Master Pyramorphix, solved
The Pyramorphix series of puzzles are edge-turning tetrahedron puzzles.
Since the tetrahedron has six edges, the core must provide six turning axes, and this is precisely what the standard magic cube mechanisms do. These puzzles are therefore simply shell variants of the magic cubes.
But what variants! These are the crème de la crème of magic cube shell variants. The only real difference in terms of puzzle solution is some of the piece that would be centre pieces in a magic cube, and therefore have no need of orientation, and instead edge pieces that must be correctly oriented. On the other hand, half of what are corner pieces on the magic cube become centre pieces and need not be oriented.
Actually, the puzzle feels very much more different than that. The same algorithms may apply, but you have to re-learn how to apply them because the feel of the puzzle is so different.
Master Pyramorphix, jumbled
But what really makes the Pyramorphix series an awesome shell variant is the fact that the magic cube mechanism allows for six axes each with 90° rotation, but the edge centres of a tetrahedron are only axes of symmetry for 180° rotations. So if you only turn the edges of a Pyramorphix puzzle by 180°, your Pyramorphix will move from isometry to isometry, and thus retain its tetrahedron shape. This represents a challenging and interesting puzzle in itself. However, if you start turning the edges of a Pyramorphix by only 90°, pieces are moved into non-isometric orientations, and the puzzle loses its shape — it ceases to be a tetrahedron. Such moves are called jumbling moves. For those unfamiliar with the Pyramorphix, jumbling seems mind-blowing; it makes the puzzle look so much more difficult to solve. All jumbling really does, though, is render the puzzle about as difficult to solve as the corresponding magic cube. For those who are adept at solving the corresponding cube, jumbling a Pyramorphix holds no fear, and in fact the most straight-forward way to solve an unjumbled cube may be via jumbling moves.
The Pyramorphix puzzles are:
- Pyramorphix (2 layers)
- Master Pyramorphix or Mastermorphix (3 layers)
- Megamorphix (4 layers)
- Ultramorphix (5 layers)
- Hexaphobic (6 layers)
- 7 Layer Morphix (you guessed it)