In 1996, Torsten Sillke reported having found a point-symmetric arrangement of 17 F pentacubes. He asked whether 17 is the least such odd number, and more generally whether an odd number of copies of a polycube can be arranged to achieve any given symmetry. This was the earliest known mention of polyform oddities.
Polycubes have 33 symmetry classes (including asymmetry), and 31 of them have even order. Here I show oddities with orthogonal/diagonal mirror symmetry. In all pictures, the cross-sections are shown from top to bottom. If you find a smaller solution, please write.
For other classes of symmetry, see Polycube Oddities.
The smallest example of a polycube with orthogonal/diagonal mirror symmetry and no stronger symmetry is the L tricube:
The solutions for pentacubes F, L, N, and P are polycube equivalents of the minimal diagonal oddities for the corresponding pentominoes. No smaller solutions are known.
Last revised 2026-08-24.