The Rubik’s cube is 40!

The Rubik’s cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. He initially created a cuboid model with moving blocks to test how structures with integrated parts can move independently without falling apart. He only realised that his contraption could be used as a puzzle when he attempted to reassemble the scrambled prototype back to its original form.

The iconic 3 x 3 version was first sold in toyshops in Hungary in 1977 and licensed for world sale in 1980. In the first three years that the cube was licensed it sold 100 million copies globally.

There are said to be 43 quintillion permutations of the possible positions the cube can hold. The solution with the fewest number of moves is known as ‘God’s algorithm’.