Who invented the Rubik's Cube?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Who Invented the Rubik's Cube?"
Episode of "Who Smarted?" - Educational Podcast for Kids
Release Date: May 30, 2025

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Introduction: A High-Flying Challenge

The episode kicks off with an exciting and humorous scenario where host Dan Knight attempts to solve a Rubik's Cube while skydiving from 12,000 feet. This dramatic setup immediately captures the listeners' attention, blending entertainment with the central theme of the episode.

• Dan Knight (00:08): "Psst. Hey, smarty pants. In case you can't tell, I just jumped out of a plane."
• Trusty Narrator (00:10): "Excuse me, would you mind keeping it down, Trusty narrator? I'm trying to concentrate here."

This engaging opening sets the stage for a deep dive into the world of the Rubik's Cube, combining thrill with education.

The Enduring Appeal of the Rubik's Cube

After successfully solving the cube mid-skydive in just 32 seconds, Dan and the Trusty Narrator pivot to discuss the Rubik's Cube's lasting popularity since its inception in 1974.

• Dan Knight (01:10): "The Rubik's Cube, often referred to as the world's favorite puzzle, has been around since 1974. And yet the Rubik's Cube is still going strong."

They highlight the puzzle's ability to remain relevant, with individuals continuously setting new records and keeping the interest alive across generations.

Conversations with Ruby: The Living Rubik's Cube

The episode introduces Ruby, a personified Rubik's Cube, who serves as an interactive guide through its history and complexities.

• Ruby (04:10): "In a word, dizzying. You see, people have been twisting, turning, and spinning me around for decades now with no end in sight."

Ruby shares fascinating insights about the cube's origin, its inventor, and its journey to global fame.

Origin Story: Erno Rubik and the Birth of the Cube

Ruby reveals that the Rubik's Cube was invented in Budapest, Hungary, by Erno Rubik, a sculptor, architect, and professor.

• Ruby (04:55): "I was invented in Budapest, Hungary in 1974 by a sculptor, architect and professor named Erno Rubik."

Interestingly, Rubik initially created the cube to challenge his architecture students and couldn't solve it himself for a month.

• Ruby (05:17): "It took him a month."

This anecdote underscores the cube's inherent complexity and the challenge it poses even to its creator.

Name Change and Massive Popularity

Originally called the "Magic Cube," the puzzle's name was changed to "Rubik's Cube" when licensed to an American toy company in 1979, sparking a worldwide craze.

• Ruby (05:57): "Professor Rubik licensed me to a big American toy company. They're the ones who changed my name to the Rubik's Cube. And immediately people everywhere started buying me like crazy."

Between 1981 and 1983 alone, over 200 million Rubik's Cubes were sold, cementing its status as a cultural phenomenon.

The Mathematics of the Cube: Complexity and Solving

Dan and Ruby delve into the mathematical intricacies that make the Rubik's Cube both fascinating and challenging.

Sheer Number of Combinations

Ruby explains the staggering number of possible combinations a Rubik's Cube can have.

• Ruby (07:26): "But once you give me a few turns, I become super tricky to solve. Any idea how many possible combinations you can make trying to solve me?"

• Dan Knight (07:37): "What do you think, smarty pants? Is it a 43,000 combinations? B43 million, or C43 quintillion?"

• Ruby (07:50): "It's the big one. 43 quintillion. That means there are 42.9999999 quadrillion wrong solutions and only one right one."

This astronomical number highlights why solving the cube is such a formidable task for most people.

Solving the Cube: Algorithms and "God's Number"

The discussion shifts to the methods used to solve the cube, emphasizing the role of algorithms.

• Ruby (08:35): "An algorithm is a series of moves you have to memorize in order to solve me. The problem is there are a bunch of long boring algorithms you have to string together in just the right way to do it."

Despite the complexity, Ruby mentions that theoretically, any scrambled cube can be solved in 20 moves or less, a concept known as "God's Number."

• Ruby (09:19): "It's always possible to solve me in 20 moves or less."

However, executing this perfectly is beyond human capability, making it a goal rather than a practical solution method for most.

The World of Speedcubing: Competitions and Records

Ruby and Dan explore the vibrant community of speedcubers who push the boundaries of how quickly the cube can be solved.

