Puzzle maintenance

Inside a speed puzzle

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.

Tension and adjustment

Shape by shape

• •
  Cubes (2x2 to 3x3): tension and lube are the usual adjustments. On a 2x2 the corners are all there is, so too loose a setting makes it pop or twist corners.
• •
  Big cubes (4x4 and up): inner layers catch more than outer ones. Lubricate the inner slices too, and favour stability over speed: a big cube that pops costs a whole solve.
• •
  Pyraminx: the tips are separate pieces that loosen first; tighten them evenly, and lubricate the core lightly so the layers do not drift.
• •
  Skewb: every turn moves half the puzzle, so a light, slippery setup catches less. Clean the centres' contact surfaces, where dust builds up.
• •
  Megaminx and bigger minxes: many faces means many contact surfaces. Lubricate them lightly but all of them, or the dry faces will feel different from the rest.
• •
  Square-1: the middle slice and the corners' grooves wear; a little lube on the slice helps it turn, and a loose puzzle shifts out of cube shape when you do not want it to.
• •
  Clock: do not lubricate the inside or the dials unless the manufacturer says so; keep the pins clean and the wheels free of grit.
• •
  Smart cubes: keep liquids away from the electronics, charge them as the manufacturer instructs, and never disassemble the battery or circuit parts.