Older cubers discussions

[newtonbase]

There was a time when that was the "in thing" - that's what was meant by "visual memory". People described it as remembering an arrowed path that runs from piece to piece, as if it's a 3d map that you're remembering for the memo. But since then it seems like the people who just glom a bunch of letters together in some pronounceable way for an audio loop
have become the fastest ones.


Tell me about it. There was a time not very long ago when 12/12 multi would have easily been US national champion material. This year it was barely enough for 7th place.

The MBLD bronze medallist in the 2015 UK Championships didn't even qualify for 2017. That result would have placed him last among the Brits who didn't DNF.

 

[phreaker]

Working on BLD again... I'm working on getting corners only and edges only successes.

Soon... Corners + edges... but I want to be more consistent.

 

[mark49152]

I find that I do much better when I can really see the visuals while memorizing. But sometimes when I'm trying to go too quick, I just get raw words, and when that happens, I'm much more likely to forget later on in recall.

But one thing that is very true is that visuals seem to take longer. It takes me precious seconds to really implant a visual image in my memory, and it seems like the fastest people just don't do that.

This is me. When I fail memo, it is usually for this exact reason, that I did not adequately visualise my images; and when I am slow it is often because I struggled for some reason to really visualise the memo well.

 

[JohnnyReggae]

Let me know what you plan, I also want to do it. I had quite good 6x6 success, but I think qiji big cubes are not that good as their 4x4. My plan is CB G6, So I can compare it with qiji, but next 7x7.
Which are the magnets you will use?

Not sure at the moment what magnets to use. I have 4x2N35, 3x2N38, and 5x1.5N38 ... I have a few 4x1.5N35's but not enough to do the whole cube.

The Aofu that I did I used 3x2N38's in the edges and 3x1N38's in the corners. They are too weak for my personal preference which leans towards stronger magnets.

 

[mitja]

Not sure at the moment what magnets to use. I have 4x2N35, 3x2N38, and 5x1.5N38 ... I have a few 4x1.5N35's but not enough to do the whole cube.

The Aofu that I did I used 3x2N38's in the edges and 3x1N38's in the corners. They are too weak for my personal preference which leans towards stronger magnets.

I think it is up to the design of the cube. Biggest benefit from strong magnets is possibility to loosen the cube more, but only if it doesn't start to pop and lock. In that case, I try to make springs weaker. The combination of all this, makes the cube great. It is easy to experiment with 3x3's, because of little work, but to experiment with 6x6 or 7x7 takes time and money. I know the perfect combination for 4x4, and good for 5x5, but i only made one 6x6 with the magnets that where lying around. I hope you find a good combination.
How is Captown these days? I have been there twice last year, but I won't have a chance this year. I shure will miss it.

 

[mark49152]

@Selkie: Was looking at my 3BLD timer history today and I didn't realise it went back so far. I still have every timed solve since I started in August 2015. Bear in mind that I did a lot of other practice like other BLD events, tracing, corners/edges only, untimed solves, etc., but the below is how many timed full 3BLD attempts I'd done by the time I reached each milestone:-

60 sub-5 (so you should be fine for HW )
200 sub-4
450 sub-3
900 sub-2
1850 sub-1:30
4450 sub-1

 

[SpartanSailor]

@Selkie: Was looking at my 3BLD timer history today and I didn't realise it went back so far. I still have every timed solve since I started in August 2015. Bear in mind that I did a lot of other practice like other BLD events, tracing, corners/edges only, untimed solves, etc., but the below is how many timed full 3BLD attempts I'd done by the time I reached each milestone:-

60 sub-5 (so you should be fine for HW )
200 sub-4
450 sub-3
900 sub-2
1850 sub-1:30
4450 sub-1

Wow!

 

[JohnnyReggae]

I think it is up to the design of the cube. Biggest benefit from strong magnets is possibility to loosen the cube more, but only if it doesn't start to pop and lock. In that case, I try to make springs weaker. The combination of all this, makes the cube great. It is easy to experiment with 3x3's, because of little work, but to experiment with 6x6 or 7x7 takes time and money. I know the perfect combination for 4x4, and good for 5x5, but i only made one 6x6 with the magnets that where lying around. I hope you find a good combination.
How is Captown these days? I have been there twice last year, but I won't have a chance this year. I shure will miss it.

