This is a very difficult puzzle. It looks a bit like the planet Saturn, a ball with a ring around it. The ring consists of 13 numbered pieces, which are white on one side and yellow on the other. This ring can be rotated around the ball. There are two round caps which lie on opposite sides of the ball and which are bisected by the ring of pieces. One cap is 4 pieces wide, the other only 3. These two caps can rotate, which reorders the pieces of the ring. The caps are not independent, they can only rotate simultaneously. The aim is of course to restore the pieces to numerical order with a single colour on each side.
The US patent was filed on 4 February 1997 by Andreas Unsicker, and finally granted on 21 Dec 1999, US 6,003,868.
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This leaves 12!·212 = 1,961,990,553,600 or 1.9·1012 positions.
Phase 1: Make all pieces the same colour.
Phase 2: Parity step
If the pieces are now in an odd permutation, then you will have to flip
all the pieces. It is not easy to see whether it is an odd permutation, so
you could just try to solve it as in the following phase, and if you are
left with just two pieces that need to be swapped then you will have to come
back to this phase. Alternatively you could cheat by marking the sides of the
ball with the colour of the pieces before getting the puzzle mixed up.
If in an odd permutation then do /6/4/1/1/-2 to flip all the pieces. This
sequence preserves the order of the 3 pieces on the small cap. If the piece
order does not matter at all, then you can do /5/5/ instead.
Phase 3: Ordering the pieces.
The sequence 1/-1/6/-6/-6/-6/-1 cycles only pieces in positions A, B and C
around: The piece in pole position moves to position B, the piece in
position B moves to position C, and the piece in position C moves into
pole position.
Theoretically you can simply use only this single sequence to solve the ball, but you may want to speed things up by looking up sequences in the table below. To solve the ball with this table, do the following steps:
Pieces unmoved | Moves ?->A | Moves ?->B | Sequence |
---|---|---|---|
8 | B | A | 5/6/6/1/6/6/-4 |
1 | B | C | 2/-4/3/-4/ |
10 | B | C | 1/6/6/6/-6/1/-1 |
9 | B | D | /5/-6/-6/6/1/ |
8 | B | E | -4/2/-6/6/6/5/4 |
7 | B | F | -5/2/-4/-4/-4/-6/5 |
6 | B | G | -5/6/6/3/-4/-4/-5 |
5 | B | H | -2/4/-3/4/-1 |
4 | B | I | -2/-3/-6/-2/-3/-5/-1 |
3 | B | J | /2/-1/-6/1/4/ |
2 | B | K | 6/1/6/1/-6/-2/-6 |
1 | B | L | -1/1/2/-4/-1/5/4 |
