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Assistance with Peter Renzland's Elegant Rubik's Cube Solution Method

Memma

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Hi all,

I'm new here.

tl;dr: I'm having trouble with the last stage of Peter Renzland's Elegant Rubik's Cube Solution Method. Has anyone tried it, and if so, can they given me any advice?

Longer version:

I tried cubing a bit at school, until someone popped my cube. I didn't realise it could be fixed at the time, so gave up, and have recently taken it up again as an adult.

I've got the beginner method down, and I don't have any intention of trying to improve my times - instead I like trying to reduce the number of moves (with as much looking and thinking time as I like). Since I'm now able to solve the cube using the beginner method, I thought I would try something different - I prefer the cube as something to fiddle with, so I thought I'd try Peter Renzland's Elegant Rubik's Cube Solution Method, as found at http://dancing.org/rubik/. It's not about reducing the number of moves, but about reducing the number of algorithms, and leaving the rest to intuition.

Basically, you solve all the corners, then try to fix the edges by using a few setup moves, then doing U2 R2 U2 R2 U2 R2, and then undoing the setup moves.

This is where I'm struggling, and wondered if anyone has tried this method and can give me any tips - google seems remarkably quiet on the method.

The method suggests to start with the white layer, then the middle and finish with yellow. I can manage the first layer fine, and then I struggle to get all the middle edges. It seems to say I should never need more than 3 or so setup moves. One time I got all the middle edges right except one was flipped in place. I couldn't work out how to unflip it, and scrambled the cube in the process of trying.

I put the current state of the cube into the online rubik's cube solver, and it gave me this solution:

R2 U' F' R2 D2 L2 B L2 D R2 F2 L2 U' L2 U R

If you scramble to the same point, you'll see I have one yellow cubie that I'm trying to get off the middle layer, but it's hard to do as the algorythm moves 4 pieces at once (UF swaps with UB and RF swaps with RB).

Using the above solution would be 'cheating', as I'm trying to solve the cube by repeating (up to four setup moves) U2 R2 U2 R2 U2 R2 (undo the setup moves).

Anyone else tried this method, and if so, any advice?
 

GenTheSnail

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Hi, Memma,

I've never heard of Peter Renzland's Elegant Rubik's Cube Solution Method, but I have tried doing solves with only half turns and such, so I do know how to solve your cube from this position.

Solution

I might suggest using several other edge cycles, such as M' U2 M U2, which is a very useful three cycle of edges, U2 M2 U2 M2 which is similar to your alg, and also (F2 U') (M' U2 M U2) (U F2), which uses the three cycle of edges that I previously listed and some useful set up moves to solve what is called a U-Perm.

Here they are animated
 

shadowslice e

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Based on my read through of the documents on the link our provided, I would suggest reading up a little on how bld methods work (though not necessarily learn them though of course) as the way they work appears to be the same as the method you're trying to learn.

If that fails then maybe looking up commutators and conjugates would help (though admittedly that may be overkill)
 

bcube

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Hello Memma,

although I can not help you with the method you provided, I think you might be also interested in the HTA metod or a similar 3-Color method if you prefer the cube as to something to fiddle with.

If you want to drastically reduce the number of moves and use only an intuition, you might find the Heise method interesting (as pointed out by shadowslice e, it might be overkill for you - if that would be the case, you could try a simplified Heise-like solving approach).

And then I could help you :)


In anycase, good luck & have fun.
 

Memma

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Mar 16, 2019
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Thanks guys,

I really appreciate the feedback - it makes all the difference between getting frustrated with the cube and leaving it alone, or finding it fascinating and spending hours with it... though now I think about it, the former might be the healthier option!!

@GenTheTheif: I need to spend some time studying and trying the solution moves you gave.
As far as I can see, you do (2 setup moves), algorithm, (undo 2 setup moves), then (7 setup moves), algorithm, (undo 7 setup moves).
I wonder if the 7 setup moves can be broken down into smaller chunks I can hold in my head more easily, but that could be something for me to try and play around with.

I knew there must be a way to let people see the state of my cube without making them reverse the solution, but I didn't know what it was - alg.cubing.net to the rescue! The animation of your solution is handy.

@shadowslice: I roughly understand what commutators and conjugates are in principal, so I understand that the 3-algorithm method I'm using means I'm sort of coming up with my own conjugates. I haven't spent any time reading up on common conjugates, so I guess I'm discovering them intuitively, which probably isn't a bad thing.

I'm guessing bld methods are the blind solving methods (this is my guess from googling it). They look interesting, and if I did spend the time to learn them, I might be able to apply parts of them to the 3-algorithm method. I'm guess from how little the method is mentioned (based on number of google hits) that it's not a popular one, so maybe it's not the best route to playing around with, but who's to say what's right or wrong if I'm enjoying myself?

@bcube: I think the methods you mention have a bit more guidance available for them, so I might switch to playing about with them, and return to the 3-algorithm method later armed with what I've learned, if I feel like it. The Heise method also sounds pretty fun, though I haven't tried it yet, so I might bail and try the simpler version if it's too much.

Once again, all appreciated, and I'm sure will start me in the right direction for some enjoyable cube-fiddling. :D
 

GenTheSnail

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I wonder if the 7 setup moves can be broken down into smaller chunks I can hold in my head more easily, but that could be something for me to try and play around with.
This is kind of an explanation of one of the set up moves that I used: Set Up Moves

I'm guessing bld methods are the blind solving methods (this is my guess from googling it). They look interesting, and if I did spend the time to learn them, I might be able to apply parts of them to the 3-algorithm method. I'm guess from how little the method is mentioned (based on number of google hits) that it's not a popular one, so maybe it's not the best route to playing around with, but who's to say what's right or wrong if I'm enjoying myself?
BLD solving does mean BLinD solving. The main beginner one is called Old Pochmann (OP), just uses three algorithms and set up moves. There are a fair amount of resources on the forum, spesifically in the BLD sub forum, and on YouTube. Other methods that you might come across are M2, R2, TuRBo, Orozco, and 3-style or BH. 3-Style and BH are essentially the same things, one just uses more ergonomic algorithms, and the other uses shorter algorithms. They're pretty advanced methods though.
 

Memma

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Reading it back, I should clarify:

When I said "I'm guess from how little the method is mentioned..." I was referring to Renzland's 'elegant' method... and yes, I meant "guessING".
 

dudefaceguy

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I second the recommendations for Heise. I am very much like you - I prefer efficient solutions without memorized algorithms. I learned Heise after I did a few Petrus solves but got tired of looking up the algorithms for the last layer. I would not say that Heise is too complex for a beginner - for me, it's the easiest method since it requires no memorization. It was designed specifically with your goals in mind.
 

Memma

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I'd just like to thank you all for your recommendations - I've at least looked at all of them, and I really enjoy making progress with them. I left the cube I was using at someone else's house last week, and I'm really missing being able to just grab it and try out a solving method - which just shows how much I was enjoying it in the first place!
 

bcube

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renzland

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I just noticed this question. Do you still need help?

Please take a look at the current main web page for the Elegant Method:


It has a lot of clear, helpful information. Even contact information.
 
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