I acquired a new skill this year. I learned how to solve Rubik’s Cube.

The first time I did it in front of H.E., he thought I was a genius and said, staring pointedly at my little Sudoku machine, “Oh, great. Yet another thing you can get obsessive about.” He was impressed though, and actually, so was I. As a kid growing up in the ’80s, I used to have a Rubik’s Cube, but I was never able to solve it—never actually really tried to solve it until this year. But the way I solved it back then was probably the most reliable and stress-free way to solve it.

I took it apart and put it all back together again.

Yeah, I know. Cheater.

But this year, I learned how to solve it without taking it apart. It’s actually quite easy. You essentially start from the bottom and work your way up. There’s a system to it, really, and if you work quickly, you can solve the puzzle in two minutes. No problem.

H.E. wasn’t quite as impressed when I told him there was a system. He talked about all the people who used to impress him with their skills at Rubik’s Cube and all the people who tried to impress him by giving the cube a few turns and working their way backwards, not really solving it.

But there is a system.

You start with a daisy, then a white cross, then a solid white side. Then you creep up two-thirds of the way up the colors orange, green, red, and blue. Then you go for a yellow cross and a solid yellow side, the final corners, and voila!

I have to admit that after learning the system and successfully solving the thing fifty different times, I wasn’t all that impressed any more either.

I am, however, still impressed with those who can solve the cube blindfolded. I haven’t figured out yet if there’s a system for that. At this point, I still need my eyes to see what I’m doing when I’m shifting the colors this way and that.

Perhaps solving Rubik’s Cube blindfolded can be a goal for next year.

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