Rainbow Ball 

Rainbow Ball: a spherical puzzle with colorful balls

Rainbow Ball is a puzzle shaped like a sphere. Each hole is marked with a colored ring, and inside sit small balls in the same colors. One hole always stays empty, and that's the space you use to move the balls between positions. First you scramble the puzzle, then you have to guide each ball back to the ring of its color. Anyone can understand the rules in a few seconds, but solving the whole thing takes planning several moves ahead.

12 or 20 holes: how Rainbow Ball puzzles differ

The most important difference between the models in this category is the number of holes, because that's what determines the difficulty.

• 12 holes and 11 balls is the classic version, for example MoYu Rainbow Ball (12 Holes), QiYi Rainbow Ball (12 Holes) or YJ Rainbow Ball. There are only a few positions, so you can quickly see how moving one ball affects the rest. A great choice to start with.
• 20 holes and 19 balls is what you get with QiYi Rainbow Ball (20 Holes). There are more colors, you need to move the empty space across the whole sphere more often, and solving it takes noticeably longer. It's a good next step for anyone who has already mastered the 12-hole version.

Size and brands

In this category you'll find models from MoYu, QiYi, YJ and ShengShou. MoYu comes in two sizes: the Rainbow Ball 7 cm, which fits in your hand, and the larger Rainbow Ball 10 cm. With the bigger sphere it's easier to reach the balls with your fingers and the colors are clearly visible, so it's the more comfortable option for younger children. The smaller one fits more easily in a backpack and is handy for solving on the go. YJ Rainbow Ball has a diameter of about 73 mm. ShengShou Rainbow Ball V2 is the second version of this puzzle from ShengShou.

Who is Rainbow Ball for?

This isn't a speedcubing puzzle, and there are no settings or specs of the kind that matter with competition cubes. Rainbow Ball works best as a child's first logic puzzle, as a gift, or as a break from cubes for anyone who enjoys unusual puzzles. It teaches you to anticipate moves and think about the order of steps. Plus, you don't need to know any algorithms: all it takes is patience and a bit of experimenting.