Two Cubes Puzzle

George W. Hart


Other Puzzles



This puzzle consists of twenty four sticks, each with four notches, so they snap together and lock into position. There are two types of stick, twelve of each, all with the same length and diameter, but with two patterns of notches.  Twelve sticks of one kind make the edges of an inner cube that twists slightly in one direction, while another twelve sticks form an outer cube that twists slightly in the other direction. The combination makes a very solid structure, about 4.5 inches tall, which stands up nicely for display on any corner.



Here are the 24 sticks, disassembled.



Here is a rendering of the design, standing still so you can see it without getting dizzy. The geometry of the components is described in my paper on stick puzzles, which you can find here. You can make your own copy of it if you have access to a rapid prototyping machine. The necessary .stl files are available on my Makerbot Cupcake page.