Different Events in Speedcubing

At the World Cubing Association's World Championship, competitors tackle various events beyond the standard 3x3 cube, including:

• Ruby (11:51): "They're straight up speed cubing. But not just with the 3x3 cubes like me. They do everything from 2x2 cubes all the way up to 7 by 7."

• Dan Knight (12:38): "There's one where speedcubers can only use one hand, and another where the fewest."

Ruby also mentions the challenging blindfolded events where competitors solve the cube without visual cues.

Record-Breaking Speeds

The episode highlights astonishing records in speedcubing:

• Ruby (14:30): "The world record is just 3.47 seconds."

• Ruby (14:38): "A 12 year old named Ruhangzhou once solved a cube in just 2.68 seconds. But it wasn't in competition, so it's not an official record."

Additionally, a robot developed by MIT students can solve a cube in an incredible 1 and 1/3 seconds.

• Ruby (15:03): "There's a robot built by some MIT students that can turn a cube 55 times per second and solve 1 1/3 of a second."

These feats showcase the extraordinary skills and technological advances in the speedcubing community.

Interactive Challenges: Engaging the Young Minds

Throughout the episode, Dan engages the listeners with interactive questions and challenges, encouraging them to participate and spread the word about the podcast.

• Dan Knight (10:04): "Who do you know that would love who smarted but doesn't listen to the show? Is it A, a friend, B a teacher, C a relative like your favorite cousin? Or D a neighbor who loves fun facts?"

This approach not only makes the episode more engaging but also fosters a sense of community and involvement among young listeners.

Dan's Personal Attempt: Solving with Feet

In a humorous twist, Dan decides to attempt solving the Rubik's Cube using his feet, adding a light-hearted element to the episode.

• Dan Knight (15:21): "Taking off my shoes. If I'm gonna taste the agony of defeat, it may as well be with my feet."

This playful segment emphasizes that while solving the cube is challenging, it's also fun and approachable with practice.

Conclusion: Celebrating the Rubik's Cube and Community

The episode wraps up by celebrating the Rubik's Cube's impact and thanking listeners for their support.

• Dan Knight (15:36): "Happy cubing, smarty pants. And remember, don't feel bad if you can't solve it. It's not easy."

A special shout-out is given to a listener, Matthew from Parker, Colorado, highlighting the podcast's community engagement.

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Key Takeaways:

• Inventor and Origin: Created by Erno Rubik in Budapest in 1974 as a teaching tool for architecture students.
• Global Phenomenon: Initially named "Magic Cube," rebranded to "Rubik's Cube" in 1979, leading to massive global sales.
• Complexity: With 43 quintillion possible combinations, solving the cube is a significant challenge.
• Algorithms: Essential for solving the cube, involving memorized sequences of moves.
• Speedcubing: A dedicated community with various competitive events and astonishing records.
• Engagement: The podcast effectively combines humor, storytelling, and interactivity to educate and entertain young listeners.

Notable Quotes:

• Dan Knight (01:10): "The Rubik's Cube... is still going strong."
• Ruby (04:55): "I was invented in Budapest, Hungary in 1974 by a sculptor, architect and professor named Erno Rubik."
• Ruby (07:50): "43 quintillion. That means there are 42.9999999 quadrillion wrong solutions and only one right one."
• Ruby (09:19): "It's always possible to solve me in 20 moves or less."
• Ruby (14:38): "A 12 year old named Ruhangzhou once solved a cube in just 2.68 seconds."
• Dan Knight (15:36): "Happy cubing, smarty pants. And remember, don't feel bad if you can't solve it."

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Produced By:
Steve Melcher (Writer), Sarah Sweetick (Voice), Adam Tex Davis, Max Kamasky, Jerry Colbert (Voices), Josh Hahn (Technical Direction and Sound Design), Matt Max Kamasky (Associate Producer)

Recorded and Mixed At: Relic Room Studios

Theme Song: Brian Suarez with lyrics by Adam Tex Davis

Created and Produced By: Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert

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This detailed summary encapsulates the engaging and informative nature of the "Who Smarted?" podcast episode, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the Rubik's Cube's history, complexity, and the vibrant community that surrounds it.

Transcript

[Trusty Narrator]

Three, two, one, go.

[Dan Knight]

Psst. Hey, smarty pants. In case you can't tell, I just jumped out of a plane.

[Trusty Narrator]

Excuse me, would you mind keeping it down, Trusty narrator? I'm trying to concentrate here.

