Calvins Puzzle 3x3x5 Cuboid with Aleh & Evgeniy logo

Calvins Puzzle 3x3x5 Cuboid with Aleh & Evgeniy logo

Calvins Puzzle 3x3x5 Cuboid is a cuboid-shaped puzzle with a 3x3 base and a height of five layers. All pieces are the same size. The design has a long history. Aleh Hladzilin developed the first version of the 3x3x5 in 1989. Years later, Evgeniy Grigoriev prepared the technical drawings, and Calvin's Puzzle based a whole series of 3x3x5 cuboids on them. Both designers' names appear in the product name, and their logo is printed on the puzzle. This version is stickerless, made of coloured ABS plastic in the Bright colour scheme.

How to solve the 3x3x5 cuboid

The 3x3 end faces turn normally, by 90°. The longer 3x5 sides have to be turned by 180°, otherwise the puzzle loses its cuboid shape. Because of this, some moves you know from the 3x3 don't work, and you need to learn a few cuboid-specific algorithms, e.g. for parity cases in the last layers. It's best to be able to solve a regular 3x3 cube comfortably first. Then the cuboid will be an interesting next step rather than an unsolvable mystery.

Mechanism and durability

This is a collector's puzzle, not a speed cube. It has no magnets or tension adjustment, and the turning feels similar to classic cubes from before the speedcubing era. Users report that it may catch straight out of the box and only starts turning better after some time of solving. The pieces connecting the corners to the mechanism are fairly thin. So turn smoothly and don't force a layer when something locks up. With aggressive turning, a piece may break.

The 3x3x5 series from Calvin's Puzzle

This model is the basis of the whole series. On the same construction, Calvin's Puzzle built the L-Cube, T-Cube, X-Cube, Cross-Cube and Super variants with rotating circles on the faces, among others. The regular Cuboid has the simplest geometry, so it makes a good first cuboid from this family.

Who is it for?

For people who can already solve the 3x3 and are looking for an unusual puzzle for their collection or for learning to solve cuboids. This is not a cube for setting fast times. As a gift for a beginner, it's better to choose a regular 3x3 first.

Specifications

• Type: 3x3x5 cuboid with equal-sized pieces
• Manufacturer: Calvin's Puzzle
• Design: Aleh Hladzilin, Evgeniy Grigoriev
• Material: ABS plastic
• Version: stickerless, Bright colour scheme
• Weight: approx. 120 g (manufacturer's data, without packaging)
• Magnets: none