Cube puzzle game

Abstract

An amusement device comprises a plurality of puzzle unit pairs. Each puzzle unit pair comprises a first tetrahedral puzzle unit marked with a first color progression, a second tetrahedral puzzle unit marked with a second color progression, and a connector. The second puzzle unit is a geometric mirror image of the first puzzle unit and both puzzle units have faces marked according to a predetermined color code. The connector has a first linkage attached to a first surface on an interior volume of the first puzzle unit, and a second linkage attached to a second surface on an interior volume of the second puzzle unit. The connector is repositionable between a first corner and a second corner of the respective puzzle units without detaching or disassembling the connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An amusement device comprising:
 a plurality of puzzle unit pairs, each puzzle unit pair comprising:
 a first tetrahedral puzzle unit with outer surfaces marked according to a predetermined color code; 
 a second tetrahedral puzzle unit with outer surfaces marked according to the predetermined color code, the second puzzle unit being a geometric mirror image of the first puzzle unit; and 
 a connector having a first linkage to a first surface on an interior volume of the first puzzle unit, and a second linkage to a second surface on an interior volume of the second puzzle unit, the connector repositionable between a first corner and a second corner of the first puzzle unit without detaching or disassembling the connector; 
 wherein each puzzle unit pair is configurable into a colored puzzle block by placing at least one portion of the first puzzle unit adjacent to a corresponding portion of the second puzzle unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second puzzle units each have two large triangular faces and two small triangular faces, the large triangular faces having sides measuring about L, about SQRT(2)*L, and about SQRT(3)*L, and the small faces having sides measuring about L, about L, and about SQRT(2)*L. 
     
     
         3 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is repositionable between a first corner and a second corner of the second puzzle unit without detaching or disassembling the connector. 
     
     
         4 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined code is one or more of: Color Code  1 , Subset I in Table 2; Color Code  1 , Subset II in Table 3; Color Code  1 , Subset III in Table 3; Color Code  1 , Subset IV in Table 3; and Color Code  2  in Table 4. 
     
     
         5 . An amusement device comprising a plurality of reconfigurable puzzle blocks, each puzzle block including a first portion of a first tetrahedral puzzle unit adjacent to a corresponding first portion of a second geometric mirror image tetrahedral puzzle unit, wherein the first and second puzzle units include one or more unit faces marked according to a predetermined color code, and the puzzle units are linked by a connector at a first linkage to a first interior surface of the first puzzle unit and a second linkage to a second interior surface of the second puzzle unit such that a first end of the connector is repositionable between a first corner and a second corner of the first puzzle unit and a second end of the connector is repositionable between a first corner and a second corner of the second puzzle unit without detaching or disassembling the connector. 
     
     
         6 . The amusement device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of reconfigurable puzzle blocks are organized into a first puzzle set according to the predetermined color code. 
     
     
         7 . The amusement device of  claim 6 , wherein a first group of at least two reconfigurable blocks selected from the first puzzle set are oriented into a first colored puzzle solution having a first color arrangement on a first plurality of outer surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first group includes three reconfigurable puzzle blocks selected from the first puzzle set, and the first colored puzzle solution is a first cube having sides with lengths of about L. 
     
     
         9 . The amusement device of  claim 8 , wherein the first color arrangement is a single color unique to each outer surface of the first cube. 
     
     
         10 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first colored puzzle solution is a first diamond shape having respective first, second, and third upper surfaces; and the first color arrangement includes respective first, second, and third colors unique to each of the first, second, and third upper surfaces of the first diamond shape. 
     
     
         11 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first colored puzzle solution is a first pyramid with four side surfaces, a base, and an overall height measuring not more than about L; and the first color arrangement includes a single color on each of the four side surfaces of the pyramid. 
     
     
         12 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the first color arrangement on the first pyramid includes a first color on both a first side surface and on a second side surface disposed opposite the first side surface. 
     
     
         13 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the base of the first pyramid is square having sides with lengths of about 2*L; and the first color arrangement includes either one color, two colors, or four colors on the base of the first pyramid. 
     
     
         14 . The amusement device of  claim 13 , wherein the first group includes either two reconfigurable puzzle blocks or four reconfigurable puzzle blocks. 
     
     
         15 . The amusement device of  claim 11 , wherein the base of the first pyramid is rhombic having sides with lengths of about SQRT(2)*L; and the first color arrangement includes either two colors or four colors on the base of the first pyramid. 
     
