Polycube Games, Systems, and Methods

Abstract

Polycube-based puzzles are disclosed. Three-dimensional Sudoku-like puzzles using polycubes of various sizes and dimensions, where the cubes making up each polycube have visually identifiable features on all sides such that sets of polycubes can be created to facilitate the Sudoku-like puzzle game. Polycube-based puzzles using sets of polycubes arranged in different configurations where each side of a resulting combination of a set of polycubes has no repeated visual identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A puzzle, comprising:
 a set of polycubes, wherein each polycube of the set of polycubes has a defined shape;   wherein each polycube of the set of polycubes comprises a set of cubes, and wherein each cube of the set of cubes has a unique visually identifiable attribute on all exterior sides; and   wherein the set of polycubes are arranged together to create a larger polycube such that the larger polycube does not repeat any of the visually identifiable attributes on a given side.   
     
     
         2 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the visually identifiable attribute is at least one of a color, a shape, and a symbol. 
     
     
         3 . The puzzle of  claim 1 , wherein the unique visually identifiable attribute is selected from a set of at least three unique visually identifiable attributes. 
     
     
         4 . A puzzle, comprising:
 a set of polycubes, wherein each polycube of the set of polycubes has a defined shape;   wherein each polycube of the set of polycubes comprises a set of cubes, and wherein each cube of the set of cubes is has a unique visually identifiable attribute on all exterior sides; and   wherein the set of polycubes are arranged together to create a larger polycube such that the larger polycube does not repeat any of the visually identifiable attributes on any row or column of a side of the larger polycube.   
     
     
         5 . The puzzle of  claim 4 , wherein the unique visually identifiable attribute is selected from a set of at least three unique visually identifiable attributes. 
     
     
         6 . The puzzle of  claim 4 , wherein the visually identifiable attribute is at least one of a color, a shape, and a symbol. 
     
     
         7 . The puzzle of  claim 4 , wherein the larger polycube is a cubic polycube. 
     
     
         8 . The puzzle of  claim 4 , wherein the set of polycubes comprise a Soma Cube puzzle. 
     
     
         9 . The puzzle of  claim 4 , wherein each polycube of the set of polycubes is a cubic polycube, and wherein the larger polycube is arranged as a square. 
     
     
         10 . The puzzle of  claim 9 , wherein each cubic polycube comprises eight cubes. 
     
     
         11 . The puzzle of  claim 9 , wherein each cubic polycube comprises four pairs of cubes, wherein each pair of cubes have the same unique visually identifiable attribute on all exterior sides. 
     
     
         12 . The puzzle of  claim 11 , wherein each side of the cubic polycube comprises cubes having different unique visually identifiable attributes.