Z-Cube Blanker Cube

Blanker Cube Zcube

At first glance, the Blanker Cube by Zcube (ZePuzzles) looks like an ordinary 3x3 cube, except that every side is the same colour. A few moves are enough to show you it's something else. It's a shape mod puzzle: once scrambled, it turns into an irregular shape made of protruding blocks, and your goal is to restore it to a cube. Colours give you no hints here. Only the shape matters.

What's inside

Behind the 3x3 look is a 2x2 mechanism with an offset core and bandaged pieces, meaning pieces fused into larger blocks. The puzzle has eight pieces of different sizes: one 1x1x1 block, three 1x1x2 blocks, three 1x2x2 blocks and one 2x2x2 block. The larger blocks have fake cut lines that are hard to tell apart from the real ones, so you can't see where the layers actually turn.

Because there are two groups of three identical pieces, it's easy to reach a state that looks almost solved but can't be finished without an extra sequence. Knowing 2x2 methods helps, but you'll have to adapt the classic algorithms to the shapes of the blocks.

How it turns

According to user reviews, turning is smooth and corner cutting is surprisingly good for a shape mod. The cube has no magnets and no tension adjustment, so don't expect it to perform like a modern speed cube. A new cube can be dry and fairly loose, so a drop of lube usually makes it noticeably smoother and quieter.

Who is it for?

The Blanker Cube is best for someone who can already solve a 2x2 or 3x3 and wants to try something where colours don't help. It's a great addition to a collection of puzzles like Mirror Blocks, and when solved it looks like a plain single-colour cube on your shelf. For a complete beginner it may be too frustrating to start with. For your first cube, a classic 3x3 is a better choice.

Specifications

• Type: shape mod puzzle on a 2x2 mechanism with an offset core
• Manufacturer: Zcube (ZePuzzles)
• Pieces: 1x 1x1x1, 3x 1x1x2, 3x 1x2x2, 1x 2x2x2
• Weight: approx. 71 g
• Magnets: none
• Tension adjustment: none
• Available colours: Black, Blue, Red, Purple