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2x2x2 BLD Tutorial

byu

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Here is my 2x2x2 BLD tutorial I made today. Tell me what you think, and tell me any errors you see:

2x2x2 BLD Guide
Version 1.0

To solve the 2x2x2 blindfolded, you must first be aware of your color scheme. Always know the faces and where they belong. For example, when I do 2x2x2 BLD, I always picture white top, red front, green left, blue right, orange back, and yellow bottom. Make sure you know a system, and memorize it. You will need it.

This method is a 2-cycle based system, meaning it uses 2-cycles instead of 3-cycles.

2x2x2 BLD (and all BLD, for that matter) consists of two steps, memorization and execution. For memorization and execution there are two steps that are part of that, memorization and execution of orientation and memorization and execution of permutation. I will take you through each of these steps:

1. Memorization of Orientation
First look at the top layer, and look at the corner at UFR. If it has a top or bottom layer sticker on the U face, remember 0 for that. If not, if it is rotated clockwise (needs to be twisted counter-clockwise), remember 1. If it is rotated counter-clockwise (needs to be twisted clockwise), remember 2. Repeat this for UBR and then UBL, and you will have a string of numbers like this:

(020)

Then go to the bottom layer and repeat the procedure started with DFL, then DFR, then DBR, then DBL. You will have two strings of numbers like this:

(020)(1111)


2. Memorization of Permutation
For this you will need to know my numbering system:

UFL - 1, UFR - 2, UBR - 3, UBL - 4, DFL - 5, DFR - 6, DBR - 7, DBL - 8

First look at the piece in position 3, and look at where it needs to go. Let's say it belongs in 5. Remember 5. Now look in position 5, and see where that piece belongs. Let's say it belongs in position 1. Remember 1. Say one belongs in position 3 again. Now remember that entire sequence of numbers:

(351)

Now begin with a new corner, let's say corner 4, you can choose any number though. Finish that cycle, and then remember it. IMPORTANT: ALL CYCLES THAT DO NOT START WITH 3 IN THIS METHOD SHOULD HAVE THE FIRST NUMBER REPEATED AT THE END.

This means that the cycle, maybe it is (478) should actually be (4784). Once you know where each one needs to go, you will have something like this:

(351)(4784)(262)

It's time to pull down the blindfold and begin execution.

3. Execution of Orientation

Something to understand here, called setup moves. Setup moves are moves that you use to bring pieces (on a 2x2x2, just corners), to a position so that you can apply an algorithm to it. In this case, we are always going to bring corners to the UFR position. However, it is essential that you REMEMBER YOUR SETUP MOVES, because you need to undo them when you are done. For example, if you want to bring corner 5 to UFR, you might do D R, apply an algorithm, and then you must remember to do R' D', the inverse of the setup moves, and put it back to where it belongs.

There are sometimes what we call restrictions, meaning moves that you are not allowed to do as setup moves, as it will mess up your position. When we are dealing with just orientation in this guide, setup moves have no restriction. When we get to permutation, there will be restrictions.

So, we start with the first number, from position UFR. No setup move needed, since it is already at UFR. If you remembered 0 for a corner, you don't need to do anything, and you can move on to the next corner.

If you remembered 1 for it apply this algorithm: L D R' D’ L' D R D’ (turn cube 90 degrees clockwise) R D’ L D R’ D’ L' D (turn 90 CCW). (I would use the notation with z moves, but some people are not familiar with cube rotation terminology.)

If you remembered 2 for that particular corner, apply the above algorithm twice. Remember that when you are done you must undo setup moves, although for UFR, there is no setup move.

Now to the second number in your string, which is at UBR. The setup move for this is simply R', and remember to make an R move when you are complete. Of course, since this is orientation, there's no restriction so you could just as easily have done R2 D R2, and then R2 D' R2, but doing R' is faster.

Repeat with each corner, remembering what each corner's orientation number is. If you have to, during memorization, you can tap each corner and say the number in your head, and repeat that, so you can visually match the numbers with the corners quicker.

When you are done, all corners are oriented. Only one step last until you are done!

4. Execution of Permutation

For this, I will assume you know the T permutation. If you do not, I highly suggest you learn it, and learn to do it fast, and of course, learn to do it without looking.

This is what you do, and it's quite simple in many ways. Starting with the first number you memorized with Permutation, and bring them up (using careful setup moves, we have to worry about restrictions now) to UFR. Apply a T permutation, undo setup moves. Repeat with each number in the cycle.

Setup move restrictions are as follows, no quarter turns from F, B, L, and R, only double turns, and you cannot move UBR (corner 3) ever at all. Here are the setup moves I use:

Corner 1 - F2 D' F2
Corner 2 - No setup move
Corner 3 - Never do a T Perm with (you'll see why)
Corner 4 - L2 F2
Corner 5 - F2
Corner 6 - D' F2
Corner 7 - D2 F2
Corner 8 - D F2

If you have a 3 in your cycle, DO NOT perform a T permutation with it, and skip it and go to the next number in the cycle. In fact, don't even bother remembering 3 during your memorization, because you will not use it if you use this method.

