QiYi Windmill Cube (stickerless) — 3×3 shape-mod that breaks the cube shape

QiYi Windmill Cube is a 3×3 shape-mod from QiYi. It turns like a regular 3×3, but due to diagonal cuts the puzzle loses its cubic shape when scrambled and turns into a twisted “windmill” sculpture. It’s based on a speedcube-style core with adjustable tension and basic corner-cutting.

This puzzle not an official WCA event and is meant mainly for collections, fun and developing spatial thinking.

Who is it for

cubers who can already solve a 3×3 and want their first shape-shifter;
fans of unusual shapes and visual challenges;
collectors looking for an affordable basic windmill mod.

Difficulty is roughly similar to a 3×3, but recognition is trickier because of shape changes and center orientation.

Turning feel

turning is fairly smooth and light for a budget shape-mod;
it can be pushed with finger tricks, but feels more “calm” than top speedcubes;
basic corner-cutting: the cube forgives small misalignments without locking up all the time.

Overall it feels like a solid, comfortable puzzle for regular solving, not a heavy brick.

Mechanism and adjustment

internal mechanism is based on a QiYi 3×3 speedcube;
classic screw-and-spring system in the centers — you can tighten or loosen tensions with a small screwdriver;
the design prioritizes stability over extreme speed, which is ideal for a first shape-mod.

Windmill shape-mod specifics

on one pair of opposite faces the cuts are diagonal instead of parallel to the edges;
when scrambled the cube loses its cubic shape: you get steps, offsets and twisted layers;
it’s a “supercube”: center orientation matters, so the puzzle can look solved while centers are still misoriented.

Because of this, recognition is noticeably harder than on a regular 3×3, even if the core algorithms are similar.

Size and materials

size: 56 × 56 × 56 mm — standard modern 3×3 size;
weight: about 86–87 g — feels solid but not too heavy;
body: stickerless with tiled surface — coloured plastic, no stickers to peel;
material: durable ABS plastic with smoothed edges, comfortable to hold.