RUBIK'S MAGIC:  >>> UPDATE  <<<

ADMINISTRIVIA
1.  In the NYC area the puzzle is available from Macy's for $10.  In your area
it may available from "TOYS R US".
2.  Matchbox Toys         "is the manufacturer"
     141 West Commercial Ave
     Moonachie, NJ 07074
     212/696-5400
3.  HOTLINE:  sat & sun from 9am to 5pm until April 26, 1987.  1800-843-1202, NJ
RES 1800-843-1203
4.  Repairs from matchbox $3

PUZZLE NOTES:
1. It took about 4 days for my crack puzzle team to solve Rubik's Magic.
2. The mechanism (similar to a 2-directional Jacobs ladder) is durable and the
puzzle is fun to manipulate. There are many 3-dimensional shapes/configurations
that the squares can be arranged as.
3. It is necessary to establish a notation scheme and establish moves to do the
puzzle systematically. The puzzle is similar in difficulty to the Skewb or
Pyramid. I would say about 10 - 15 moves.
4. Observations:
a. The puzzle has a front and back.
b. Each piece always has a hinge with two (2) other pieces. This causes the
pieces when rotated to rotate as if they were gears, ie, adjacent pieces rotate
in opposite directions.
c. The 2x4 layout can go either up and down or left and right.
d. It is possible to turn the open/loop layout inside out, ie, the
non-intersecting rings can be either on the inside or outside. This is the same
as changing how the hinge works on the 2x4 layout. This also exchanges the top
and bottom of the 2x4 layout.
e. For three intersecting rings (the object of the puzzle) the 8 squares have
to be arranged as a 2x3x3 and not as a 2x4.

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