Lanlan Gear Tetrakaidecahedron

LanLan Gear Tetrakaidecahedron

This is a shape mod of the classic Gear Cube. LanLan took its mechanism and cut off the corners, so the puzzle has 14 faces instead of the 6 of a regular cube. That's where the name comes from: a tetrakaidecahedron is simply a 14-faced solid. The LanLan Gear Tetrakaidecahedron has a black body, and you can see the gears meshing with every move. The puzzle was released in 2014.

How a gear puzzle works

On a regular cube, you turn each layer separately. Here, the layers are linked by gears. When you turn one face, the opposite face and the middle layer move along with it. The move sequences and solving method are therefore different from a 3x3 cube. If you know the Gear Cube, you'll get the hang of it quickly, because the mechanism is the same and only the shape changes. If you've never tried a gear puzzle before, it's a good first puzzle in this category.

Turning and adjustment

Turning is fairly smooth and pleasant, and the gears run smoothly right out of the box. This isn't a puzzle for breaking TPS records. With gear puzzles, what matters more is that the gears don't catch, and this one does well in that respect. It has adjustment screws, so you can change the tension if needed: loosen the mechanism or tighten it if it becomes loose over time.

Who is it for?

For collectors of unusual puzzles and for cubers who already know the Gear Cube and want something with a more unusual look. At 81 mm, the puzzle is noticeably larger than a standard 3x3 cube and looks great on a shelf. It is not an official WCA event puzzle, so you buy it for the fun of solving and for your collection, not for competition practice.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: LanLan
• Type: gear puzzle, Gear Cube shape mod with cut corners (14 faces)
• Size: approx. 81 mm
• Weight: approx. 145 g
• Body colour: black
• Adjustment: adjustment screws
• Release year: 2014
• Official WCA events: no
• In the box: puzzle