From cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Thu Jan 30 01:31:45 1997 Return-Path: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com Received: from curry.epilogue.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by curry.epilogue.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) with SMTP id BAA22508; Thu, 30 Jan 1997 01:31:44 -0500 Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@curry.epilogue.com To: Cube-Lovers@AI.MIT.EDU From: Wei-Hwa Huang Subject: Taiwan Cube-Solving Invitational Date: 29 Jan 1997 20:13:35 GMT Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Message-ID: <5cob1f$jiq@gap.cco.caltech.edu> This is from China World News, 12/17/1996. The translation is mine. I can't vouch for any facts in the article or give any more information. (I also find a few of the claims a bit exaggerated and redundant, but what do you expect from the media?) ------------------------- NEW MAGIC CUBE REVEALED; WELCOMING ALL SPEED SOLVERS Easy Disassembly Provides a Higher Difficulty of Play; Taiwan Hosts Invitational Competition; Throws the Gauntlet to USA, Europe, etc. [TAIPEI] The craze that mesmerized Taiwan is back. This new generation of Rubik's Cube emphasizes its ability to be disassembled and assembled. Play and difficulty are enhanced. This cube researched and developed by Taiwanese won a gold in the International Invention Competition (?) in Los Angeles this past September. This new Cube is also the focus of 1997's International Magic Cube Solving Invitational. The hosts, intending to promote basic inventive education, especially welcome youths to enter the solving competition and challenge their intelligence. The Chief Organizer of the sponsor of next year's International Cube Solving Invitational, the Republic of China's Invention Group, Chi-Shin (?) Huang [no relation] said that superb inventors always have three traits: they're capable of prolonged concentration, stamina, and will. Most importantly, that have the trait of action: they know what they want to do and they do it. And this is a trait they have in common with cube-solvers. Huang especially emphasizes that the young people now pick up this toy of the previous generation, since the Rubik's Cube is a puzzle requiring hand-eye coordination, and in the process of solving, not only does it help build spatial abilities and memory, but also trains the brain in pattern recognition and organization. And as far as creativity is concerned, cube solving is good practice for sustained concentration and patience. Jein-Chen Zhu (?), a professor at Taiwan University who has written a book analyzing the mathematical principles of the cube comments: "This new generation of the Cube is challenging because it breaks the rules of the original Cube." Zhu also said that most speed solvers finish the buttom face first, and then work towards the upper levels. Since the new Cube can be disassembled and the corner cubies rearranged, the new Cube may have no valid solutions with that method. "Therefore, if a solver picks an incorrect starting face, it would be like building a bridge on top of a riverbed with hidden sand streams: almost impossible. The solver must be able to make quick decisions to finish the solution. The inventor of the new Cube, Wei-Huang Chang (?) [no relation] indicates that the breakthrough in his design is that the Cube can now be easily disassembled, allowing players to observe with their own eyes the three-dimensional secrets in the structure of the versatile cube. The original inventor of the Cube, Rubik, was himself an expert in the field of construction and originally invented the cube as a teaching tool. The new Cube would not exist without the original design. The 1997 Competition is projected to be in September. The Committee invites any players from Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Europe, America, etc. to attend. No age restriction. If interested, please phone (area code 02) 5812314. [Country code, Taiwan ROC] ---------------------------------- Magic Cube Solved in 19 Seconds WEN-YUNG KAO (?) IS THE FASTEST SOLVER IN TAIWAN [TAIPEI]"Mr. Cube" Wen-Yung Kao's fastest solving time is nineteen seconds. Compared to existing records, he is 2 seconds faster than the world record, 22.95 seconds. "A Cube solver must make decisions quickly and correctly!" says Kao, who is a successful industrialist by day. When he solves the cube, all ten of his fingers dextrously spin the cube; in the last few seconds of his solution, he finishes the solution without even having to look at the cube, truly a sight to behold. Kao notes that actually, there's a trick to solving the cube; he has had to go through meticulous recordings and observations to discover it. He recalls his first encounter with the cube: a friend of his had started up a factory set to making the cube and had sent a few to him to play with. He was immediately hooked and spent umpteen hours testing, taking notes, and recording the path of every little cubie. After one month, he could solve the cube in three minutes. After half a year he was even faster, solving in under one minute. After 20 more months he had cut his time down to 25 seconds. [TAIPEI]Sixteen years ago the cube-solving craze spread the globe. Due to the complexity of the combinations, a few turns could make it difficult to restore to its original state, easily discouraging a would-be solver. Taiwan inventor Ji-ren Chang (?) researched the "Gold Key Cube", which can be easily disassembled and reassembled, decreasing the feeling of discouragement. [PHOTO] CEO of a food company, Wen-Yung Kao is Taiwan's fastest Cube solver. [PHOTO] Inventor Ji-Ren Chang's invention "Gold Key" can disassemble the Cube. -------------------------- -- Wei-Hwa Huang, whuang@ugcs.caltech.edu, http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~whuang/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Save the earth. Then Quit and Shut Down.