Rhombic Dodecahedron — the Shashibo shape with the longest name

Unpacking the name

Take it apart word by word. "Rhombic" means the faces are rhombuses — diamond shapes with four equal sides. "Dodecahedron" means twelve faces. Put together: a solid built from twelve diamond-shaped faces. It looks a little like a gem, rounder than a cube but with crisper edges than a ball.

Not the same as the Ball

The brand also calls the Ball a dodecahedron, so the names can blur. The difference to look for is in the faces: the rhombic version is defined by its diamond faces. If you can count diamonds as you turn it, you are holding the rhombic dodecahedron.

A cousin of the Hive

The Hive on the official route is three rhombic "cubes" clustered together. If the Hive's slanted, diamond-faced cells felt natural to you, that experience helps here — you are already used to reading rhombic faces in your Shashibo.

How we suggest you approach it

• Walk the full beginner route first: Crown, Star, Hive, Pyramid, then the hexagonal disc.
• Then work slowly, letting the Shashibo fold through itself until the magnets connect.
• After each click, count the faces: twelve diamonds is the goal.
• If the pieces resist, back up one move and roll them the other way.
• Never force a face flat — when it is right, the magnets close it.

We label this one Advanced because there is no printed step list for it in the official materials, and the target is easy to confuse with nearby shapes. That is also why we will not invent moves for it here.

Your best shortcut

The brand's free app for Apple and Android has instructional videos for 70+ shapes. Watch the rhombic dodecahedron once, then try it on your own cube. When you can make it without the video, you have well and truly left the beginner shelf.