The YuXin 2x2 Football is a sphere-shaped 2x2 cube that reproduces the pattern of a football, with its pentagons and hexagons. This version swaps the traditional black and white for a finish in shades of purple. It measures around 64 mm in diameter and belongs to a YuXin series dedicated to sports balls, alongside basketball, volleyball and baseball versions.

• BrandYuXin
• TypeSpherical 2x2
• Diameter64 mm
• MagnetsNo
• DesignPurple finish

How it works

Inside it’s a 2x2: two layers per axis and eight pieces, all corners. What changes is the outside. Instead of six plain-coloured faces, the cube carries the football pattern spread across its pieces, and when you scramble it the pattern breaks apart. To solve it you have to rebuild the ball, which means paying attention to how the lines and polygons on each piece fit together, not just to a colour.

Design

The spherical shape makes it comfortable to hold and, when solved, it looks like a real ball, so it also works as a decorative object. Being round, it has no flat faces to rest your fingers on as a normal cube does, which makes turning somewhat less precise. It isn’t a valid puzzle for official competition, whose regulations require one plain colour per face.

What level is it for?

Anyone who can already solve a 2x2 can apply the same methods, with the added challenge of recognising the pieces by their pattern. It also makes a good gift for football fans getting started with puzzles.