Failing to solve for 45 years and counting - Rubik’s Cube changed my life

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the not-so-humble-yet-humble “thing” called the Rubik’s cube. To date, it has sold more than 500 million pieces worldwide. Well, to this generation schooled in ChatGPT that number may not look very impressive. Be that as it may, one must bear in mind that this humble-yet-not-so-humble “thing’s” inventor was Erno Rubrik, a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture and most importantly, Hungary was behind what was then called the “Iron Curtain”. Without going into politics, it simply meant that the USSR made all efforts to block itself and its satellite states from having Western influence and from neutral countries as well. And you know how ruthless the Soviet Union was at that time. I believe the only exception they made was for Vodka. Vodka may have trickled through the cracks – or did it seep through the curtain, iron or otherwise? ???

It is truly remarkable, given the times, that this humble-okay-okay-yet-not-so-humble “thing” would travel the world and even to India. I had the privilege of studying in the best schools that India had back then in the 70s and the 80s. I think I was 8 or 9 years old when a classmate, showed me this piece of magic. His uncle in the US had gifted it. Rich Indian kids back then had richer uncles residing in the US and even before the Chinese started dumping stuff to kill local manufacturing, these uncles had already pioneered.

Needless to say, it was love at first sight with the cube. This friend was rather generous and let me play with it during school hours. We were weak in studies, so this “thing” was a great diversion. This guy could solve it and he could solve it rather quickly though I never timed him, but I think he did it under 15 minutes. The world record stands today at 3.18 seconds. The Indian record is 4.something. How does one solve the Rubik’s cube under 5 seconds?

Apparently there are 43 quintillion possibilities of solving this humble-yet-not-so-humble piece of puzzle. When the mind boggles the inquisitive mind will ask – how many of those 43 quintillion combinations, whatever, have been attempted by the 500 million users? And those who solve it - in how many ways can they?

I was never a bright kid – it’s another matter I grew up to be a dimmer adult! Though I must get full marks for trying to solve the cube puzzle. For about 10 years or so, I kept trying and one day, I gave up. In frustration, I took the Mensa tests and scored around 110 in IQ which is rather low, if one is to solve puzzles of this kind.

My grandmother was rather resourceful. When I was 11 or thereabouts, she chanced upon a brilliant ruse that would make modern-day innovators cringe in embarrassment. Why hadn’t the world thought of it before?

She suggested, I take off the different coloured stickers, and re-arrange them to fit the desired pattern. But there was no glue in the house, so she called up Baba and ordered him to bring office glue after work, which he did. And then, the grandmother-grandson duo ventured into an operation so complex, that it was probably the precursor to the modern-day Centres-of-not-so-much-Excellence. CoEs would come much later.

Voila – the desired pattern was made. But it may not have been the way Enriko Rubrik had envisioned. In any case, he was behind the Iron Curtain so words travelling to distant Hungary was remote.

My grandmother was euphoric – she loved me blindly, so she gave me full credit for solving the world’s toughest problem. I had made a major mark in human civilization!

I was not-so-euphoric, because I had seen my best friend solve it the way Enriko Rubrik wanted. I told my grandmother so, but she wouldn’t believe a word – after all, if her grandson couldn’t do it how was it even humanly possible?

My grandmother would pass on as would my father, and Mother is probably in her last few years. It’s been more than 45 years, and I still fascinate over the Rubik’s cube. It’s my pride that makes me not look up the how-to-solve-a-Rubik’s-cube on You Tube.

I cheated once, I won’t do it again. ?

I mean, if there are 43 quintillion combinations to solve it, then why can’t I find that single one, even with a 110 IQ?

I have a Rubik’s cube on my table and play with it occasionally. I know, I will never solve it but it’s my way of pursuing excellence – which I will till my last breath. ?????????????????????