New 36 Cube Puzzle Challenges Experts, Captivates Children

Possibly world's most challenging puzzle; maker ThinkFun promises it's
solvable

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- It's the puzzle version of a wolf
in sheep's clothing -- or moreover, an innocent-looking puzzle with a
challenging solvability factor. Simply snap 36 boldly-colored plastic tower
pieces, six each of six colors, into a square base with 36 welcoming
receptacles. Make sure the finished puzzle forms a perfect cube, each color
appearing only once in each row and column, all the same height. You've just
solved 36 CUBE, the latest mind bender from ThinkFun, Inc.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081119/NEW031 )
Not so fast, say the likes of world class puzzle solvers like Nick Baxter,
Captain of the U.S. Sudoku Team. "Its friendly look fools you into thinking
it's easy, but 36 CUBE takes perseverance and practical smarts to solve," says
Baxter. "Its solution lies in an 'a-ha' moment, an insight equally
discoverable by almost anyone willing to spend time with it, be it kids or
champion puzzle solvers."
"We knew we had something special during product testing, watching people
work out the solution," said Bill Ritchie. "We saw how reason alone can't
solve this puzzle. There is a counterintuitive element that, once realized,
leads to an unexpected, and trust me, incredibly satisfying finale."
36 CUBE is the brainchild of Dr. Derrick Niederman, an MIT Ph.D. who
develops puzzles for fun. He came up with the idea while writing a book on
whole numbers, after unearthing a mathematical supposition from the 18th
century. "It struck me as the basis for a potentially great 3-D puzzle, and
what eventually became 36 CUBE," says Dr. Niederman.
Dr. Niederman says there is something magical about the number six. "When
cubed, it creates quadrillions of possibilities," he explains. "It is what
makes something so seemingly simple in appearance really so stunningly
complex."
Jerry Slocum, a puzzle historian and one of the world's top puzzle
collectors, finds 36 CUBE one of the most engaging puzzles in his extensive
collection. "My first impression was that it was quite a beautiful puzzle. Its
three-dimensional character and colors are very striking. Out of the 30,000
puzzles I own, it's quite distinctive and unique. When I host puzzle
exhibitions, I always put puzzles out for children to try. This is one I think
they'd love to get their hands on."
36 CUBE is available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 now at
Barnes & Noble, Calendar Club, specialty toy stores and
http://www.ThinkFun.com. An online trial version is available at
http://www.ThinkFun.com/36cube.
About ThinkFun, Inc.
ThinkFun, Inc., located in Alexandria, VA, is the leading creator of
mind-challenging games. Since 1985, the company has produced award-winning
games such as Rush Hour(R), TIPOVER(R), and Zingo!(R). ThinkFun games channel
the natural joy and energy that children find in play into an innovative,
family-focused way of building essential thinking skills. ThinkFun is
committed to creating fun, mind-challenging games that kids will want to play
again and again. To learn more, please visit http://www.ThinkFun.com.
SOURCE ThinkFun, Inc.

Courtney Curzi for ThinkFun, Inc., +1-617-585-5784,
ccurzi@360publicrelations.com