Older cubers discussions

[Shaky Hands]

I guess at this time of year you're more "Cold Hands" than "Shaky Hands".

You might find my thread interesting which compares times in different events:

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?47405-Relative-Solve-Times-for-2x2x2-7x7x7

All-rounders seem to take around 4 times longer to solve the 4x4 compared to 3x3. Roughly speaking 5x5 times are about double the 4x4 times.

Thanks. Yes that is interesting. My aims for 4x4 and 5x5 may be too high for me then but am trying to aim for the UK average cutoffs for 4x4 and 5x5, even if times longer than that were enough to reach the finals of the 2003 and 2005 World Championships!

 

[Selkie]

Thanks. Yes that is interesting. My aims for 4x4 and 5x5 may be too high for me then but am trying to aim for the UK average cutoffs for 4x4 and 5x5

Yes, unfortunately the cutoffs in UK are quite severe and need to be given the skill level of the average cuber at comp. It may well be the same in other countries but we have an amazing level of ability on average. The average cutoff for 4x4 has been 1:30 and for 5x5 been 2:30 for the last five years. I think it is a good goal to be sub cutoff

 

[mafergut]

Nice sub-19 Ao50 today with my Moyu Tanglong (18.90) trying to lookahead and not spoil any solves so, no super-fast solves but 80% sub-20. I will try to roll it tomorrow and see if I can beat my PB from like 5 months ago.

 

[mark49152]

Probably looked quite surreal a man fully suited cubing

Haha yeah. I learned a few comms on a flight back from the US last week and as we were preparing to land, the flight attendant congratulated me on solving the cube. I joked that it only took me 8 hours, and no prizes for guessing what the reply was to that...?!

 

[mafergut]

Haha yeah. I learned a few comms on a flight back from the US last week and as we were preparing to land, the flight attendant congratulated me on solving the cube. I joked that it only took me 8 hours, and no prizes for guessing what the reply was to that...?!

Did she ask for your mobile phone number?

 

[newtonbase]

Haha yeah. I learned a few comms on a flight back from the US last week and as we were preparing to land, the flight attendant congratulated me on solving the cube. I joked that it only took me 8 hours, and no prizes for guessing what the reply was to that...?!

"I couldn't do it in 8 years"?

 

[Shaky Hands]

Haha yeah. I learned a few comms on a flight back from the US last week and as we were preparing to land, the flight attendant congratulated me on solving the cube. I joked that it only took me 8 hours, and no prizes for guessing what the reply was to that...?!

"Actually, it took you 13 hours because of the time difference." ?

 

[mark49152]

Haha, good guesses but no, it was... drum roll... "I'd just peel the stickers off!"

And no he didn't ask for my phone number

 

[Isaac Lai]

Yes, unfortunately the cutoffs in UK are quite severe and need to be given the skill level of the average cuber at comp. It may well be the same in other countries but we have an amazing level of ability on average. The average cutoff for 4x4 has been 1:30 and for 5x5 been 2:30 for the last five years. I think it is a good goal to be sub cutoff

At a recent comp that I went to, the 4x4 cutoff was 1:10 and the 5x5 cutoff was 1:50 lol

 

[mark49152]

The average cutoff for 4x4 has been 1:30 and for 5x5 been 2:30 for the last five years (in UK). I think it is a good goal to be sub cutoff

Yeah I agree. At first I found it frustrating but when I accepted it as a challenge, I actually really enjoyed working to beat the cutoff and when I did, it was a great feeling. It's nice to have a goal that carries a real reward as opposed to an arbitrary time goal.

 

[mafergut]

Haha, good guesses but no, it was... drum roll... "I'd just peel the stickers off!"

And no he didn't ask for my phone number

So, the flight attendant was a "he"... flying is not any more what it used to be Just kidding, of course.

 

[Selkie]

Nice sub-19 Ao50 today with my Moyu Tanglong (18.90) trying to lookahead and not spoil any solves so, no super-fast solves but 80% sub-20. I will try to roll it tomorrow and see if I can beat my PB from like 5 months ago.

Nice average sir .. Cannot think why but I haven't ordered a Tanglong as I have been a fan of Moyu for a long time and have had Aolong and Hualong as mains. How does it compare to other Moyus?

Haha yeah. I learned a few comms on a flight back from the US last week and as we were preparing to land, the flight attendant congratulated me on solving the cube. I joked that it only took me 8 hours, and no prizes for guessing what the reply was to that...?!

Hopefully she didn't spot only 3 corners at a time?! hehe

At a recent comp that I went to, the 4x4 cutoff was 1:10 and the 5x5 cutoff was 1:50 lol

Wow, those are aggressive cutoffs. That 5x5 cut is sub my PB but I would hope to make that 4x4 cutoff ... just as I am just sub 1:10 average.

