Rubik's cube and other puzzles

I quite often play with my Bedlam Cube. I had it as a child and loved it, even if I never solved it. It went missing somehow but when I saw it in a toy shop a few years ago, I ended up buying two just in case.

It's one of my favourite things to show when people visit me, because it really frustrates them and it's fun to watch them. I do randomly solve it now, but it's usually through brute force.

Plus plus blocks.

Theres a bigger size block for smaller kids that are kind of more satisfying. I think they're made of a similar plastic to milk jugs and plastic bags so they have a little bit of a slippery feel when you stick them together. This is less of a puzzle and more just a play thing.

Regarding the Rubik's cube, some are WAY nicer than others so if yours doesnt turn nicely then look into which ones are nicer. I don't know what the current good cubes are. I did end up buying the Rubik's brand speed cube (impulse purchase at a physical store) and its surprisingly good.

I always liked messing around with Jacob's Ladder since it's probably the cheapest toy you can fit in any pocket. Not exactly highly intellectual but it does very much satisfy the need to do something with the fingers.

This snake-to-cube wooden toy is quite nice. There are wooden cubes on a string they you can rotate in their joints and you have to make 3x3 cube from them.

The other size of cubes can be a good time, as well as some of the other variations. I have a bunch; everything from the 2x2x2 to a 9x9x9 (though they are commercially available in bigger sizes). The 2x2x2 is the easiest; I used to be able to solve it in 5 or 6 seconds. For all the ones bigger than the standard, the even numbered ones are a bit harder than the odd numbered one that is just a bit bigger, ie. a 4x4x4 is slightly harder than the 5x5x5. I do enjoy the puzzle of the higher order cubes quite a bit.

I also like the void cube, which is harder than a typical 3x3x3, and the Pyraminx which is like a pyramid version of a speed cube.

Tavern puzzles or disengagement puzzles are another good fidget puzzle option, though they tend to be clankier and louder than a speed cube.

Spinmaster Perplexis - we have a number at the office that were popular secret Santa gifts

All sorts of puzzles.

Megaminx is fun, longer solve, slightly different. Higher order variants are fun as well as lower (Kilominx, Master Kilominx, Gigaminx, Teraminx)

Higher-order puzzles like the 4x4/5x5. If you get up to 7, you have pretty much every case you'll see in higher order cubes. I'm collecting up to 13 for... reasons (need to get the 12 and 13, life got in the way).

Lower order puzzles like a 2x2, 1x3x3 cuboid, 1x2x3 cuboid, etc, or their pizza cousins are interesting and easy to just mess with.

Pyraminx is a fun one to solve with minimal knowledge. The master is similar, and the professor is one I haven't been able to solve yet.

For just stimming, keep it lower order. They're stable, easy to solve once you mess them up, and easy to work.

I also recommend just learning a ton of 3x3 methods even if you don't go particularly deep: basic layers, basic CFOP, Petrus, Roux, Heise. Once you get them down they're all great ways to spend a minute or so.

You can also fidget with things like communtators on higher order puzzles, case algorithm drills, etc.

The Rubik's Snake (aka the Magic Snake) is fun to mess with, too.

Other than a 3x3, my favorite puzzle for just fidgeting is the Redi Cube, because it's satisfyingly easy to solve without being completely trivial.

On the opposite end, the Skewby Copter Extreme is maybe my most mentally stimulating twisty puzzle. If somebody's new to twisty puzzles and actually solving them is important to them, I'd recommend the Skewb or Curvy Copter first. (As the name suggests, the Skewby Copter Extreme combines those two and adds an extra level of difficulty.)

And then as a third thing, I also got a textured 3x3 to solve while my eyes are on something else... or just because I noticed people staring a bit when I'd do a Rubik's cube in public.

Shashibo Cubes are pretty fun! Got one in a white elephant exchange, there's a lot of shapes that are pretty neat. I've been meaning to pick up another because they can apparently combine??

I've found that this video is the best explainer on how to solve a cube. https://youtu.be/R-R0KrXvWbc A good communicator is key, as experienced cubers are most of the time not really able to explain what has become muscle memory to them.

I highly recommend the MoYu cubes. They are much easier to use, but much less expensive than other speed cubes like Gan. Honestly after trying one, I just shelved my original Rubin brand cube.

I bought this cube first. Then I wanted to try a nicer one, so I got one that had more customization. It's slightly better, but the original one was fine.

Also recommend the lube pack if you spend a lot of time turning.

I recommend these if you spend any time working them even if you aren't speed cubing. Your wrists will thank you.

Sorry not a recommendation but this thread reminded me I had a leatherman on my desk for a while a few months ago and I kept playing with it without thinking about it. And I jammed my fingers between the mechanism like a dozen times before I was like "OK I need to move this to another room".
I should have got a puzzle.