Puzzle cuboid

Abstract

A cubic puzzle assembled from a number of separable component pieces is disclosed. Each of the component pieces can be made of one, two or more cubes linearly arranged. Component patterns are provided on at least some of the six sides of a component piece so that when all component pieces are assembled into a single bigger cube, the component patterns on the sides of the component pieces form at least one combined pattern, but preferably, five or six different combined patterns on five or six faces of the bigger cube. In some embodiments, there are two or more correct combinations for a player to assemble the component pieces into the puzzle. The combined patterns preferably are easily recognizable, such as photographs, images of animals, likeness of a subject or landscape and the like.

1 . A puzzle comprising:
 a plurality of component pieces, each separable from another, wherein each of said plurality of component pieces is made up of one or more cubes such that each component piece has six sides, each side bound by only four straight lines, wherein at least two of the sides are square sides, wherein the sides of the component pieces are provided with a plurality of component patterns, such that when all of the component pieces are assembled into one single body with eight vertices, twelve edges and six faces of equal area, the component patterns provided on the sides of the component pieces are arranged to form at least one combined pattern on at least one of the faces.   
     
     
         2 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein when all of the component pieces are assembled into said one single body, each of the component pieces has at least three adjacent other component pieces, and wherein when two of the component pieces are adjacent to one another, at least part of one of the six sides of one of said two component pieces is arranged to face at least part of one of the six sides of another of said two component pieces. 
     
     
         3 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the component patterns are provided on at least some of the six sides of some of the component pieces, such that when all of the component pieces are assembled in one of a plurality of combinations into said one single body, the component patterns provided on the sides of at least some of the component pieces are arranged to form a number of different combined patterns. 
     
     
         4 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the component patterns are provided on at least some of the six sides of some of the component pieces, such that when all of the component pieces are assembled in one of a plurality of combinations into said one single body, the component patterns provided on at least some of the component pieces are arranged to form a number of different combined patterns, and wherein each one of said different combined patterns is arranged to appear solely on one of the six faces. 
     
     
         5 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein when all of the component pieces are assembled into said one single body eight of the component pieces are arranged to locate at the eight vertices of said one single body, and three of the six sides of each of said eight of the component pieces are arranged to appear on three of the six faces. 
     
     
         6 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of combinations includes four different combinations. 
     
     
         7 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least some of the six sides of some of the component pieces include four of the six sides. 
     
     
         8 . The puzzle according to  claim 7 , wherein said number of different combined patterns is six. 
     
     
         9 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of combinations comprise at least two correct combinations, such that each of said different combined patterns appears to be a predetermined design. 
     
     
         10 . The puzzle according to  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined design is likeness of a subject or a landscape. 
     
     
         11 . The puzzle according to  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined design is a recognizable graphic pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein each square side are bound by four straight lines of a unit length, and wherein each of the twelve edges has an edge length substantially equal to four unit lengths and said plurality of combinations includes four different combinations. 
     
     
         13 . The puzzle according to  claim 4 , wherein each square side are bound by four straight lines of a unit length, and wherein each of the twelve edges has an edge length substantially equal to five unit lengths and said plurality of combinations includes at least four different combinations. 
     
     
         14 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the component pieces is made up of one cube. 
     
     
         15 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the component pieces is made up of two or more cubes. 
     
     
         16 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each of at least some of the component pieces is made up of two or more cubes in a linear arrangement such that, in said each of at least some of the component nieces, two and only two of the six sides are square sides. 
     
     
         17 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the component pieces are configured to attract to each other with a magnetic material. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each square side is bound by four straight lines of a unit length, and each of the twelve edges is a straight line of N unit lengths and said plurality of component pieces comprise N×N×N component pieces, with N being a positive integer. 
     
     
         22 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein some of said plurality of component pieces are made up of two cubes and some are made up of three cubes in a linear arrangement. 
     
     
         23 . The puzzle according to  claim 1 , wherein each cube has six unit-square sides, and all of said plurality of component pieces are made up of two or more cubes in a linear arrangement such that each of said plurality of component pieces has two and only two unit-square sides.