10 | C | A | 1/-1/6/-6/-6/-6/-1 |
9 | C | B | -6/-1/6/6/-6/-5/6 |
1 | C | D | -5/-1/-3/-1/6 |
1 | C | E | 1/-2/-4/3/-1/-5/-1 |
1 | C | F | 2/-1/-1/2/-1/-1/-2 |
5 | C | G | -6/-4/-4/-3/-4/1/6 |
4 | C | H | 4/1/3/1/6 |
4 | C | I | 4/-2/6/-4/-4/-6/6 |
1 | C | J | -5/2/1/-3/-2/-1/ |
2 | C | K | 6/-2/1/1/-4/-1/-3 |
1 | C | L | -1/-2/1/-2/1/4/1 |
9 | D | A | /-1/-6/6/6/-5/ |
9 | D | B | -6/5/6/-6/-6/1/6 |
8 | D | B | /5/6/6/-6/2/ |
2 | D | C | -3/4/1/-2/4/2/ |
1 | D | E | 1/5/-3/5/-1 |
1 | D | F | /-6/-6/-2/4/5/-1 |
5 | D | G | /2/-1/3/-1/-5/ |
3 | D | H | -3/5/-3/5/ |
4 | D | H | 3/1/4/6/-4/5/-3 |
2 | D | I | 3/1/1/-6/2/-5/-6 |
3 | D | J | -3/5/6/-4/-4/1/ |
1 | D | K | -2/-5/2/-3/2/2/6 |
1 | D | L | 1/-5/2/-3/-1/-2/-1 |
8 | E | A | -4/-5/-6/-6/6/-2/4 |
8 | E | B | /-2/6/-6/-6/-5/ |
4 | E | C | -4/-5/-2/6/2/-2/4 |
2 | E | D | 3/1/4/-1/-1/2/-6 |
1 | E | F | -6/1/3/1/5 |
5 | E | G | 6/-5/-1/3/-1/2/-6 |
2 | E | H | 3/-1/-3/-1/-6 |
4 | E | H | -4/-2/-1/4/-1/-2/4 |
3 | E | I | /-2/-4/-4/-1/2/3 |
1 | E | J | 2/-1/-2/-2/1/1/6 |
2 | E | K | -4/4/-4/2/-4/-2/4 |
1 | E | L | /-3/3/-1/-6/-2/5 |
1 | F | A | /4/-3/4/-2 |
7 | F | A | -5/6/4/4/4/-2/5 |
7 | F | B | /-2/4/4/4/6/ |
3 | F | C | 2/-4/-4/-2/6/-2/ |
3 | F | D | /-1/6/5/4/4/-2 |
1 | F | E | /4/-3/3/-3/-1/-5 |
5 | F | G | -1/1/-1/3/-1/-4/1 |
1 | F | H | -4/-4/3/-4/1 |
4 | F | H | 2/2/4/6/-4/4/-2 |
3 | F | I | -6/2/-1/-4/-4/-2/-4 |
3 | F | J | /2/-6/2/4/4/-2 |
1 | F | K | 1/-2/4/2/4/4/3 |
1 | F | L | -2/-2/1/-2/4/-4/2 |
6 | G | A | 5/4/4/-3/-6/-6/5 |
5 | G | B | 5/4/-3/4/5 |
6 | G | B | -3/-5/-3/3/-3/-5/3 |
2 | G | C | 5/-3/3/5/-6/5/4 |
3 | G | D | -2/-2/-2/3/1/-5/-1 |
4 | G | E | -4/5/5/-2/-5/-5/-1 |
2 | G | F | -1/1/1/-3/1/2/-5 |
4 | G | H | -2/1/3/1/-1 |
5 | G | H | /5/1/-3/1/-2/ |
4 | G | I | -2/-2/4/-6/6/4/-1 |
3 | G | J | -3/-2/-1/3/2/1/ |
2 | G | K | 6/5/-2/3/-2/-2/-6 |
1 | G | L | /-3/-6/1/6/2/-5 |
5 | H | A | 1/-4/3/-4/2 |
5 | H | B | -5/-4/3/-4/-5 |
5 | H | C | 1/-1/6/-6/4/6/2 |
5 | H | D | /5/4/6/-4/1/ |
5 | H | E | 6/-2/4/6/-4/-5/-6 |
5 | H | F | -5/2/-4/-4/6/6/-5 |
4 | H | G | 4/4/6/-6/4/-2/6 |
4 | H | I | 1/2/3/2/2 |
1 | H | I | -1/4/-3/4/4 |
3 | H | J | /5/1/4/1/4/ |
2 | H | K | -6/-1/-1/-4/2/-5/-4 |
1 | H | L | /-5/-5/-2/5/5/1 |
4 | I | A | /-6/-6/-5/-4/2/2 |
4 | I | B | /-6/-6/2/-4/-4/2 |
4 | I | C | -6/6/3/-6/-6/-1/-4 |
4 | I | D | 3/-2/-1/3/-1/-1/-3 |
4 | I | E | -4/5/-1/3/-1/5/4 |
4 | I | F | 2/-1/-1/3/-1/-2/-2 |
4 | I | G | -2/-2/-6/-1/3/-3/-1 |
4 | I | H | /-6/-6/5/4/-1/2 |
3 | I | J | /-1/1/-3/1/4/ |
