YJ Rainbow Ball

YJ Rainbow Ball

YJ Rainbow Ball is a sphere-shaped puzzle. It has 12 holes and 11 coloured balls, so one spot is always empty. You scramble the balls, then put each one back into the ring of the matching colour. The logic is like a classic number sliding puzzle, only in three dimensions. YJ released the puzzle in 2017, and we list it in our unusual puzzles category, alongside cubes and other twisty puzzles.

How to solve it

You move the balls between the holes, and the empty position works as a buffer. Without it, no move would be possible. At first, most people solve it by trial and error. Over time you learn to plan a few moves ahead so you can put a ball in place without breaking up the ones that are already right. The last two or three balls are the hardest, because there is little room left to manoeuvre.

The puzzle has no magnets and no adjustment of any kind. TPS and turning feel don't matter here. What counts is spatial thinking and patience. The ball is small and light, so you can easily take it with you and solve it while travelling or on a break.

Who is it for?

The Rainbow Ball makes a great gift for a child or for someone who isn't into cube algorithms but enjoys logic puzzles. Cubers can use it as a break from 3x3 or as an addition to a collection of unusual puzzles. It is an easier puzzle than the Megaminx or big cubes with many layers. If you have experience with sliding puzzles, you will probably figure it out quickly. For beginners, it is good practice in planning moves.

Colour variants

We offer the puzzle in three versions: Mixed color, White and Luminous. The mechanism and rules are the same in all of them; they differ only in appearance.

Specifications

• Type: spherical puzzle (rainbow ball)
• Manufacturer: YJ
• Number of holes: 12
• Number of balls: 11
• Diameter: approx. 73 mm
• Weight: approx. 97 g
• Magnets: none
• Release year: 2017
• In the box: puzzle