In recent years, you might have seen the occasional Rubik’s Cube held by a student here at Technology High School, but for the past few weeks that has not been the case. Students all around Tech have been solving cubes left and right, and it’s not just the normal three-by-three most people are familiar with—many cubers have moved onto bigger, more complex puzzles.
Many people who don’t take part in the hobby would be surprised to discover that there are more variations to Rubik’s Cubes than the normal three-by-three grid with six faces. Companies have also developed puzzles with different shapes and sizes, some including the pyraminx, four by four, and megaminx to name a few.
Not only in shape have the cube hobbyists advanced—many who take interest in the puzzles also try to compete to have the shortest solving time. Be it against themselves, or others, many cubers strive to solve as fast as possible with as efficient of an algorithm as possible.
Tech High Sophomore Asa Richman stated that he has interest in starting a club for the hobby next year. He has been cubing for around three years, and can solve up to a five-by-five cube.
There is no one specific reason why students have had a sudden surge of interest in cubing. Richman stated that a lot of people “already knew about [Rubik’s Cubes] from middle school, or started bringing them because they saw their friends with them.”
Although the surgance of Rubik’s Cubes at Tech High has come seemingly out of nowhere, its popularity is seeming to only grow. With the possibility of a new club on the horizon, it is seeming more and more likely that cubing is here to stay.
