CS 494 Spherical Combination Puzzle Jeremy Quick

Previous Attempts Magic Ball (Rubik’s Sphere) Impossiball Exact same as 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube Hard to grip Impossiball Icosahedron, 20 moveable pieces Pieces flex Hard to turn Breaks No known 3D printed puzzles

Goals Three directions of movement Print as a whole Size vs. Strength No assembly at all Size vs. Strength Fits in hand Doesn’t break Remove tracks Solving feels natural? No confusion on movements or design All cracks wide enough to dissolve support Tight enough for smooth movements

Base Allows for: 2 different directions 8 possible moves per turn Spherical base with 3 tracks carved at 90 degree intersections Allows for: 2 different directions 8 possible moves per turn

carved from spherical base to the puzzle pieces movement Tracks carved from spherical base to the puzzle pieces movement Requirements: Crack must be wide enough for a stable stem Trench must be wide enough to hold pieces Small enough for stable sections

I-Piece Top and bottom carved by spheres of varying radii Inside piece with stem Top and bottom carved by spheres of varying radii Inner radius equals half of the trench width minus air

V-Piece Has pattern on top Visible piece Has pattern on top Top and bottom piece is carved from spheres with different radii

Whole Piece V&I piece combined 6 default locations Cut into 3 equal squares 6 default locations 4 pieces per location 24 total pieces

Final Result Non-jumbleable No set pieces Combinations: Higher difficulty Combinations: 24! ~ 6.2*10^23

Unsolved Problems Ability to feel when a piece has snapped in place Raise radius of cracks slightly Or, small prongs Ex: Wheel of Fortune Matching pattern Stickers: Solid color patches vs. gradient colors 3D Design Raised pattern that requires matching Natural feeling?

Questions?