110:
235:
210:
Massachusetts, and invented one of its primary products, Poroplastic, in 1973. Poroplastic film has the mechanical properties of a typical plastic, but is able to hold large quantities of almost any liquid within tiny pores. Usage of
Poroplastic materials centers on controlled drug delivery and environmental health and safety products.
171:”, Dr. Nichols conceived of a twist cube puzzle with six colored faces. It was a 2×2×2 cube assembled from eight unit cubes with magnets on their inside faces, allowing the cubes to rotate in groups of four around three axes. The object of the puzzle was to mix the colors on the faces of the cube and then restore them.
118:
209:
Nichols received a degree in chemistry in 1958 from DePauw
University, where he was a Rector Scholar, and went on to earn a doctorate at Harvard. As a Harvard student, he invented and produced games and puzzles. He became chief scientist for the Moleculon Research Corporation of Cambridge,
178:
Nichols' patents became the subject of a court hearing, between his employer, and the Ideal Toy
Company. In 1985, a U.S. District Court ruled that Rubik’s Cube infringed the Nichols patent, but in 1986 the Court of Appeals ruled that only the smaller 2×2×2 Rubik’s Pocket Cube was guilty of
174:
After making many preliminary models, in 1968 a working prototype was constructed, and on April 11, 1972, U.S. patent 3,655,201 was issued covering the
Nichols' Cube. The patent focused on the 2Ă—2Ă—2 puzzle but mentioned the possibility of larger versions.
66:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
155:
including 'The
Nichols Cube Puzzle' (1972), patent US3655201. He has lived with his wife Karen in Arlington, Massachusetts since 1959.
724:
1428:
1422:
1340:
1370:
793:
1474:
1407:
1464:
576:
1138:
1211:
762:
717:
607:
618:
1479:
1191:
151:, before moving to Massachusetts to attend Harvard Graduate School. He is best known for the invention of
1484:
1236:
543:
528:
640:
1454:
1196:
710:
533:
433:
346:
1413:
1459:
1449:
1391:
1266:
1226:
328:
695:
295:
1375:
1145:
1118:
1038:
569:
548:
458:
300:
1469:
148:
8:
1028:
813:
401:
323:
673:
629:
1360:
1221:
1155:
1020:
808:
788:
772:
538:
318:
1176:
1064:
894:
767:
424:
309:
290:
285:
152:
144:
62:
1291:
1251:
1186:
1150:
1133:
1128:
982:
856:
562:
487:
482:
267:
1256:
1181:
879:
803:
733:
497:
191:
168:
684:
1330:
1276:
1123:
987:
372:
757:
662:
651:
597:
Pattern forming puzzle and method with pieces rotatable in groups US 3655201 A
596:
234:
1443:
1261:
959:
851:
377:
356:
253:
132:
747:
164:
1281:
1201:
969:
931:
467:
351:
276:
1335:
1314:
1246:
1241:
1171:
1005:
997:
936:
918:
861:
798:
477:
367:
333:
136:
121:
39:
702:
951:
941:
502:
442:
387:
197:
Frank Fox got a
British patent for a spherical sliding puzzle in 1974
113:
Diagram from
Nichols' patent showing a cube held together with magnets
1365:
1271:
1231:
899:
889:
846:
507:
410:
397:
117:
1286:
1216:
1206:
1046:
977:
926:
828:
823:
818:
109:
93:
652:
Patent US3081089: 'Manipulatable toy' by
William O Gustafson 1960
492:
472:
338:
200:
Terutoshi Ishige received a
Japanese patent for a 3x3x3 in 1976
1056:
415:
262:
226:
663:
Patent US4378117: 'Spatial intelligent toy' by Erno Rubik 1974
1010:
884:
696:
Role of Larry
Nichols '58 in Inventing Famous Toy is Recalled
383:
140:
43:
84:
Moleculon Research Corporation of Cambridge, Massachusetts
674:
Patent GB1344259: 'Amusement device' by Frank Fox 1974
179:
infringement, and not the popular 3Ă—3Ă—3 Rubik's Cube.
