Older cubers discussions

[h2f]

Happy New Year.

@JanW - this is the tutorial I mentioned:

 

[mark49152]

Happy New Year everyone!

@JanW - this is the tutorial I mentioned:

I quite like the idea of two piece setups to a simple group of comms, but I wonder if there is a better choice of targets/comms that would let you setup to 8- rather than 12-movers.

The issue I have with wings (and edges on 3BLD) is that r2/M2 is so efficient to start with that to achieve any significant move count advantage requires learning a larger set of more move-optimal comms. The approach of learning a smaller set with setups doesn't pay off so much.

My current thinking is to stick with advanced M2/r2 but add comms for slower combinations of adjacent targets, to reduce wrist moves or regrips.

 

[Shaky Hands]

Happy New Year everyone and best wishes for an amazing 2017 in cubing and everything else you do.

My neighbours probably just heard me do a ridiculously loud shot of "YES!!!!!" when I got my first PB of the year, my first ever sub-2:30 5x5 solve (2:27.09.) The solve was full-step, finishing in a V-perm and included me needing to fix some F2L when I did a back-insert into the wrong slot. The 2:30 mark has been a personal nemesis of mine for a long while now whilst I've been targeting this time as it's the UK average cut for 5x5.

The fact that this happened on my 1189th timed 5x5 solve probably shows how much time I've put into this puzzle. It's the equivalent of about 3.5 days' continuous solving and doesn't include any of the numerous untimed solves I've done.

Bizarrely this happened only 20 solves after going back to using Hoya for 5x5, which I haven't really used on 5x5 for several months now. I think the Hoya practice I've had from regularly using the method on 4x4 has translated well.

I have also broken my Ao5, Ao12, Ao25 and Ao100 for 5x5 today, so I think Hoya will probably replace Reduction as my main 5x5 method.

If the rest of my year goes as well as this solve then I'll be very happy.

Scramble: Uw2 Rw U2 Bw' Rw' L' R Uw' R2 Bw' Uw Rw' Dw F2 Fw2 R' F Rw' F' Dw' F' U R D Lw2 D F Rw D R2 L2 Lw' Bw2 R2 L B Fw D2 R2 Rw' F D Rw Lw' Uw2 Dw U D' Bw' R2 U B' Dw2 F L U' Uw' L' B Uw (first solve in the 5x5 Race thread, round 73A.)

I think I'll put the cube away for a bit and bask in geeky euphoria.

 

[mark49152]

Nice job @Shaky Hands - Hoya FTW

 

[Selkie]

Happy New Year my fellow oldies. I hope you and your loved ones all have a fantastic year.

Apologies for my absence, I have been having a festive break full of family and company. Following the redundancy process, my job finished on 30th December and I have had a company I know very well approach me for a role they have available an I have an interview on Friday 13th January with a view to starting at the beginning of February. I will therefore have a much welcome January off so expect a flood of participation in the thread when my wife returns to work on 3rd.

 

[pglewis]

I haven't really touched 2x2 since my first comp in Sept but with a week 'til comp I'm grinding away in the hopes of not blanking out on my Varasano/Ortega specific algs (that I had to relearn). It also led me to a semi-pointless but fun exercise of solving 3x3 corners-first with V/O, bottom edges, then the remaining edges with setup moves + EPLL and Rw (R U R’ U’) Rw’ U2 (R U R U’ R2) to swap orientation for a pair of edges. Managed to whittle it down to about 1:30 with a little practice.

 

[Jason Green]

Happy New Year!

I got my Valk M yesterday and it's become my instant main. I did about 80 solves today off and on while watching tv and kids playing and company over, and still had about 18.7 average. That's pretty good for me right now. I feel like solves often are one or two seconds faster than I expect, I think just because it is more forgiving. Definitely recommend buying or making one!

Oh also I will be going to Nationals this year (don't think I said for sure). Hoping I can find a close comp and qualify for 4x4 which is 1:30. I had a good session the other night where I was under 1:30 most of the time for a first. Finally some improvement there yay!

