# Ghost cube: how to solve from a blind prospective?



## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 13, 2018)

Hi guys!
My name is Claudio and I'm totally blind.
I have recently purchased a Ghost cube and now I'm really lost with it.
The question is symple but could be very difficoult to answer, sorry for that.
The problem is: how to identify the centers? Where should I start from?
I really can't find an initial step to solve this beast. I love it but... I need some help, at least finding the right piece to start.
Thanks so much for your help.
Bye for now.
Claudio!


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## Billabob (Dec 13, 2018)

If you turn one side of the cube you can identify the moving pieces by touch. The center piece will be in the middle of those pieces.


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## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 13, 2018)

Ok, so, if I turn each side the "tip of the side" would be a center, is it right? I'm imaginig it as a Rughby ball, the tips of hte ball are hte centre of it! Or I'm totally wrond!!!


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## Matt— (Dec 13, 2018)

Claudio Garanzini said:


> Ok, so, if I turn each side the "tip of the side" would be a center, is it right? I'm imaginig it as a Rughby ball, the tips of hte ball are hte centre of it! Or I'm totally wrond!!!


So, a ghost cube is kind of strange. The centers are the smaller pieces that you will find in the middle of the edge pieces. They are kind of bumpy, and smaller than the other pieces.


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## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 13, 2018)

Thanks guys, thanks very much; so I completely missed this thing; normally, when someone talks about cubes, I think about a real cube; in this case, the cube is only the final result but I have to think differently. Ive listened to various tutorials in youtube but they didn't tell this little thing that could help oter people like me. Could you suggest a good tutorial for the ghost cube? 
And just an other quick question; I've received a Mastermorphix but for me, as a blind person, it's impossible to solve it. Is it true? I've noticed it because if I turn a face 180 degrees, it changes the colour pattern but the shape remains perfectly the same; it's impossible to determine if the mastermorphix is solved only buy touching the shapes, am I right?
Thanks again for your great help!


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## Mike Hughey (Dec 13, 2018)

Claudio Garanzini said:


> And just an other quick question; I've received a Mastermorphix but for me, as a blind person, it's impossible to solve it. Is it true? I've noticed it because if I turn a face 180 degrees, it changes the colour pattern but the shape remains perfectly the same; it's impossible to determine if the mastermorphix is solved only buy touching the shapes, am I right?


Yes, that is true. But that puzzle is sufficiently complex that I would still consider it a significant accomplishment to "solve" its shape. Just imagine that all the stickers are the same color (shouldn't be hard for you to do!), and solve it - that's still a nice accomplishment!

Or you could try to make some textured stickers so you could tell the difference. Might be a challenge for the mastermorphix, though.


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## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 13, 2018)

Yes, Mike! It could be a great mission, solving the mastermorphix. I think there aren't many puzles like the ghost or the mirror in wich you have to solve it just with shapes instead of colours. I don't know if you have other suggestions on this subject. I mean, there could be the Fisher or the Axis but... Are they solvable just using shapes instead of watching colours? For me, mirror and ghost are fantastic, iven if I haven't figured how to sole the ghost. Personally I don't know what's the best in terms of challenge! The "normal" 3x3, however, is a great cube and all start from it. I love the Blind touch 3x3, it's my first cube love! ) Other suggestions for shape mods? I love this comunity, thanks guys for your help.


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## Mike Hughey (Dec 13, 2018)

The Fisher cube is just like the mastermorphix - you can solve its shape much more easily than solving the colors. The Axis is also that way; it's a lot like the ghost cube but easier, and it is possible to solve its shape without solving the colors. And there are plenty of other puzzles like that (square-1, for a very popular example). But I'm sure puzzles like the ghost cube and mirror cube are more satisfying for you, since you know you're truly solving the puzzle completely when you get the shape right.