[Dan Knight]

As you can hear, I'm not alone. I'm attached to another gentleman. And together we're now hurtling towards the Earth at over 100 miles per hour.

[Trusty Narrator]

Seriously, I need to concentrate.

[Dan Knight]

You're probably thinking he's a professional skydiver or skydiving instructor, but no. His name is Dan Knight, and today he's attempting to solve a Rubik's cube as he skydives from 12,000ft.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, it sure is windy.

[Dan Knight]

Um, the craziest part is he's not going to pull our parachute until he's solved the Rubik's Cube. How's it going?

[Trusty Narrator]

Just a few more twists. There.

[Ruby]

Got it.

[Dan Knight]

Ha ha.

[Trusty Narrator]

In just 32 seconds.

[Dan Knight]

Thank goodness. Pull the chute. Pull the chute. Ah, that's better. The Rubik's Cube, often referred to as the world's favorite puzzle, has been around since 1974. Smarty pants. No, there weren't dinosaurs back in 1974, but it was some time ago. And yet the Rubik's Cube is still going strong. In fact, there are lots of people like my friend Dan here setting new records with it every day.

[Trusty Narrator]

Get ready to land, Trusty.

[Dan Knight]

Yes, I'm back on the ground where I belong. Oh, Dan, you dropped your solved Rubik's cube.

[Trusty Narrator]

Nah, I left it for you. Enjoy.

[Dan Knight]

Oh, thanks, Dan. So what is it about this simple block made up of 54 colorful plastic squares that people find so fascinating? Who invented the Rubik's Cube? What does the name even mean? How did the Rubik's Cube become one of the best selling toys of all time? And what's the fastest time for solving one? Get ready for some twists and turns and a big whiff of science and history. On who's smarted.

[Trusty Narrator]

Who'S smarted, who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up, everyone. We make smarting lots of fun. On who smartens.

[Disney and Pixar]

Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered, is there life on other planets?

[Ruby]

It's really happening. I knew aliens were looking for me.

[Disney and Pixar]

From Disney and Pixar.

[Ruby]

Welcome to the communiverse. Allow me to adjust your gravity. Oh, I'm fine. Gravity. Awesome. Wow.

[Disney and Pixar]

We are not. This is awesome alone.

[Dan Knight]

Are you gonna eat me?

[Ruby]

Ew. What kind of alien are you?

[Disney and Pixar]

Disney and Pixar's Elio rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Only in theaters June 20th. Tickets available now.

[Dan Knight]

Okay, smarty pants, I'm headed home in an Uber after a pretty thrilling day. I can't believe Dan was able to solve this Rubik's cube in just 36 seconds. Can you solve a Rubik's Cube, smarty pants? And if you can, how fast can you do it? Me? I'm lucky if I can get one side the same color.

[Ruby]

Ah, don't give up, trusty narrator. It's. This takes practice.

[Dan Knight]

Who said that? Was that the driver?

[Ruby]

No, down here. I'm the solved Rubik's Cube you're holding.

[Dan Knight]

Oh, sorry. I wasn't expecting you to talk. But it seems like almost everything can talk on who's smarted. Say, can I ask you some questions? Um, call me Ruby.

[Ruby]

And sure, go ahead. You're certainly not the first person trying to figure me out.

[Dan Knight]

Right? So, what's it like being one of the best selling toys ever?

[Ruby]

In a word, dizzying. You see, people have been twisting, turning, and spinning me around for decades now with no end in sight. And it's not enough for people to just solve me. Now everyone wants to solve me in unusual situations.

[Dan Knight]

You mean like Dan jumping out of a plane?

[Ruby]

Exactly. I've been solved underwater, on a unicycle on top of Mount Everest.

[Dan Knight]

Wow, Ruby, it sounds like you've got a crazy life.

[Ruby]

Yep, it's been a wild ride. Not bad for a simple cube. Born in humble beginnings.

[Dan Knight]

Ah, speaking of, where were you born?

[Ruby]

I was invented in Budapest, Hungary in 1974 by a sculptor, architect and professor named Erna Rubik. Mr. Rubik wanted a way to challenge his architecture students, so he made me out of blocks of wood and rubber bands. Believe it or not, he couldn't even solve me at first.

[Dan Knight]

Good, that makes me feel a little better.

[Ruby]

It took him a month.

[Dan Knight]

Never mind. I've been trying for years. Please continue, Professor.