I've only done 1 6x6 and 1 7x7 in the big cube range so far. I'm keen to get the right magnets for the WuJi mostly because it's not cheap, but then again it's cheaper than a GAN Air SM

Cape Town is good as always, despite suffering a sever drought. We're now only allowed to use 50L of water per person per day for everything from showering to drinking to washing dishes etc... We hope it rains soon ...

 

[mitja]

I've only done 1 6x6 and 1 7x7 in the big cube range so far. I'm keen to get the right magnets for the WuJi mostly because it's not cheap, but then again it's cheaper than a GAN Air SM

Cape Town is good as always, despite suffering a sever drought. We're now only allowed to use 50L of water per person per day for everything from showering to drinking to washing dishes etc... We hope it rains soon ...

Yes I am hearing a lot about water problems, I wish you well. About magnets: I also have the problem ordering them and not paying too much for postage. Applying them is fun and enjoyable, but getting them on time and the correct ones is a pain.

 

[newtonbase]

Do close. Memo was a disaster as i made an error on the first word for wings and took ages to work it out and redo it. Not sure what caused the error.

 

[openseas]

Do close. Memo was a disaster as i made an error on the first word for wings and took ages to work it out and redo it. Not sure what caused the error.
View attachment 8870

Getting really close! Keep it up!

 

[newtonbase]

Getting really close! Keep it up!

Not sure if I'll get a chance for another solve before Manchester unfortunately. My first success may be official!

 

[pglewis]

First timed 3bld attempt in a long time: egregious failure, 5:00.11. Trace and memo felt good, I think an M2 setup/restore went afoul. That pace felt reasonably comfortable and it should just get better from here in theory. Time to start trying 2 again soon.

 

[muchacho]

3x3 PB single: 10.121 (was 11.289 since July). Sad for not being sub-10, but more than 1 second faster than previous, so not too sad

Spoiler: Scrambe/Reconstruction

61697 08-feb-2018 12:00:56 00:10.121 U' B2 L2 U R2 B2 L2 B2 D' L2 U2 R' U L' D L2 D' B' L' D R2
x y2
M Uw F' U L U' L'
M' U R2 M U M2 R' U R R U' R'
U2 R U2 R' U' R U' R'
U M' U M' U M' U2 M U M2 U' M U2 M'

