WitEden Octahedron Mixup 30 II 30-Degree cube

WitEden Octahedron Mixup 30 II

WitEden Octahedron Mixup 30 II is a shape-shifting puzzle from the Mixup series by the Chinese manufacturer WitEden. At first glance, it is hard to believe this octahedron can be scrambled at all. Once you notice that the layers can turn by more than the standard 90 degrees, the puzzle starts to behave in a completely different way. This model comes with a black body.

How a Mixup with 30° turns works

In the classic Mixup 3x3, the middle layer can stop at a different angle than usual. Edges and centers then start swapping places, and the puzzle no longer works like a regular 3x3 cube. WitEden's octahedral Mixups bring this idea to a shape made of two pyramids joined at their bases. The "30" version adds 30-degree turns, giving the layers even more angles to settle at. This means more possible moves than in a regular Mixup, and once scrambled, the shape can end up very far from the original octahedron.

Because of its shape and the angles at which the layers turn, this is not a puzzle for speedsolving. What matters here is understanding the mechanism and finding your way through the changing geometry. Having solved a Mixup 3x3 or other shape mods before helps a lot.

Which Octahedral Mixup version?

WitEden makes several octahedral Mixups, labelled I, I Plus, II, III and IV. They differ in how the shape is divided and how the layers mix. The 30-degree turn is a separate series: Octahedron Mixup 30 I and 30 II. This model is the 30 II. Don't confuse it with the regular Octahedral Mixup II, which has no 30-degree turn.

Who is it for?

For those who have already mastered classic cubes and want to try something less predictable, as well as for collectors of shape-shifting puzzles and fans of the Mixup series. For your first puzzle, it's better to choose a regular 3x3 cube or a basic Mixup 3x3. Only then is it worth reaching for this model.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: WitEden
• Type: shape-shifting puzzle, octahedral Mixup with 30° turns
• Body color: black
• Weight: approx. 178 g