YJ Colorful Stars

YJ Colorful Stars

YJ Colorful Stars is a cylindrical barrel puzzle built on the same principle as a 3x3 cube. A regular 3x3 cube has four sides, but this one has five. That's why, once solved, the top and bottom faces don't show a cross but a five-pointed star. Each star is made of 10 pieces, and when solved, the side faces form vertical stripes of a single colour. The puzzle is made by YJ (YongJun), the model was released in 2020, and it is available in a stickerless bright version.

How to solve YJ Colorful Stars

The puzzle doesn't change shape when you turn it and stays a cylinder the whole time. The challenge comes from its pentagonal layout, not from a shape-shifting form. Solving it is based on the same principles as the 3x3 cube and the Megaminx. If you can solve those two puzzles, you'll manage without learning a completely new method. Some people solve it without a tutorial, combining techniques they know from other puzzles.

Turning and tension adjustment

For a puzzle in this price range, it turns smoothly. You do need to align the layers fairly precisely, though, because lockups can happen if they're not lined up properly. This is not a speedcube, so don't expect corner cutting on the level of 3x3 speed cubes. The centres of the side faces are held in place with screws, so you can adjust the tension. If one side feels noticeably looser than the other straight out of the box, evening out the tension on the screws is usually enough.

Who is it for?

For puzzle collectors and for anyone who can already solve a 3x3 cube and wants to try something different from yet another cube. It also makes a great gift for a child who has mastered the basic cube. YJ Colorful Stars is not a WCA event, so it isn't used at official competitions.

Specifications

Size: approx. 63 x 63 x 63 mm
Weight: approx. 98 g
Finish: stickerless bright
Adjustment: tension screws
Manufacturer code: YJ8398

In the box:

1. puzzle