Megaminx

A standard Megaminx features 12 distinct colored faces and 50 movable pieces. It is shaped like a dodecahedron and operates on a similar turning mechanism to the classic 3x3 Rubik's Cube. Despite having many more pieces, the solving method is surprisingly similar to standard cubes.

The Megaminx was independently invented by multiple puzzle creators in the early 1980s. It was first mass-produced and popularized by the renowned German puzzle designer Uwe Mèffert. Mèffert is also famous for commercializing the Pyraminx during the Rubik's Cube craze.

The official single-solve world record for the Megaminx fluctuates, but top tier speedcubers can solve it in under 30 seconds. Records are officially tracked and verified by the World Cube Association (WCA). Professional speedcubers often use advanced corner-pairing methods like the Westlund method to achieve these times.

While the 12-sided shape makes it visually intimidating, the Megaminx is not exponentially harder than a standard 3x3. Many of the algorithms used for the Rubik's Cube can be directly applied to the Megaminx. It simply takes more moves to solve because of the additional layers and 50 individual pieces.