The Cube - The Routine

[-Silver-]

I've noticed some people aren't aware of what The Cube is, and I'm sure some people would like to get a clearer description of it. I'll detail the stages that you need to know as a PUA, and give some examples of a girl's answers, and how they can be translated. If anyone else has anything to add, please do, and we can make this a source of reference for the routine.

Secrets of the Cube, author: Annie Gottlieb

Most people have heard about it from Neil Strauss' book The Game, and indeed The Cube is one of the most utilized cold-reading techniques in the community. It is a series of questions that allows you to tell a girl a hell of a lot about herself. It's proven to be accurate and is an accepted psychological technique, but you don't need to read the book to learn it, just this post :P The only things you need to know are the 5 main headings and their sub-questions, and you can bullshit the interpretations (in fact that's exactly what you should do to achieve best results). Best used in isolation and during comfort, ask the girl first if she is intuitive (able to allow her mind to settle on something immediately, as you only need a basic intuition here), and use an example if she is unsure as to the meaning of this word: 'For example, if I was to say 'red letterbox', what's the first image that comes to your mind? And you should also be able to hone in on finer details of that image, without changing the original image at all, such as the scenery around the letterbox, correct?', and also ask her if she has a good imagination. She will reply in the affirmative, it just means she is now ready to use that imagination. Here's the routine:-

1) Imagine you are driving through a desert, and you see a cube

Allow her a moment to picture this, then ask these questions one at a time, not all at once!
a - What size is the cube?
b - What colour is it?
c - What is it made of? Can you see through it or not?
d - Is it on the ground or floating?
e - Where is the cube in relation to you?

Answers and interpretations:

The cube relates to her interpretation of herself, and reflects her ego.

a - It's pretty big / it's fairly small Ask them how big, or how small first, ask them to compare it to something else so you have an idea. Generally big will mean she has a big ego, but you can make this sound good by saying it also shows she is able to fend for herself and stand up for herself when she needs to. She doesn't feel the need to rely on others. A small cube likewise refers to a small ego and insecurity, but saying this may not be appreciated. So also/or say something along the lines of 'a small cube indicates that you are a very self-sufficient girl, that you don't require all the attention and glamour that louder girls require.

b - blue/red/yellow Colours are very simple to cover. A bright colour will suggest that she is happy, energetic, and easy-to-befriend (also outgoing if she had a big cube), whereas colours such as blue and green will suggest that she is natural, down-to-earth, and enjoys time spent with friends. Don't say blue means she is a dull, boring, depressed person, but if you sense she genuinely is depressed, then you can say that it indicates this. Basic truisms all the way through!

c - Glass and can be seen through / Thick plastic and can't be seen through. Material isn't all that important, except that it can reflect 'how fragile or strong' her current mentality is. If it's see-through, then she is able to be read easily by people when they meet, as she doesn't feel the need to keep up a constant guard or act like someone she isn't. If it isn't see-through, she has aspects of herself that she doesn't reveal to anyone but those she feels closest to, and that she has quite a few secrets. (who doesn't?)

d - On the ground / It's floating You should comment that a levitating cube shows she feels ‘above and beyond’ her surroundings. It indicates a strong will and reserve of confidence that can be tapped into when she needs to or feels pressured. A cube on the ground shows she is very aware of her surroundings, and is quite literally ‘sure-footed’. You are just conveying the same things here, so long as they are congruent with previous reads. If you have already told her she isn’t confident, then don’t contradict yourself here, instead tell her that a floating cube would indicate she isn’t sure of her current situation, and hasn’t yet become adjusted with a current situation well enough to be able to walk through life 100% comfortably. Likewise, a grounded cube should be described as just that. ’You feel grounded in a current situation.’

e – nearby / on the horizon / in the mid-ground The cube’s location to herself, literally shows how ‘connected’ she feels to herself right now. Cube far away – she feels disconnected, occasionally feels as though she is just drifting through life. Cube close – she feels very aware of herself, often taking control of situations quickly when they involve her personal affairs.

2) Now we are going to add a ladder to the scene

Allow her time to picture this, then ask the following questions:
a – Where is the ladder in relation to the cube?
b – What position is it in? (flat on the ground/leaning/vertical etc)
c – What is it made of? Is it in good condition?