2 | I | K | 6/1/-4/2/6/-1/-3 |
1 | I | L | 1/-2/-2/-4/1/2/1 |
3 | J | A | /-4/-1/6/1/-2/ |
3 | J | B | /2/4/4/4/2/ |
3 | J | C | -3/-6/-6/4/4/-2/ |
1 | J | D | /2/2/-3/-1/5/1 |
1 | J | E | 1/1/-3/-1/3/-2/-4 |
1 | J | F | 1/2/2/4/2/2/-6 |
3 | J | G | /-4/-1/6/4/2/3 |
3 | J | H | /-4/-4/-6/4/-2/ |
3 | J | I | /-1/3/-6/-6/5/3 |
1 | J | K | /2/2/-3/2/-5/4 |
1 | J | L | 4/-1/-2/4/1/-5/-4 |
2 | K | A | /1/-6/5/-6/-6/ |
2 | K | B | /-5/1/4/1/1/ |
2 | K | C | -4/1/1/4/-2/5/1 |
2 | K | D | -3/5/4/-2/-6/-6/ |
1 | K | E | 1/-2/-1/-3/2/-5/-1 |
2 | K | F | -4/-4/-1/6/1/-2/5 |
2 | K | G | 3/-5/4/3/4/-5/-3 |
2 | K | H | /-2/3/-5/3/-3/ |
2 | K | I | /-5/-5/-6/-5/-5/-3 |
1 | K | J | 1/-2/-1/1/-2/-1/-6 |
1 | K | L | /-5/-1/1/1/4/3 |
1 | L | A | /1/2/-4/2/-5/2 |
1 | L | B | /1/1/-2/1/1/ |
1 | L | C | 2/-4/-1/2/-4/-2/ |
1 | L | D | 2/-2/-2/-1/2/1/-6 |
1 | L | E | -2/-2/1/-2/1/4/-1 |
1 | L | F | /1/2/3/-1/-2/5 |
1 | L | G | 1/2/1/-1/2/1/4 |
1 | L | H | /1/-4/2/-4/1/2 |
1 | L | I | /1/1/1/2/2/3 |
1 | L | J | 2/-2/-1/1/-2/-1/-5 |
1 | L | K | -2/-1/-1/2/-1/-1/6 |
For example, if you have solved pieces 1, 2, and 3 then place them in positions K-M, so that piece 4 will have to be placed in pole position (A) to extend the solved block. Find pieces 4 and 5, and let's suppose they are at positions D and C respectively. Look through the table to find a sequence with D in the second column, and C in the third.
2 | D | C | -3/4/1/-2/4/2/ |
Unfortunately the only such sequence has 2 in the first column, meaning it will disturb the three solved pieces you already have. You will therefore have to choose another sequence, and be content with only solving piece 4 with it.
3 | D | H | -3/5/-3/5/ |
Of the sequences with at least 3 in the first column, and D in the second, this is the shortest, and therefore the best one to use.
If you end up with a position where you would have to swap the final two pieces, then you have to flip all the pieces round as explained in phase 2.
Appendix: Some other neat sequences.
The following sequences cycle three pieces around, without altering the
orientations. All possible three-cycles are represented here, though you
may have to turn over the puzzle and/or perform the inverse of the given
sequence.
Pieces cycled | Sequence |
---|---|
A, B, C | 1/-1/6/-6/-6/-6/-1 |
A, B, D | /-1/-6/6/6/-5/ |
A, B, E | -4/5/-6/-6/6/-2/4 |
A, B, F | -5/6/4/4/4/-2/5 |
A, B, G | -2/-3/3/-4/3/-1/2 |
A, B, H | 1/-4/3/-4/2 |
A, C, E | /-5/1/4/4/4/3/5/ |
