What is the Snake Cube?

Ways to the Solution  top
You can only solve the snake cube systematically. 

First you number the pairs or triplets of cubelets from 1 to 17.  You see triplet number 1 on the left. While ordering you should always keep the same orientation in the room.  You fix this orientation by a coordinate system with x-, y- and z-axis.

You learn from a diagram how to arrange the 16 following groups. There are also dead ends with STOP  to show the structure of this puzzle. I will explain the names of the moves by an example. "10-x" means: Arrange the 10th group in direction of
the -x-axis.

There is another solution. You start at the end, but then you will have technical problems. The middle vertical triplet is late and can be laid properly only with difficulties.
There are two more solutions because of symmetry. You can see one of these in a sequence of drawings. 

The Solution in 17 Steps   top

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Twelve Cubes     top
I 've got this nice cube chain. I don't know the name and the manufacturer. Obviously it is similar to the "Kibble Cube".

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The shape is simple:  There are two slits turned around 90° in opposite faces of one cube. The 12 cubes are connected by  an elastic string along the centre axes. The first and the last cube have a knot inside.

You can give the cube chain any direction in this arrangement. If you would have 27 cubes instead of 12, you also could lay the snake cube above. 

Snake Cube on the Internet   top

Jaap Scherphuis 
Snake Cube ,  Kibble Cube