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Tballz9 t1_jbrjoc8 wrote

As a kid of that era it is hard to explain to people just how big the Rubik’s cube was at that time. The things were everywhere. It doesn’t surprise me at all that this was the best selling book, as we didn’t have the internet yet, and books were how people learned things. God, I feel old. Lol.

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Elevenst t1_jbrjxkw wrote

Six million households had that book laying around, and still only like twelve people solved it without peeling the stickers. You know who you are, everyone.

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pepeisdumb t1_jbrkqxx wrote

Found this book at the thrift store in the 90's when I was in middle school and I still remember how to solve using this method.

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leigh094 t1_jbrlpa7 wrote

That’s so dumb. You can just google it for free

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Sevla7 t1_jbrm6gn wrote

Replying to Tballz9 (#2,206,300)

I used to think the Rubik's Cube was kinda stupid. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit I found myself playing chess again, becoming a backend programmer and trying to beat the Rubik's Cube speed record on a daily basis.

I don't even know who I am anymore.

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ScottRiqui t1_jbrmxmm wrote

I had that book - the patterns/sequences to solve the first two layers were pretty easy to memorize, but you got to the third layer and the number of potential moves just exploded. I never did get to where I could solve the last layer without referring to the book.

Surprisingly, any initial cube configuration can be solved in 26 or fewer quarter-turns, although that wasn't proven until 2014, thirty-four years after the Rubik's Cube was released.

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John_EightThirtyTwo t1_jbrmyzi wrote

Something like 20 million bibles are sold each year. But I guess they consider the various editions different books.

edit: why is this being downvoted? I'm not trying to sell you a bible. I don't even believe in any of that stuff. I just want us all to recognize the truth. Which is that the bible is the best-seller. People say it's the best-selling book of all time, but it's actually the best-selling book of the year, every year. Including 1981.

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Don_T_Blink t1_jbrnp5m wrote

Solving the Rubik's cube was one of the first things I ever googled (correct: altavistaed, it was 1999).

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fordprefect294 t1_jbrnyqv wrote

It fucking comes with instructions... 🤦🏻‍♂️

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grapesaresour t1_jbru0yi wrote

I too listened to No Such Thing as a Fish today 😂

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Only_Philosopher7351 t1_jbrvkjm wrote

Why didn't they just google it?

Boomers were idiots with technology, even back then!!

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Aprilias t1_jbrzg40 wrote

I had this book. Stores sometimes had crates full of Rubik's cubes, I'd grab one, solve it, pick up another and keep doing that for a few minutes. IIRC I was able to solve a cube in 30 seconds or so.

0

noahsmybro t1_jbs4mcf wrote

I’m pretty sure that’s the book I have (still have it).

From the book I learned how to solve the top two rows of the cube, and can still do them 40 years later.

I never memorized how to do the bottom row though, and can only do that with the book in front of me.

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ILearnedSoMuchToday t1_jbs6tko wrote

I still have mine. I was solving Rubik's cubes in chemistry class under my desk with this power. I'd pass it off to someone, they'd mix it and 3-4 mins later I'd hand it to someone else solved again.

Good times.

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Bobby12many t1_jbsy264 wrote

Fellow 'No Such Thing as a Fish' listener I presume?

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mike_e_mcgee t1_jbt1h6a wrote

Replying to Tballz9 (#2,206,300)

The Rubik's Cube was the top selling toy in the UK in 1980, and 1981. For a few it was a puzzle to be solved. To many it was a fidget spinner. We'd just aimlessly spin hoping we'd randomly get somewhere with it.

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oodelay t1_jbt52d3 wrote

I'm 50 and I just learned how to solve it last week while on vacation. I would like to thank my wife for her patience and my kid for leaving me alone.

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anrwlias t1_jbugh8e wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,206,404)

Back then, being able to solve a cube was a major flex. It was considered a hallmark of genius because very few people knew how and there weren't a lot of resources that would give away the trick.

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