158:
1441:
718:
685:WIRED: Rubik Applies for Patent on Magic Cube
570:
182:
725:
711:
577:
563:
188:Manipulative toy William O Gustafson 1960
732:
116:
108:
1442:
135:, is a puzzle designer. He grew up in
706:
1429:1982 World Rubik's Cube Championship
608:The Legal Puzzle of the Rubik’s Cube
1423:The Simple Solution to Rubik's Cube
689:
667:
656:
645:
13:
678:
634:
623:
619:NY Times: Cube Is A Problem To CBS
612:
601:
167:invention popularly known as the “
14:
1496:
794:Rubik's family cubes of all sizes
590:
159:The Nichols Cube Puzzle (Twizzle)
233:
1408:Rubik's Cube in popular culture
1:
213:
7:
143:, and studied chemistry at
36:1939 (age 84–85)
10:
1501:
1371:Thistlethwaite's algorithm
183:Analogues of the invention
163:In 1957, 17 years before
1475:Harvard University alumni
1400:
1384:
1353:
1323:
1307:
1300:
1164:
1111:
1078:
1055:
1037:
1019:
996:
968:
950:
917:
908:
870:
837:
781:
740:
204:
99:
88:
80:
72:
58:
50:
28:
21:
1465:DePauw University alumni
814:5Ă—5Ă—5 (Professor's Cube)
16:American puzzle designer
1414:Rubik, the Amazing Cube
809:4Ă—4Ă—4 (Rubik's Revenge)
67:Harvard Graduate School
1392:World Cube Association
1267:Anthony Michael Brooks
1227:Krishnam Raju Gadiraju
125:
114:
1385:Official organization
1039:Truncated icosahedron
120:
112:
804:3Ă—3Ă—3 (Rubik's Cube)
149:Greencastle, Indiana
1480:Combination puzzles
1079:Virtual combination
911:combination puzzles
873:combination puzzles
799:2Ă—2Ă—2 (Pocket Cube)
539:Nikoli puzzle types
221:Part of a series on
131:, born 1939 in the
1485:Mechanical puzzles
1376:Rubik's Cube group
1222:Prithveesh K. Bhat
1146:Rubik's Revolution
1021:Great dodecahedron
773:Oskar van Deventer
544:Puzzle video games
529:Impossible puzzles
425:Puzzle video games
153:mechanical puzzles
126:
115:
1437:
1436:
1349:
1348:
1074:
1073:
838:Variations of the
768:Panagiotis Verdes
587:
586:
448:
447:
145:DePauw University
107:
106:
92:Puzzle designer,
76:Inventor, chemist
63:DePauw University
1492:
1455:Puzzle designers
1401:Related articles
1305:
1304:
1252:David Singmaster
1212:Shotaro Makisumi
1187:Jessica Fridrich
1165:Renowned solvers
1081:puzzles (>3D)
1029:Alexander's Star
983:Pyraminx Crystal
915:
914:
857:Nine-Colour Cube
829:8Ă—8Ă—8 (V-Cube 8)
824:7Ă—7Ă—7 (V-Cube 7)
819:6Ă—6Ă—6 (V-Cube 6)
741:Puzzle inventors
727:
720:
713:
704:
703:
698:
693:
687:
682:
676:
671:
665:
660:
654:
649:
643:
638:
632:
627:
621:
616:
610:
605:
599:
594:
579:
572:
565:
534:Maze video games
523:
488:Packing problems
483:Optical illusion
461:
250:
249:
246:
237:
218:
217:
129:Larry D. Nichols
23:Larry D. Nichols
19:
18:
1500:
1499:
1495:
1494:
1493:
1491:
1490:
1489:
1440:
1439:
1438:
1433:
1396:
1380:
1361:God's algorithm
1345:
1319:
1296:
1257:Ron van Bruchem
1182:Bob Burton, Jr.
