Cubes_Art
@cubesart.bsky.social
Hi, I’m David Plaxco. On this account, I share aesthetic solution states of n-layer Rubik's cubes. Otherwise, I teach math at UGA, research undergraduate mathematics education, and try to make my experiences here on earth more meaningful.
I found this knot pattern this week and generated a planar embedding by first using stereographic projection onto the disk, tracing, and tweaking—all in PowerPoint and Photoshop. I really enjoy this process as it allows me to experience the structure of the knot throughout the very slow process. 😊
November 14, 2025 at 2:25 AM
I found this knot pattern this week and generated a planar embedding by first using stereographic projection onto the disk, tracing, and tweaking—all in PowerPoint and Photoshop. I really enjoy this process as it allows me to experience the structure of the knot throughout the very slow process. 😊
I think you’re right. The trick might be in having an even number of each type of tile In the given knot. Here’s the most basic. :)
October 31, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I think you’re right. The trick might be in having an even number of each type of tile In the given knot. Here’s the most basic. :)
BTW: This is the Bible verse referenced in the graffiti.
June 8, 2025 at 12:57 PM
BTW: This is the Bible verse referenced in the graffiti.
Here are all 54 distinct knots/links that Tanya and I have identified in our exploration of a specific class of knots on 9-layer Rubik's cubes. We have also determined that this list contains no redundancies & that any of the 4096 patterns that we began with is equivalent to one of these 54 knots.
June 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Here are all 54 distinct knots/links that Tanya and I have identified in our exploration of a specific class of knots on 9-layer Rubik's cubes. We have also determined that this list contains no redundancies & that any of the 4096 patterns that we began with is equivalent to one of these 54 knots.
I've been investigating a class of knots with Tatyana Khodorovskiy. We began with 4,096 initial patterns on a 9-layer cube and have reduced this set to identify 54 distinct knots in this class. You can read more about it in my Bridges paper from last year, but we're currently writing up the results!
June 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
I've been investigating a class of knots with Tatyana Khodorovskiy. We began with 4,096 initial patterns on a 9-layer cube and have reduced this set to identify 54 distinct knots in this class. You can read more about it in my Bridges paper from last year, but we're currently writing up the results!
Apparently, “notationally” is not one of the six pangrams today.
May 20, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Apparently, “notationally” is not one of the six pangrams today.
Here’s a candid shot from the time I met Ernö Rubik in 2018. He very generously signed several of my cubes and chatted about my patterns. Thanks to @cardcolm.bsky.social for setting up the opportunity.
April 28, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Here’s a candid shot from the time I met Ernö Rubik in 2018. He very generously signed several of my cubes and chatted about my patterns. Thanks to @cardcolm.bsky.social for setting up the opportunity.
Brutal start for me today. Ended up getting it in 4.
April 27, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Brutal start for me today. Ended up getting it in 4.
I use onenote, but this exercise stands out in my memory.
April 26, 2025 at 2:18 AM
I use onenote, but this exercise stands out in my memory.
Teaching people to be critical of lies they hear is NOT an infringement of the liars’ free speech.
April 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Teaching people to be critical of lies they hear is NOT an infringement of the liars’ free speech.
Viva Papa.
I had the chance to see Pope Francis when we traveled to Italy a few years ago. I didn’t wholly agree with him but I admired his humanity. He was imperfect, caring, and humble. That’s refreshing to see in someone at that level of power in the world. I wish peace to all.
I had the chance to see Pope Francis when we traveled to Italy a few years ago. I didn’t wholly agree with him but I admired his humanity. He was imperfect, caring, and humble. That’s refreshing to see in someone at that level of power in the world. I wish peace to all.
April 22, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Viva Papa.
I had the chance to see Pope Francis when we traveled to Italy a few years ago. I didn’t wholly agree with him but I admired his humanity. He was imperfect, caring, and humble. That’s refreshing to see in someone at that level of power in the world. I wish peace to all.
I had the chance to see Pope Francis when we traveled to Italy a few years ago. I didn’t wholly agree with him but I admired his humanity. He was imperfect, caring, and humble. That’s refreshing to see in someone at that level of power in the world. I wish peace to all.
NYT Games added a “Purple First” counter to their Connections stats!
Ever since I learned that the colors implied difficulty, I’ve made it a side quest to solve them in “perfect reverse” order: purple, blue, green, yellow.
Ever since I learned that the colors implied difficulty, I’ve made it a side quest to solve them in “perfect reverse” order: purple, blue, green, yellow.
April 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
NYT Games added a “Purple First” counter to their Connections stats!
Ever since I learned that the colors implied difficulty, I’ve made it a side quest to solve them in “perfect reverse” order: purple, blue, green, yellow.
Ever since I learned that the colors implied difficulty, I’ve made it a side quest to solve them in “perfect reverse” order: purple, blue, green, yellow.
I made this pattern to demonstrate the Fire and Ice color scheme on my 9-layer 🔥 & 🧊 cube. I dis- and re-assembled the cube from its standard color scheme to create this color scheme. I like how the warm and cool colors contrast.