A, C, F | 1/-1/4/4/4/5/-1 |
A, C, G | 4/1/-3/3/-3/2/-4 |
A, C, H | -6/-1/-3/3/-3/4/6 |
A, D, G | -3/-5/-3/3/-3/-5/3 |
A, D, H | /5/-3/3/-3/-2/ |
A, D, I | 3/-5/4/4/4/-4/-3 |
A, E, I | -4/2/4/4/4/2/4 |
The following sequences flip pieces without moving them:
Piece positions flipped | Sequence |
---|---|
A | /5/-3/5/5/-3/5 (+turn over)
/5/5/-5/-5/5/5 (+turn over) |
A, B | 1/5/-6/2/-2/2/-2/2/4/-5/-1 |
A, C | /-2/2/-2/2/-2/2 |
A, D | 4/-6/2/-2/2/-2/2/4/-4 |
A, E | -3/1/2/-2/2/-2/2/-3/3 |
A, F | 3/-5/5/2/5/-5/-3 |
A, G | /5/-3/5/-3/5/-3/5/-5/6/-5 |
A, B, C | /1/-2/2/4/2/5/4/5/5/-4/2/5 (+turn over) |
A, B, G | -1/3/-2/3/-3/5/-5/-2/-2/5/-4 (+turn over) |
A, B, H | 2/1/5/3/-2/-1/1/-5/6/-2/-2 (+turn over) |
A, C, E | 2/5/2/2/-3/2/-3/5/5/-1/-6 (+turn over) |
A, C, F | /2/-5/-2/-2/-5/5/-3/3/-3/ (+turn over) |
A, C, G | /5/-3/3/-5/5/2/2/5 (+turn over) |
A, C, H | /5/2/2/5/-5/3/-3/5 (+turn over) |
A, D, G | /-2/3/5/1/-1/5/-6/2/4/1 (+turn over) |
A, D, H | /1/-1/-2/3/5/1/4/2/-6/5 (+turn over) |
A, D, I | -2/-5/5/2/2/5/5/-3/5 (+turn over) |
A, E, I | 1/1/2/-2/2/1/-5/5/-3/2/-2 (+turn over) |
A, B, C, D | /-2/1/2/-2/2/-2/5/1/-5/5/2/5 |
A, B, C, E | /4/-5/5/2/5/-5/5/2/-2/2/-2/2 |
A, B, C, F | /-2/2/-2/4/5/-5/-2/-5/3/2 |
A, B, C, G | /3/2/5/-5/6/-2/-5/5/4/ |
A, B, C, H | /3/2/1/-4/5/-5/4/4/2/-6/4/ |
A, B, D, E | /-2/-1/2/-2/1/2/-2/1/-2/2/-1/2 |
A, B, D, F | /-2/1/2/-2/2/-4/-5/5/2/-5/5/ |
A, B, D, G | 4/5/-5/4/4/2/-6/-6/2/1/5 |
A, B, D, H | -5/2/2/6/5/2/5/6/2/-4/5 |
A, B, D, I | 2/2/5/-5/6/-2/-5/5/5 |
A, B, D, J | 1/-4/2/-2/2/6/5/2/-5/3/2 |
A, B, D, K | -3/2/1/3/-5/2/5/-5/-4/2/1 |
A, B, D, L | /2/-2/2/-2/4/5/-5/-2/-5/3 |
A, B, E, F | /-1/2/2/5/-5/-4/-5/5/2/2/-2/ |
A, B, E, G | 1/5/2/6/5/2/5/6/2/6/-1 |
A, B, E, H | 1/6/-1/4/1/5/2/-1/2/1/6 |
A, B, E, I | 3/5/-5/5/2/-6/5/-5/-2/1/-3 |
A, B, E, J | -3/1/2/-2/2/-4/-5/5/2/-5/6 |
A, B, E, K | /3/-2/2/-4/-5/5/2/-5/3/1/-1/ |
A, B, F, G | 2/-5/1/2/-2/2/-2/2/2/2/5/-5/-4 |
A, B, F, H | 2/-1/6/-6/1/2/-1/2/5/1/2 |
A, B, F, I | -4/6/2/5/-5/6/-2/-5/5/1/4 |
A, B, F, J | 1/-2/-2/-5/5/4/5/-5/-2/-2/2 |
A, B, G, H | 1/6/2/-1/1/5/6/2/-1/1/4 |
A, B, G, I | 2/6/-5/5/2/-6/5/-5/-4 |
A, C, E, G | /4/6/-2/6/6/-2/2/-4/-2/2 |
A, C, E, H | /-2/2/4/6/-2/6/6/-2/2/-4 |
A, C, E, I | 3/2/3/-5/5/2/5/3/-2/-5/2 |
A, C, F, H | 6/2/-2/2/6/5/2/5/ |
A, C, F, I | -2/5/2/-1/2/1/-6/6/-1/4/3 |
A, C, F, J | 3/2/-1/2/1/-6/6/-1/4/1/2 |
A, C, F, K | /-2/2/-2/2/6/5/2/5/-5/ |
A, C, G, I | /6/2/-2/2/6/5/2/5 |
A, C, G, J | -2/2/6/5/2/5/6/2/ |
A, D, G, J | /4/2/6/5/2/5/6/2/-6/ |