One-Answer WCA Competition and Regulations Question Thread

[Berd]

Yeah, I sort of realized that halfway through my reply post but, of course, my recommendation (more precisely, my example) was just a random search at Amazon for a stopwatch with countdown feature. Now that I think about it I don't even know if speedcubing judges use a countdown form 15 to 0 or just a regular stopwatch from 0 to 15 I haven't checked regulations either to see if there's something stated there. So, I won't be of much help but you raised my curiosity. Let's see what others more competition-savy cubers have to say about this.

In UK comps, we just use normal stopwatches going from 0-15. Its also easier to say when 8 and 12 seconds have passed.

 

[mafergut]

In UK comps, we just use normal stopwatches going from 0-15. Its also easier to say when 8 and 12 seconds have passed.

It makes a lot of sense. I didn't know either if what they said was "8 seconds (elapsed)" or "8 seconds (remaining)" Of course if they later say 12 it must be elpased. Now I know it. It happens that in videos that I saw up to now I had heard some judges warning about 8 sec but not about 12. Hope I made myself through, I made complicated what was very simple.

 

[Logiqx]

In UK comps, we just use normal stopwatches going from 0-15. Its also easier to say when 8 and 12 seconds have passed.

One of my judges told me when 5s had passed and when 10s had passed. That threw me slightly...

 

[Dene]

You have to count up, as you can go over inspection.

 

[mafergut]

You have to count up, as you can go over inspection.

Then I assume almost any stopwatch, even the $4 ones in Amazon, can fit the purpose, going back to the original question by Mike.
I'd go for something like this.

 

[Eleredo]

Am I allowed to use a Rubik's Speed Cube in a competition? I just learned about that cube today (I haven't kept myself up-to-date for several years) and found out that it doesn't come with stickers but tiles, and I do know that stickerless DaYan's and such are not allowed but that's because you can see the back color without rotating the entire cube if you turn the back face 45 degrees, but judging from the pictures of the Rubik's Speed Cube, this cube doesn't have that. So I'm wondering, are they allowed?

 

[TDM]

Am I allowed to use a Rubik's Speed Cube in a competition? I just learned about that cube today (I haven't kept myself up-to-date for several years) and found out that it doesn't come with stickers but tiles, and I do know that stickerless DaYan's and such are not allowed but that's because you can see the back color without rotating the entire cube if you turn the back face 45 degrees, but judging from the pictures of the Rubik's Speed Cube, this cube doesn't have that. So I'm wondering, are they allowed?

Yes, they're allowed, since the tiles do not stick out of the cube. If I remember correctly, they're only not allowed if they're more than 1.5mm thick.

Also, stickerless cubes have been, as of I think July 2015, allowed in competitions.

 

[mark49152]

You have to count up, as you can go over inspection.

You will also need to use the stopwatches to time longer events like MBLD, as the stackmats only go up to 10 minutes.

 

[jway123]

What to do after each solve

Hey I was wondering if I u guys could tell me if I'm supposed to stay seated after a solve for my cube to be scrambled or go to the waiting area after each solve?

 

[TDM]

Hey I was wondering if I u guys could tell me if I'm supposed to stay seated after a solve for my cube to be scrambled or go to the waiting area after each solve?

Depends. Usually what happens at UK competitions is you go back to the waiting area, unless there are 12 or fewer people in the group (e.g. a final), in which case you can stay seated, since there are enough seats for everyone. It could be different where you live though.

 

[Dene]

Hey I was wondering if I u guys could tell me if I'm supposed to stay seated after a solve for my cube to be scrambled or go to the waiting area after each solve?

It's completely up to the organisers. Having people stay seated to do each of their solves in succession is very inefficient though and not many people do it that way any more (except for finals).

 

[mark49152]

If a cube is off by a single layer >45 after a blindfold attempt, is that +2 or DNF? What about in multi?

 

[TDM]

If a cube is off by a single layer >45 after a blindfold attempt, is that +2 or DNF? What about in multi?

It's a +2 in both BLD and multiBLD. If you get multiple +2s in multi then they add up, same as with normal solving. This means you can actually get times greater than an hour. I don't know if it's ever happened in competition though.

 

[EvilGnome6]

What's a good estimate for how long it takes between one competitor stopping the timer and the next competitor beginning inspection?

This time includes:

Judge verifies solve
Judge writes down score and resets timer
Competitor 1 signs and leaves table
Competitor 2 comes to table
Competitor 2 settles in indicates they are ready

 

[Dene]

What's a good estimate for how long it takes between one competitor stopping the timer and the next competitor beginning inspection?

This time includes:

Judge verifies solve
Judge writes down score and resets timer
Competitor 1 signs and leaves table
Competitor 2 comes to table
Competitor 2 settles in indicates they are ready

Depends on a lot of things... the time could vary significantly. At my competitions I would prefer that time to be less than 30 seconds, but it could easily take 2-3 minutes.

 

[EvilGnome6]

Depends on a lot of things... the time could vary significantly. At my competitions I would prefer that time to be less than 30 seconds, but it could easily take 2-3 minutes.

Yeah. It can be quite variable in my experience. Maybe 60 seconds would be a conservative average?

 

[mafergut]

Yeah. It can be quite variable in my experience. Maybe 60 seconds would be a conservative average?

I think it depends on the size (number of participants) of the comp and how well you organize for the next participant to be already by the table when the 1st one finishes. In that case I think 60 seconds should be enough.

 

[turtwig]

Is a solve legal if it could be solved in less than the required amount for the puzzle, but the competitor solve it is more moves than the required amount? (eg. someone got a 6 move Skewb scramble, but solved it in 9 moves). Thanks.

 

[TDM]

Is a solve legal if it could be solved in less than the required amount for the puzzle, but the competitor solve it is more moves than the required amount? (eg. someone got a 6 move Skewb scramble, but solved it in 9 moves). Thanks.

I don't think so. You wouldn't get a 6 move scramble in comp, and if you did from a misscramble then I don't think it would be allowed.

 

[supercavitation]

I don't think so. You wouldn't get a 6 move scramble in comp, and if you did from a misscramble then I don't think it would be allowed.

It wouldn't. See Nathan Soria's 1.71 DNF. He used 7 moves, but it was a 6 move misscramble.