The QiYi Gear Sphere is essentially the same puzzle as the Gear Cube, the gear cube originally designed by Oskar van Deventer, but shaped like a faceted sphere. This version has a black body and carries coloured plastic tiles (tiled) instead of stickers.

• BrandQiYi
• TypeSpherical gear puzzle
• MagnetsNo
• FinishBlack body with coloured tiles
• WeightAbout 109 g

How it works

The layers are linked by gears: when you turn an outer face, the middle layer turns too, at a different speed. That is why each face needs several full turns to return to its position, and solving it means thinking about the gear cycle rather than long algorithms. The rounded shape removes the reference points of the corners and changes the way you hold it.

Materials

The tiles are coloured plastic pieces fitted onto the black body; they stand up to use better than narrow stickers, which tend to peel off gear puzzles. It turns smoothly straight out of the box, with no need for lubrication.

What level it suits

It suits anyone who already knows the 3x3 or the Gear Cube and wants a variant with a different shape, as well as collectors of gear puzzles.