QiYi Crazy Gear

QiYi Crazy Gear

QiYi Crazy Gear is a Gear Cube in a new form. The gear mechanism is the same as in the classic Gear Cube, but QiYi has changed the shape of the pieces. It works much like the Axis Cube, which is a modification of a regular 3x3 cube. When solved, the puzzle is a cube with sides of approx. 60 mm. Once scrambled, it loses this shape and starts to look like a solid with pieces sitting at different angles.

What makes it challenging

In a Gear Cube, the layers are connected by gears, so turning an outer face also moves the middle layer, just by a smaller angle. The Crazy Gear adds shape-shifting on top of that, which makes it harder to tell how a given piece is oriented and which layer is in the correct position. According to users, the algorithms themselves are not complicated. The hardest part is aligning the layers correctly relative to each other and keeping them in that position during the following moves. If you have already solved a regular Gear Cube or an Axis Cube, you will know part of the mechanics. Still, combining both ideas means you will have to learn it all over again.

Build quality

The cube turns smoothly and without resistance. Instead of stickers, it has colorful matte plastic tiles that do not peel off or wear out the way regular stickers do. The body is black. Reviewers praise its solid, stable feel and good build quality, which is not always a given for puzzles of this kind.

Who is it for?

The Crazy Gear is a puzzle for fun and for collectors. It is not a speedcubing puzzle and is not used in official WCA competitions. It is best suited to someone who can already solve a 3x3 cube, has tried a few unusual puzzles and wants something more challenging. It also fits nicely into a collection of QiYi gear puzzles. For a child's first puzzle, it is better to choose a regular Gear Cube or a classic 3x3 cube and save the Crazy Gear for later.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: QiYi (QiYi MoFangGe)
• Type: gear puzzle, shape-shifting
• Size: approx. 60 x 60 x 60 mm
• Weight: approx. 107 g
• Finish: colorful matte plastic tiles instead of stickers
• Body color: black
• Release year: 2021
• Official WCA competitions: no
• In the box: puzzle, solving instructions