

Also there's a band called "Rubix Cube". Everyone who has searched for Rubix on ebay will have found them.

Then I came up with a Video by the Spice Girls to their song "Viva Forever" that has a Rubik's Cube in it. It's explained here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viva_Forever
I guess I should have posted that in the "Cubes in Movies" thread, but I didn't want to bump that up.

juanan · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:49 pm

i saw a pic of eva longoria with a cube :wink:

lol

chris · **Joined:** Wed Jul 04, 2007 9:03 pm

The cube will appear in the pilot of Wanna Bet, ABC's American remake of Wetten Dass. Should be airing sometime late this year.

mikeD · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:32 am

my little cousin watches disney channel and there was some show on about some weird dude that is a dragon and there is someone talking on the phone and solving the pyraminx

juanan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:03 pm

on tv

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAwh5oB1Y64

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp1zWCMTSYM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHv3qBHqpDE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akTMgttBUBg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPP5Mgm_EbA

Pembo · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:59 pm

B3ta.

Siraj A. · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:14 pm **Location:** VA, USA

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:47 pm

while i dont think its happened yet, someone here should definitly go on one of those Americas got talent shows

Sam · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:49 pm

i believe tyson mao was on beauty and the geek. correct me please!! (i just heard it, ive never seen the show...)

Pembo · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:53 pm

emr1028 wrote:

while i dont think its happened yet, someone here should definitly go on one of those Americas got talent shows

Quinn Lewis did one at a local show.

He and his friend did one together. Quinn solved a cube OH whilst playing a sax with the other, his friend used one of his hands to play the other half of the sax, and also played the sax and then used his spare hand to water Quinn with a bottle.

*looks for link

Siraj A. · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:14 pm **Location:** VA, USA

emr1028 wrote:

while i dont think its happened yet, someone here should definitly go on one of those Americas got talent shows

America wouldnt make them the winner. Maybe if it were a Kid he would get past the first round, but the viewerd probably wouldnt enjoy it that much.

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:56 pm

sirajali05 wrote:

emr1028 wrote:

while i dont think its happened yet, someone here should definitly go on one of those Americas got talent shows

America wouldnt make them the winner. Maybe if it were a Kid he would get past the first round, but the viewed probably wouldnt enjoy it that much.

it doesnt matter that they win, a 10 second solve would get through the next round and it would help spread the sport.

Erik · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:59 pm

I don't think it would matter a bit if it was done in 10 or 30 sec...

Speedy McFastfast · **Posted:** Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:36 pm

Erik's right, people would be amazed if you did it under 5 minutes...

And I have to say, the best ad I have seen in this entire thread is the one Pantazis had up there!!!

It was hilarious, but it makes me wonder if he bought it just for the cube or...

Lee Gauthier · **Joined:** Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:52 pm **Location:** Canada

Just as a Reply to Pantazis' thing, That reminds me of one question for the game "Dirty Minds"

"What Can be put in millions of positions and get, harder the longer you play with it?"
Ps I Added, "Can be Lubed to make it work better" As a further laugh.

LeeG

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

Not sure about the legality of posting this. It's from the film Hellboy. A comic book horror / fantasy film which was shown in the UK on Sunday night.

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:03 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7018728.stm

look at the only thing for oct. 5th!! wish i could go!

chris the cynic · **Joined:** Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:15 pm

Every so often I watch something that I find totally absurd, today it is, "Worlds Strangest UFO Stories: Did Aliens Build the Pyramids?" one of the believers was introduced by showing him playing with a standard 3x3x3 for no apparent reason. They've also cut back to the 3x3x3 (but not the "expert" holding it), again for no apparent reason, a short while later. I'm only ten minutes in, so there's still time for someone to claim the cube is a metaphor or some such.

[Added:] Using the cube seems to be the "expert"'s introduction as they played him using it again at 42 minutes.

And again at 57 minutes, apparently they think you won't remember the guy if he doesn't have the cube sequence as an identifier

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:25 pm

Tony Fisher wrote:

Not sure about the legality of posting this. It's from the film Hellboy. A comic book horror / fantasy film which was shown in the UK on Sunday night.

I just realized that was the first time I ever got interested in cubing! I saw that movie, got out my dads old cube, played with it and gave up until someone from my school came in a few months later solving in 30 secs. the only time i had ever heard of the cube beforehand was a foxtrot comic

crepeau · **Posted:** Mon Oct 01, 2007 4:08 pm

Tony Fisher wrote:

I don't know if this has been done before on the forum but I thought it would be a good idea to have a new thread which covered interesting twisty puzzle sightings in films, magazines, newspapers, TV etc. The name is taken from a section which used to appear in CFF (the newsletter for the Nederlandse Kubus Club).