Answers and interpretations:

The cube represents her aspirations, some people like to say it represents her friends. You can use either, so long as you make it believable.

a + b – Near the cube / far from the cube / under the cube / on top of the cube / leaning on the cube Most of the time questions ‘a’ and ‘b’ are answered as one. A ladder near the cube shows she feels that her aspirations are close to her heart, she takes them seriously. Far from the cube shows she ‘isn’t yet thinking about her aspirations, and is putting them on hold.’ Do not say she is failing in life and her aspirations are out of reach! Just a temporary barrier is preventing her from continuing up her ladder at the moment. This can easily be explained as ‘school/college/uni is currently taking precedence, and this is ‘very common amongst students.’ If she has a child, then that is also a perfectly good explanation. If her ladder is vertical, she is looking to climb it, if it is horizontal, she is happy where she is ‘at the moment’, but may be considering setting it up again soon to continue ascending. If it is under her cube, she is feeling ‘on top and in charge of her aspirations’, if it is on top of her cube, she occasionally feels overwhelmed by the goals and aspirations she sets herself or wishes to achieve. If the ladder is leaning on her cube, ask her how high it reaches. All the way up suggests her aspirations and goals are at an achievable level, where as half way up suggests she is not setting them high enough and that she probably isn’t working very hard on them moment. Of course this may be a temporary lull as she has other things that require her attention first (school etc).

c – Wood / Metal. Good condition / Poor condition Personally I don’t ask the ‘what is it made of’ question, as I believe it will made of whatever material they generally associate ladders to be made of. But it is said to represent how stable their career and goal aspirations are. Metal ladders are better signs than wood. Wood is not a bad sign so long as it is in good condition, but metal is better. The condition of the ladder represents the same thing, and how they currently feel about their aspirations. Good condition – progressing well, optimistic about their ascent. Poor condition – finding it difficult to achieve her goals, and difficult to fond a way up in her career path / aspirations.

[-Silver-]

Now I want you to add flowers to the scene

Again, allow her time to picture the flowers, then ask these questions:
a – Where are they in relation to the cube, the ladder, and you?
b – How many are there?
c – How tall are they?
d – Are they all the same colour, or do they vary?

Answers and interpretations:

The flowers relate to her friends, and how she feels about them.

a – Nearby the cube / Far from the cube etc If the flowers are near one of the objects, they are directly relevant to each other. Near to the cube shows she is close to her friends. Near to the ladder shows they are important to her aspirations, involved with her career and aspirations, or that she wants to carry them with her / doesn’t want to abandon her friends for her career and inspirations. Far from the cube will allow you tell her she feels a distance growing between herself and her friends, and that they used to be closer than they are right now. She may say they are under the cube if the cube is floating, meaning that they tend to come to her for advice and shelter, and she takes pride in caring for her friends.

b – Lots / Few Whereas lots of flowers will mean she has a lot of friends, few flowers will not mean that she doesn’t, but that there are only a few that she considers to be ‘true’ or ‘close’ friends. Although there are other friends she hangs out with, she doesn’t trust them all as well as those few she holds close. This works especially well if the flowers are close to the cube.

c – Tall / Short Taller flowers indicate close bonds, whilst small flowers indicate loose bonds. You will find that the fewer flowers she sees, the taller they will be. Whereas a girl who sees a lot of flowers will see small ones. This is fairly self-explanatory.

d – Same colours / Mixed colours and varieties This part reveals how well she feels her group of friends gets on with each other. So same coloured flowers show she feels her friends get on well with each other, whilst different colours will suggest that the friends have occasional clashes with each other. You will find that if she sees a lot of flowers, they tend to be different colours. This is because her friends are from lots of different groups, and although she is able to merge between groups freely, those groups would not be able to get on so well if they all merged together (hence grouping). If she sees different colours in a small group, then it would appear that some of the members in the group don’t get along so well at the moment. Maybe they had a fall-out, or are in disagreement about something at the moment.

Now we’ll add a horse to the image

Once she’s pictured the horse, ask these two questions:

a – Where is the horse in relation to the cube, the ladder, and the flowers?
b – Is the horse doing anything worth noting?

