Frequently asked questions about cubes and speedcubing
Here we answer all your questions about the cube and speedcubing in the form of a short answer and sometimes a link to a longer blog post. If you can’t find an answer to your cube question, write a comment and we’ll take care of it!
Most speedcubes have a screw in the center on each side of the cube. Simply lift the center cap located over the screw, and use a screwdriver to tighten or loosen the screws to adjust the cube. Try to aim for even settings on all side to aviod one side being more loose than the others. The more you unscrew the screws, the faster and lighter they will feel. But be careful; if you unscrew them too much, the puzzle will become more prone to popping. In case of popping, the cube is not broken but you just have to put the pieces back into the cube again.
Modern speedcubes can often be adjusted in more ways than just using the screw. Sometimes, the tension of the spring can be adjusted to make the cube feel faster or slower, but without it being more or less prone to popping. The magnet strength can also be adjusted on some models. As adjustment options vary greatly between models, you should look at the product page of your desired puzzle to see what adjustment options it has.
Almost all speedcubes and puzzles we sell have springs that, together with the screw, are attached to the core of the cube. Directly from the factory, these can sometimes squeak and make noise when you turn the cube. To avoid this, you need to lubricate the core of the cube. Simply remove the center caps to make the screw and the spring visible. From here, the fastest way is to put some heavier silicone lube (i.e. Traxxas 50k) directly under the screw and on the spring. For the best result however, we recommend taking the components apart before lubing the contact points between the screw, spring, washer and plastic before putting the components back into the cube.
Almost all fast Speedcubers use magnetic cubes. For beginners, it doesn’t matter that much though. Nowadays, most speedcubes only come in magnetic options, but if a non-magnetic option is available, it will usually be cheaper. If you plan on speedsolving a lot with the cube, or even start to compete at speedcubing competitions, we definitely recommend investing in a magnetic speedcube.
Most speedcubes these days come with small magnets pre-installed inside the puzzle. In addition to that, more and more flagships are starting to come in what is commonly referred to as “MagLev” design. This means that there are two ring magnets around the screw that repel each other, instead of the spring that usually sits there. This solves the problem with spring noise (see above), which can otherwise be quite annoying on some products. In addition, it reduces the amount of maintenance needed to keep the cube performing at its peak level, and generally makes the cube a bit faster than it’s non-magnetic counterpart.
You don’t break world records with the beginner’s method. There are a few different methods to make the solution faster where CFOP is the most popular and has been used to break several world records. In addition to CFOP, Roux is another method that has started to gain popularity recently. This method solves the pieces in a different order compared to CFOP, and the method requires a lot more M-moves to finish of the last 6 edges, which is the last step of the method. But many continental records have been set with this method, and even a couple of one-handed solving world records.
Today there are loads of cubes from many different brands, shapes and sizes, all of which are good. Which one is best can vary from person to person. At the link below, we have put together a buying guide to help you find which puzzle will suit you the best.
There are no specific rules for it, but here are some guidelines:
2×2: 50 seconds.
3×3: 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
4×4: 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Buy a speedcube in our online store!
Speedcubing is basically solving the cube (or similar puzzles) for time. But it can also be competitions, experiments and other fun stuff!
The original cube was not made to be solved quickly, you had to sit and figure it out for a long time. Today’s speedcubes are made to be as fast as possible so that it can be used for competition – and the differences are big!
Speedcube lubricants, often called lubes, can be used to produce several different effects. For example, one lube can make the cube slower and another lube can make the cube faster. Feel free to check out our comparison of 20 different lubes below!
A comparison of speedcube lubes
We did a big test at Cuboss where we compared 20 different speedcube lubricants (lubes) and gave them points in different categories. Here you can get a good overview and tips if you are going to buy lube.
No! If you want to figure out how to solve it all by yourself, you need to be very smart. But do like us, learn the methods online and master the cube in just a few days, almost completely without thinking! There are endless resources available online, and the easiest way to learn is likely through YouTube.
A Stickerless cube is a variant of a cube that has no stickers. Instead, the plastic itself on each side has different colors. In other cases, the plastic is a solid color instead, usually black. Until 2015, Stickerless cubes were not allowed at speedcubing competitions. But nowadays, they are completely legal! In fact, around 90% of speedcubers compete with Stickerless cubes, and it is the most popular option by far. Using Stickerless cubes removes the need to care for your stickers on a stickered cube, as those can wear down a bit over time.
How to avoid popping
If your cube pops often your puzzle might be too loose. Every single cube we sell in our shop is adjustable, and to tighten the puzzle all you have to do is tighten a few screws. The screws you can find underneath the six caps on the center pieces. The caps are easily removed by hand. For best result, turn each screw the same amount. Often one or two full turns on each screw will do the trick.
How to avoid corner twists
If you often encounter corner twists it could mean your cube is too loose. To adjust the tension in the cube you have to remove the caps on the centerpieces on each six sides. Underneath them you will find screws. Turn the screws clockwise to tighten the puzzle. For best result, tighten each side the same amount.
My cube is not solved and I think I have a corner twist. How do I know which one to turn?
This might seem a bit odd, but it actually doesn’t matter which corner piece you turn. Only the amount of turns. As you can see in the GIF the corner piece has three positions and one of them is correct. This means that if you turn a corner piece randomly you have a 1/3 chance that the piece will be in the correct position. Now you can try to solve the cube again. If it doesn’t work, turn it one more time and now it should be solvable again. Make sure you always turn the piece the same direction. Another method is to solve the cube up until the last step – in which it should be pretty clear which rotation the piece should have. From a solved position the cube is always solvable again.
There are many different questions related to speedcubing competitions. Thus, we have made a guide that goes through everything you need to know about them. See the article below.