 

[moralsh]

Happy new year everyone and happy belated birthday to @MarcelP

Very little cubing this Xmas holidays but I'll try to find time next 2 weeks, However, I got a 10.75 PB single out of the blue here's the scramble and reconstruction if anybody is interested:

Spoiler

U2 B F' U2 F' L2 U2 B U2 D' L' U B2 L U F2 L' D2 L

Reconstruction:
x2 y U R2 y' R' F R D2 // cross
y' R U' R' U y L' U L // F2L-1
U2 R' U' R // F2L-2
R U2 R' U' R U R' // F2L-3
U2 y2 R U2 R' U' R U R' // F2L-4
(U') M2 U' M' U2 M U' M2 (U2) // PLL

and check out this F2L with the same scramble

z2 y'
U L2 y R' F R D2
L' U L y' R U2 R'
U2 L U L'
U2 L' U L
U R' U' R

Other than that, I'm starting to like Hoya for the 5x5, I'm close now to my times with reduction, let´s see where I end

I placed yesterday my first order of the year, the Guoguan 2x2, QiYi 6x, WuQue and master pyraminx

I plan to focus mostly on BLD events the first part of the year and will probably start trying 6BLD very soon, race with @h2f and @mark49152 too

@Jason Green 1:30 in 4x4 is just about going slow and not messing up, practice F2L to be sure that part doesn't mess up your solve.

 

[h2f]

I plan to focus mostly on BLD events the first part of the year and will probably start trying 6BLD very soon, race with @h2f and @mark49152 too

Ok. My QiYi 6x6 is on the way I think. If I get better in 5bld I'm into 6bld.

 

[muchacho]

Happy new year!

I posted this in the 2017 goals' thread, maybe I was slightly optimistic about OH (or drunk) at the time.

2x2: sub-5.5 avg (now 6.5)
3x3: sub-18 avg (now 21)
OH: sub-25 avg (now 35, maybe too ambitous there)
4x4: sub-1:40 avg (now 2:10)
5x5: sub-4:00 avg (best is 7-8 minutes)
Megaminx: sub-3:30 avg (was around 4:00 some months ago, this shouldn't be too hard if I practice)
Skewb: sub-12 avg (I was sub-16 once)
3BLD: just a success
Square-1: sub-45 avg (now 1:10)
Clock: sub-20 avg
Kilominx: sub-45 avg (now 1:10)

 

[mafergut]

Maybe that OH was a bit too ambitious. The rest seems achievable but... all of them??? Well, the year is long or so it seems now

I also posted new goals for 1st half of 2017. Link in my signature. They are not very ambitious but I'm sure I will not be able to achieve all of them. I'll be happy with half of them or more:

2x2: Keep trying to graduate from RTS 5.00 or at least maintain my current sub-5.5 level.
3x3: Globally sub-20 Full CN once and for all, so I'm not going to put any Goals for sub-18 Dual White/Yellow any more.
4x4: Graduate from RTS 1:20, Globally sub or close to 1:15. (current PB Ao100 1:22.xx)
5x5: Graduate from RTS 2:45, Globally sub or close to 2:40 (current PB Ao100 2:58.xx)
6x6: Get closer to equivalent 4x4 and 5x5 times (that would be at least sub-6:00 globally, current PB single 7:20.xx)
3BLD: Re-learn M2/OP, get maybe a sub-6min success? (current PB 7:26.xx)

 

[pipkiksass]

Happy New Year!

I got my Valk M yesterday and it's become my instant main. I did about 80 solves today off and on while watching tv and kids playing and company over, and still had about 18.7 average. That's pretty good for me right now. I feel like solves often are one or two seconds faster than I expect, I think just because it is more forgiving. Definitely recommend buying or making one!

Oh also I will be going to Nationals this year (don't think I said for sure). Hoping I can find a close comp and qualify for 4x4 which is 1:30. I had a good session the other night where I was under 1:30 most of the time for a first. Finally some improvement there yay!

Happy new year to all!

Jason - looking forward to you and the kids posting a review of the Valk M. I keep looking, but I just can't justify that much money for a cube!

 

[newtonbase]

10 bloody attempts to get a 3BLD success. So much for a quick solve before bed.

Anyway, following the mention of Hoya 5 this morning I thought I'd look it up. I like it but I'm not sure of the best approach to edges after the cross. What do you Hoya guys usually do? I use Hoya for 4x4 and standard redux for 5x5. Changing method less than 2 weeks before a comp is a bad thing.

 

[mark49152]

Anyway, following the mention of Hoya 5 this morning I thought I'd look it up. I like it but I'm not sure of the best approach to edges after the cross. What do you Hoya guys usually do? I use Hoya for 4x4 and standard redux for 5x5. Changing method less than 2 weeks before a comp is a bad thing.

I use AvG edge pairing. Basically it means you look at a wing in a fixed position, and find the midge to match, then repeat until finished. I like that because there are half the number of midges, so less searching, and easier lookahead. I used to hate hunting down wings with redux.

Agreed about changing right before a comp. Not a good idea! I have been tempted to add some center comms to my 4BLD, but it's too late for this comp.

