Cubeoctahedron

Josh B · **Joined:** Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:19 pm

So lets say that someone were to turn a cubeoctahedron into a trajber's octahedron, would it just be a little bit bigger than a normal trajber's octahedron? Any ideas?

Jin H Kim · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:47 pm

Was there ever a production trajber's octahedron? I believe the name was associated with joseph(sp?) trajber because he came up with the mod idea, which implies he just used a standard rubik's cube anyway. building up a cuboctahedron would probably mean it would be the same size.

Josh B · **Joined:** Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:19 pm

Ok, here's a comparison of the two different puzzles. The two with stickers on them are from the cubeoctahedron, while the two without stickers would go to a truncated trajber's octahedron if I were to make one. Notice how much bigger the cubeoctahedron's triangle would be compared to the other. I think that this is the reason why it would be bigger. Basically, a trajber's octahedron would just be a deeper cut than the cubeoctahedron octahedron.

Noah · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:22 pm

On the database, under the Trajber's Octahedron, it is indeed attributed to a Joseph Trajber. Under the description is "A 3x3 mod that didn't quite make it into production".

I don't think it ever was, hence it is a harder to find mod in my opinion.

Jin H Kim · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:22 pm

Ugh. There I go again, running my mouth awful reckless while only paying half attention...

JasonSmith · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:29 pm

I know that at the last Bay Area meetup, I saw a production trabjer's octahedron in Stan's collection. He said it was a production puzzle he picked up long ago. The pieces looked thin walled and injection molded. Now I'll have to be sure to get detailed pictures next time we meet up...

Noah · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:55 pm

There's a very good possibility that is was production made for a very short period of time. I'd love more information on it.

Thanks.

Josh B · **Joined:** Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:19 pm

So..Anyone agree with me? Would the puzzle, if made, be just as functional as a trajber's except bigger?

Noah · **Posted:** Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:20 am

Superman wrote:

So..Anyone agree with me? Would the puzzle, if made, be just as functional as a trajber's except bigger?

I don't know the size of the manufactured ones, but of the 'standard' custom ones, yes, it would be decently larger.

Jin H Kim · **Posted:** Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:25 pm

I'd agree. If you are just adding on and extending an existing cuboctahedron, it will be larger.

Honestly I'd recommend starting with one of these:

http://www.twistypuzzles.com/cgi-bin/puzzle.cgi?pid=392

It would involve less work than using a standard cuboctahedron and would also be of a standard size.

Georges · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2008 1:16 am

David Singmaster Autumn 1981 wrote:

This has been patented by Josef Trajber of Vienna and shown to me by Rainer Seitz.
Its solution is similar to the cube, but requires some new insights.
It has 8!·12!·212·46 / 2·2·2 = 4.1 × 1019 = 40 50301 90700 29824 patterns.
I don't know when this may be produced.

David Singmaster Summer 1982 wrote:

Trajber's Octahedron (C1-7/8) has been produced in Taiwan, in two forms.
The other form has the vertex pieces slightly truncated.

David Singmaster wrote:

from the collection:
Trajber's Octahedron This is described in Cubic Circular 1. 67mm edge in PC labelled Double Triangle Puzzle, sample from Otto International, Taiwan.
Trajber's Octahedron, truncated Same as above but with corners slightly truncated. In slightly domed PC labelled WP, from same source.

Mark Longridge wrote:

Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 20:00:00 -0400
To: cube-lovers@ai.mit.edu
Subject: rare variants

...

I collect cube variants, and although the variations in cube colours are
interesting my great interest is variants in mechanisms (which require
different solving techniques).

I've been corresponding with other cube buffs around the world in an
effort to record ALL the significant cube variants and I use the
following classification system:

M = Manufactured in quantity, readily available
S = Produced in small quantities only
R = Rare, a few prototypes exist, difficult to get
P = Prototype, the inventor has the only one!
C = Exists only as a computer simulation and/or cardboard mockup
I = Intellectual idea only (perhaps on pencil and paper)

In my opinion, Square 1 is the most interesting cube variant in recent
years, and it gave me the most trouble! Here are some of the tough ones
to get, and if anyone knows of any others email me and I'll maintain a
list of them...

Trajber's Octahedron (R) Evidently Greg Stevens owns one
Octahedral puzzle with rotating faces

...

We all know that Greg has been making many mods, so this one wasn't production made.

Mark Longridge on Sep 15th, 1992 wrote:

Just a few days ago I got Constantin's catalog. Surprisingly there is
a picture of Josef Trajber's Octahedron inside.

Jean-Claude, too, is a modder par excellence (who sadly is selling/has sold his whole collection recently),
so this is another "R" one.

So, Trajber's Octahedron has been produced, at least as a sample.
When I last visited David, I wasn't able to search for his two samples, as I was overwhelmed by his collection.
But I believe he has them.

Cubeoctahedron

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