Hello twisty puzzle fans!

I'd like to present the Master Helicopter. It is the first-ever second-order edge-turning cube in existence.



Unfortunately, this puzzle does not turn very well. The main problem is the pieces that are in the center of the faces. I am in the process of a re-design. I hope to have a better-working version with me at the MIT Nationals in August.

In the meantime, here are some more pictures:







I'll post again about this later in the summer, once I have a new version. Enjoy!

-π (Eitan)

The first time that my jaw has truly fallen to the floor upon seeing a puzzle. I have thought about what this would look like and I have not been able to visualize it. Although your claims that turning isn't good may be true, I still appreciate the visual complexity of this puzzle and the "proof of concept". Congratulations are in order.

Please don't make me solve that thing... unless you don't want it back, eh?

AMAZING!!!

wait!my heart just stop ... done, he beat again
I do not believe that one day someone could create something like this ... you're a genius!!

How many pieces? Once this is stickered it will really be beyond AMAZING!!!

I should drive up to boulder and steal this...

This puzzle has a total of 177 pieces (including the core). I made most of the pieces by casting them from parts printed on my university's FDM machine. But the squares in the center of the faces and the core were printed by Shapeways. I will be getting all of my cores printed at Shapeways from now on. This was the first core that I didn't feel like I was going to split when I was screwing into it. It's really good quality stuff, White Strong and Flexible.

-π (Eitan)

...Meh.

No, seriously, I just got my Helicopter Cube today. Man, my mind has been blown twice today.

*jaw drops open* literally I could not talk for 5-10 seconds and then repeated procedure when I saw jumbling pics!!! this is crazy I want to see this stickered, , ,
Nice Work

That would be a pain to solve, considering that I have only solved my helicopter cube a few times.

Thanks, everyone.

Just to clarify something: I probably won't be stickering this particular version, since it doesn't turn particularly well.

Also, for some reason, the light in my room makes the puzzle look rather grungy. It actually IS rather grungy, but not quite that bad. When I make the final version, I will sand all the dirty surfaces off, and sticker it.

-π (Eitan)

I'll sticker it for you!

Haha. I have a feeling that wasn't an offer to send me the stickers... More likely it was a sneaky way of getting the puzzle for yourself! If you come to the MIT Nationals, you'll get to try out a better version of the puzzle!

Stunning. I love the the cut patterns on the surface. They're so different than anything else we've seen. I can't wait to see a stickered version. I also can't wait to see what kind of new jumbling moves there are.

Nice hand cut stickers need a reference puzzle, you know!
Sadly I doubt I can go, but I'll definately be drooling over all the pictures

You can post Video?
Great Puzzle, Congratulation!!!

This is amazing. That is all.

Definitely Puzzle of the Year material!

I will be looking forward to trying the better version out at nationals and meeting you Eitan.

Nice! REALLY nice!

That is just phenomenal in how complex it is

-UC

not quite what I expected from a higher order helicopter cube, you made it deeper cut, which surprised me.

Looks like a cury copter with a shallower cut, not a deeper one. The deepest cut on this doesn't go past the middle of one side.

@GuiltyBystander if it went past the middle it would overlap in a a different way and be a different puzzle

I'll sticker it for you if I get to keep a copy Colorado really has great puzzle builders!

Which is what he said, in response to someone saying it's deeper cut.

Yay, someone else sees what I'm saying. I thought I was going nuts for a second.

oh, sorry, I had trouble seeing it for a sec, the outside cut is still deeper than I expected though.

That is phenominal! Incredible! Brilliant! And boy does that look complex. Pure genius.

OMG is all that's left to say

Greg

woaHHHH
does it mean in not still awake

great work!

I'd say it looks more like a Master Curvy Copter.
Congratulations on your achievement!

Congratulations, I never think this one would be built.

I cant wait for the professor Helicopter cube
This and Tom's curvy copter II are truly amazing puzzles!!

Per

are you kidding me? I dont even know what I am looking at. I am not worthy... I'll come back looking at it again once I have solved my helicube.

This is truly the week of the Helicopter Cube! Last Friday, Jason started sending out the Mass Produced Helicopter
Cubes. On Saturday, it was the Curvy Copter II. Today, it's the Master Helicopter Cube. Truly an incredible week in puzzles.

lol not to mention C&E's Heli-dodecahedron.. wow

I'm falling behind. I still need to get just a normal helicopter cube!

Congrats to this incredible design. I am sure you'll be able to fix the problems with the centers. You have the skills for it

Absolutely amazing!!!!

Wow, fantastic puzzle.

Alex

That is just amazing Eitan, you've truly made a mark with that puzzle. It's absolutely incredible, I felt a small part of my brain collapse from the awesomeness.

Wow, how could I forget that?

Just great

Wow that is just amazing. The worst jumbling I have seen so far!
Indeed, a good week in edge-turning cubes. Please, let there be more!

But I don't know if you could call it the first-ever second-order edge-turning cube in existence. The 24-cube has 2 'layers', and the helicopter cube, curvy copter I/II all have 3.

That's looking at it from a face, not a turning edge. This is the first edge turning cube with 2 orders of turns per edge.

Exactly.

Fantastic job!!!!!

There have been discussions here before on the definition of "order". Myself and a few others have used order to mean the number of cuts per axis of rotation. With that definition the 24-Cube is order=1, the Helicopter Cube is order=2, a combo of the 24-Cube and the Helicopter Cube would be order=3, and I'd call this Master Helicopter Cube order=4. There are at least two other definitions I've seen used for order as well. One being the number of rotatable layers per axis of rotation, in which case this is an order=5 puzzle. And the other common one is the one used here, basically the number of cut planes along a line drawn from the core of the puzzle to the feature which is being turned about. In this case that is an edge. And usually deep cuts are counted with both halves of the puzzle so a Helicopter Cube and a 24-Cube would both be order=1. I'm not aware of any consensus as to which is the "correct" definition but its usually easy enough to tell which is being used from context.

Great looking puzzle by the way and I too would call this a Master Curvy Copter. You wouldn't be able to see the edge centers on the puzzle I'd call a Master Helicopter Cube though technically this is being called Eitan's Master Helicopter Cube so all is well either way.

Carl

the curved cuts add a complex feel to this puzzle that is very visually pleasing!

I love it! congrats!

Fantastic Eitan. Amazing lines. I love it.