 

[newtonbase]

I use AvG edge pairing. Basically it means you look at a wing in a fixed position, and find the midge to match, then repeat until finished. I like that because there are half the number of midges, so less searching, and easier lookahead. I used to hate hunting down wings with redux.

Agreed about changing right before a comp. Not a good idea! I have been tempted to add some center comms to my 4BLD, but it's too late for this comp.

Thanks. I've looked it up now and it seems nice and simple. I think @Selkie was talking about that method at the UK's.
I do really need to spend my practice time more wisely. I'm not sure where I'll be getting a PB this time. I won't be competing in any of the 3 new events I've entered.

 

[JanW]

Sub 2 minutes 3bld, finally!

01:54.80
B D' F' U' F D F2 U2 F D' R2 F D R B2 D B' U' F2 L2 B2 L U' F' U

2nd successful solve after a few months break from bld. It was an easy scramble with 3 solved edges and only 3 corner cycles. Prior to the break from bld I did quite a lot of 1:4x solves off by one mistake, so this result was kind of expected.

 

[newtonbase]

Sub 2 minutes 3bld, finally!

01:54.80
B D' F' U' F D F2 U2 F D' R2 F D R B2 D B' U' F2 L2 B2 L U' F' U

2nd successful solve after a few months break from bld. It was an easy scramble with 3 solved edges and only 3 corner cycles. Prior to the break from bld I did quite a lot of 1:4x solves off by one mistake, so this result was kind of expected.

Well done. Is that full comms? Do you know your memo/execution splits?

 

[JanW]

Well done. Is that full comms? Do you know your memo/execution splits?

Memo was 48 seconds.

Full corner comms and my own 3-cycle system for edges. But I never learned any algs for the corners, always worked them out on the fly. Now I find that I have settled into certain patterns using only a few different insertions for all cases. I'm sure this is far from move optimal and I could save a lot of moves by learning algs on a case to case basis. But on the other hand, when I haven't learned any algs, I cannot forget any either, and it's apparently quite easy to get back into blind after a few months break.

 

[Shaky Hands]

Anyway, following the mention of Hoya 5 this morning I thought I'd look it up. I like it but I'm not sure of the best approach to edges after the cross. What do you Hoya guys usually do? I use Hoya for 4x4 and standard redux for 5x5. Changing method less than 2 weeks before a comp is a bad thing.

I use AvG edge pairing. Basically it means you look at a wing in a fixed position, and find the midge to match, then repeat until finished. I like that because there are half the number of midges, so less searching, and easier lookahead. I used to hate hunting down wings with redux.

Agreed about changing right before a comp. Not a good idea! I have been tempted to add some center comms to my 4BLD, but it's too late for this comp.

I'm just freeslicing currently, aiming at whatever I see. I think building centres is what slows me down the most on big cubes rather than building edges. I've experimented with AvG before and may go back to it. I know quite a few of the L2E cases that AvG avoids so I'm not prioritising this at the moment though.

While we're on subject, one L2E case that I struggle with in Hoya 5 is one such as setup by z2 Dw R U R' F R' F' R Dw' R U R' U' F' U F L' U' L U F U' F'. In reduction, this is easy to solve using a regular L2E alg, but in Hoya it will break the cross if done the regular way after a cube rotation. The alternative (inverse of setup above) is really inefficient. How do other Hoya 5 users approach this? Maybe fixing the cross isn't too bad here and it's just a cross-fix that isn't in my muscle memory yet? Or is there a rotationless way of solving this that preserves the cross?

Hmmm, now I think about it, is the above situation avoided when using AvG?

Oh, and on the subject of changing before competition, my biggest problem at the moment is automatically thinking I'm doing a Hoya solve when I pick up a 6x6 and wasting a bunch of inspection time by not looking to build cross/opposite-cross colour centres. I'll need to slap myself into the right mindset for this as Hoya 6 takes me about 15% longer than 6x6 reduction.

 

[xyzzy]

While we're on subject, one L2E case that I struggle with in Hoya 5 is one such as setup by z2 Dw R U R' F R' F' R Dw' R U R' U' F' U F L' U' L U F U' F'. In reduction, this is easy to solve using a regular L2E alg, but in Hoya it will break the cross if done the regular way after a cube rotation.

It's really just slice-flip-unslice, but you use Uw/Uw' instead of Dw/Dw': Uw' R U R' F R' F' R Uw

The 3-cycle L2E cases can all be done like this, and recognition is really simple. There's always a midge attached to a wing, and a midge attached to a wing in the wrong orientation. It's very rare to end with this case with AvG edge pairing, but when it happens, you would also do the slice-flip-unslice thing to solve it with AvG.

(I'm too young to be posting in this thread :v)