The Most Difficult Rubik's Puzzle, Ranked

Choose the Rubik's Puzzle you think is the most difficult!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on Apr 26, 2024 06:25
Imagine a chilly evening dedicated to solving puzzles, with the most challenging cubes spread out before you. Each puzzle presents a unique blend of complexity and intrigue, beckoning the sharpest minds to decipher its secrets. Such puzzles not only push the limits of human intellect but also provide a way to measure and celebrate this very aspect of mental agility. By participating in the ranking of these intricate puzzles, users contribute to a broader understanding of difficulty and enjoyment in puzzle solving. This list serves as a collective insight into which puzzles have tested the wits of enthusiasts the most. Voting on these items not only influences their ranking but also helps fellow enthusiasts decide which puzzles to challenge themselves with next.

What Is the Most Difficult Rubik's Puzzle?

  1. 1
    57
    votes

    Rubik's Cube 4x4x4

    Vojtech Kopský
    This puzzle has 16 pieces per side, making it significantly more challenging than the original Rubik's Cube.
    The Rubik's Cube 4x4x4, also known as the Rubik's Revenge, is a variant of the original Rubik's Cube. It is a 4-layered puzzle cube with twice as many pieces as the standard 3x3x3 cube.
    • Dimensions: Approximately 6.3 cm on each side
    • Number of Pieces: 64
    • Number of Cubies: 32
    • Difficulty Level: Moderately difficult
    • Number of Possible Positions: over 7.4 x 10^45
  2. 2
    28
    votes

    Rubik's Cube 5x5x5

    Péter Sebestény
    With 25 pieces per side, this puzzle is even more complex than the 4x4x4.
    The Rubik's Cube 5x5x5, also known as the Rubik's Revenge, is a 3D mechanical puzzle invented by Péter Sebestény. It is the scaled-up version of the original Rubik's Cube, featuring five layers on each side instead of three.
    • Size: 5x5x5
    • Number of Cubes: 98
    • Number of Stickers: 360
    • Possible Combinations: 43,252,003,274,489,856,000
    • Total Number of States: 282,870,942,277,741,856,536,180,333,107,150,328,293,127,731,985,672,134,721,536,000,000,000,000,000
  3. 3
    21
    votes

    Rubik's Cube 6x6x6

    Panagiotis Verdes
    The V-Cube 6 has 36 pieces per side, making it significantly more challenging than the previous cubes.
    The Rubik's Cube 6x6x6, also known as the V-Cube 6, is a mechanical puzzle and variation of the classic Rubik's Cube. It is a larger version of the original 3x3x3 cube, with six layers per side instead of three.
    • Size: 6x6x6
    • Number of Cubies: 256
    • Articulation: Fully functional and solvable
    • Dimensions: 7.2 cm x 7.2 cm x 7.2 cm
    • Weight: Approximately 266 grams
  4. 4
    23
    votes

    Rubik's Cube 7x7x7

    Panagiotis Verdes
    The V-Cube 7 has 49 pieces per side, making it the largest and most complex Rubik's Cube currently available.
    The Rubik's Cube 7x7x7, also known as the V-Cube 7, is a mechanical puzzle and an advanced variation of the original Rubik's Cube. It features seven layers on each side, resulting in a total of 343 smaller individual cubies that can be independently rotated. The ultimate goal is to solve the puzzle by aligning all the colors on each side of the cube, restoring it to its original state.
    • Size: 7x7x7
    • Total Cubies: 343
    • Number of Layers: 7
    • Number of Possible Permutations: approximately 160 undecillion (1.6 x 10^74)
    • Total Possible Positions: approximately 19 quintillion (1.9 x 10^19)
  5. 5
    22
    votes

    Rubik's Mirror Cube

    Hidetoshi Takeji
    This cube has the same number of pieces as the original Rubik's Cube, but the mirrored design makes it much harder to solve.
    The Rubik's Mirror Cube, also known as the Mirror Blocks or Mirror Cube, is a variant of the Rubik's Cube puzzle. It features an unconventional shape and challenging solve as all the faces of the cube are the same color when solved, making it difficult to determine the orientation of the pieces. The Mirror Cube has gained popularity for its unique design and the visual illusion it creates.
    • Size: 3x3x3
    • Material: Plastic
    • Weight: Approximately 97 grams
    • Colors: Silver or gold reflective stickers on black plastic
    • Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
  6. 6
    7
    votes

    Rubik's Tower

    Ernő Rubik
    This puzzle has two layers of cubes that can be rotated independently, making it more challenging than a traditional cube.
    The Rubik's Tower, also known as the 2x2x4 Rubik's Cube or Rubik's Domino Tower, is a twisty puzzle that combines elements of the classic Rubik's Cube and Rubik's Domino. It was first created in the 1980s.
    • Size: 2x2x4
    • Difficulty Level: Intermediate
    • Number of Possible Combinations: 7,401,196,841,564
    • Number of Moves Required to Solve: Around 150
    • Weight: Approximately 130 grams
  7. 7
    12
    votes

