Fanxin Fruits 3 Set Cube

Fanxin Fruits 3 Set Cube

Fanxin Fruits 3 Set Cube is a set of three Fanxin puzzles from the Fruit series, shaped like fruit: an apple, a banana and a lemon. All three are shape mods, meaning puzzles built on the mechanism of a regular cube but with a different outer shape. This is the first version of the set (V1). The second version has different contents.

What's in the set

• FanXin Apple: a 3x3 shape mod in the shape of an apple. It is noticeably bigger than a standard 3x3 cube, so it sits nicely in your hand and looks great on a shelf.
• FanXin Banana: a shape mod based on a 2x2x3 mechanism, i.e. a cuboid, not a classic cube.
• FanXin Lemon: a 3x3 shape mod in the shape of a lemon.

How to solve fruit shape mods

With these puzzles you don't match colors, you restore the shape of the fruit. Once scrambled, the shape "falls apart", and your goal is to put it back together into an apple, a banana or a lemon. If you can solve a regular 3x3 cube, you can use the algorithms you already know on Apple and Lemon. You do have to keep an eye on piece orientation, though, because without colors it's easy to miss, for example, a rotated center. Banana, built on a 2x2x3 mechanism, is a slightly different challenge, because its layers don't always turn by 90 degrees.

At first the irregular shape can be confusing. It's hard to tell right away where a layer ends, and turning may need a bit more attention than on a regular cube. After a few solves this stops being a problem. These are puzzles for fun and for your collection, not for setting times: they have no magnets and no tension adjustment system, so there's no point comparing them with speed cubes.

Who is it for?

For anyone who has already solved a regular 3x3 cube and wants to try something different. The set also makes a great gift for a cuber or a decoration for a desk or shelf. Parents can confidently buy it for a child who already knows the basics of solving. As a first cube for learning, a classic 3x3 is a better choice.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Fanxin
• Series: Fruit, set version V1
• Contents: 3 puzzles (Apple 3x3, Banana 2x2x3, Lemon 3x3)
• Type: shape mods, solved by shape
• Magnets: none
• Version: stickerless