Ten Years of Cubic Mags

© Georges Helm 1991
A German daily newspaper wrote an article entitled "After the cube fever now the solution fever" (my translation).
But there was not only an overwhelming number of solutions which popped up on nearly every spot of the globe, magazines and journals were surpassing each other with popular, mathematical or scientifical articles on the cube (from "Omni" to "Scientific American", from "Spielbox" to "Jeux et stratégie"). The German magazine "Bild der Wissenschaft" even promised a regular "Cube-Corner" (unfortunately this cube corner vanished after only 4 issues).

In Hungary, Rubik edited the magazine "Rubik's Logic and Fantasy in Space". The first issue appeared in the beginning of 1982 and the relation -articles on the cube/other articles- was good (37 pages to 11). The magazine appeared for another five issues. In the last issue, 1983 No 4, the cube only held 4 pages from a total of 48. Despite the promise of the editors that the magazine would continue under a new form, the publishers could not -or would not- fulfill their promise.

In the USA, Ideal published the "Rubik's Cube Newsletter" with 8 pages per issue. This was a newsletter exclusively filled with articles on and about the cube. This interesting newsletter appeared from May 1982 to August 1983 (4 issues).

Also in the States, Banbury Books planned to publish a newsletter regarding the cube: "The Cubist".
Due to lack of interest this newsletter was never published.

In Autumn 1981, David Singmaster (England) edited the first of seven "Cubic Circulars", which were meant to be a follow-up to the 6th edition of his marvellous "Notes".
The circular was sent to cubists and puzzlers all over the world (120 regular subscribers). The last issue was mailed in 1983.

Michael Keller (USA) began in 1983 his "World Game Review". This is not exclusively devoted to cubes and similar puzzles and the latest issues even do no longer mention cubes or three-dimensional rotational puzzles.

Not actually a magazine, but regular in appearance was the "Cube Lover's Mail", a computer mailbox concerning the cube, which was run at MIT (USA). This mailbox faded away in mid-1982 leaving behind some 260 pages of interesting cube-research.
(Well this was what I thought in 1991. But the cube-lovers never stopped their activity, they slowed down traffic only and are now in 1996 fully engaged in discussing the cube and all of its offspring.)

In Luxembourg, "De Cubist" was published by myself. After four issues publication was stopped. At that moment and after having advertised in 2 Luxembourgian periodicals, I was acquainted with four cubists (!)

Last but not least I am glad to reveal that there is one periodic publication that has lasted up till now due to the endurance of a small heap of enthusiastic Dutch cubists.
I am, of course, talking about the newsletter "Cubism for Fun" (The Netherlands), which appeared for the first time in March 1981 (so several months before David Singmaster's "Circular"), and which has now the merit of editing its anniversary issue CFF 25. Beside Singmaster's "Circular", it is the newsletter for cubists all over the world, not only because it is still appearing, but also because of the profundity and technicity of many of the articles. Happy Birthday and congratulations to the Mothers and Fathers of CFF!!
(The current issue is number 39)

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