Are you stuck with a particularly challenging Rubik’s Cube? Do you want to learn how to solve complicated Rubik’s cubes or improve your cube solving skills?
ASolver is an app that will show you, step-by-step, how to solve Rubik’s Cubes, from simple cubes to complex ones.
This review will delve into ASolver, what it can do, and whether it’s worth using to help you solve Rubik’s Cubes. Let’s get into it!
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Verdict
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰
ASolver is an app that shows you how to solve Rubik’s Cubes. While it’s great if you are stuck with a particular Rubik’s Cube, both the Android and iOS apps have issues, such as bugs.
Pros
- You can learn how to solve Rubik’s Cubes for free.
- The iOS app supports a wide range of Rubik’s Cube types.
- Both apps are free to use.
- Using the Android app, you can time yourself and create a personal leaderboard. You can also learn how long it takes you to solve Rubik’s Cubes, on average.
- You can play a digital Rubik’s Cube online using the app.
Cons
- The ads can be annoying, especially if you are in a hurry and rushing to solve a Rubik’s Cube as quickly as possible.
- The iOS app only gives you a limited number of solutions for free. It pushes you to upgrade if you want unlimited access.
- Using your camera to capture your Rubik’s Cube can be a hit-and-miss. You might get incorrect colors as a result, requiring manual corrections.
- The Android app does not support a wide range of models like the iOS app.
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What Is ASolver?
ASolver is an app that shows you how to solve complex Rubik’s Cubes. You can snap a picture of your Rubik’s Cube, and it will scan the picture to determine which colored-squares are where.
The app will then use an algorithm to determine the best way to solve the Rubik’s Cube. It will show you the step-by-step solution generated by the algorithm, allowing you to solve Rubik’s Cubes with minimal effort.
The app is free to use. There is an ASolver app on Android and a different ASolver app on iOS.
It is unclear whether they are from the same developer. Since the interface and features vary between the two apps, I will be reviewing them separately.
Let’s first review the Android version, then we’ll move on to the iOS version.
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ASolver Android App Review
Inputting Your Rubik’s Cube Data
The ASolver Android app can generate your Rubik’s Cube data automatically, but you can also input the data manually.
If you choose the automatic method, take a picture of each side with your camera. Then, verify that the scanned results are correct before proceeding to the solution.
Alternatively, if you want to input the details manually, you can do so. You will be shown a cube and will be able to change its colors to match those on your physical Rubik’s Cube.
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Types of Cubes
The ASolver Android app helps you solve 3x3x3 classic Rubik’s Cube puzzles. If you have a non-traditional Rubik’s Cube you want to solve, it might not be the right app for you.
Results
Once you click on the Solve button, the app will tell you how many steps you need to solve the Rubik’s Cube.
The steps will be shown as a sort of slideshow. You can move from one step to the next or go back using the arrow buttons.
Alternatively, you can play all the steps automatically. Using the pause button, you can pause the playback.
If you scroll down, you will also see a visualization of each step.
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Tutorials and Lessons
The ASolver Android app also contains a tutorial that teaches you how to solve Rubik’s Cubes. Click on the Learn tab to access it.
If you are a complete beginner, it’s a great introduction to solving Rubik’s Cubes. However, even if you are an experienced player, you might learn a thing or two.
The tutorial includes step-by-step explanations in an easy-to-understand format, complete with explainer images. There is also a video walkthrough.
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Time Yourself and Track Your Stats
A feature I really liked was the built-in stopwatch. It allows you to track how long it takes you to solve Rubik’s Cubes.
It will generate a personal leaderboard with logs of each time you solved the Rubik’s Cube and how long it took you on each turn. You will also get statistics such as the fastest you were able to solve a cube, your worst try, and the average length of time it took you to solve Rubik’s Cubes.
Play Online
The online Rubik’s Cube simulator is quite fun. Under the Play tab of the app, there is a digital Rubik’s Cube that you can solve online if you don’t have a physical Rubik’s Cube with you.
Start by clicking on Scramble to randomly scramble the cube. You can then roll different parts of the cube to solve it.
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What I Liked About the Android App
Overall, the app does a good job of solving 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cubes. I liked how you can both input information manually and take pictures of your Rubik’s Cube.
I thought the idea of a Rubik’s Cube simulator to play with and solve online was brilliant. Unfortunately, I found the app a bit laggy overall, especially the online Rubik’s Cube.
In particular, while rolling components of the digital cube vertically posed no challenge, I found it difficult when trying to roll components of the cube horizontally. I did not experience the same issue when using the web version of the app in my browser, though.
What I Didn’t Like About the Android App
I already mentioned how the app is a bit buggy and laggy. However, there are other areas that could use some improvement.
For example, while the stopwatch idea is great, I didn’t see any way to create an account and save my progress. When I exited and reopened the app, it lost all the logs it saved from the previous session, so it’s only good for one session.
Finally, it is only really helpful for 3x3x3 cubes and not for other styles.
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ASolver iOS App Review
The app called ASolver on the iOS App Store is different, but it shares the same underlying idea.
Types of Cubes
Unlike the Android app, the ASolver iOS app supports a wide range of Rubik’s Cube types. They include 2x2x2, 3x3x3, 4x4x4, 5x5x5, 6x6x6, and even interesting variations like 2x2x3 and 2x3x3.
It also supports Megaminx, Skewb, and Pyraminx. So, as you can see, there is a wide range of cubes you can solve with the iOS app.
The camera will automatically detect which type of Rubik’s Cube you are trying to solve when snapping a picture of the cube.
Of course, the more complex the cube is, the longer it will take to solve. For example, while the 4x4x4 usually takes around 50 moves to solve, the 6x6x6 takes around 140 moves.
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Inputting Information
To input information, take a picture of the Rubik’s Cube. The camera will automatically detect which colored squares are where.
It will show you a model of the results. Verify that they are correct, or click on the Correct button to make corrections if they are not.
Results
Results are shown as a series of steps, each with a visualization of the cube. For each step, you will see a short animation demonstrating how to perform the step.
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What I Liked About the iOS App
The app is easy to use, with a clean interface. It supports a wide range of Rubik’s Cube types.
It is very accurate for some versions, such as the 3x3x3 model.
What I Didn’t Like About the iOS App
The app isn’t that great for categorizing colors. If the lighting is off (it is a bit dark or there is a hint of glare) it is often wrong at determining the correct colors, which can be frustrating.
Also, while the app is free, it only gives you limited opportunities to use the app at no cost. For example, you might only be able to use a model a limited number of times, or you may only be able to access a few solutions an hour for free.
One more thing: I mentioned that it’s great for solving certain models. For other models, though, it’s not as accurate.
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Conclusion
It’s best to use ASolver as a tool to improve.
Don’t rely on it. If you don’t bother using your brain, you will never get better at solving Rubik’s Cubes.
Still, if you’re just starting out but constantly getting stumped, the ASolver app can help ease your frustrations and serve as a good introduction point to the world of Rubik’s Cube puzzles.