     
         16 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first colored puzzle solution is a star shape having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a total of eighteen outer surfaces; and the first color arrangement includes no more than three unique colors on the outer surfaces visible from above the upper portion. 
     
     
         17 . The amusement device of  claim 16 , wherein the first color arrangement also includes the no more than three unique colors visible from below the lower portion. 
     
     
         18 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first colored puzzle solution is a hexagonal solid with a base and six perpendicular side surfaces of height L. 
     
     
         19 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein a second group of at least two reconfigurable puzzle blocks selected from the first puzzle set are oriented into a second colored puzzle solution geometrically identical to the first colored puzzle solution with a second color arrangement on a second plurality of outer surfaces coordinated with the first color arrangement on the first plurality of outer surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . The amusement device of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second colored puzzle solutions are geometrically identical first and second cubes each having sides with lengths of about L. 
     
     
         21 . The amusement device of  claim 20 , wherein the first color arrangement is a single color unique to each outer surface of the first cube. 
     
     
         22 . The amusement device of  claim 20 , wherein the first color arrangement is two colors appearing on each outer surface of the first cube. 
     
     
         23 . The amusement device of  claim 20 , wherein the second color arrangement is coordinated with the first color arrangement by the colors on the second plurality of outer surfaces being identical to the colors on the first plurality of outer surfaces. 
     
     
         24 . The amusement device of  claim 20 , wherein the second color arrangement is coordinated by being a mirror image of the first color arrangement. 
     
     
         25 . The amusement device of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second colored puzzle solutions are respective first and second diamond shapes, each diamond having respective first, second, and third upper surfaces; and the first color arrangement includes respective first, second, and third colors unique to each of the first, second, and third upper surfaces of the first diamond shape. 
     
     
         26 . The amusement device of  claim 25 , wherein the second color arrangement is coordinated with the first color arrangement such that the first, second, and third colors are also on the respective first, second, and third upper surfaces of the second diamond shape. 
     
     
         27 . The amusement device of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second colored puzzle solutions are respective first and second pyramids each with four side surfaces, a base, and an overall height measuring not more than about L; and the first and second color arrangements are coordinated by including a single color on each of the four side surfaces of both the first and second pyramids. 
     
     
         28 . The amusement device of  claim 27 , wherein both the first color arrangement on the first pyramid and the second color arrangement on the second pyramid include a first color on both a first side surface and on a second side surface disposed opposite the first side surface. 
     
     
         29 . The amusement device of  claim 23 , wherein a third group of reconfigurable puzzle blocks are selected from the first puzzle set and oriented into a third cube geometrically identical to the first and second cubes with a third color arrangement that is a mirror image of the identical first and second color arrangements. 
     
     
         30 . The amusement device of  claim 27 , wherein a third group of reconfigurable puzzle blocks are selected from the first puzzle set and oriented into a third pyramid geometrically identical to the first and second pyramids and having a third color arrangement coordinated with the first and second color arrangements by including a single color on each of the four side surfaces of the third pyramid. 
     
     
         31 . The amusement device of  claim 6 , wherein the first predetermined color code is selected from one of: Color Code  1 , Subset I in Table 2; Color Code  1 , Subset II in Table 3; Color Code  1 , Subset III in Table 3; Color Code  1 , Subset IV in Table 3; and Color Code  2  in Table 4. 
     
     
         32 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of reconfigurable puzzle blocks selected from the first puzzle set and oriented into a cube with sides of length 2*L having a single color unique to at least first, second, and third outer surfaces. 
     
     
         33 . The amusement device of  claim 32 , wherein the same color is on both a first outer surface and a fourth outer surface disposed opposite the first outer surface. 
     
     
         34 . The amusement device of  claim 7 , wherein the first group includes a plurality of reconfigurable puzzle blocks selected from the first puzzle set and oriented into six pyramids, the pyramids each having a square base with sides of length 2*L and a single color, as well as first, second, third, and fourth side surfaces, each side surface having a single unique color. 
     
     
         35 . The amusement device of  claim 34 , wherein each square base of the six pyramids are disposed flush against an outer surface of a cube with sides of length 2*L, the pyramids and the cube together defining a structure having twelve rhombus shaped surfaces, each surface having a single color with the same color on opposing surfaces. 
     
     
         36 . The amusement device of  claim 5 , wherein the first predetermined code is selected from one or more of: Color Code  1 , Subset I in Table 2; Color Code  1 , Subset II in Table 3; Color Code  1 , Subset III in Table 3; and Color Code  1 , Subset IV in Table 3.