Answers and interpretations:

The horse relates to her lover, ideal lover, or recent lover if they just broke up. Once you get around to interpreting her answers, ask her if she has a boyfriend first. This will allow you to make clearer and more accurate interpretations.

a – Close to the cube / ladder / flowers OR far from the cube / ladder / flowers I’m sure you’re getting the gist of this now. Close to the cube – close to her emotions and held dear to her heart. Close to the ladder – important to her aspirations and career, maybe travelling the same career path as her. Close to the flowers – got on well with her friends, maybe in the same group as her friends. UNLESS the horse is tampering with whatever it is close to. For example: Trying to knock down the ladder – interfering with her career path and aspirations. Difficult to balance time spent with her lover, with time spent on her career. Eating or trampling the flowers – Interfering with her friends and social life. Lover doesn’t or didn’t get on with her friends well. Or she’s worried that if she has a boyfriend, then he will end up getting in the way of her friends, or stopping her from seeing them as often.

b – Trampling with the flowers / resting / knocking down the ladder / running around etc Extra details that allow you to make further observations and truisms. These are some of the examples I have come across. Some I mentioned the meanings of above. Resting – You see your lover as lazy, he doesn’t participate in your relationship as much as you would like him to, or her doesn’t work towards his career as much as you would like (use this to make yourself seem like the perfect boyfriend. You would put time into a relationship, and you are successful in your career). Running around – energetic, works hard, but comes across as childish occasionally. Ask if this is interfering with any of the other images (cube/flowers/ladder) and interpret accordingly.

Finally, you see a storm in the scene

Allow her time to picture the storm, then ask away:

a – Where is the storm? Close? Far?
b – Is it approaching or fading?
c – Does it affect either the cube, the ladder, the flowers, or the horse?

Answers and interpretations:

The storm is for problems in her life, that may be in existence, or newly arising.

a – The storm is close / far / right above me A distant storm will indicate that none of her troubles are particularly threatening to her right now. A close storm indicates that her troubles seem as though they might erupt soon, and an overhead storm indicates that her troubles are having a large impact on her life at the moment, directly influencing her moods and emotions.

b – Approaching / Fading / Can’t tell An approaching storm – her problems seem as though they are escalating, and getting worse as time goes on. Fading – her current problems are facing, she feels she has faced the worst of the situation. Can’t tell – her problems are at a stand-still, neither getting better or worse. She can’t see where they are heading next.

c – Yes it affects (x) / No it doesn’t affect any of the other images If the storm doesn’t affect any of the other images, then either the problems aren’t serious enough to jeopardise these other facets of her life, or they only affect her inner self, the other factors remain unaffected including her cube. But this may be the reason her cube is a dull colour (if it was blue for example) rather than a bright colour. If the storm does affect the other images, find out which ones it affects and interpret as needed. For example, if the horse appears frightened by the storm – This problem is having a negative effect on your lover. Either the problem is one involving your relationship, it is negatively affecting the time and effort you are able to put into your relationship, and your lover is upset about this.

Summary

The key is the ability to convincingly apply truisms to your interpretations. The beauty to The Cube is that it is a scientifically proven method to determine a person’s inner feelings and emotions. So you will find that at least 75% of your interpretations are correct. Some people vary the definitions of the images. I’ve heard the ladder being used to represent friends before, and the flowers to represent children, but the above are the representations I use.

Any other suggestions and explanations will be more than welcome! My knowledge is only limited to the experiences I have had with the cube, so if anyone feels sharing their knowledge of it will be useful to others, then feel free to share!

-Silver-

[Icepickflip]

Nice,, Thanks for posting this,,, ill review be reviewing this.. peace mon!!!

[$mitty]

bought the book, small but its helpful.

goes into detail, great for phone game coz it gives more relevancy

[Icepickflip]

what is the book called??? is it called "the cube"?? i might get one.

[-Silver-]

The book is called 'Secrets of the Cube' by Annie Gottlieb. I mentioned that in bold at the start :P It is a very interesting book and well worth reading, but all you need to know for the intents and purposes of pick-up, i've mentioned above.

-Silver-

[Icepickflip]

all is appreciated,, good lookin out braddah!

