Can YOU solve the Rubik's Cube?

Rubik's Cubes seemed to be a big hit with kids this past Christmas, Conner included.

I remember the Rubik's cube being really popular when I was in the fifth grade. Everyone took theirs to Karl Radke to solve at recess. He could even tell when people switched their stickers around to try to give themselves an edge. He just put them back where they belonged as he went along. This was before there was an internet with videos and step-by-step instructions on how to solve it. I think Karl's a doctor now.

Conner was home from school today for yet another snow day, and he spent a good chunk of time trying to work his way around his own cube. His attempts have been encouraging not because they've been successful, but because he has persevered in trying. We 80's generation types were bemoaning the lackluster attempts that our boys were exhibiting when they would sort of shuffle the cube around a bit and then hand it over and say, "How do you do this?"

"Whatever happened to working it out and putting in some effort for a while?" We waxed nostalgic for the days before video games made kids think they needed to be constantly entertained and the challenge of solving a puzzle became mundane.

Before reverting back to his own computer game today, Conner did give it the old college try. And while searching the internet for help he came across this youtube.

I don't know if watching this should make you more determined than ever to solve the thing, or make you want to just give it up and call it a wash. I mean, is this for real?

We did wonder if maybe we should let Sean-Peter have a go at it after all. Except Conner has never really gotten all the stickiness out of it from the last time he got his hands on it. Either way, Conner still hasn't solved it. Maybe he should try sitting in a high chair.