Rubik’s Cube

I prefer simple solutions to problems. True, some attempts at solving a problem may appear to be “simple solutions”, when they actually cause more problems than they solve. Solution complexity appears to scale with the complexity of the problem.

I learned this maxim at an early age. I got my first Rubik’s Cube when I was eight. I immediately mixed it up, thinking I could solve the problem. Unfortunately, I had no interest in mathematics, and very little patience. I promptly tossed the scrambled cube into the toy box and forgot about it for a few years. When I rediscovered it, I had this genius idea: I could pry the pieces of the cube apart, and reassemble the cube in the correct order. Given a screwdriver and five minutes, and I had a properly-arranged Rubik’s Cube. Sure, I didn’t solve the problem according to the guidelines listed on the box, but at age nine, I could care less about the methods of my solution.

While I still consider the screwdriver solution to be very good, the self-solving Lego robot solution is pretty darn elegant.