New Cubes!!!

I got my new cubes yesterday (7 June)!  Pretty excited about it, if you couldn't tell :)

I got the 4x4x4 because though I'm able to solve a much larger cube quite easily now, I've never solved a cube with an even number of blocks in each row, always just 3, 5, or 7.  I also look forward to seeing what unusual designs I can come up with once I do solve it.

I got the 5x5x5 because I haven't played around with it much.  I basically moved right from it to the 7x7x7 during my last deployment, and then stayed there.  I want to see what sorts of designs I can make on this one.  Probably not much more than smaller ones versions of the ones I've already made on the larger cube, but we'll see.

The 3x3x3 mirrored cube is just an oddity that I don't think will take much effort to solve, but look forward to finding out for certain.  I like that instead of mixing up the colors it mixes up the shape.  It may provide a different set of difficulties, though I would be surprised if the algorithms are different than for the other cubes.

#1

I'd call this one "The Original" but I already used that for the first design I made with a 7x7x7 cube.  So I'll call this one "#1".  It's the first design I made on any cube, long before I ever was able to solve a 7x7x7 cube at all, much less make designs in one.  I thought I'd already posted pictures of this solve, but I guess I hadn't, so here you go.  I've tried some other designs on the small cube since, but it's only served to show me just how little flexibility there is in this cube.

Peace

this one was a challenge from one of the other Marines I've been working with, and is my first design that isn't completely (horizontally, vertically, & diagonally) symmetrical.  It actually came together easier than I'd expected it to, and it's one of my two or three favorite designs so far. (originally solved on 24 July 2011)

Ringed Diamonds

I did this one on the spur of a moment...I think it came out kinda cool. (originally solved on 23 July 2011)

Crushed Corners

I like how this one came out, sorta like a box with the corners crushed in...yet another very different design with only small changes from some of my previous ones. (originally solved on 22 July 2011)

Departing Strike-fighters

another design with no real purpose beyond passing the time and seeing what making small changes to the layout would look like as a whole. (originally solved on 22 July 2011)

Heavy 'Bells

another modification of my "Loaded Dumbbells" design...it was a slow day at work, and an easy modification. (originally solved on 21 July 2011)

Dueling Strike-fighters

changed a little of the outer ring from my "Loaded Dumbbells" design, just to see what happened. (originally solved on 21 July 2011)

Loaded Dumbbells

similar to my "Crossed Dumbbells" design, but doubled the edges. (originally solved on 21 July 2011)

Atari

this just reminded me of old Atari-era video game graphics, though not for any game in particular. (originally solved on 21 July 2011)

Interlocked

though it's hard to tell with two-dimensional sides, the intent was for this to be interlocked links.  regardless, it was still fun to work out. (originally solved on 16 July 2011)

Window Panes

another quick design, comparatively, passing the time on a slow shift. (originally solved on 16 July 2011)

Little Checkered

I got bored, but didn't have much time, so I worked a quick, little checkerboard with solid sides. (originally solved on 15 July 2011)

Bloomin'

a little design I like because it seems to me to be a bit of an inverse fractal.  (originally solved on 14 July 2011)

Crossed Dumbbells

another victim of my tweaking phase...I really like symmetry. :) (originally solved on 13 July 2011)

Crossed Axles

I wasn't really sure what to name this one...I came up with the design as I was messing around with changing small parts from previous designs to see how different they looked once completed. (originally solved on 13 July 2011)

Dogfighting Delta-wings

I figured this one looked like 4 stealth bombers converging on each other (& yes, I'm well aware that bombers wouldn't be in a dogfight) :)...a simple, fun design. (originally solved on 12 July 2011)

Fleeing Fishes

I didn't begin with a purpose for this one, but as I finished with it, I realized that it looked like a bunch of goldfish swimming away from the center. :) (originally solved on 11 July 2011)