Cube puzzle game

Abstract

An amusement device comprises a plurality of virtual puzzle blocks organized into a virtual puzzle set. Each virtual puzzle block has a virtual shape with a continuous virtual volume. The virtual shape is substantially geometrically equivalent to a reference shape with a reference volume. The reference shape results from a reference combination of a first integer quantity of first colored tetrahedral puzzle units and a second integer quantity of second colored tetrahedral puzzle units. A plurality of fasteners are fixed on or within a plurality of outer surfaces of each virtual puzzle block. The plurality of outer surfaces of the virtual puzzle blocks do not carry distinguishing colors or markings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An amusement device comprising:
 a plurality of virtual puzzle blocks organized into a virtual puzzle set, each virtual puzzle block having a virtual shape with a continuous virtual volume, the virtual shape being substantially geometrically equivalent to a reference shape with a reference volume, the reference shape resulting from a reference combination of a first integer quantity of first colored tetrahedral puzzle units and a second integer quantity of second colored tetrahedral puzzle units; and   each virtual puzzle block includes a plurality of fasteners fixed on or within a plurality of outer surfaces;   wherein the plurality of outer surfaces of the virtual puzzle blocks do not carry distinguishing colors or markings.   
     
     
         2 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a first virtual puzzle block having a first virtual shape with a first continuous virtual volume, the first virtual shape having five corners and five outer surfaces, one of which is a square base with sides of length L; and a first reference shape with a first reference volume results from a first reference combination of one first tetrahedral puzzle unit and one second tetrahedral puzzle unit. 
     
     
         3 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a second virtual puzzle block having a second virtual shape with a second continuous virtual volume, the second virtual shape including four outer surfaces and four corners, with one outer surface being a right isosceles triangular base; and a second reference shape with a second reference volume results from a second reference combination of one first tetrahedral puzzle unit and one second tetrahedral puzzle unit. 
     
     
         4 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a third virtual puzzle block having a third virtual shape with a third continuous virtual volume, the third virtual shape including a first half of a cube, the cube having sides with lengths of about L; and a third reference shape with a third reference volume results from a third reference combination of a total of three colored tetrahedral puzzle units, including at least one first tetrahedral puzzle unit and at least one second tetrahedral puzzle unit. 
     
     
         5 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a fourth virtual puzzle block having a fourth virtual shape with a fourth continuous virtual volume, the fourth virtual shape including a first half of a pyramid, the pyramid having a total height of about L; and a fourth reference shape with a fourth reference volume results from a fourth reference combination of two first tetrahedral puzzle units and two second tetrahedral puzzle units. 
     
     
         6 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a fifth virtual puzzle block having a fifth virtual shape with a fifth continuous virtual volume, the fifth virtual shape including a three-dimensional solid having a triangular base and three side surfaces perpendicular to the base with a height of about L; and a fifth reference shape with a fifth reference volume results from a fifth reference combination of three first tetrahedral puzzle units and three second tetrahedral puzzle units. 
     
     
         7 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a sixth virtual puzzle block having a sixth virtual shape with a sixth continuous virtual volume, the sixth virtual shape including a cube having sides with lengths of about L; and a sixth reference shape with a sixth reference volume results from a sixth reference combination of three first tetrahedral puzzle units and three second tetrahedral puzzle units. 
     
     
         8 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual puzzle set includes a seventh virtual puzzle block having a seventh virtual shape with a seventh continuous virtual volume, the seventh virtual shape including a cube having sides with lengths of about 2*L; and a seventh reference shape with a seventh reference volume results from a seventh reference combination of twenty-four first tetrahedral puzzle units and twenty-four second tetrahedral puzzle units. 
     
     
         9 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners are retained within a plurality of bores in the plurality of outer surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . The amusement device of  claim 9 , wherein a quantity of bores is greater than a quantity of fasteners, and the fasteners are repositionable among different bores. 
     
     
         11 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners includes at least one magnet. 
     
     
         12 . The amusement device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of virtual puzzle blocks are organized into a virtual puzzle set having at least forty-nine virtual puzzle blocks as listed in Table 1, the virtual puzzle set configurable into a plurality of virtual puzzle solutions. 
     
     
         13 . The virtual puzzle set of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of virtual puzzle solutions include a first cube having sides with lengths of about L, a second cube having sides with lengths of about 2*L, and a third cube having sides with lengths of about 3*L. 
     
     
         14 . A hybrid puzzle set comprising:
 a reconfigurable puzzle block having a plurality of colored outer surfaces, the reconfigurable 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, the first and second puzzle units including one or more unit faces marked according to a predetermined color code, the puzzle units having a unit connection system including a connector with a first linkage secured to a first interior surface of the first puzzle unit and a second linkage secured to a second interior surface of the second puzzle unit, the first and second linkages secured 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; and   a virtual puzzle block having a plurality of unmarked outer surfaces and a virtual shape that is substantially geometrically identical to a combination of at least one first tetrahedral puzzle unit and at least one second tetrahedral puzzle unit;   wherein the hybrid puzzle set includes a plurality of puzzle challenges solved by orienting the reconfigurable colored puzzle block and the virtual puzzle block into a hybrid puzzle solution by placing a portion of a first colored outer surface adjacent to a portion of an unmarked outer surface.   
     
     
         15 . The hybrid puzzle set of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of reconfigurable puzzle blocks having one or more unit faces marked according to a first predetermined color code, wherein the first predetermined color code includes one or more complete subsets 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. 
     
     
         16 . The hybrid puzzle set of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first predetermined color code includes two complete subsets oriented into six square-base pyramids;   the virtual puzzle block is a virtual cube having sides with lengths of about 2*L; and   the square base of each pyramid is magnetically secured flush against an unmarked outer surface of the virtual cube having sides with lengths of about 2*L, the combination of the pyramids and the cube defining the hybrid puzzle solution with twelve rhombic outer surfaces.   
     
     
         17 . The amusement device of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of virtual puzzle blocks wherein the plurality of virtual puzzle blocks define the virtual cube having sides with lengths of about 2*L. 
     
     
         18 . The amusement device of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of virtual puzzle blocks wherein at least one outer surface of the hybrid puzzle solution incorporates at least one unmarked outer surface. 
     
     
         19 . The amusement device of  claim 18 , wherein the hybrid puzzle solution is a hybrid cube having sides with lengths of about 3*L, and a single unique color on each of the outer surfaces of the hybrid cube. 
     
     
         20 . The virtual puzzle set of  claim 18 , wherein the hybrid puzzle solution is a hybrid pyramid having a height of about 3*L, and a square base having sides with lengths of about 6*L.