Frequently asked questions

Who makes these puzzles?

Every puzzle is designed and made by Manish Rathod (Manqube) in Ahmedabad, India. Manish has designed more than 150 twisty puzzles, and counting. About 100 of them are listed in the Twisty Puzzle Museum as his original inventions.

The others aren’t listed, for an honest reason. Some are his own reworking of a concept another designer invented first. Others he designed independently, only for the museum to decline them because someone had already reached the same idea. Read his story.

Why does my puzzle take 7 to 14 days to ship?

We don’t keep stock. Every puzzle is built for you after you order, and each step is done by hand:

Design check. Any corrections or design changes are made first.
Material. If the PLA colour your puzzle needs isn’t in stock, we buy it.
3D printing. All the parts are printed. This can sometimes take longer for technical reasons.
Inspection. Every printed part is checked, and any part with a printing defect is reprinted.
Sanding. The parts are smoothed with several grades of sandpaper.
Preparing the base puzzle. For modifications, the original stickers are removed and the surfaces are lightly sanded so the printed parts bond properly.
Gluing. Each part is glued carefully, so that pieces don’t stick to each other and the mechanism stays completely free.
Turning test. Every layer is turned to check the puzzle moves as it should.
Stickers. Stickers are cut on a cutting plotter and applied by hand.
Final inspection, then packing and shipping.

How long until it arrives?

Usually 3 to 5 weeks in total: 7 to 14 days to build, then 10 to 20 days with India Post. See Shipping & Delivery.

Is shipping really free?

Yes, to every country, on every order. Your country may charge import duties or taxes on delivery.

Can I choose my colours?

It depends on the puzzle. Some can be made in a different body (PLA) colour, some with different sticker colours, some with both, and some only as shown in the photos. If you’d like a different colour, contact us before you order and we’ll confirm what’s possible for that puzzle.

What is a ghost puzzle?

A ghost puzzle keeps a normal mechanism inside, but its outer shape is shifted and turned so the cuts no longer pass through the middle of each layer or line up with the faces. Every piece ends up a different shape, the centres have an orientation that matters, and the outline changes the moment you turn it. Some turns are blocked until you line the layers back up, so you solve the shape and the colours at the same time. The original Ghost Cube was designed by Adam G. Cowan in 2008.

What is a mirror puzzle?

A mirror puzzle moves the cut planes off-centre, so every layer is a different thickness. Pieces are told apart by size and shape rather than colour, which is why most mirror puzzles use a single colour. Solved, it’s a neat block; scrambled, it becomes a jumble of steps and ledges. Familiar solving methods still work, but recognising each piece is the real challenge. The idea comes from Hidetoshi Takeji’s Mirror Blocks. The name doesn’t mean the surface is reflective.

What is an axis puzzle?

An axis puzzle sets the outer shape at an angle to the mechanism, so the cuts run diagonally across the faces instead of parallel to them. Turning produces irregular, lopsided shapes, the centres gain an orientation, and the usual sense of top and bottom disappears. It solves like the base puzzle underneath, but reading where each piece belongs is far harder.

What is a shape mod?

A shape mod keeps an existing mechanism, such as a 3×3, a 4×4 or a Megaminx, and changes only its outer form: an octahedron, a sphere, a heart. The moves stay the same, but the outline and colours no longer match the turning layers, so pieces land in unfamiliar places and the solved puzzle looks nothing like the original. Manqube puzzles are made by adding hand-finished 3D-printed parts to a quality commercial core.

What are they made of?

A quality commercial puzzle core, with custom 3D-printed PLA parts that create the shape.

How should I care for my puzzle?

Store it in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, ideally below 30°C. PLA can start to soften from around 45 to 50°C, so never leave it in a car, on a sunny windowsill or in a closed glass cabinet that gets direct sun. Turn it gently for the first few days while it settles in. If it feels dry after months of use, a drop of silicone puzzle lubricant helps.