A thread in another forum about solving a Rubik's Cube made me go find one around here and solve it for the first time in years (I was once in a Guiness Book of World Records attempt to be the fastest solver - my average for solving five cubes was about 39 seconds and NOT the quickest - oh well).  Anyway, here's a few shots of an alternate solution.  You can't get this by solving the cube normally (i.e., with six, one-color sides) first and then adding a few twists, you have to actually solve the cube with this as the final result.  These images are all of the same alternate solution.  Enjoy!
 

 

 

 

Oh yeah, for those that really think people can solve these blind-folded or with their feet, see a video from Mythbusters HERE.  They do it by starting with a solved cube, mess it up, then run the video backwards.  Notice how they both conveniently finish at the same time (the guy in the background actually walked backwards to help with the illusion).

God I remember the cube crazy back in the early 80's. Everyone had one. I pestered my mother, but because we were poor I ended up with an inferior cube that had fruit instead of colors. How humiliating! I ended up with a real one eventually though. I loved the feel of them, and the creaky noise when you turned them. I never managed to become an expert (don't think I ever managed more than 3 sides on my own) but I did have a book called "You Can Do The Cube" written by some geeky kid with a basin haircut. It was pretty neat following the instructions anyway. 

Worst thing about the Rubik craze - THIS song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKewhUMDqJY

Fortunately I have never heard that song before!  The dates in the comments are pretty accurate.  I was doing these in 1981.  The reason they gave us five cubes to do was that there was a tricky and complicated move to do at the very end which wasn't always necessary.  Obviously, when you didn't have to do it, it saved a lot of time.  Although rarer, sometimes other moves weren't needed as well.  When those cubes were solved smoothly you could really finish them fast!  After "warming up" for a few minutes, I can still solve them in under a minute.

I always figured you guys just moved all the stickers around.

Hey, I resent that McQ.
I actually did it the hard way where you pop out one corner, dissemble the WHOLE cube and painstakingly reassemble it.
All with stickers still adhered with no bent edges.

Mike

15 seconds.  All it takes is a little paint. 

Alternatively, you could leave it out in the sun until all of the stickers are the same color. 

Guilty as charged - I loved them things. There was also a hexagonal one that went out of shape too, and the snake thing - I had 'em all. Then I discovered girls......... ;)

The Rubik's snake was awesome....I will never forget how to make the sphere