FangShi Rhombohedron III

FangShi Rhombohedron III

FangShi Rhombohedron III is FangShi's third puzzle shaped like a rhombohedron, a solid with six faces in the form of rhombi. It is sold under the LimCube brand as part of the Trefoil Tetrahedron series. When solved, it looks like a flattened cube. After just a few moves, however, it loses that shape, because it is a shape-shifting puzzle (shape mod). We offer it in the stickerless bright version, with six face colors.

How to solve it

The pieces stick out beyond the outline of the base shape, so every turn changes the puzzle's silhouette. When scrambled, it looks like a random cluster of wedges, and it's hard to recognize the rhombohedron at first glance. That's why you have to keep track of two things at once: colors and shape. You solve it much like a reduction-type puzzle. First, you need to work out which pieces form blocks. Then you put them in the correct orientation, and at the end you deal with any parity. Distributors describe its mechanism as related to the FTO and the 2x2 Pyramorphix. If you know those puzzles, you'll have an easier start, but you won't be able to carry ready-made algorithms over to this one.

According to distributors, the turning is smooth and stable, and in a puzzle like this that matters more than speed. Rhombohedron III isn't meant for setting fast times. It's a puzzle to figure out at your own pace.

How it differs from Rhombohedron I and II

All three models are rhombohedron-shaped, but they work differently. Rhombohedron I is based on the 2x2 Pyraminx and has round pieces in the corners that turn independently. Rhombohedron II is a 2x2 shape mod with extra pieces to scramble. The third one is a newer design from the Trefoil Tetrahedron series. It changes shape more when scrambled and is harder to solve without prior experience.

Who is it for?

For people who have already mastered the 3x3 cube and a few unusual puzzles and are now looking for something to figure out on their own. It also makes a great display piece in a shape mod collection. For a child's first puzzle, it's better to choose something simpler, because Rhombohedron III requires patience and spatial imagination.

Specifications

• Type: shape-shifting puzzle (shape mod), rhombohedron with 6 faces
• Manufacturer: FangShi (LimCube brand)
• Series: Trefoil Tetrahedron
• Version: stickerless bright, six colors
• Material: ABS plastic