DaYan Wheels of Wisdom Puzzle

DaYan Wheels of Wisdom Puzzle

Every face of this puzzle has a raised "wheel" that turns independently of the rest, in 45-degree steps. The DaYan Wheels of Wisdom Puzzle is a puzzle from 2013. Its look and concept were designed by Bo Hu, while the shape and internal mechanism were developed by Daqing Bao, the founder of DaYan. Inside, it runs on a 3x3 cube mechanism. The wheels have extra cuts, which create more pieces and make solving much harder.

How this puzzle works

The faces turn by 90 degrees, just like on a regular 3x3 cube. When the layers are aligned, each of the six wheels can also be turned by 45 degrees. A wheel turn scrambles only the pieces on its own face and leaves the rest untouched. 45-degree moves on all three axes are rare among twisty puzzles. When scrambled, the cube changes shape only within the wheels, and the overall form stays a cube.

Knowing how to solve a 3x3 helps. However, you need to plan your wheel and layer moves, because 3x3 algorithms alone won't be enough here.

Turning: what to expect

This is not a speedcubing cube, and we want to be upfront about it. Straight out of the box it turns stiffly, and the layers can move unevenly. According to user reviews, lockups happen, and the small triangular pieces in the centres of the wheels can catch and shift. Breaking the cube in and applying lube helps. Even so, it takes patience and careful layer alignment before every move.

Stickerless Bright version

The stickerless version is made of coloured plastic with no stickers, so nothing wears off or peels. Users point out that the coloured internal pieces are visible in this version. This makes solving slightly harder than with the stickered version, although the difference is small.

Who is it for?

For collectors and for those who can already solve a 3x3 and want to try something unusual. This cube is for relaxed puzzling, not for speed. For a child's first cube, a classic 3x3 is a better choice.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: DaYan
• Design: Bo Hu (look and concept), Daqing Bao (mechanism)
• Type: 3x3 cube modification with rotating wheels on all six faces
• Wheel turns: 45-degree steps
• Size: approx. 65.5 mm
• Weight: approx. 223 g (without packaging)
• Colour: Stickerless Bright