# Is it possible to program shape-changing puzzle solvers?



## unsolved (Feb 27, 2016)

Now that someone tortured me by giving me an X-Cube, the thought occurred to me: Is there even a way to code a shape-changing puzzle solver? And if so, how would you describe a position that is already scrambled?

I'm sure the shape-changing can be modeled in 3D. I'm not sure it can be searched without some kind of new notation though.


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## Lucas Garron (Feb 27, 2016)

Certainly. We have Square-1 solvers.

You first talk about solvers and then 3D modeling, but these are different issues.
A very simple way to model something like an X-Cube would be 5x5x5 array of oriented cubies.


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## unsolved (Feb 27, 2016)

Lucas Garron said:


> You first talk about solvers and then 3D modeling, but these are different issues.



By "modeling" I meant showing the 3D morphing behavior of the cube. Some of the X-Cube positions looks like a real mess! You can have a 3x3 region with a center missing, and long "stalagmites" growing like a kid with bad vision was playing with blocks.


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