Remember, on certain cycles, the same corner will be brought to UFR more than once.

When you take off your blindfold, you should see a solved 2x2x2!

5. Next Steps

Once you solve a 2x2x2 Blindfolded once, begin timing yourself. How fast can you do it? Once you can consistently do it, begin trying 3x3x3 Blindfold. You can use these EXACT same procedures for the corners (except for one thing), and all you have to do is learn the edges.

The one thing you will have to change doing 3x3x3 is that for the Corner 4 setup move for Permutation, it must be L2 F2 L2 instead of just L2 F2. Good luck!
 

byu

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By the way, just a side note, using a J permutation, or any other permutation that only swaps UFR and UBR will work, I just use T permutation because that is what you do for 3x3x3 BLD, so it's easy to only use one algorithm for BLD.
 
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Why make a 2x2x2 BLD guide when there are guides for 3x3BLD? Those mention corners, I would assume.

If I have 2 swapped corners on 2x2x2 I use A-Perm
If I have 2 swapped corners on 3x3x3 I have parity and A-Perm wouldn't work

Seems like enough reason to make a 2x2x2 tutorial

If you just used J-perm, it would work. >_>

5x5x5BLD guides refer to 3x3x3BLD methods for corners and edges, while 3x3x3BLD methods don't refer to 2x2x2BLD methods for corners. How readily available are 5x5x5BLD guides in the first place?
 
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Stefan

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Anyway... what I meant and others have kinda pointed out, too, is that the 2x2 can be solved more effectively than the 3x3 corners. Since there are no centers, you can rotate the cube to your liking, e.g., so that the DBL corner always gets "solved" during memorization. And you can use shorter faster algs. And since you don't have edges, your overall memory requirement is much lower so different memory strategies might be better.

That said, I would recommend noone starts blindcubing with the 2x2. I think it's easier and better to start with the 3x3 right away. Instead of the 2x2, start with the corners of the 3x3 after solving the edges sighted. Then it's about the same as 2x2, but the additional pieces (centers+edges) can act as reference and be helpful! Or start with 3x3 edges blindfolded after having solved the corners sighted. I think this is just as easy as the 2x2, makes it easier to see what's going on and to realize mistakes right away, and also the 3x3 just feels more rewarding than the 2x2. Plus with today's knowledge the 3x3 is so easy to blindsolve that there's really no need to try something smaller first.
 
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riffz

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Anyway... what I meant and others have kinda pointed out, too, is that the 2x2 can be solved more effectively than the 3x3 corners. Since there are no centers, you can rotate the cube to your liking, e.g., so that the DBL corner always gets "solved" during memorization. And you can use shorter faster algs. And since you don't have edges, your overall memory requirement is much lower so different memory strategies might be better.

That said, I would recommend noone starts blindcubing with the 2x2. I think it's easier and better to start with the 3x3 right away. Instead of the 2x2, start with the corners of the 3x3 after solving the edges sighted. Then it's about the same as 2x2, but the additional pieces (centers+edges) can act as reference and be helpful! Or start with 3x3 edges blindfolded after having solved the corners sighted. I think this is just as easy as the 2x2, makes it easier to see what's going on and to realize mistakes right away, and also the 3x3 just feels more rewarding than the 2x2. Plus with today's knowledge the 3x3 is so easy to blindsolve that there's really no need to try something smaller first.

I couldn't agree more. The first time I watched badmephisto's Old Pochmann tutorial, I was blown away by how simple it is. Doing a 2x2 BLD just wouldn't be satisfying enough.
 

FrankLZ

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I really like this tutorial and like the shortcuts you can take when solving the 2x2x2 blind. I am curently trying to find a quicker way to rotate two corners than this:
L D R' D’ L' D R D’ (turn cube 90 degrees clockwise) R D’ L D R’ D’ L' D (turn 90 CCW)?

Currently I have these two (they are only effective on the 2x2x2):
(R U' R F') (R F') U' F2 R2 U
R' F' R F' (U R' F R U2) F2

I used CubeExplorer to find them. Is that how most people do it?

Also, does anybody know any better algorithms for rotating two corners?
There is of course (URU'R')(URU'R') L' (RUR'U')(RUR'U') L which is easy to remember, but is overkill for the 2x2x2
 
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rahulkadukar

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Why make a 2x2x2 BLD guide when there are guides for 3x3BLD?
Why make a 3x3x3 BLD guide when there are guides for 5x5BLD?

I love his replies but I think that with 3OP and lightning fast memo (which I have) I can get times of around 40-50 on an average which includes at the most 10 sec for memo and depending on the case 25-40 seconds to solve.

I am going to try a Sub 10 attempt for 6/6 2x2x2 Multi BLD :D
 
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