Everyone is pretty much familiar with the Rubik’s cube, right?
In fact, even researchers in diverse fields like search algorithms, operations and AI are using the Rubik’s cube in their works.
The 3X3 has baffled and fascinated people all over the world ever since it was invented in the 70s. From its outwards appearance, the cube seems like a simple game that every other person can solve. However, with 43 quantillion possible states, solving the cube isn’t very easy for someone who’s trying to solve it for the first time and without solution instructions.
So, rather than spending a lifetime trying to figure out how to solve it, check out our solution guides. But that’s not what we’re here for. Today, we’d like to answer a question that has intrigued many cubers – just how many moves does it take to solve the Rubik’s cube?
What Research Indicates
In the 90s, a computer science professor at the UCLA, named Richard Korf, conducted a research and reported it was possible to solve the Rubik’s cube using 18 moves, with 20 as the maximum number of moves needed. But, the professor wasn’t able to give proof of it.
Until now, the lowest number of moves that has been reported and proved is 27. However, some Northeastern University computer science students have also said that the cube can be solved in 26 moves or less. This may not be much improvement; nevertheless, it’s fantastic to think that a cube with 43 quintillion possible states can be solved in just 26 moves.
If you’re a pro cuber or are very interested in cubing, you might have heard of the so-called “God’s number”. In cubing, we define that as the minimum number of moves it can take to solve the Rubik’s cube. We base that on the thought that those are the moves God would use to solve the cube, and theorists say the number is in the low 20s.
But for now, just know that the minimum (proved) number of moves it takes to solve the Rubik’s cube is 27.
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