SengSo Skewb Diamond

SengSo Skewb Diamond

SengSo Skewb Diamond is an octahedron-shaped puzzle from ShengShou, released under its budget brand SengSo. In shops it is often also listed as the 2x2 FTO. Inside, it uses the same mechanism as a classic Skewb. The difference is the shape: where the Skewb has faces, the Diamond has vertices. This version has no magnets and is made of coloured stickerless plastic (stickerless bright) with a surface without UV coating.

How it is built

The Skewb Diamond consists of 14 moving pieces: 6 corners and 8 triangular centres. It is a deep-cut puzzle, which means every turning plane cuts the shape exactly in half. It was invented by Uwe Mèffert, and it has 138,240 possible positions. That is very few compared to a regular 3x3 cube, so solving it is within reach of anyone just starting out with unusual twisty puzzles.

If you already know the Skewb

Mathematically, this is almost the same puzzle as the Skewb, so knowing the Skewb helps a lot. Still, you need to adjust a little. On the Diamond, the triangular centres do not show orientation, but the corners do. Because of this, your Skewb algorithms will come in handy, but some cases need a different approach than on the cube.

Non-magnetic or M version?

Without magnets, the layers do not settle into place on their own. When turning fast, you need to align them more carefully, otherwise lockups happen more easily. For relaxed solving and learning, this makes little difference. If you want a clear "click" with every move and better control, choose the Sengso Skewb Diamond M version with magnets.

Who is it for?

For anyone who wants to add a Skewb Diamond to their collection at a low price, and for those who have already solved the Skewb and are looking for another challenge of similar difficulty. It also makes a good gift for a child who has already solved the 3x3 cube: the unusual shape invites them to pick it up, and the puzzle itself is not very hard. For speedsolving, the magnetic version is a better choice.

Specifications

• Type: Skewb Diamond (2x2 FTO), octahedron
• Manufacturer: ShengShou (SengSo brand)
• Size: 65.5 mm
• Dimensions: 6.3 x 6.16 x 6.1 cm
• Pieces: 6 corners, 8 triangular centres
• Magnets: none
• Finish: stickerless bright, no UV coating