How did the invention start?
Erno Rubik, a professor of architecture and design, wanted to help his students understand 3D shapes and patterns. He began creating blocks made from wood, paper, rubber bands, paper clips, and glue. Erno developed the Magic Cube, which took him a month to solve.
What happened next?
The cube was featured at a toy fair in 1979 in Hungary. A United States company liked the toy idea and began to market it in the United States. The Rubik’s Cube won Toy of the Year in 1980 and 1981, with 100 million sold by 1982.
What is happening today?
Over 500 million Rubik’s Cubes have been sold worldwide. In 2022, sales of the Rubik’s Cube reached over $75 million. Rubik’s Cube competitions are held worldwide, where people race to complete the cube. The Rubik’s Cube was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Did you know?
The individual cubes are called cubies.
As of 2025, the current world record for solving a 3×3 cube is 3.08 seconds.
In 1981, 13-year-old Patrick Bossert published the first book with directions on how to solve the cube. The book sold 1.5 million copies.