Edit: This version of the Axis cube is stickered all the same color, so it would be solved if you get the shape right:
https://speedcubeshop.com/products/z-axis-cube?rfsn=222764.3e203


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## SenorJuan (Dec 13, 2018)

There's Tony Fishers Golden Cube, made by Mefferts, which is a skewb-based shape-shifter without need for stickers. I understand it was an inspiration for Adam when he designed the Ghost cube. But it's hard to obtain.


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## Matt— (Dec 13, 2018)

So, I think the problem you are having with the ghost cube is that (if you find what the centers are), then they are still not in the proper place. For instance they may be off centered by 90 or 180 degrees. So this is kind of complicated and I can't really explain it. However, I just wanted you to be aware of to problem so that when it does happen, you are not surprised.


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## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 17, 2018)

HI guys! Thanks for all your suggestions and comments! The problem with the Ghost cube, as mentioned, is the fact that I can't understand the right orientations of the centers! And now I have an other problem: my kid let the cube fall to the ground and the centers went away; I've tryed to reassemble them but I don't know what center goes where, so don't know if the centers are reassembled correctly into the cube. I think ow it will be impossible to solve! :-(( Any advice? Sorry for my continous questions, guys. Thanks all for your great help.


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## SM cubing (Dec 18, 2018)

I can barely cube with 20/20 vision, so for even attempting cubing, props to you man.


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## Mike Hughey (Dec 18, 2018)

Claudio Garanzini said:


> I think now it will be impossible to solve! :-(( Any advice? Sorry for my continous questions, guys. Thanks all for your great help.


That's a tough one. Your best bet might be to have someone else solve it first for you; I'd suggest maybe you try to find a way to come to a competition and let someone there solve it for you so they can put the centers in properly? It would be great for people to meet you at a competition!

But barring that, another suggestion I might make is this: make sure all 6 centers are gone, and then try to solve it without the centers. If you can manage that (so that the outside is smooth except for the missing spots for the centers), then you can just put the centers on such that it makes a cube. I have no doubt this would be terribly challenging, but it would probably be easier than trying to put the centers on randomly, or figure out how they're supposed to go before solving it.


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## Claudio Garanzini (Dec 19, 2018)

Mike Hughey said:


> That's a tough one. Your best bet might be to have someone else solve it first for you; I'd suggest maybe you try to find a way to come to a competition and let someone there solve it for you so they can put the centers in properly? It would be great for people to meet you at a competition!
> 
> But barring that, another suggestion I might make is this: make sure all 6 centers are gone, and then try to solve it without the centers. If you can manage that (so that the outside is smooth except for the missing spots for the centers), then you can just put the centers on such that it makes a cube. I have no doubt this would be terribly challenging, but it would probably be easier than trying to put the centers on randomly, or figure out how they're supposed to go before solving it.


Hi Mike. The second is a great Idea as it's not so easy joining a competition, especially in my living area.
I'll try to bring off the centers and try to solve the cube; however this is a real monster; it's incredibly challenging and the more is really impossible for me to solve it, the more I like it.
Thanks for the suggestion, again!
§


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## Mike Hughey (Dec 19, 2018)

Claudio Garanzini said:


> Hi Mike. The second is a great Idea as it's not so easy joining a competition, especially in my living area.


I figured it might be challenging to come to a competition, which is why I made the other suggestion. But just in case you didn't already know, I wanted to point out that we do already have official rules to cover blind competitors, so you would definitely be able to compete in an official competition:

3d1) For competitors with a medically documented visual disability, the following exceptions apply:

3d1a) Blind competitors may use textured puzzles with different textures on different faces. Each face should have a distinct color, to aid in scrambling and judging.
I hope someday you might compete!


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## Claudio Garanzini (Oct 3, 2019)

Hi guys! It's been a while but here I am again with my ghost cube. I have an other question for you because just recently I've restarted trying to solve this beast! I've heard, in one youtube video, that the opposite centers are almost the same except two that are different. Now I've tryed to put the opposite centers so that they are almost the same. Does it matter the position of them or can I try to solve the ghost? I'm thinking that as the pieces turn completely, I could solve it independently from the position of the centers because they turn as well as the other pieces. Is it right? Thanks again for your help!


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