Z-Cube Cubic Klotski

Z-cube Cubic Klotski

Z-cube Cubic Klotski is a classic Klotski-style sliding puzzle built in the shape of a cube. When solved, it looks like an ordinary stickerless bright 3x3 cube, with a single solid colour on each face. However, you solve it in a completely different way. You don't turn the pieces in layers like on a regular 3x3 cube. Instead, you slide them along tracks, much like the tiles in the well-known 15 puzzle.

How the puzzle works

Inside the cube there is a system of rails that the side-face pieces slide along. The pieces on the top and bottom faces are fixed; only the ones on the sides can move. To move anything, you need a free space. That's what the flap in the top layer is for. Open it, tuck one side piece underneath, and you've created a gap for rearranging the others.

Your goal is to slide the pieces around until each side face is a single colour again. 3x3 algorithms won't help you here. What counts is planning your moves ahead and making sure that while you build one colour, you don't break up another.

Who is it for?

Cubic Klotski is a great choice for anyone who enjoys logic puzzles and wants something different from yet another twisty cube. Cubers can treat it as an interesting addition to their collection or a break from speedcubing. It's not a cube for setting times, so things like TPS or corner cutting don't matter here. Parents will find the rules easy to explain to kids: you slide the coloured pieces until every face is one colour. For those already familiar with sliding puzzles, it will be more of a light challenge than a really tough brain-teaser.

Specifications

• Type: Klotski sliding puzzle in the shape of a 3x3 cube
• Manufacturer: Z-cube
• Mechanism: side pieces slide along tracks, top and bottom faces are fixed
• Free space: flap in the top layer that one piece tucks under
• Size: 65.5 mm
• Product dimensions: 63 x 61.6 x 61 mm
• Colour scheme: stickerless bright