Grant’s 2x2x3x3

Grant’s 2x2x3x3

4D Shape: Hypercuboid

Physical Shape: Rectangular prism

Pieces: 16 4c, 16 3c, 4 2c

Magnets: 1728

Completed: 2022 May 14

History

While the production of Grant’s 2x2x2x3 was beginning, hypercubers were already thinking about what was next. Grant first posted a rendering of a 2x2x3x3 to the hypercubers server on January 17th, 2022. The 2x2x3x3 has an extra middle layer that the 2x2x2x3 doesn’t have, which introduces the 2c piece to the design. The design used for the new 2c pieces was later changed with a new design propossed by Hactar, however, it conveniently did not change how they appeared in the faces visible in that rendering.

It took a while to get the designs just right, but after printing and assembling 4 of the new 2c pieces and 8 more 3c pieces, the puzzle was completed on May 14th, 2022.

Functionality

In order to prove that it was fully functional, it had to be shown that moves matched the virtual puzzle, and that it was possible to gyro the puzzle into different orientations.

The gyro starts by removing the middle layer, and then gyroing just like the 2x2x2x3, which involves separating that middle layer and then gyroing like a 2x2x2x2. Next, the middle layer has some four-dimensional black magic done to it, and then finally the puzzle is reassembled into the gyroed state.

In early design stages of the puzzle, Grant realized that some of the 2x2x3 cell moves aren’t accessible when only gyroing onto 2x3x3 cells. Some experimentation Grant had done with the 2x2x2x3 by gyroing onto 2x2x2 cells held the key, we actually need a second type of gyro! This secondary gyro involves gyroing onto a 2x2x3 cell, and then making the middle layer stick out. (example shown below) Now the puzzle was fully functional.

The physical 2x2x3x3 remained unsolved until fall of 2025 when Grant finally did a solve.