Ernő Rubik

Over 500 million cubes sold worldwide. The object he built to explain three-dimensional geometry to his students became the most recognizable puzzle on Earth. He published his first book, Cubed, in 2020, at age 76.

Builds the first prototype of the Magic Cube from 27 wooden blocks in his apartment. He can't solve it. It takes him a month of twisting and staring before the colors align. He is 29 and teaching architecture at the Budapest Academy.

The cube goes global, marketed as Rubik's Cube. Over 100 million units sell in the first three years. Fifty books are published explaining how to solve it. It becomes the best-selling single toy in history.

The craze fades as quickly as it ignited. By 1983, store shelves are full of unsold cubes. Rubik opens a design studio in Budapest and works quietly for decades, rarely giving interviews.

Speedcubing competitions revive interest. The World Cube Association is founded. Today's record for solving the standard 3x3 cube is under 3.5 seconds. Rubik himself still takes about a minute.