The Rubik's Cube Challenge, Ireland 1981

Four young people compete to see who can solve the the Rubik’s Cube puzzle in the fastest time.

Invented in 1974 by Hungarian architecture professor Ernó Rubik, the Rubik’s Cube has become one of the biggest selling toys of all time. In 1980 4.5 million Rubik’s Cube were made and sold and sales in 1981 are expected to reach about 10 million.

Paul Scattergood, brothers Brian and Fergus Griffin and Susan Green take part in a contest to see who can solve a Rubik’s Cube in the fastest time.

The four competitors do not use their own Rubik’s Cubes and they all start the puzzle from scratch. Everyone in the ‘Late Late Show’ audience also has a Rubik’s Cube so they can participate in the contest. The first person to solve the combination puzzle must shout ‘finished’.

Brian Griffin completes his Rubik’s Cube in one minute, winning a £30 voucher for books for his efforts. The next competitor to finish in 1 minute 20 seconds is Paul Scattergood. Susan Green finishes in 1 minute 22 seconds. Fergus Griffin completes his Cube in 1 minute 35 seconds.

Brian Griffin reveals he has written a book on how to solve the Rubik’s Cube and it is for sale around the Dublin suburb of Cabinteely.

This episode of ‘The Late Late Show’ was broadcast on 3 October 1981. The presenter is Gay Byrne.

[rahawa]

I ruined my cube by peeling the stickers off in an attempt to finally finish it…

[davidh]

It's actually pretty simple to solve these, you just learn a few algorithms, easy when you know how

[Mostrichkugel]

For a second I thought, are you going to be grabbing the girl too, Gay? Phew, he only laid his fingers slightly upon her shoulder.

[gdb]

30 pound book voucher really pushed the boat out there rte

[paullinnane]

There was a clip of Gay byrne in 1984 presenting the late late show, he looked younger in 1984 than 1981, in 1981 he looked older very strange