List of products by manufacturer LanLan

LanLan is a Chinese company from Chenghai in Guangdong Province that has been making twisty puzzles since 2009. In the beginning, it mainly produced standard cubes. Today it is best known for unusual puzzles: shape mods, puzzles with unusual axes of rotation and designs that most speedcubing brands don't offer at all. The manufacturer's catalogue includes around 80 puzzles. Among them you'll find classic 2x2 and 3x3 cubes, but also very inventive designs such as the Rhombic Dodecahedron.

LanLan puzzles – what the brand is known for

LanLan's biggest strength is its wide range of mechanisms. In its lineup you'll find, among others:

• Corner-turning puzzles – Master Skewb, Rex, Skewb Diamond and Grid Skewb. The Master Skewb looks like a regular Skewb, but it has more cuts, so solving it takes longer.


• The Copter family – Curvy Copter and Flower Copter. In these puzzles, the faces turn around the edges. The Curvy Copter allows jumbling, i.e. partial moves after which pieces can move in ways that are impossible on a regular cube.


• Gear puzzles – Gear Megaminx, Gear Octahedron, Gear Hexagonal Prism and Gear Cone Dodecahedron. The pieces are connected by gears, so turning one layer also moves the neighbouring parts.


• Polyhedra and shape mods – 2x2 and 3x3 dodecahedrons, 12-axis dodecahedron, Octahedron and 4x4 Octahedron, Cylinder 3x3x2, Windmill Cube and Void Cube, a 3x3 cube without centres and with holes going all the way through.

LanLan also works with puzzle designers. One example is the Edge Turning Octahedron, released together with Eitan Cher.

Who LanLan cubes are for

Most LanLan models are not WCA events. People buy them for the puzzle itself and for their collection, not for setting time records. They are best suited to those who have already mastered the 3x3 and want to take on something new. An unusual shape or a different way of turning requires a different way of thinking than a classic cube. There are also fewer tutorials for these puzzles, so you often have to come up with a method on your own.

The difficulty level varies a lot. Some models are based on familiar 2x2 or 3x3 mechanisms and only change the shape. Jumbling puzzles and gear puzzles, on the other hand, can keep even an experienced cuber busy for a long time. If you're buying a gift for a child who is just starting out, it's better to choose a classic 3x3 cube first. LanLan puzzles will be a great next step once the basic cube is no longer a challenge.