Rubik's Cube
3D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Ernő Rubik.
The Rubik's Cube is a 3D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Pentangle Puzzles in the UK in 1978, and then by Ideal Toy Corp in 1980 via businessman Tibor Laczi and Seven Towns founder Tom Kremer. The cube was released internationally in 1980 and became one of the most recognised icons in popular culture. It won the 1980 German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle. By the time of its induction into the US National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014, around 500 million cubes had been sold worldwide, making it the world's bestselling puzzle game and toy. On the original classic cube, each of the six faces was covered by nine stickers in six solid colours: white, red, blue, orange, green and yellow. Later versions have used coloured plastic panels instead. Since 1988, the colour arrangement has been standardised, with white opposite yellow, blue opposite green, orange opposite red, and with red, white and blue arranged clockwise in that order. An internal pivot mechanism enables each layer to turn independently, mixing up the colours; to solve the puzzle, each face must be returned to a single colour. The cube inspired many similar puzzles with various numbers of sides and mechanisms. Although its mainstream popularity peaked in the 1980s, it remains widely known and used. Many speedcubers compete for fastest times in various categories, and since 2003 the World Cube Association has organised competitions and recognised world records. The puzzle’s history includes earlier precursors, such as Larry D. Nichols’ 1970 2x2x2 magnet-based cube and Frank Fox’s 1970 spherical sliding puzzle. Rubik’s own invention was driven by a structural problem: allowing many small parts to move independently while remaining part of a single coherent system. He did not initially realise he had created a puzzle until he scrambled it and spent about a month restoring it. He applied for a Hungarian patent in 1975, and the first test batches were released in Budapest in late 1977. After being noticed at the 1979 Nuremberg Toy Fair, the puzzle was renamed after its inventor and launched internationally in 1980.
- inventor
- Ernő Rubik
- year_invented
- 1974
- field
- Puzzle design, architecture
- nationality
- Hungarian
- known_for
- Inventing the Rubik's Cube
- original_name
- Magic Cube
- total_sales
- over 350 million
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Ernő Rubik was a professor of design at the Academy of Applied Arts and Design in Budapest when he pursued his hobby of building geometric models. One of these was a prototype of his cube, made of 27 wooden blocks; it took Rubik a month to solve the cube after scrambling it. He applied for a patent on the puzzle in 1975. The cube proved a useful tool for teaching algebraic group theory, and in late 1977, Konsumex, Hungary's state trading company, began marketing it. Rubik originally used wood for the block because of the convenience of a workshop at the university and because he viewed wood as a simple material to work with. He made the original prototypes by hand, cutting the wood, boring the holes and using elastic bands to hold the contraption together. Rubik showed his prototype to his class and his students liked it very much. He realized that because of the cube's simple structure, it could be manufactured relatively easily and might have appeal to a larger audience. Rubik then set out to find a manufacturer in Hungary, but had great difficulty due to the rigid planned economy of communist Hungary at the time. Eventually, Rubik was able to find a small company that worked with plastic and made chess pieces. The process from early prototype to mass production of the Cube had taken over six years.
Reader's Guide
The Rubik's Cube reached the height of its mainstream popularity in the 1980s. By 1980, Rubik's Cube was marketed throughout the world, and over 100 million authorized units were sold, mostly during its subsequent three years of popularity. Approximately 50 books were published describing how to solve the puzzle of Rubik's Cube. The cube's internal pivot mechanism enables each layer to turn independently. For the puzzle to be solved, each face must be returned to having only one colour. The cube has inspired similar puzzles with various numbers of sides, dimensions, and mechanisms. Following his cube's popularity, Rubik opened a studio to develop designs in 1984; among its products was another popular puzzle toy, Rubik's Magic. Rubik is also the inventor of Rubik's Snake and Rubik's 360 along with several others. Recently, Rubik has been involved with several organizations that promote science and math learning to children, such as the Rubik Learning Initiative and the Judit Polgar Foundation.
Did You Know?
- Ernő Rubik's original prototype was made of 27 wooden blocks, and it took him a month to solve the cube after scrambling it.
- The cube was originally known in Hungary as the Magic Cube before Ideal Toys rebranded it as the Rubik's Cube in 1980.
- Over 100 million authorized units were sold by 1980, mostly during its subsequent three years of popularity.
- Approximately 50 books were published describing how to solve the puzzle of Rubik's Cube.
- Rubik's father, also named Ernő Rubik, was a flight engineer and a highly respected engineer of gliders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the Rubik's Cube?
Hungarian architect and sculptor Ernő Rubik created the puzzle in 1974 while serving as a professor of architecture. The cube began as a personal project before evolving into a worldwide phenomenon.
What was the Rubik's Cube originally called?
The puzzle first went to market under the name Magic Cube, receiving its UK licensing in 1978. It was only after the 1980 international rollout that the name Rubik's Cube became the standard.
How many Rubik's Cubes have been sold in total?
Roughly 500 million units had been sold worldwide as of January 2024. That figure makes it the best-selling puzzle and toy of all time.
When did the Rubik's Cube first become available to the public?
The cube was licensed for UK sale in 1978 and then distributed internationally starting in 1980. That 1980 launch is widely credited with turning it into a global cultural icon.
What major award did the Rubik's Cube receive?
In 1980 it was given the German Game of the Year special award in the Best Puzzle category. That recognition helped solidify its reputation as a landmark achievement in puzzle design.
More in Games And Recreation 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record