VeryPuzzle Rhombic Triacontahedron V1.0

VeryPuzzle Rhombic Triacontahedron V1.0

VeryPuzzle Rhombic Triacontahedron V1.0, or RT V1.0 for short, is a puzzle shaped like a rhombic triacontahedron: a solid made of 30 identical rhombus-shaped faces. It is not a speedcube. It is a puzzle for people who enjoy exploring new mechanisms. The manufacturer describes it as a basic example of the so-called RT axis system. In this system, every rotation axis passes through the centre of one of the rhombic faces. This is the V1.0 version in black.

How this axis system works

The rhombic triacontahedron has the same symmetry as the dodecahedron, so RT V1.0 is closely related to the Megaminx and other dodecahedron-based puzzles. However, the RT axis system does not turn the faces of a dodecahedron. The same axes are used by the edge turning dodecahedron, a dodecahedron that turns around its edges. VeryPuzzle created this model mainly to explore this axis system. You can see it in the design: instead of extra complications, you get the basic version of the mechanism.

Each face is a rhombus, so the rotation axis passing through its centre has two-fold symmetry. In practice, a standard move is a 180-degree turn. If you know the Megaminx or puzzles from the Skewb family, you will need to work out a new approach here. The algorithms typical for those puzzles have to be adapted to a different move geometry.

RT V1.0 vs. the F1 version

VeryPuzzle also makes the Rhombic Triacontahedron V1.0 F1, a fragmentation version. It has a different piece division and is more complex. This product is the basic RT V1.0. It is the easiest way to get to know the axis system itself before you take on the harder variants.

Who is it for?

For puzzle collectors and people who have already solved the Megaminx, Pyraminx or Skewb and are looking for a mechanism that works completely differently. We do not recommend it as a first puzzle or as a gift for a child who is just starting to solve cubes. A regular 3x3 cube is a better choice to begin with.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: VeryPuzzle
• Model: Rhombic Triacontahedron V1.0 (RT V1.0)
• Shape: rhombic triacontahedron (30 faces)
• Axis system: RT, i.e. axes through the face centres (the same axes as the edge turning dodecahedron)
• Size: 74.5 mm
• Colour: Black