The Simple Solution to Rubik's Cube
By James G. Nourse
The classic solution--but not the best This is the best-selling solution to Rubik's cube, and rightly so--the procedure is easy to understand, easy to execute, and easy to remember. It is what I used to learn to solve the cube in 1981 (I was 7 at the time), and I still know the solution now, even after many years without touching the cube. However, the focus of this book is so much on everything being easy that it is rather inefficient--it requires about 110 moves on average to solve the cube using this method. If you are looking for a faster or more efficient solution, look for Minh Thai's book "The Winning Solution" (1982), which solves the cube in about 70 moves, or you can look on the internet for solutions by Lars Petrus (60 moves), Philip Marshall ("The Ultimate Solution", 65 moves), or Dan Knights ("The Advanced Solution", 60 moves). If you are looking for the ultimate in speed-solving the cube, look at Jiri Fridrich's solution, which requires 55 moves and can be performed in under 18 seconds. Be warned that Jiri's solution requires a great deal of memorizing. Philip Marshall's solution requires the least amount of memorizing (only a handful of small processes), but it requires a significant amount of planning and maneuvering which is sure to put your spatial skills to the test. But it is certainly a simple and elegant solution. The choice is yours! Fond Memories of 20 Years Ago Sometime I guess in 1981 or 1982 I purchased this book at the Woolworth's in Janesville, Wisconsin having bought a Rubik's cube and having been completely engrossed in it. I was 12 or 13 at the time. The book was (at is) a straightforward explanation of how to take a mangled cube and get it back in shape. My personal record is one minute and nineteen seconds. I've managed to hold onto that cube and this book over the years. It has a very high geek nostalgia factor. The *best* Rubik's Cube solution book ever printed! An uncle of mine - a puzzle fanatic - bought this book, and we used to fight over who would use it, as we were both perplexed by our cubes. I've seen other solution books, but this one is by far the easiest to follow. I just acquired a new Rubik's Cube (they're being sold by a company called OddzOn Productions, in Campbell, CA), and am ordering this book again! Excellent work, Mr. Nourse!
