Classification Terminology

General Terminology

A one-cut puzzle has only one type of cut at a certain depth. Generally this term is used collectively to refer to all one-cut puzzles.

A puzzle is a local minimum when an adjustment of any cut in any direction produces more pieces.

A fundamental puzzle is one from which all other twisty puzzles are developed through combination, hybridization, and ordering. Generally these puzzles are local minima.

A combination is a puzzle which contains all the pieces of two of more fundamental puzzles. Generally combinations lie between local minima.

A puzzle sequence is a group of puzzles which can be ordered and related to a number n, just like terms of an arithmetic sequence.

An orderable puzzle is one which is a member of a puzzle sequence.

An oidable puzzle is one for which the order of axes may be changed independently.

Abbreviations

First in the abbreviation is a short name for the shape, either Tetra, Cube, Octa, Dodeca, or Icosa.
The string of letters contains information about the cut type, depth, etc.
The first letter is the cut type, F = Face, V = Vertex, E = Edge.
The next is the puzzle type. These are listed in the puzzle table. Fundamental puzzles are lettered A, B, C, etc. Combinations carry the two letters of the funamental puzzles around them, such as AB, BC, etc.
The next number is the order of that puzzle, ie, its position in its puzzle sequence. If the puzzle is not orderable the number is omitted.
For a hybrid puzzle, the strings are simply added up, like FA2VB1, etc.

Hybrids

The parents or constituents of a hybrid puzzle are the puzzles which are combined to make the hybrid.

A dihybrid has two parents, a trihybrid has three parents, and a polyhybrid has more than three parents.

A strong hybrid has the same sticker pattern as at least one of its parents.
A weak hybrid has a different sticker pattern from all of its parents.
A perfect hybrid has the same sticker pattern as all of its parents.
A uniform hybrid is a weak hybrid with all stickers congruent.

A clear hybrid is a local minimum when its cuts lie at the same depth as the commonly accepted depths of its constituent fundamental puzzles (this definition is unclear for hybrids with combinations as parents). A non-clear hybrid is vague. A vague hybrid is said to be reduced when its cut depths are adjusted to find a local minimum.

A monofeatric hybrid has cuts all of the same type (ie, vertex, face, or edge), a polyfeatric hybrid has cuts of multiple types (ie, face and vertex, etc). A heterofeatric hybrid has no constituents with the same cut type, generally this refers to the heterofeatric trihybrid.