Erno Rubik

Hungarian inventor

Erno Rubikis a Hungarian inventor, widely known for creating the Rubik’s Cube (1974), Rubik’s Magic, Rubik’s Magic: Master Edition, and Rubik’s Snake.
While Rubik became famous for inventing the Rubik’s Cube and his other puzzles, much of his recent work involves the promotion of science in education.

About the Erno Rubik

Erno Rubikis a Hungarian inventor, widely known for creating the Rubik’s Cube (1974), Rubik’s Magic, Rubik’s Magic: Master Edition, and Rubik’s Snake.

While Rubik became famous for inventing the Rubik’s Cube and his other puzzles, much of his recent work involves the promotion of science in education. Rubik is involved with several organizations such as Beyond Rubik’s Cube, the Rubik Learning Initiative and the Judit Polgar Foundation, all of which aim to engage students in science, mathematics, and problem solving at a young age.

Rubik studied sculpture at the Academy of Applied Arts and Design in Budapest and architecture at the Technical University, also in Budapest. While a professor of design at the academy, he pursued his hobby of building geometric models. One of these was a prototype of his cube, made of 27 wooden blocks; it took Rubik a month to solve the problem of the cube. It proved a useful tool for teaching algebraic group theory, and in late 1977 Konsumex, Hungary’s state trading company, began marketing it. By 1980 Rubik’s Cube was marketed throughout the world, and over 100 million authorized units, with an estimated 50 million unauthorized imitations, were sold, mostly during its subsequent three years of popularity. Approximately 50 books were published describing how to solve the puzzle of Rubik’s Cube. Following his cube’s popularity, Rubik opened a studio to develop designs in 1984; among its products was another popular puzzle toy, Rubik’s Magic.

24 Quotes by Erno Rubik

  1. 1.

    Once I completed the Cube and demonstrated it to my students, I realized it was nearly impossible to put down.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  2. 2.

    And, not only in Budapest. I worked very closely with a very powerful government organization, which shall remain unidentified, to develop the mass marketed version of the Cube.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  3. 3.

    The problems of puzzles are very near the problems of life.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  4. 4.

    But for me, it was a code I myself had invented! Yet I could not read it.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  5. 5.

    Our whole life is solving puzzles.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  6. 6.

    I was somewhat out of place among my classmates; I could not be as bohemian as they were.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  7. 7.

    I do not truly consider myself an icon, but the Cube has been quite successful.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  8. 8.

    Yes, but with the Cube there are many flashes, there are many aha’s.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  9. 9.

    Now, after the Cube, I still don’t have any plans to make anything like it.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  10. 10.

    But thanks to my invention, my capitalist friends and I were able to bring the government to its knees.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  11. 11.

    I did not plan to make the Cube.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  12. 12.

    Like after a nice walk when you have seen many lovely sights you decide to go home, after a while I decided it was time to go home, let us put the cubes back in order. And it was at that moment that I came face to face with the Big Challenge: What is the way home?

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  13. 13.

    It was tremendously satisfying to watch this color parade.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  14. 14.

    I wanted nothing else than to make the object as perfect as possible.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  15. 15.

    Usually we are saying only part of the truth.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  16. 16.

    We turn the Cube and it twists us.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  17. 17.

    The Cube is an imitation of life itself – or even an improvement on life.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  18. 18.

    The Cube can seem alive as it heats up in your hand. The fact that each face of the Cube is made of three layers of three blocks has an important meaning.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  19. 19.

    I’ve always been passionate about geometry and the study of three-dimensional forms.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  20. 20.

    In my teaching, I enjoyed creating models to clearly communicate my thoughts.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  21. 21.

    I want to try to keep my life the same.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  22. 22.

    This was such an extraordinary situation that I simply could not accept it.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  23. 23.

    A good puzzle, it’s a fair thing. Nobody is lying. It’s very clear, and the problem depends just on you.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor

  24. 24.

    I’m still the same person, thinking the same way, so it’s possible I will invent something.

    Erno Rubik

    Hungarian inventor