1177:Édouard Chambon
1160:
1156:Rubik's Triamid
1107:
1080:
1070:
1051:
1033:
1015:
992:
964:
946:
910:
904:
880:Helicopter Cube
872:
866:
839:
833:
777:
736:
731:
701:
694:
690:
683:
679:
672:
668:
661:
657:
650:
646:
639:
635:
628:
624:
617:
613:
606:
602:
595:
591:
583:
554:
553:
524:
521:
514:
513:
512:
498:Problem solving
462:
457:
450:
449:
382:
329:Disentanglement
247:
244:
216:
207:
185:
161:
103:Chief scientist
46:
37:
35:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1498:
1488:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1435:
1434:
1432:
1431:
1426:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1404:
1402:
1398:
1397:
1395:
1394:
1388:
1386:
1382:
1381:
1379:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1357:
1355:
1351:
1350:
1347:
1346:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1331:Layer by Layer
1327:
1325:
1321:
1320:
1318:
1317:
1311:
1309:
1302:
1298:
1297:
1295:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1277:Feliks Zemdegs
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1192:Chris Hardwick
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1168:
1166:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1142:
1141:
1139:Master Edition
1131:
1126:
1121:
1115:
1113:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1105:
1103:Magic 120-cell
1100:
1095:
1090:
1084:
1082:
1076:
1075:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1068:
1065:Rubik's Domino
1061:
1059:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1049:
1043:
1041:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1031:
1025:
1023:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1013:
1008:
1002:
1000:
994:
993:
991:
990:
988:Skewb Ultimate
985:
980:
974:
972:
966:
965:
963:
962:
956:
954:
948:
947:
945:
944:
939:
934:
929:
923:
921:
912:
906:
905:
903:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
876:
874:
868:
867:
865:
864:
859:
854:
849:
843:
841:
835:
834:
832:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
785:
783:
779:
778:
776:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
744:
742:
738:
737:
730:
729:
722:
715:
707:
700:
699:
688:
677:
666:
655:
644:
641:Age of Puzzles
633:
622:
611:
600:
588:
585:
584:
582:
581:
574:
567:
559:
556:
555:
552:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
525:
520:
519:
516:
515:
511:
510:
505:
500:
495:
490:
485:
480:
475:
470:
464:
463:
456:
455:
452:
451:
446:
445:
439:
438:
437:
436:
428:
427:
421:
420:
419:
418:
413:
405:
404:
394:
393:
392:
391:
380:
375:
370:
362:
361:
360:
359:
354:
349:
344:
336:
331:
326:
321:
313:
312:
306:
305:
304:
303:
301:Self-reference
298:
293:
288:
280:
279:
273:
272:
271:
270:
265:
257:
256:
248:
243:
242:
239:
238:
230:
229:
223:
222:
215:
212:
206:
203:
202:
201:
198:
195:
189:
184:
181:
160:
157:
105:
104:
101:
97:
96:
90:
89:Known for
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
38:
32:
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1497:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1460:Toy inventors
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1450:Living people
1448:
1447:
1445:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1424:
1420:
1416:
1415:
1411:
1410:
1409:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1399:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1383:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1352:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1328:
1326:
1322:
1316:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1306:
1303:
1299:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1262:Eric Limeback
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1169:
1167:
1163:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1151:Rubik's Snake
1149:
1147:
1144:
1140:
1137:
1136:
1135:
1134:Rubik's Magic
1132:
1130:
1129:Rubik's Clock
