13×13 Speed Cube is one of the most popular twisty puzzles in the world. It is very similar to the classic Rubik’s cube and has become a massive hit for many years.
It is made from non-toxic ABS engineering environmental plastics. This means it’s safe to be used by children and adults.
Size
The 13×13 is the largest cube currently in production. It has more than a thousand pieces which move by three inner spheres, giving it a smooth rotation and incredibly reliable design. Speedcubers believe that the first person to solve it will gain unprecedented power and be able to turn metal into gold.
Each of the six center pieces pivots on a screw that’s held by a central hub or “3D cross”. A spring between each screw head and piece tensions the piece inward to make the Cube compact and easily manipulable. The screws can be loosened or tightened to adjust the feel of the cube.
Each of the sides of the cube is notated with a letter, or, if an asterisk (L*) or two layers are in parentheses (2L), with a number to indicate how many turns should be made. Extended notation is also used for cubes with multiple middle layers. The most common solution, developed by Jessica Fridrich, requires learning approximately 120 algorithms and allows the cube to be solved in 55 moves on average.
Weight
This cube is a bit on the heavier side, but it is expected from a cube of this size. However, the weight is offset by the impressive internals.
Upon receiving the cube, you will be provided with all the tools necessary to change its settings. This includes screws, springs, and a magnetic strength adjustment system. You can adjust these according to your personal preference, but it is best to keep the screw loose enough to make it easy to turn, and the spring or MagLev around a middle setting. You should also add lubes.
This will vary depending on your cube, but it is generally recommended to use a light lube for the pieces, and a thicker lube for the tracks. You should also clean the internals of the cube before you start solving it. For this, you will need an old toothbrush, a towel (or tissue), and some water. This is to ensure that the pieces do not stick, and it is highly advised to do so before attempting to solve your cube.
Material
There are about 519 quintillion[53] possible arrangements of the pieces that make up a cube. However, only one in twelve of these is solvable. This means that the average solve time increases quadratically with each larger order. The large sizes also increase the risk of mechanical failure, such as “popping”, where a part becomes dislodged from the cube.
A cube’s faces are labelled with letters (f b u d l r) to identify their positions. A prime symbol (‘ ‘) indicates an anticlockwise face turn; a double-prime symbol (2 ‘) indicates two turns, or a 180-degree turn. If a letter is followed by a number, it indicates how many layers the cube should be turned.
Magnetic cubes have become popular in the world of speedcubing, and some top cubers prefer to use them over traditional ones. Magnetic cubes are made with high-quality ABS powder and have a more balanced feel than traditional ones. They also feature a layer-centered mechanism that improves the rotation and feels of the puzzle.
Difficulty
There are 519 quintillion possible arrangements of the six central and twelve edge pieces (plus eight corner pieces). However, only 12 of these sets can be reached without dismantling the cube. These are called “universes”.
To solve a cube, you need to know a set of algorithms. These are mathematical operations that convert a scrambled cube into its solved state.
There are many different algorithms, but the most commonly used is CFOP (cross, F2L, OLL, PLL). The cross step moves the centres to their correct positions and the F2L step moves the edges to their proper locations. OLL and PLL are the last steps, which orient the edge pieces and permute the remaining centre and corner pieces.
There are also more advanced algorithms that speedcubers may use, such as COLL, Winter Variation, VLS, ZBLL, and others. However, most cubers find that CFOP is the easiest to learn and use. This is because it relies on fewer calculations than other methods.