[Ruby]

Rubik's students loved playing with me so much, Rubik decided to start selling me to other people in Hungary.

[Dan Knight]

Ah. And was Rubik's Cube an instant success?

[Ruby]

Actually, I was. It wasn't called a Rubik's Cube back then.

[Dan Knight]

Hmm. Smarty pants, what do you think the original name of the Rubik's Cube was? Was it the Magic Cube? The Puzzler Cube?

[Ruby]

Huh?

[Dan Knight]

Or the Twisty Cube? If you said the Magic Cube. Good guess.

[Ruby]

The Magic Cube did fine. But it was in 1979 that my life changed forever. Professor Rubik licensed me to a big American toy company. They're the ones who changed my name to the Rubik's Cube. And immediately people everywhere started buying me like crazy. Between the years 1981 and 1983, they sold over 200 million Rubik's Cubes.

[Dan Knight]

Whoa, that's a lot of unsolved cubes.

[Ruby]

They put me on lunchboxes, T shirts, they even wrote books about me. At one point, three of the top 10 best selling books in the country were about how to solve me. And one of those books was written by a 13 year old boy.

[Dan Knight]

Wow, I am really starting to feel self conscious.

[Ruby]

Don't. For the average person, solving a Rubik's cube is a huge challenge. Most people go their whole lives not solving me.

[Dan Knight]

Okay, I feel better now. But that brings up an interesting point. If most people couldn't even solve you, why were you so popular?

[Ruby]

Well, that's just it. I may look like a cute toy with my six colorful sides when you first buy me.

[Dan Knight]

Smarty pants. Quick quiz. What six colors make up a Rubik's Cube's sides? Did you say red, blue, green, yellow, white and orange? Nice job.

[Ruby]

But once you give me a few turns, I become super tricky to solve. Any idea how many possible combinations you can make trying to solve me?

[Dan Knight]

What do you think, smarty pants? Is it a 43,000 combinations? B43 million, or C43 quintillion? Believe it or not, it's the big one. 43 quintillion. That means there are 42.9999999 quadrillion wrong solutions and only one right one.

[Ruby]

To put it another way, trusty narrator. For each possible wrong combination, you could cover the entire planet earth in a stack. 275 cubes high.

[Dan Knight]

Yeah, I don't feel so bad now. But wait, how does anyone actually solve you?

[Ruby]

Well, like I said, most people don't. It's estimated only about 5% of the world's population can actually solve me. And those who can use something called algorithms.

[Dan Knight]

Oh, algorithms. You mean the that lets Netflix know that I want to watch shows about pizza.

[Trusty Narrator]

Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom.

[Ruby]

Not quite. In my case, an algorithm is a series of moves you have to memorize in order to solve me. The problem is there are a bunch of long boring algorithms you have to string together in just the right way to do it. And that's what makes it so tough.

[Dan Knight]

I've always wondered, is it possible to solve u no matter how your squares are arranged at the.

[Ruby]

Yes. In fact, some very smart people figured out that no matter what I Look like before you begin, it's always possible to solve me in 20 moves or less.

[Dan Knight]

Whoa. No way. Just 20 moves?

[Ruby]

Yes, but only if you do it perfectly. The catch is, no one on Earth has a brain powerful enough to see those perfect solutions every time. That's why they call the number 20 God's number. Because only a being with godlike powers could pull that off.

[Dan Knight]

Good. I'd hate to think someone could solve a Rubik's Cube that fast.

[Ruby]

Well, actually, there are super geniuses known as Speedcubers who can solve Rubik's cubes lightning fast. In fact, they even hold competitions to see who's the fastest.

[Dan Knight]

Really? This I have to see. Hey, we're heading to a Rubik's cube competition right after this quick break. Hey, smartypants Trusty here with a special mission for all the smarty pants listening. But unlike a top secret mission, this mission requires you to tell everyone. That's right. Your job is to spread the word about who smarted so we can keep growing and bringing you awesome new episodes. To qualify for this mission, lets play a little game. Who do you know that would love who smarted but doesn't listen to the show? Is it A, a friend, B a teacher, C a relative like your favorite cousin? Or D a neighbor who loves fun facts? Got someone in mind? Great. Question 2. Where and when will you tell this person about who's smartest? Is it A, on a playdate, B, at school, C, in the car, or D on the phone? Pick one, make a plan, stick to it, and best of all, complete this not so top secret mission. I'm counting on you smartypants. The more people you tell, the bigger we grow. Which means a lot more smarting for you. Now back to who smarted? All right, smarty pants, we're headed to the World Cubing Association's World Championship to check out some speedcubers in action. Hold on to your cubes.

