AJ 12 Colors Clover Icosahedron

AJ 12 Colors Clover Icosahedron

An icosahedron with the colors on the corners instead of the faces. The AJ 12 Colors Clover Icosahedron is a face-turning icosahedron designed by A J Lu and released in 2022. Its cuts are curved, like in other puzzles from the Clover family. As a result, after a few moves the puzzle loses its regular look and starts to change shape (shape shifting). This version has a black body and a 12-color sticker scheme.

How it solves

It looks like it has a much more complicated mechanism than it really does. There are two cuts on each axis, and the whole puzzle consists of only two piece types. You won't find the tiny pieces known from some other icosahedrons here. Users praise how it turns and say it is relatively easy to solve for its category. Keep in mind, though, that such opinions are subjective, not a specification.

You can't simply transfer ready-made methods from the 3x3 or Megaminx. After scrambling, you first need to work out which pieces belong together, and the final stage is usually solved with your own sequences, e.g. commutators.

12 colors or 20 colors?

The Clover Icosahedron comes in two color schemes. The mechanism is the same in both; only the stickering differs. In the 20-color version, each of the 20 faces has its own color. In the 12-color version, each of the 12 corners gets a color, so instead of faces you need to group the colored areas around the corners. This changes the way you look at the puzzle and recognize the pieces. This scheme is usually recommended for people who already know Clover puzzles or want something less obvious than solid-color faces.

Who is it for?

For collectors and anyone who enjoys unusual puzzles and has already tackled at least a Megaminx or another Clover puzzle. For a first puzzle or a gift for a young child, it's better to choose something simpler. The set contains small parts, so it is not suitable for young children.

Specifications

• Type: face-turning icosahedron, Clover series
• Design: A J Lu (AJ)
• Release year: 2022
• Cuts: curved, two on each axis
• Piece types: 2
• Color scheme: 12 colors (corners)
• Body color: black
• Material: ABS