[Metal_Slug]

thx bro, MUCH appreciated.

[Myth]

What do you do when she starts throwing out all kinds of wacky responses, for example "there are three cubes...."

Or, "the horse is running, galloping from here to here..."

Or complications like "the storm is all around me and I'm embracing it" or "The ladder is leaning against a small cloud"?

Historically, I simply hone in on certain aspects (focus on one cube rather than working with all three), and BS my way through when I don't know a specific interpretation, but is there a more accurate way of responding?

[Greater]

Thanks silver that is very helpful.

One thing about cold reading that should be helpful. When you say one of these truism's look at the girl's reaction. If it is positive (head nodding, eye widening, ect) elaborate on the point.

If she gives a negative reaction (head shaking, frown, ect) then add an exemption.

Ex.
She tells you that her cube is big.

you say that "The size of the cube is your ego... you have a big ego"

positive reaction:
"Which is good because that means you are self reliant"

Negative reaction:
"but that doesn't mean you are arrogant just that you have a healthy respect for your self"

style has some good videos of the cube routine on youtube.

[Scarred]

Great post! I am going to print it out and take a closer look at it!

Just a question though. Are you supposed to ask about all 5 things, the cube, the ladder... the storm, THEN provide an analysis?

Or do you ask about the cube, then proceed with the analysis, then ask about the ladder, then analyze, and so on?

[Greater]

Yeah you want to ask all of the questions and then do the analysising.

[Scarred]

Thanks for the reply. I actually thought so myself. But just had to ask to be sure!

[-Silver-]

What do you do when she starts throwing out all kinds of wacky responses, for example "there are three cubes...."

Or, "the horse is running, galloping from here to here..."

Or complications like "the storm is all around me and I'm embracing it" or "The ladder is leaning against a small cloud"?

Historically, I simply hone in on certain aspects (focus on one cube rather than working with all three), and BS my way through when I don't know a specific interpretation, but is there a more accurate way of responding?

'There are 3 cubes...'

I'd interpret this as her essentially having different personalities in her life at the moment. She feels as though she is a different person when she is with different people. Being with friends brings out a completely different character compared to when she is at work or with her family. You'll find this is generally true with everyone :P

'The horse is running, galloping from here to there...'

Ask if she has a partner first. If she does - she feels that she doesn't have as much control over him right now as she is used to. She may not be worried that he is cheating on her, but he is definitely being more lax with the relationship in her eyes. If she doesn't - She isn't finding it easy to find someone she likes and wants a relationship with. If she does meet someone she likes, it is often hard to capture his attention and keep him close to her, rather than running off to other people. Be sure to check her reactions, as this could also be interpreted as her lover having a high energy level, maybe because he is very athletic. If she seems happy and shows a high energy herself when she thinks of him, go with this interpretation instead.

'The storm is all around me and I'm embracing it...'

Complications and problems are surrounding her and possibly her group of friends or family, but she is actually quite happy to have things shaken up for a while, and new drama brought into her life. Some of the problems she feels she is responsible for creating, or helped to escalate them. This doesn't mean she is a bad person, it shows she is human by enjoying the excitement the problems can bring. This excitement may fade at any time if the storm gets out of control.

'The ladder is leaning against a small cloud...'

I'm sure you're getting the general idea of making it up as you go along, and this one can make for an awesome interpretation! If the ladder is her aspirations and career, then seeing it reach into the sky and actually ascend to the clouds is great! I'm pretty sure I don't need to elaborate any futher on this one! :P

If you get any other weird responses you want advice on, just stick them up here and i'll give you some more examples for them. Have fun!

-Silver-

[-Silver-]

Great post! I am going to print it out and take a closer look at it!

Just a question though. Are you supposed to ask about all 5 things, the cube, the ladder... the storm, THEN provide an analysis?

Or do you ask about the cube, then proceed with the analysis, then ask about the ladder, then analyze, and so on?

