Message #4177

From: Theodor Pramer <teodicen@gmail.com>
Subject: #64 5d solve introduction, guide & next adventure :) Happy new year!!
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2019 14:25:46 +0100

Dear fellow Cubers,

Happy new year!! Let us make it the best yet!

In November I became the 64th to solve the 5D cube. As one is expected
to write a short introduction when solving the 4D I thought I’d write a
few words now as well.

*The journey.*

The 4D cube took me just under 24 hours when I made the decision and
commitment to do it. The 5D cube took over a year, 125 000 moves and I
was stuck at one point for over 6 months with zero progress and only
failures. The final piece took two weeks to solve and twist. As I
completed it my desk and bin were both filled with A4’s with notes of
failed attempts. In hindsight I should have taken a picture of the
monitors buried in paper! I’ve read of others who had it seemingly
straight-forward. But I had to work for it. Besides kendo and iaido this
is the first time in my life I’ve had to truly push my limits and had
real difficulties with. As much as I liked and enjoyed it, it was beyond
frustrating at times…

*How would a guide be perceived?*

Part of the challenge and appeal along with value of achievement was
that, there are no instruction manuals. None. There is no guide. I
independently discovered higher dimensional geometry at age 11 and
studied it academically at Oxford briefly during my undergrad and as
such I believe I had good pre-conditions. Despite this, what I lacked
when I started was a basic semantic and visual explanation and
introduction. Would such a video be looked down upon and should I
abandon such thoughts or would it be welcomed and wanted?

*So what is next?*

A different kind of puzzle. One unsolved for a very long time and in my
eyes one of the greatest puzzles of our time.

At roughly the same time I started the 5D my life changed drastically
overnight and I started on another puzzle born from serendipity. A new
type of drug and possible cure for HIV-1, a disease killing on average
2793 persons daily with 36.7 million infected and an unfathomable $21
Billion spent on drugs yearly. As I made my discovery I called my thesis
advisor who previously developed one of the most ground-breaking drugs
for HIV-1. If it was what I believed I had to abandon my startup, all my
investments and commitments for it. As I finished my presentation the
response was "I wish I had come up with it..". A few minutes later the
company was born. Just before xmas we sent in our first 8 patents. We’ve
gone through several of the national incubators and are in the midst of
raising €3 million in January with 2/3 complete and the first two
parties onboard. During 2019 for the next phase we’ll raise €50 million
for the coming clinical journey. If you have connections in the venture
capital world, those with financial means or to the funds focusing on
HIV, feel free to send me a private email.

I imagine I will push the cubing limit upward later but right now, I
just feel relieved to have completed the 5D and having completed the 16
hour days crunching months for all the patents ;)

And last but not least, a thank you to the community. I have not posted
actively but participated silently reading. Melinda’s physical 2^4 seems
like a real treat! I love the photos! Thank you all involved in the
tools for the different puzzles! This group of like-minded as crazy as I
have motivated and encouraged me both in puzzles, academically and
scientifically.

Can’t recall having ever been so enthusiastic or filled with hope and
dreams for a new year ever before. Happy new year!!

Best regards,

Theo