Ewing J., Kosniowski C. Puzzle It Out: Cubes, Groups and Puzzles

Cambridge University Press, 1982. - 64 pages.It is not often that a puzzle appears which captures the imagination of the world. One
hundred years ago it was the 14-15 Puzzle of Sam Loyd; now it's the cube invented by
Erno Rubik.And if you have ever wondered how anyone could work out a solution to The Cube then by
reading this little book you will find out that the answer is "by using groups". But you don't
have to know any mathematics to understand what is going on. John and Czes introduce
groups by using simple experiments with four coloured squares (which you can cut out from
the book) and The Cube. They then explain how to analyse sequences of Cube moves and
briefly summarise one solution to illustrate the ideas of group theory.Armed with these ideas you'll be able to use "Super Moves" to help you become faster at
solving The Cube. You'll also understand why it is impossible to solve some puzzles and how
to use group theory to solve others. In fact, solutions to the "Cylinder Puzzle", the "8 Cubes
Puzzle", the "Pyramid Puzzle" and "Instant Sanity" are given and there are some tips on
how to solve other puzzles.The authors have devised a challenging new puzzle which is included in the book. Try to
solve it to test your skill and understanding.