Z-Cube Fangcun Rapid mixup gear cube

Z-cube Fangcun Rapid Mixup Gear Cube

Fangcun Rapid Mixup Gear Cube is a gear-type puzzle. On the outside it looks like a 3x3 cube, but it has gears, so turning one face also moves other pieces. The design is based on the Geared Mixup, a puzzle designed by Oskar van Deventer, the same designer behind the classic Gear Cube. This version made by Fangcun is much cheaper than the original, and our shop offers it with a white body (White).

How it differs from a regular Gear Cube

In the classic Gear Cube, the mechanism only lets you turn the faces by half turns, so the cube never changes shape and is usually solved with simple move sequences. The Rapid Mixup combines gears with a mixup mechanism. Here you can turn the faces by 90 degrees, and pieces that have fixed places on a regular cube can swap positions. As a result, the cube scrambles quickly and is much harder to solve than a standard gear cube. At the end you also have to set the gears to the correct position, otherwise the puzzle won't return to its solved state.

How it turns

According to customer reviews, the cube turns well straight out of the box. With so many pieces working at the same time, the turning is fairly crunchy. This feel is typical of geared puzzles and is not a defect. Careless or very fast moves can cause lockups. Turning more calmly and aligning the layers precisely helps. This is a puzzle for experimenting and collecting, not for setting fast times.

Who is it for?

This cube is best for someone who already knows the regular 3x3 cube and the basic Gear Cube and wants something noticeably harder. It will also delight collectors of unusual puzzles. As a first gear puzzle for a child, the classic Gear Cube is a better choice, because the Mixup can be discouraging before you figure out how it works.

Specifications

• Type: gear puzzle, Geared Mixup variant (gears + mixup mechanism)
• Manufacturer: Fangcun / Z-cube
• Original design: Oskar van Deventer
• Body colour: White