The still popular Rubik's cube is not the only toy in this family of puzzles. In the 70s of the last century, a German Uwe Meffert and an engineer from Chisinau A. Ordyntsev independently invented a similar fun - a tetrahedron, also known as the "Moldavian pyramid". This mechanical four-sided puzzle also aims to collect all the pieces of the same color on one side.
Instructions
Step 1
Take the pyramid in your hands and examine it carefully to understand the problem and possible ways to solve it. The puzzle is made in the form of a regular geometric body (tetrahedron). Like the famous cube, it consists of elements that, when rotated, can move from one face to another. But instead of cubes, such elements are small tetrahedrons. The movement of elements occurs around the axes, which are located at an angle in relation to each other.
Step 2
First of all, unfold all the vertices of the pyramid in their places so that the colors of their sides match the color of the corresponding middle element. In this case, rhombuses should form at any vertex, consisting of two one-color triangles.
Step 3
Now unfold the middle elements along with the vertices and edge elements of the pyramid so that only one color rhombuses are located on each side of the large tetrahedron. Please note that when constructing the faces of the pyramid one by one, there is no need to pay attention to the destruction of the previously constructed face.
Step 4
Make sure there are three diamonds of the same color on each defined face. To make it easier to find such a face, assume that its color will be the one that is absent at the vertex opposite to this face.
Step 5
Having finished placing single-color rhombuses on each of the four faces, proceed to auxiliary operations. Consecutively translate the edge elements from the base to the top, without disturbing the structure of the rhombuses obtained during the previous operations.
Step 6
Build the base by collecting the bottom layer of the pyramid. In this case, the edge elements of the layer must have the same color with the face under construction located below.
Step 7
Proceed to building the middle layer, after which the pyramid can actually be considered assembled. In order to set the edge elements, use successive rotations of the side faces of the pyramid, during which set the elements to the places corresponding to them in color by replacing the edge elements.
Step 8
Using the mastered techniques of rearranging the elements of the tetrahedron, independently come up with algorithms for constructing beautiful symmetrical patterns on the edges of the puzzle.