Yeah I agree. At first I found it frustrating but when I accepted it as a challenge, I actually really enjoyed working to beat the cutoff and when I did, it was a great feeling. It's nice to have a goal that carries a real reward as opposed to an arbitrary time goal.

I could not agree more Mark, A lot more reward than "Oh I made x time". I only just made average cutoff for 5x5 last comp but my average was still >2:30. Hoping for sub 2:20 this time. You 5x5 times look great, will have to watch your solves in Exeter :tu


As a complete side point a friend is making a Rubik's badge to replace the one on the back of my VW Bus, what do you think?

 

[midwatchcowboy]

49yo here. Hadn't picked up a cube since maybe 1983? Had solve the original Rubik's Cube by feel. No algorithms. Wife bought my son a new Rubik's at Target. He got frustrated. I found out about CFOP solve techniques via youtube and have a new Moyu HuaLong and am sub 3 min with a few simple algorithms. Hope to add more to the bag of tricks.

 

[muchacho]

Welcome, and congrats, first time I touched one was around 1985, last time I touched one (until last year) was a few weeks later, nowhere close of solving it (if it came with instructions I don't remember them)... well, I cheated of course.

 

[h2f]

http://m.cubecomps.com/competitions/1392/competitors/36

patataj patataj patataj

 

[Jason Green]

Yes welcome. If you start practicing your times will plummet!

I can keep up with reading this thread but I never have time to reply as much as I'd like. I think I'll just start every post with "Awesome job everyone"[emoji14]
I like the bumper sticker. It's different and kind of Escheresque. I want to get some t-shirts but I'm hoping my brother will design some for me, he's good at stuff like that.

I've taken more interest in being color neutral than before. Partly to enter the race to sub 30 as yellow cross only, which I think will not be too bad. I'm fairly close to it now, and actually had an ao5 under 25 with yellow yesterday. Full CN is maybe not as far as I imagined. I tried a few solves yesterday and was around 1 min. F2L feels like when I started speed cubing. Marcel, I'm sure I'll have a lucky 59 soon as CN.

 

[Selkie]

49yo here. Hadn't picked up a cube since maybe 1983? Had solve the original Rubik's Cube by feel. No algorithms. Wife bought my son a new Rubik's at Target. He got frustrated. I found out about CFOP solve techniques via youtube and have a new Moyu HuaLong and am sub 3 min with a few simple algorithms. Hope to add more to the bag of tricks.

Welcome to the thread and welcome back to cubing. I was in a similar position where I could still solve from the early 80' and my wife bought me a cube as a nostalgic gift 6 years ago. That started my passion.

Have to say this thread is great and a real motivation for us older cubers. Look forward to seeing how you progress :tu

 

[mafergut]

Nice average sir .. Cannot think why but I haven't ordered a Tanglong as I have been a fan of Moyu for a long time and have had Aolong and Hualong as mains. How does it compare to other Moyus?

As a complete side point a friend is making a Rubik's badge to replace the one on the back of my VW Bus, what do you think?

Thank you! I rolled it to Ao100 today... and then some Got it down to 18.51 Ao50 and 18.65 Ao100, both of them PBs.

Getting to like my Tanglong more and more as it breaks in. Out of the box it was a bit catchy but it is becoming better and better with each solve. It does not compare easily to other Moyus, this and the Hualong are, for me, the most distinct cubes Moyu has build recently. It is kind of slow but very stable and smooth and it retains the cubic shape when solving, which I love. Corner cutting up to reasonable amounts is almost effortless and, except when trying to reverse cut just in the line-to-line point it will either cut reverse or forward without any problems. I started using it for OH, replacing my Hualong because of its stability but after this long session it might replace my YJ Chilong, as it is equally stable but a bit more smooths and forgiving when not accurate. For me it's a must in any collection but it might not be better than your Gans 356 so it's up to you ;-) It has the pointy corner design and it was never corner twisted on me.

49yo here. Hadn't picked up a cube since maybe 1983? Had solve the original Rubik's Cube by feel. No algorithms. Wife bought my son a new Rubik's at Target. He got frustrated. I found out about CFOP solve techniques via youtube and have a new Moyu HuaLong and am sub 3 min with a few simple algorithms. Hope to add more to the bag of tricks.

Welcome to this thread! You will feel at home here among a lot of over 40yo people (I'm 45 myself, soon 46). You can count on us all to: 1) help motivate you to get those times from 3 min to sub-30 seconds at least; b) increase your cube collection from a couple to several dozens; c) introduce you to other events like BLD, Pyra, Mega, Skewb, big cubes... Just wait and see, wait and see...

 

[muchacho]

http://m.cubecomps.com/competitions/1392/competitors/36

patataj patataj patataj

Congrats, good PBs there! How were the BLD attempts?

 

[h2f]

In 3bld DNFs where 1:26 and 1:13 off by wrong corner comm. Im happy

patataj patataj patataj