    Rubik's Magic

    Ernő Rubik
    This puzzle consists of eight interconnected cubes that can be twisted and folded in various ways to create different shapes.
    Rubik's Magic is a complexity puzzle consisting of eight rectangular panels connected by flexible hinges, allowing for smooth folding and twisting movements. The goal of the puzzle is to arrange the panels in a specific pattern or image by strategically folding and rotating them. It requires critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and fine motor skills.
    • Number of panels: 8
    • Dimensions: 12.5cm x 7.5cm per panel
    • Number of possible patterns: Approximately 1.95 sextillion
    • Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
    • Weight: Around 150 grams
  8. 8
    9
    votes

    Rubik's Clock

    Ernő Rubik
    This puzzle involves rotating four dials to set the time to a specific position.
    Rubik's Clock is a mechanical puzzle invented by a Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik, who is also known for creating the Rubik's Cube. It was first manufactured and released in 1983. The puzzle consists of four dials on each face, and the goal is to set all the dials to the 12 o'clock position simultaneously.
    • Number of Faces: 2
    • Number of Dials per Face: 4
    • Number of Rotations per Dial: 12
    • Dimensions: 135mm x 135mm x 50mm
    • Difficulty Level: Very Hard
  9. 9
    6
    votes

    Rubik's Snake

    Ernő Rubik
    This puzzle consists of 24 connected triangular prisms that can be twisted and folded into different shapes.
    Rubik's Snake, also known as Rubik's Twist or Rubik's Transformable Snake, is a three-dimensional mechanical puzzle invented by Ernő Rubik, the creator of the original Rubik's Cube. It consists of a chain of twenty-seven connected right-triangular prisms, with hinges that allow the prisms to rotate and transform into various shapes and positions. The goal of the puzzle is to twist and manipulate the prisms to form specific shapes or patterns.
    • Number of pieces: 27
    • Shape: Right-triangular prisms
    • Hinges: Yes
    • Dimensions: Approximately 24 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.2 cm
    • Colors: Usually six colors, but can vary
  10. 10
    5
    votes
    This cube has five layers per side, making it significantly more complex than the original Rubik's Cube.
    The Rubik's Professor Cube, also known as the 5x5x5 Rubik's Cube, is a difficult twisty puzzle that is an expansion on the original 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube. It features 5 layers on each side, with a total of 98 individual movable pieces. The puzzle was created by Udo Krell, a German puzzle designer and inventor.
    • Size: 5 layers on each side
    • Total movable pieces: 98
    • Number of colors: 6
    • Difficulty level: Advanced
    • Solving methods: 3x3x3 reduction or more advanced methods

Missing your favorite Rubik's Puzzle?

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Ranking factors for difficult Rubik's Puzzle

  1. Number of pieces
    The more pieces or elements a Rubik's puzzle has, the greater the number of potential combinations, making it more difficult to solve.
  2. Complexity of the puzzle's structure
    A puzzle with a more intricate structure may have more complex algorithms and require more advanced solving techniques.
  3. Number of colors or patterns
    A higher number of colors or patterns on a puzzle will make it more challenging, as the solver must take into account various relationships between colors or patterns while trying to solve it.
  4. Type of movements (rotational, sliding, etc.)
    Different types of movements on a puzzle can increase its difficulty, as the solver must adapt their strategies to account for these unique manipulation requirements.
  5. Parity issues
    Some puzzles have parity situations where an odd number of piece swaps are required. These situations can make a puzzle more difficult as the solver must recognize it and apply an appropriate solution.
  6. Size
    Larger puzzles may have more layers, making them more challenging to solve. However, smaller puzzles can also be more difficult to manipulate, requiring greater precision and dexterity.
  7. Degree of freedom
    Puzzles with more degrees of freedom allow for a wider range of possible moves, increasing the overall difficulty.
  8. Uniqueness of the solution
    If a puzzle has only one unique solution, it may be considered more challenging, as the solver cannot rely on alternative combinations.
  9. Learning curve
    Some puzzles may have a steeper learning curve, meaning that acquiring the necessary skills and techniques to solve them takes longer and requires more practice.
  10. Available resources
    The availability of online tutorials, guides, and solvers can make a puzzle easier to solve. On the other hand, more obscure puzzles may have fewer resources available, making them more difficult.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most difficult Rubik's Puzzle. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Rubik's Puzzle is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 1826 views
  • 189 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Rubik's Puzzle once every 24 hours. The rank of each Rubik's Puzzle is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most difficult rubik's puzzle

The Rubik's Cube is a classic puzzle toy loved by generations. But did you know that there are many other Rubik's puzzles out there that are even more challenging? From the 2x2x2 Pocket Cube to the 17x17x17 Professor's Cube, there is no shortage of mind-bending Rubik's puzzles to test your skills. In this article, we'll explore some of the most difficult Rubik's puzzles and the strategies you can use to solve them. Whether you're a seasoned puzzle solver or a newcomer to the world of Rubik's, get ready to be challenged like never before!

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