# Speedsolving the Cubedron and other gravity puzzles



## kastellorizo (Mar 10, 2009)

Hi to everyone, 

I just wanted to inform you of a new generation of puzzles which, unlike traditional twisty puzzles, are using gravity. Pyramids are placed inside a sphere, and the sphere keeps the 3D-shape defined by the pyramids, intact. 

Some of you may know about this news, but I was told to send the news here too. 

The goal is to shift around the pyramids until all the corners or the sides of the 3D-shape have the same color. We presented those puzzles at the Hong Kong Toy Fair (January 2009) and at the Nuremberg Toy Fair (February 2009), and had impressed many people. 

This new generation of puzzles will be available from Singapore based MindStrat Puzzles (www.mindstratpuzzles.com) in the next couple of months, while some are already available and the second mass produced batch will be shipped on the 15th of March.

Some photos:












Videos of those puzzles, may be viewed at the website (provided above) or on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C36NHMTOoI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W41-aXyLzhM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HitebNMw4Nk


In the first video, you may see how speedsolving may be used for those puzzles. 

All the best,


Pantazis


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## EmersonHerrmann (Mar 10, 2009)

Watched one of the videos...that is pretty cool!


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## Athefre (Mar 10, 2009)

Finally a new puzzle that looks like it has variety _and_ "replayability". They are like 3-dimensional 15 Puzzles using pyramid shapes. I'll definitely be getting some.

I hope the ball can be opened in case a pyramid gets wedged.


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## ConnorCuber (Mar 10, 2009)

I've been wanting a cubedron for awhile, I should have ordered it through Twisty puzzles when I had the chance


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## kastellorizo (Mar 10, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


> Watched one of the videos...that is pretty cool!



Thanks! 





Athefre said:


> Finally a new puzzle that looks like it has variety _and_ "replayability". They are like 3-dimensional 15 Puzzles using pyramid shapes. I'll definitely be getting some.
> 
> I hope the ball can be opened in case a pyramid gets wedged.



The Singapore team did some really quality testing using the "washing machine" technique!
And the puzzle (and the pyramids) should be fine, as long as no one plays baseball or tennis with it! 




ConnorCuber said:


> I've been wanting a cubedron for awhile, I should have ordered it through Twisty puzzles when I had the chance



Actually, that was a special collector's edition, just for the Twisty Puzzle Forum members.
The new batch is coming out in less than a week, and anyone can order from our website (www.mindstratpuzzles.com).




Moreover, we are preparing to send some (or many!) samples to the German Cube Day.
If anyone has any ideas or suggestions for our puzzles, please let us know!




Pantazis


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## *LukeMayn* (Mar 10, 2009)

when and where can I buy one? I love the idea!
look ahead may be difficult though

ops lol, when I posted this the above message came xD nevermind!


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## ConnorCuber (Mar 10, 2009)

Thats good news  Oh, and wouldn't it come scrambled, due to shipping and the rotating of the puzzle?


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## kastellorizo (Mar 10, 2009)

ConnorCuber said:


> Thats good news  Oh, and wouldn't it come scrambled, due to shipping and the rotating of the puzzle?




If the package doesn't say "this blister pack is equipped with the half filled water rotation-preventing balancing feature",
then I guess it will come scrambled!




Pantazis


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## dChan (Mar 10, 2009)

I like the way the Cubedron moves as it seems very possible to use it for speedsolving but it seems the other 'larger' puzzles(e.g. Krystalledron) may be a bit troublesome for speedsolving what with you having to shake it a bit to move the pieces properly. Of course, if you are not thinking about speedsolving at all, this is a pretty cool set of puzzles! I must say, looking at them from the photos, I had my doubts as to whether they would be 
interesting or not but after watching the videos I really like the idea. I especially like the Cubedron! I definitely have to get myself one of those.

EDIT: Woah, just visited the site. They are cool puzzles but they sure are pricey.


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## kastellorizo (Mar 11, 2009)

dChan said:


> I like the way the Cubedron moves as it seems very possible to use it for speedsolving but it seems the other 'larger' puzzles(e.g. Krystalledron) may be a bit troublesome for speedsolving what with you having to shake it a bit to move the pieces properly. Of course, if you are not thinking about speedsolving at all, this is a pretty cool set of puzzles!



Thanks! 

By mastering each puzzle, all of them can be speedsolved, that is for sure!
Shaking can be needed sometimes, but after playing with the Krystalledron
for a while, I can do everything much faster than before. Add to this, that
I am not a speedsolver, so I am sure many members of this forum can do 
much better than me! 






dChan said:


> I must say, looking at them from the photos, I had my doubts as to whether they would be interesting or not but after watching the videos I really like the idea. I especially like the Cubedron! I definitely have to get myself one of those.



It is true, those puzzles are gravity motion ones, using a unique new concept.
It is very hard to pass the message to everyone, as we are still not strong
in marketing terms. But after completing some deals, we will be! 






dChan said:


> EDIT: Woah, just visited the site. They are cool puzzles but they sure are pricey.



If you compare it with other promising new puzzles, it is actually one of 
the cheapest ones around! 

I explain everything here


An excerpt of the above link:

_"For those who have received the puzzle, you will have already noticed the
superior quality of the sphere. Those types of spheres are very hard to get
cheap, anywhere in the world including China, from where we initially tried
in December to get some spheres, with very disappointing (and not cheap)
results. Their materials are made in such a way, to resist the internal hitting
of the pyramids, as well as a few drops"_

Now, we could easily sell them for $5, if we used acrylic spheres and cheap
plastic for the pyramids, but then, they wouldn't last a couple of hours. 

And remember, those are the ONLINE prices, which are not supposed to compete
with the shops, which will sell them cheaper when they become available. 

Price is one thing that we really struggled to put lower and has given us a lot of hardship.
Hopefully, we will get enough response to continue strongly.




Pantazis


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## kastellorizo (Apr 3, 2009)

Hi again, I am just happy to announce our Speedsolving Competition for the Cubedron.

Prizes include $1750 cash, plus some signed puzzles. 

More details at our website (http://www.mindstratpuzzles.com/), or you may go directly to the competition link:
http://www.mindstratpuzzles.com/competition.html

For discussions, tips, suggestions etc, please use the Twisty Puzzles Forum:
http://twistypuzzles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=155493#p155493

Alternatively, you may contact me: pantazis at mindstratpuzzles dot com
(there are more contacts at our company website)

Good luck to those who will enter the competition!




Pantazis


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## PatrickJameson (Apr 4, 2009)

Unlike a lot of other 'new generation' puzzles, this actually looks promising. I will definately consider buying. I will probably wait until the Krystalledron come out to buy both.

Well done


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## Chuberchuckee (Apr 4, 2009)

Wow, this is such a cool puzzle.

I didn't think it would be interesting when I saw the pictures, but when I watched the videos my mind was blown.


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