Let's say I roll two dice, a d8 and a d12… How do I calculate the probability that the d12 will a) win, b) be equal, c) lose? There is probably a name for this equation, but my google-fu is lacking.

From Monopoly to Backgammon to Yahtzee, our first experiences with board games almost always feature sets of six-sided dice. They’re a great way to create some randomness and chaos in a game, but ...

A mix of history, standardisation and probability explains one of the most familiar quirks of the humble cube.