Solving a Rubik's Cube

Who hasn't heard of a "Rubik's Cube"? Whether it is unsolved and hidden away, or solved and proudly displayed, almost everyone in the world owns one. It is 3-D puzzle that has a very simple concept, yet has over 43 quintillion possible configurations, it seems that it would be very hard to solve. However, a large number of people have solved it. How? Well, here are some solutions...

1. Take off all the stickers and replace them in the correct way (I'm pretty sure this is classified as cheating ;)).
2. Memorize a bunch of algorithms (this is how I did it).
3. Build a robot that does it for you (this is my personal favorite, although it would be way harder than simply memorizing the algorithms). Below is a video a robot solving a Rubik's cube. The robot was created by Mike Dobson, and was made with LEGO Mindstorm elements. LEGO Mindstorms is an awesome set, and I own one myself. You'll probably see more posts including Mindstorms in the future. For now, enjoy the video. :)

Yeah, that video was awesome. In fact, it was the main reason why I wanted to make a post about Rubik's Cubes. Another reason is because they're fun to solve, easy to take with you wherever you go, and they also make a great gift!

Do you want to learn how to solve a Rubik's Cube? Here* is a great website that'll get you going! If you have any questions, please ask!

*the website is not owned by me. Use at your own caution ;)