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Cube Calendar Explained
- I love seeing clever design, and I saw this, cube calendar, but assume that most of the cleverness about it gets overlooked. So I thought I would point out what is so great about it.
A cube has six sides, so there was some cleverness in making it work for 7 days of the week, 12 months, and up to 31 days. Since the month cube takes advantage of up and down orientation, it is simple to see how 12 months are achieved. The days of the week must employ the same technique, but only for sun/sat (my assumption), since weekends are often grouped.
Now the part that made me think, ooh clever, is the fact that two six sided figures could create all the necessary days. We have 12 sides that can be used, and 10 digits, so only 2 digits can be on both cubes. Those digits must be 1 and 2, and the 0 must not be on the same cube as the 3. Let me clarify a bit. A single digit day is easy, just use the cube with the number on it, and you are set. For a teen, the 1 cube has to be combined with each of the 10 possible digits, so it is important that the 1 be on both cubes. For the twenties, the 2 cube has to be combined with each of the 10 possible digits as well, so this will be the other repeated digit. For the thirties, we only need to be able to create 30 and 31 (thanks Roman calendar), so we just need to make sure that the 3 and 0 can be displayed at the same time, hence different cubes.
So that is how this calendar is possible. Cuts it pretty close. If we had a 33 day month, this wouldn’t be possible. -
