With what is possibly the most strangest statement I’ve ever seen on a print advert, I present you, dear frantic ones, with a 1982 Marvel Comics ad for Hungarian Rings – just one of the many puzzles that followed the worldwide popularity trail of Rubik’s Cube. Indeed, Hungarian professor Ernõ Rubik made his own version too; his has 34 balls, the traditional ‘Hungarian’ has 38.
Hungarian Rings Marvel Comics offer. Rampage Magazine N°54. 1982. UK.
Left; Hungarian rings. Right; Rubik’s rings. Pics courtesy of Jaap’s Puzzle Page.
Quote-tastic quotations
Let’s do quotes. It might be interesting to quote from Jaap’s Puzzle Page who did so quote: It might be interesting to quote from the afterword of the Rubik’s Cubic Compendium [p212] here. It has a picture of the Hungarian rings and the following text by David Singmaster:
Closer to Rubik’s Magic Cube are ‘interlocking cycle’ puzzles where several rings of pieces cross each other. Endre Pap, a Hungarian engineer, invented a flat version with two rings which was marketed as the Hungarian Rings. The idea was not entirely new, as there is an 1893 patent for it.
That patent is US 507,215 by William Churchill, filed on May 28 1891, granted on October 24, 1893.
In other frantic news, O frantic ones …
Role Playing Games
Secret Wars N°14. 1985. UK.
The Young All-Stars N°9. 1988.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983.
Doctor Who Monthly N°78. 1983.
Captain Power
The Young All-Stars N°9. 1988. US.
It’s not too late to join the MOTU fan club is it?
Secret Wars N°14. 1985. UK.
Hey dude, this is no cartoon!
Hawk & Dove N°11. 1990. US.
But these are!
US. Iron Man. 1979.
Marvel Superheroes. 1979. UK.
That’s all for now folks. Thanks for getting frantic with us 🙂
No wait …
… just time for one more …
… it’s rather frantic …
Star Wars Weekly. 1980. UK.
🙂
The Vintage Toy Advertiser 
I have never seen those Hungarian Rings before. Interesting that the patent goes back to 1893.
Love the Wheetabix ad! Fun post all around. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Resa! I love the Weetabix ad too. I also have a Superman ad from the same offer and need to see if they had the Penguin and the Riddler in ads too. Funny how back in the day you just collected the cards from the box, now you can collect the adverts for them 🙂 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi TVTA, Paul, I only ever saw one of the Hungarian Rings puzzles many years ago and didn’t know what it was. I thought it was a baby’s bead toy! (And not having the Internet back then I couldn’t look it up as easily)
Regarding cartoons and comics, you used to be able hire Betamax and VHS video compilation tapes of “Saturday Morning Matinee” cartoons/shows that were imported from the US. Not sure how legal they were, they had bad editing and a “Pirate” feel to them but you could watch stuff like “Space Ghost”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That Hungarian Rings puzzle looks mind bending! Love that Doctor Who Summer Special advert as well, I’ve got that issue. Those summer and winter specials were always a good read. Used to see those Saturday Morning cartoon adverts as well in comics, we never got all those cartoons here in UK, so always used to imagine what all the superhero ones were like! Great pic of the Dr Who Technical Manual as well with the Dalek cut/away. Got that book as well, its chock full of great pictures 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
The DW technical Manual ad is superb isn’t it. That’s great you have that book. I loved all the summer and winter specials you could get when on holiday from school. Same as you with the cartoons – there are many I either don’t remember seeing or weren’t aired. Saturday mornings back then were the best 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes, its a fantastic book that DW technical manual. Its one of my fave books. Those special issues were always a nice treat to look forward to. Saturday morning TV was great for cartoon, always wished we’d have more 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person