It's really up to you. You may prefer the idea of interpreting after each one so that you don't have to memorize all her responses, and also so that you keep her hooked by analyzing a bit at a time. Also, don't feel you have to ask all 5 questions for it to work! Just do two or three if time is short, and promise more later ;)

-Silver-

[Randel Flagg]

Silver,

Hey thanks for sending me that link. Your version of the cube was excellent. You provided quite a bit of detail for each step including the translations of each of the tests. I tried it out a couple of nights ago and blew away three women in C2. I have read several versions of this test in MM and VA forum which were good, however, lacking specific details to smoothly present it inset.

I owe you one man. Thanks, keep the good posts comming

Cheers!

[relics]

*desert*

"The sand are the little tiny cubes"


Means, at times her self esteem is as large as it can be. She feels like she's on top of the world. But from time to time, you have these moments of self doubt, as if a single grain is separated from the whole.

[mik3b4321]

is it possble to use the cube routine online? im pretty much aware on the reaction & how the difference they feel online & offline.

[Agent007]

I try to cut the Cube routine down to three answers ... How big, What color and Transparent or Solid? I find that women just do not have the attention span to stick with me during all the questions. And this also remains true with friends because I usually go into 2 - 5 sets.

It would be good if it was 1 on 1, like when Papa used the cube to number close Paris Hilton. But in the interest of time, I have better luck when I take out the horse and ladder questions.

[GRslp]

What if you get a real freaky answer and she says the horse is using the flowers or ladder to masturbate?

[Precise]

very helpful but will take time to learn

[Sometimes]

I read about the Cube in "Rules of the Game" but it wasn't as detailed as this one, however it works wonders. The Girls really tought I was some kind of Psychic =), Perfekt stuff to use after the Opener.
Used it last night at a club, both on a drunk girl and a waitress, and both got all puzzled and =), So it's obviously powerfull stuff.

What I asked was just

Size
Colour
Ladder
Horse

It was enough to have them eating out of my hand =P

Remember it's all about stating things that are obvious but making it sound like you really know something about them.
For example, if they the Cube is small, you tell them: This represents your Ego, A small Cube tells me you are self-suficient, and not egocentric, however it's not a Tiny cube so you are well at peace with your Ego etc etc.
There's allways some angle to work to make it sound like you got it covered =).
Good luck

[powpronto]

looks good

but

it looks like a LOT of crap to memorize :eek:

[diggidoyo]

What if you get a real freaky answer and she says the horse is using the flowers or ladder to masturbate?

You can go on on with infinite "what if" questions so there really is no point in asking them. The cube has been run thousands of times by thousands of people so I doubt some girl will come out with something as far-fetched as that.

In the event it happens though, perhaps she dreams of being in playboy or she has friends that are in playboy... and her ideal man is one that will appreciate that in the normal way men appreciate the women in playboy ;)

[Decibel]

looks good

but

it looks like a LOT of crap to memorize :eek:
It is a lot to memorize, but the key as TD has pointed out is that you can make anything up and it'll work. Rather than use prepared answers, figure out what will move your seduction forward and apply that.

[Deus]

Is there any routine that is as good as or better than the Cube?
I showed an HB the Cube at my school. Now she's spreading it around. I think it'll be all around school pretty soon, and I won't be able to use it anymore.
I suppose I can use a combination of other cold read routines, but it'd be nice to have something so easy yet effective. I'd rather not use like strawberry fields or anything like that-- they just seem like watered down versions of the Cube.

[Precise]

I showed an HB the Cube at my school. Now she's spreading it around. I think it'll be all around school pretty soon, and I won't be able to use it anymore.

Did you do it on her or teach it to her? Surely if you just did it on her, she couldn't have learned how to do all of it...

[Deus]

I did it on her once. She apparently has a very good memory!

[sinc3r3_NYC]

hmm idk if someone covered this in the thread .... but if you google the cube you'll get a breakdown of al the possible answers some1 might respond with .... its pretty interesting , the cube is a technique i mastered and i'll do it on people just bcuz i want to ..... but i dont remember once when it didnt work for me , so i sugest alof of newbe's to get into it

also its a greatt way to open a hb up

me: hmm your quiet i like that ... you remind me of my sexy librarian that i've had a crush on since like public school
hb:really ...
me: yea and your cool so i want to show you somethin .... have you heard of the cube ?
hb: no ... what is it ?
me: its an Advanced Visionary Technique called the cube basically ...... start cube


very effective

[-Silver-]

