SengSo Crazy 3x3 Megaminx

SengSo Crazy 3x3 Megaminx

The SengSo Crazy 3x3 Megaminx is a megaminx with an extra ring around every center. From the outside, the puzzle looks like a regular 3x3 megaminx. The difference shows after the first few turns: besides the centers, edges and corners, you also have to solve the ring pieces. This increases both the number of possible moves and the number of moves needed to solve it. It is made by ShengShou (SengSo), and the model debuted in 2021.

How the Crazy Megaminx works

In a classic megaminx, five edges sit around each center and form the arms of a star. In the Crazy version, each center is surrounded by a ring of five extra pieces. The ring pieces are single-colored and are not connected to either the center or the edges. When you turn a face, the ring does not turn with it, so its pieces move independently of their own center. This changes how you solve it: you can't just reuse your megaminx method; you also have to keep track of where the ring is at any moment and how to align it with its center.

Turning

According to user reviews, the puzzle turns much like a regular megaminx, so the mechanism doesn't make solving any harder. You do, however, need to align the faces carefully. When layers are misaligned, ring pieces can pop out, which comes from the design of this type of puzzle rather than from a defect in a particular unit. The puzzle has no magnets, and the plastic has no UV coating.

Who is it for?

For anyone who can already solve a megaminx and is looking for the next challenge. This is a puzzle for your collection and for solving just for fun, not a speedcubing puzzle. The Crazy Megaminx is not a WCA event, so you can't use it at official competitions. For your first megaminx, a standard model is a better choice.

V1 or V2?

This version has five pieces in each ring. ShengShou has also released a V2 version with larger rings made up of ten pieces. According to user reviews, the solving approach is very similar in both versions.

Specifications

Manufacturer: ShengShou (SengSo)
Type: Crazy 3x3 megaminx, V1 version
Size: approx. 70 mm
Weight: approx. 150 g
Magnets: none
Color: stickerless bright
Release year: 2021
WCA competition legal: no

In the box

1. puzzle
2. solving instructions