Gear 

Gear Cube and other gear puzzles

In gear puzzles, the layers are connected by gears. Turning one face also turns the neighbouring pieces, so every move shifts several parts at once. The classic Gear Cube was designed by Oskar van Deventer, and the first version was produced by Meffert's. Today gear cubes are also made by QiYi, LanLan, Zcube, KungFu and Calvins Puzzle. In this category you will find classic 3x3 Gear Cubes as well as Pyraminxes, Megaminxes and unusually shaped puzzles that work on the same principle.

How a gear cube works

On the classic Gear Cube, a face can only be turned by 180 degrees. Quarter turns are not possible, because the gears on the edges do not make a full rotation together with the face. The edges have teeth that rotate around their own axis as you solve. This means you have to keep track not only of where the pieces are, but also of their orientation. The mechanism is exposed, so you can see exactly how the gears work together. Despite its intimidating look, the Gear Cube is considered easier to solve than a regular 3x3 cube, which makes it a great first puzzle beyond the standard cubes.

From the classics to advanced modifications

To start with, a regular 3x3 Gear Cube is the best choice. QiYi makes it in 5.7 cm and 6.0 cm sizes. A new release is the QiYi 3x3 Gear V2. The QiYi 3x3 Magnetic Gear V2 version has magnets that help the layers stop in the correct position. This is useful for fast solving, but you don't need magnets just to enjoy the puzzle. There is also the QiYi Gear 3x3 in a keychain version.

If you already understand how the gears work, you can move on to shape modifications, such as the QiYi Gear Sphere, Gear Cylinder or Gear Sandwich 3x3. There are also smaller designs, like the QiYi 2x2 Gear Cube, 2x2 Gear Ball and HelloCube MoHuan 2x2 Gear Shift. A large group is made up of LanLan puzzles: Gear Megaminx, Gear Octahedron, Gear Hexagonal Prism, Gear Mastermorphix, Gear Tetrakaidecahedron, Gear Cone Dodecahedron, Gear Heart Cube and Internal Gear 3x3x3, which has its gears hidden inside. Collectors and anyone looking for harder puzzles will find, among others, the Meffert Maltese Gear Cube and the Calvins Puzzle Timur Gear Skewb EXTREME.

What to look for when choosing

For your first purchase, the type of puzzle matters most. A classic Gear Cube or a 2x2 version lets you learn how the gears work without frustration. A change of shape, as in the Gear Sphere or Mastermorphix, mainly changes how you recognise the pieces. Models such as the Gear Megaminx or Gear Skewb have a different move geometry, so they are solved differently. Gear cubes are also great for a collection, as each of them moves in its own distinctive, eye-catching way.