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1077:
1066:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1058:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1040:
1036:
1030:
1027:
1026:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1003:
1001:
999:
995:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
975:
973:
971:
967:
961:
960:Skewb Diamond
958:
957:
955:
953:
949:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
924:
922:
920:
916:
913:
907:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
877:
875:
869:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
844:
842:
836:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
786:
784:
782:Rubik's Cubes
780:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
753:Larry Nichols
751:
749:
746:
745:
743:
739:
735:
728:
723:
721:
716:
714:
709:
708:
705:
697:
692:
686:
681:
675:
670:
664:
659:
653:
648:
642:
637:
631:
630:First Version
626:
620:
615:
609:
604:
598:
593:
589:
580:
575:
573:
568:
566:
561:
560:
558:
557:
550:
549:Puzzle topics
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
526:
518:
517:
509:
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
489:
486:
484:
481:
479:
476:
474:
471:
469:
466:
465:
460:
454:
453:
444:
441:
440:
435:
432:
431:
430:
429:
426:
423:
422:
417:
414:
412:
409:
408:
407:
406:
403:
399:
396:
395:
389:
385:
381:
379:
376:
374:
371:
369:
366:
365:
364:
363:
358:
355:
353:
350:
348:
345:
343:
341:
337:
335:
332:
330:
327:
325:
322:
320:
317:
316:
315:
314:
311:
308:
307:
302:
299:
297:
294:
292:
289:
287:
284:
283:
282:
281:
278:
275:
274:
269:
266:
264:
261:
260:
259:
258:
255:
252:
251:
241:
240:
236:
232:
231:
228:
225:
224:
220:
219:
211:
199:
196:
193:
190:
187:
186:
180:
176:
172:
170:
166:
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
133:United States
130:
123:
119:
111:
102:
98:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
73:Occupation(s)
71:
68:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
33:Larry Nichols
31:
27:
20:
1421:
1412:
1308:Speedsolving
1282:Collin Burns
1237:Frank Morris
1202:Rowe Hessler
1119:Missing Link
970:Dodecahedron
932:Pyraminx Duo
840:Rubik's Cube
752:
734:Rubik's Cube
691:
680:
669:
658:
647:
636:
625:
614:
603:
592:
468:Brain teaser
339:
324:Construction
208:
192:Rubik's Cube
177:
173:
169:Rubik's Cube
162:
128:
127:
1470:1939 births
1354:Mathematics
1336:CFOP method
1315:Speedcubing
1292:Mátyás Kuti
1247:Gilles Roux
1242:Lars Petrus
1172:Yu Nakajima
1124:Rubik's 360
1112:Derivatives
1098:MagicCube7D
1093:MagicCube5D
1088:MagicCube4D
1006:Impossiball
998:Icosahedron
937:Pyramorphix
919:Tetrahedron
871:Other cubic
862:Sudoku Cube
763:Tony Fisher
758:Uwe Mèffert
443:Metapuzzles
319:Combination
165:Dr. Rubik’s
122:Pocket Cube
81:Employer(s)
51:Nationality
1444:Categories
1197:Kevin Hays
952:Octahedron
942:BrainTwist
748:Ernő Rubik
503:Puzzlehunt
388:Logic maze
310:Mechanical
296:Logic grid
286:Dissection
214:References
124:animation.
1366:Superflip
1301:Solutions
1272:Mats Valk
1232:Tyson Mao
909:Non-cubic
900:Gear Cube
890:Dino Cube
852:Bump Cube
847:Void Cube
508:Syllogism
411:Crossword
291:Induction
268:Situation
59:Education
1287:Max Park
1217:Toby Mao
1207:Leyan Lo
1047:Tuttminx
978:Megaminx
927:Pyraminx
895:Square 1
789:Overview
342:problems
254:Guessing
94:inventor
54:American
1341:Optimal
1324:Methods
1067:(2x3x3)
493:Paradox
473:Dilemma
386: (
373:Sliding
347:Folding
227:Puzzles
1057:Cuboid
459:Topics
416:Sudoku
402:Number
357:Tiling
263:Riddle
205:Career
1011:Dogic
885:Skewb
522:Lists
434:Mazes
378:Chess
352:Stick
277:Logic
245:Types
194:1974
137:Xenia
100:Title
40:Xenia
478:Joke
400:and
398:Word
384:Maze
368:Tour
334:Lock
147:in
141:Ohio
44:Ohio
29:Born
1446::
340:Go
139:,
65:;
42:,
726:e
719:t
712:v
578:e
571:t
564:v
390:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.gif)