Here is my own local sighting: "Nutrition, a puzzle ?"

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

I'd forgotten about these Poppets (mint creams in dark chocolate).

reeeech · **Joined:** Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:19 pm

Poppets!

Tony, is that how it always looks (the packaging)?

--haha Tony sent me one of these awhile back.

Darren Grewe · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:27 pm

reeeech wrote:

Poppets!

Tony, is that how it always looks (the packaging)?

I can't figure out or understand why the Rubik's cube is on there in the first place. Could you please shed some light on this mystery.

reeeech wrote:

--haha Tony sent me one of these awhile back.

Yea they do taste good. Yummy!!!

Pembo · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:30 pm

Poppets are an old sweet that are still around, so they have other pop icons on the packaging.

On the back is the phrase, "Remember When?" in reference to old pop icons.

Speedy McFastfast · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:18 pm

There was an article in my local newspaper talking about the next World Comp. Among other things it talked of Hungary's hopes of Matyas pulling off some amazing cubing.

moe_jangles · **Joined:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:58 am

i recall two episodes of the simpsons:

- when an expert was trying to teach homer how to use the power plant's nuclear fission reactor, homer was distracting himself by figuring out the rubik's cube.

- episode titled "Hurricane Neddy", when the simpson family take shelter in their basement to avoid the hurricane, marge pulls out a rubik's cube in an attempt to pass the time.

there's also an episode of NBC's "My Name is Earl" where Earl attempts to give back the winning lottery money to the person the lottery ticket was REALLY intended for. during the conversation, i believe Earl's brother solves the Rubik's cube.

Noah · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:42 pm

Don't forget the episode where Homer gets a crayon (light blue) removed from his brain and solves Rubik's cubes carelessly and tosses them into a wastebasket as he solves them.

Pembo · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:55 pm

The latest I Want One of Those catalogues has a Cube on it's cover.

Jesse Werner · **Posted:** Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:35 am

Gamespot uses symbols in their reviews. The cube is the innovative symbol.

Here is an example: http://www.gamespot.com/ds/adventure/th ... id=6180182

Pembo · **Posted:** Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:42 am

Indeed, the Phantom Hourglass really uses the DS' potential.

Siraj A. · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:14 pm **Location:** VA, USA

Nintendo Power gave it a 9.5/10

Speedy McFastfast · **Posted:** Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:23 am

Oh, and of course we can't forget about that PS3 commercial where the PS3 solves the cube! I believe it does something stupid like U3 at the end though

flaakinator · **Joined:** Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:47 pm

In the beginning of Saving Silverman, when the kids are like 8 and in the lunch room one of the kids has a rubik's cube, I saw that today and thought of this thread.

jjp4wncubes · **Joined:** Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:44 pm

In the movie Ït's your thing", from secret pants comedy (It's a podcast, you may happen to find it)
Some guys search for someones "Thing". One of their suggestions is rubik's cube guy, but he sucks at it of course:)

---a- -o--- · **Posted:** Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:30 pm

BUMP
In weekend update on SNL
"The winner of the Rubik's cube world champion solved the cube in 12 seconds, He told us that it will take him much longer to solve the puzzle that is women."

I was doing homework and came across this

http://www.nathangibbs.com/race-cube/

Joe Wallace · **Joined:** Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:51 am **Location:** U.K

I don't know if this has been posted before, but Axe used a parody of one of Chris Hardwicks videos for a South African television campaign. (Axe is called Lynx in Britain.)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OMGARiJ-FpY

Hendrik Haak · **Joined:** Mon Feb 07, 2000 3:29 pm **Location:** Germany

Today I found this at a software manual book.

Georges · **Posted:** Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:13 pm

Two more out of the brochure of the 2007 championship

Noah · **Posted:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:43 pm

I've uploaded 2 clips featuring Rubik's Cubes.

This first one is from the movie 'Being John Malkovich', and the second clip is from an episode of Scrubs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGHUEvzRu3I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl3q9Nl1Vec

Pembo · **Posted:** Fri Nov 16, 2007 11:59 am

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/1337_part_5.png

It's not a puzzle, but it is a famous name. :wink:

Sam · **Posted:** Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:55 pm

http://www.macguff.fr/goomi/unspeakable/vault03.html

For anyone who reads Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos...
It bugs me (as well as probably everyone else here) that they spelled Rubik's wrong.

Puzzles in public

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