Which side do you prefer: cool colors on warm or warm on cool?
Which side do you prefer: cool colors on warm or warm on cool?
April 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I made this pattern to demonstrate the Fire and Ice color scheme on my 9-layer 🔥 & 🧊 cube. I dis- and re-assembled the cube from its standard color scheme to create this color scheme. I like how the warm and cool colors contrast.
Which side do you prefer: cool colors on warm or warm on cool?
Which side do you prefer: cool colors on warm or warm on cool?
Wow!
What an incredible, beautiful book.
This makes my heart so happy.
What an incredible, beautiful book.
This makes my heart so happy.
April 2, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Wow!
What an incredible, beautiful book.
This makes my heart so happy.
What an incredible, beautiful book.
This makes my heart so happy.
This video might seem to contradict my earlier PSA, but there’s and *important* difference!
Can you tell it?
Can you tell it?
April 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
This video might seem to contradict my earlier PSA, but there’s and *important* difference!
Can you tell it?
Can you tell it?
Reminder: today is April Fool’s Day, so if you see a 9-layer cube that purports to have the word “Fool” written on it in pixels of all one color, it’s NOT real. There are only four of each color pixel in each permutation class, so you would run out of pixels if you tried to write “Fool”
April 1, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reminder: today is April Fool’s Day, so if you see a 9-layer cube that purports to have the word “Fool” written on it in pixels of all one color, it’s NOT real. There are only four of each color pixel in each permutation class, so you would run out of pixels if you tried to write “Fool”
Following yesterday’s theme, two variations on the same knot. 🪢
Here are two knot patterns that share the same edge crossings.
Here are two knot patterns that share the same edge crossings.
March 31, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Following yesterday’s theme, two variations on the same knot. 🪢
Here are two knot patterns that share the same edge crossings.
Here are two knot patterns that share the same edge crossings.
A small tweak in one knot pattern creates a second, different knot. I believe these are the 9-crossing torus knot and a direct sum of three trefoils. (Artemis is adorably sleepy)
March 30, 2025 at 12:52 AM
A small tweak in one knot pattern creates a second, different knot. I believe these are the 9-crossing torus knot and a direct sum of three trefoils. (Artemis is adorably sleepy)
Lovely hike today in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico. I saw a 360° rainbow while standing under a waterfall and ate Puerto Rican-Asian fusion plantains at a beach. Here’s a photo of a pattern I made in between activities.
March 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Lovely hike today in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico. I saw a 360° rainbow while standing under a waterfall and ate Puerto Rican-Asian fusion plantains at a beach. Here’s a photo of a pattern I made in between activities.
Beautiful day walking around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
March 23, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Beautiful day walking around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Here’s a knot on an 11-layer Rubik’s cube. I call this type of knot a permutation knot (see alt text for an explanation of what I mean by that).
This cube has a nonstandard color scheme. I dis- and re-assembled it to have a “hot” corner and “cold” corner. I call this the fire and ice color scheme.
This cube has a nonstandard color scheme. I dis- and re-assembled it to have a “hot” corner and “cold” corner. I call this the fire and ice color scheme.
March 20, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Here’s a knot on an 11-layer Rubik’s cube. I call this type of knot a permutation knot (see alt text for an explanation of what I mean by that).
This cube has a nonstandard color scheme. I dis- and re-assembled it to have a “hot” corner and “cold” corner. I call this the fire and ice color scheme.
This cube has a nonstandard color scheme. I dis- and re-assembled it to have a “hot” corner and “cold” corner. I call this the fire and ice color scheme.
One reason I like this puzzle is because it’s great for beginners. Here, you can see it in action.
www.thecubicle.com/products/moy...
www.thecubicle.com/products/moy...
March 16, 2025 at 2:10 PM
One reason I like this puzzle is because it’s great for beginners. Here, you can see it in action.
www.thecubicle.com/products/moy...
www.thecubicle.com/products/moy...
One of my favorite non-cubic twisty puzzles is the bead pyraminx.
Every scramble is ≤ 8 moves from solved (I’ve heard the radius is actually 4, but I haven’t proven it myself). Once the corners are solved, the “beads” can be permuted to a solved state with one of two commutators.
Every scramble is ≤ 8 moves from solved (I’ve heard the radius is actually 4, but I haven’t proven it myself). Once the corners are solved, the “beads” can be permuted to a solved state with one of two commutators.
March 16, 2025 at 2:10 PM
One of my favorite non-cubic twisty puzzles is the bead pyraminx.
Every scramble is ≤ 8 moves from solved (I’ve heard the radius is actually 4, but I haven’t proven it myself). Once the corners are solved, the “beads” can be permuted to a solved state with one of two commutators.
Every scramble is ≤ 8 moves from solved (I’ve heard the radius is actually 4, but I haven’t proven it myself). Once the corners are solved, the “beads” can be permuted to a solved state with one of two commutators.