[Ruby]

It's the super bowl of speedcubing.

[Dan Knight]

I see. What different events will the speedcubers be competing in?

[Ruby]

Well, they're straight up speed cubing. But not just with the 3x3 cubes like me. They do everything from 2x2 cubes all the way up to 7 by 7.

[Dan Knight]

7 by 7? As in 49 colored squares per side? Yikes.

[Ruby]

Yeah, that's much harder than a regular cube. It takes them forever to solve it. Like almost two minutes.

[Dan Knight]

Two minutes? Impressive. I'm assuming seven by seven is the biggest cube that anyone's ever made.

[Ruby]

Nope. Someone actually made one. That's 33 by 33. That's over 1,000 squares on each side. Whoa. That one takes hours to solve.

[Dan Knight]

Or a century for me. What other events are there?

[Ruby]

There's one where speedcubers can only use one hand, and another where the fewest.

[Dan Knight]

Wait, is someone putting on a blindfold?

[Ruby]

Yep, blindfolded. Rubik's Cubing is also a thing.

[Dan Knight]

But how can you solve a Rubik's cube if you can't see it?

[Ruby]

You memorize the cube before you start, then just work the algorithm.

[Dan Knight]

Sounds impossible.

[Ruby]

You think that's impossible? There's also a multi blind event where competitors memorize multiple cubes. Then they have an hour to try and get them. All right. Did you know a SpeedCuber once solved 59 out of 60 cubes?

[Dan Knight]

That's crazy. Um, why is that person taking off their shoes? Smarty pants. Any guesses? Did you say they're gonna solve a cube with their feet?

[Ruby]

Exactly. The fastest foot solve of a 3x3 cube is 15.56 seconds.

[Dan Knight]

What? I can barely take off my socks and shoes that fast.

[Ruby]

Check it out. The 3x3 Speed Cube event is starting. I sure hope they oiled up those cubes they're using.

[Dan Knight]

Oiled up their cubes? What do you think that means, smarty pants?

[Ruby]

We Rubik's Cubes can jam up when speed cubers start spinning us around real fast. So between contests, they use a special oil to keep us rotating smoothly. It's called Cube Lube. And yes, it's totally legal for the competition.

[Dan Knight]

Cube Lube. Okay, the finals are about to start. This should be fun. Such drama.

[Trusty Narrator]

On your marks.

[Dan Knight]

Such suspense.

[Trusty Narrator]

Get set.

[Dan Knight]

Such.

[Trusty Narrator]

Go.

[Dan Knight]

Wait. Is it over already?

[Ruby]

It sure is. The world record is just 3.47 seconds.

[Dan Knight]

Wha. Wha. What?

[Ruby]

Yep. In fact, a 12 year old named Ruhangzhou once solved a cube in just 2.68 seconds. But it wasn't in competition, so it's not an official record.

[Dan Knight]

2.68 seconds. How? I can barely say Rubik's Cube in two seconds.

[Ruby]

Amazingly, speedcubers can turn cubes 10 to 12 times per second. But that's nothing compared to what a robot built by some MIT students can do. It can turn a cube 55 times per second and solve 1 1/3 of a second.

[Dan Knight]

That's literally in the blink of an eye. Well, after all this talk about solving Rubik's Cube, I need to give it a try.

[Ruby]

Go ahead. Use me, trusty narrator. It'd be an honor to. Hey, what are you doing?

[Dan Knight]

Taking off my shoes. If I'm gonna taste the agony of defeat, it may as well be with my feet.

[Ruby]

Nice one. Go for it.

[Dan Knight]

Happy cubing, smarty pants. And remember, don't feel bad if you can't solve it. It's not easy. It's also a little ticklish. A big shout out to my smarty friend Matthew in Parker, Colorado. Thanks for writing in to say you think who Smarted is a great podcast and that you love how trusty narrator explains things in a kid friendly way. Aw, thanks Matthew. Happy to have you smarting with us this episode. Rubik's Cube was written by Steve Melcher and voiced by Sarah Sweetick. Adam Tex Davis, Max Kamasky and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hahn. Who Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios. Our associate producers, Matt Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis, who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.