{"product_id":"emphatic-two-piece-cube-puzzle","title":"EmphaTIC | Two-Piece Cube Puzzle","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmphaTIC\u003c\/strong\u003e is a Medium-difficulty turning interlocking cube built from just 2 pieces. Designed by \u003ca href=\"\/he\/collections\/andrew-crowell\"\u003eAndrew Crowell\u003c\/a\u003e, it asks you to form a perfect 5x5x5 cube - a goal that sounds trivial with two pieces and takes 30-60 min to actually crack. Bold teal bands cutting through white. The pattern is a map of the solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e First-time TIC solvers. If you have never met a turning interlocking cube, this is the one to meet it with - the teal piece is visible from the outside, so you can see the problem while you work out the move.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat Makes EmphaTIC Special\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTIC stands for Turning Interlocking Cube - a category where the pieces do not slide apart, they rotate apart. That single difference is what defeats people who are good at ordinary interlocking puzzles: the move you need is one you have been trained not to try.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat rotation needs somewhere to happen. Every TIC carries hollow space inside the finished cube - internal cavities the pieces turn through on their way out - and you never see them, because every outer face is solid. It is also why EmphaTIC is 5x5x5 where Crowell's 4 and 5-piece TICs are 4x4x4: two pieces turning past each other need the extra room.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmphaTIC is the most legible puzzle in the two-piece family - the teal piece reads as clear stripes driven through a white block, so you can trace where it goes. Tracing it and freeing it are different problems. The arms hook around the white piece in two directions at once, and only one rotation order releases them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou can see the whole piece from the outside and still not get it out, which makes it a satisfying first turn for someone new to rotational puzzles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePieces:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDifficulty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSolve time:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30-60 min\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60x60x60mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesigner:\u003c\/strong\u003e Andrew Crowell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShips:\u003c\/strong\u003e assembled\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is one of five two-piece TICs. \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/ecstatic-puzzle\"\u003eEcstaTIC\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/ecliptic-two-piece-cube-puzzle\"\u003eEclipTIC\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/enthusiastic-two-piece-cube-puzzle\"\u003eEnthusiasTIC\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/eclectic-two-piece-cube-puzzle\"\u003eEclecTIC\u003c\/a\u003e are the rest, and the \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/two-piece-tic-collection-all-5-two-piece-tics-by-andrew-crowell\"\u003eTIC Starter Set\u003c\/a\u003e has all five in one box.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cdetails class=\"gp-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the EmphaTIC puzzle?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gp-faq__a\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmphaTIC is a two-piece turning interlocking cube by Andrew Crowell. Both pieces must rotate past each other to come apart and to go back together, forming a solid 5x5x5 cube. It is rated Medium with a 30-60 min solve time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails class=\"gp-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow hard is EmphaTIC?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gp-faq__a\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedium. Two pieces reads as easy, but the turning mechanism means pulling and sliding get you nowhere. Most of the 30-60 min goes on finding the rotation, not on repeating it once you have.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails class=\"gp-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003ch3\u003eDoes EmphaTIC ship assembled?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gp-faq__a\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes. It arrives as a solved 5x5x5 cube, so taking it apart is your first puzzle. If you want it to arrive scrambled, it is easier to take apart than to put back.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails class=\"gp-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIs EmphaTIC a good first TIC?\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gp-faq__a\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe two-piece TICs are the gentlest way into the category - fewer pieces means fewer places the rotation can hide. EmphaTIC sits alongside \u003ca href=\"\/he\/products\/ecstatic-puzzle\"\u003eEcstaTIC\u003c\/a\u003e in that group, and all of them are a step down from Crowell's 4 and 5-piece designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e","brand":"Greg Puzzles","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51452245508263,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/2827\/1783\/files\/emphatic___two-piece_cube_puzzle_marble.png?v=1790922743","url":"https:\/\/gregpuzzles.com\/he\/products\/emphatic-two-piece-cube-puzzle","provider":"Greg Puzzles","version":"1.0","type":"link"}