Your desk, mat and puzzle care
Prepare a comfortable solve space and understand the hardware in your hands.
Set up your desk
- •Use a stable surface with room for your arms, timer and puzzle. Keep drinks away from electronics.
- •Attach the timer to a compatible mat according to its instructions. The mat cushions the puzzle; do not throw the puzzle onto it.
- •Practise starting and stopping with the actual timer mode used by your competition.
- •Place recording cameras outside your hand path. Ask permission before filming other people, especially children.
Inside a speed puzzle
A puzzle's visible pieces ride on an internal mechanism. Depending on the model, a core, screws, springs or magnetic adjustment systems control how it feels. Magnets may help alignment; adjustment systems differ between manufacturers. Read the model's instructions before disassembly, tension changes or lubrication.
Clean and lubricate conservatively
- •Use lubricant explicitly intended for your puzzle's materials. Do not substitute household oils or solvents.
- •Remove loose dirt with a clean, dry cloth. Keep liquids away from smart-cube electronics, bearings and parts the manufacturer says to keep dry.
- •Apply a small amount following the manufacturer's instructions, work it through the puzzle, then reassess before adding more.
- •Change a setting gradually and record what you changed. Do not adjust unfamiliar hardware immediately before an important round.