"Is there any routine that is as good as or better than the Cube?" - Deus

Anything can be a good routine so long as you present it well enough. But if anyone would like some ideas for a similar styled routine, then I'd recommend Tarot cards. Carrying them around with you might come across as a bit strange, but keep them in a draw in your house - when you bring a girl back home with you 'just for 15 minutes', then you can always use them as extra comfort building: "You know what, i've just had an idea. I've got this friend who's really into psychic stuff, and she gave me a pack of Tarot cards a while ago. Apparently they can predict and advise you about the future. No idea whether it's really true or not, and I have no idea if it puts a curse on whoever uses them. So I think we should test them out on you first!" Just make sure it's lighthearted at first, and when you turn the cards be kind enough to make up a pleasant story rather than fortelling her death at 4pm the following afternoon.

"Also its a greatt way to open a hb up
me: hmm your quiet i like that ... you remind me of my sexy librarian that i've had a crush on since like public school
hb:really ...
me: yea and your cool so i want to show you somethin .... have you heard of the cube ?
hb: no ... what is it ?
me: its an Advanced Visionary Technique called the cube basically ...... start cube" - sinc3r3_NYC

Sure, that could depend on your own personal style of gaming, but I'd advise against opening a girl like that. You're giving her IOIs and rewarding her for nothing right off the bat. That's assuming she even responds in that way. This has been proven to have great results when used as an opener or as a DHV, but by far the most popular, and arguably the most effective way to use it, is as a comfort-builder after she's given you IOIs and you've allowed her to 'win you over'. The Cube just... seals the deal, so to speak!

-Silver-

[Menke]

i really dig this, i just did it to my girl i live with and she loved it.
-menke

[leftlane]

I'm thinking of doing this over the phone, anything in particular I should keep in mind?

[Don Pyro]

over the phone shouldnt be a problem...but its more effective face to face....oh and another thing i've found, which most users of the cube will have realised, is that it has more impact the less you know a person, f you do it on a girlfriend you've had for 6 months, it wont work well cause you are likely to know her tendencies and what she's like. so keep it for day 2's or the same night but when you've taken her to a different venue etc. safe

[Heidi]

Hey Guys, couple of questions on my own cube...quitte funny

It's epic Huge, far away from me like i'm standing on a hill watching this giant space-ship-cube thing.
It's completely transparant, like made of glass and it has metal 'lines/ridges'
Allot of Flowers and a small ladder leaning againt the cube.
All these items are true with my situation now! :)

but a question remains;

- Why is my horse on top of the Cube staring at me ?

[Heidi]

HEEEEY...i wanna know! :D dying to know!

It could mean some insights why ..

[M1yola214]

Thank You Bro this is the best explaination of the cube ive ever read and that post will be my source of study til i master the cube thanx again brother!:)

[the comedian]

her cube was a ginormous silver cube. what does that mean.

[Hank Moody]

The ESP end of the game doesnt really appeal to me personally but I have done this routine before. And from my experience, it works like a gem.

It works just as well in online game, or on the phone as well.

You can use it on ANY girl, just be sure they're locked in.

[kodax]

i myself Love the cube i use it in almost every sarge. but u dont need to have ALL that down and ask them ever question.. i have two cube set one taking about 5 mins and another taking about 40mins to do. the short one..
in the middle of no wear and u see a cube.
how big is it
what color
were is the ladder
and add a horse, were is the horse

very quick and it works well. u can have a fun night just using that. and to answer a few of the other questions askin about if there is something better than the cube... NO. but styles AV is really nice too. if u dont know what it is and most people wont, look it up. really good way to build comfort and also can start a little kino while doing this.

[daniellange]

To fully master this you need to know one thing about cold reading:
People like to hear positive things about themselfs. They"ll take positive things as true. So always stay positive during a read.

[tgreg]

When do you think is the best time to ask a girl this questions? Someone pointed out that it doesn't work in a longer relationship, but I think a total stranger could be intimated. What do you think?
I have tried it one time, but it's not easy for me to interpret everything fast. The funniest answer was, that she cannot imagine flowers in the desert, normally gets flowers delivered (http://www.serenataflowers.com) for her home *haha*