41 STM
4.05 TPS

Spoiler: All my 3x3 PB singles

61697 08-feb-2018 12:00:56 00:10.121 U' B2 L2 U R2 B2 L2 B2 D' L2 U2 R' U L' D L2 D' B' L' D R2
47503 05-jul-2017 20:07:17 00:11.289 D R2 D2 R2 B2 L2 U' L2 B2 F2 D B' D' F' R U R B2 R U2 R2 F2
32160 15-nov-2016 9:52:07 00:11.801 D B2 L2 U2 L2 D' L2 B2 D' F2 R2 F L' D' F U' B2 L B2 U2 L
25560 16-ago-2016 10:50:07 00:12.166 B2 F2 D2 R2 U' B2 R2 L2 U F2 D L' D U' F' D R' U2 R F2 L D'
17862 20-may-2016 19:56:26 00:13.831 F2 D L2 U2 F2 R2 D L2 B2 R2 F' R' U2 R' F U' B' R2 F2 L'
14508 21-abr-2016 16:16:36 00:14.352 F2 U' B2 R2 D' L2 F2 D B2 U2 B2 R' B' L2 D2 R B U L U L U'
13595 14-abr-2016 8:54:45 00:15.271 U' L2 U2 F2 R2 F2 D' F2 U' R2 U2 R' B U' F R' B' F2 U2 R2 L2
10841 09-mar-2016 14:37:32 00:15.455 L2 D U2 R2 U2 L2 B2 R2 D L2 D2 B' U' R2 B' R U B2 U2 L' U'
10634 06-mar-2016 9:52:32 00:16.216 B2 D2 F2 R2 B2 U' L2 D R2 F' U F R' L2 U B' D R' L2 D2
4788 04-dic-2015 15:49:07 00:16.328 D' B2 F2 D' L2 B2 D U R2 L2 F' R' U' B' R' B2 F' D2 U L U'
4558 22-nov-2015 11:56:41 00:19.088 U' R2 B2 D B2 D2 R2 B2 D F2 U B' R' L B' U2 F D F' L2 D2
4440 20-nov-2015 9:19:05 00:19.511 R2 B2 D' F2 D' L2 D2 L2 U2 F2 D2 B U2 B D' R U2 F' R D' R2
3700 10-nov-2015 17:32:21 00:21.534 U L2 D2 U' F' R2 B F' U L2 B U' L2 U2 B2 L2 D B2
3493 04-nov-2015 14:10:39 00:22.295 U R2 U F2 L2 U' R2 U' B2 F2 L2 F' L' B2 R U L' F' U' L2 D
3343 31-oct-2015 9:36:24 00:22.621 D R2 D2 L2 D' B2 U2 B2 U R2 U' L' F L2 U2 F D' B2 R' B2 F2
1686 14-sep-2015 11:07:13 00:23.063 R2 D2 L2 U' F2 D' F2 R2 U B2 U2 R U' B D F D' R2 U L U'
1623 13-sep-2015 10:08:45 00:24.278 D' B2 R2 D' L2 U F2 U2 R2 U B2 L' B L D R' B' R D' R' F2
1401 02-sep-2015 10:12:57 00:27.934 D' F D' L2 F' D' R F R2 D' R B2 F' U2 B D' B' D
1286 28-ago-2015 12:15:58 00:32.141 R2 U R2 D2 L2 F2 L2 U' L2 F2 D2 R F' D' B2 U B2 L' B' R' F D'
1275 28-ago-2015 12:02:04 00:32.422 F2 U' R2 D L2 U' B2 U F2 R2 D R D L2 B' U' R F D' U' R D2
1231 27-ago-2015 9:09:09 00:32.535 F2 D2 R2 F2 D2 L2 U2 L2 U2 B2 U2 R' U2 L2 B' L B2 F' R' F' D2 U'
1072 23-ago-2015 11:24:47 00:32.878 U2 R2 L2 F2 U R2 L2 F2 U' L2 U2 B' L2 F L D2 L D B2 U2 L'
749 11-ago-2015 10:45:51 00:32.983 D R2 F2 L2 U' L2 D2 R2 D' R2 U2 B F' R' B U' F L' U' F2 D' U2
483 31-jul-2015 9:30:39 00:35.126 B2 R2 D' F2 U' B2 U2 B2 L2 F2 L2 B D2 R' B D' R2 F' U2 B2 L' D'
467 30-jul-2015 16:58:54 00:41.093 U2 R2 U' F2 R2 D L2 B2 L2 D' B' F U' R F' L' F' U B' U'
396 27-jul-2015 19:13:06 00:42.987 U' F2 L2 F2 D U2 F2 U' B2 L2 U2 L F2 U' B U2 R B2 D B' D U'
391 27-jul-2015 18:24:48 00:48.973 D2 L2 D' R2 F2 D L2 D2 B2 R2 F B2 D2 R' U' F R2 L' B R'
369 26-jul-2015 12:06:39 00:49.893 B2 R2 L2 F2 D L2 D' L2 B2 F2 U2 F' D' L2 B' L U' B2 U R B2
364 26-jul-2015 11:56:35 00:51.189 R2 L2 U' L2 U' B2 F2 U2 B2 D R2 B D' F2 U2 R B D2 B' F'
304 23-jul-2015 10:04:50 00:52.069 F2 L2 F2 D L2 D2 U B2 L2 D2 R L' U' F' U2 R2 B L' U' R' B
257 19-jul-2015 9:52:50 00:54.477 D2 R2 L2 U' B2 L2 D2 B2 U R2 U B L B2 D' U' R F2 R2 U2 F' D2
232 18-jul-2015 9:15:58 01:05.572 R2 L2 B2 L2 D R2 D2 L2 F2 L2 U R' U2 L F' U' B2 R2 B2 R F2
157 15-jul-2015 11:31:03 01:07.317 L2 U2 B2 D' B2 R2 L2 F2 L2 D2 L' U' B' L2 F2 L D2 R' U' B
142 14-jul-2015 8:32:23 01:09.732 U B2 R2 B2 U F2 D' U2 F2 D2 F2 R' L2 D B' U2 R L' U F' L2 U'
138 14-jul-2015 8:21:34 01:17.148 U L2 B2 U2 B2 U L2 B2 U' F2 D' R' U B F' D' B' F L D F
115 11-jul-2015 12:45:47 01:26.170 F2 D' B2 U' L2 F2 R2 U R2 F2 R' F2 L' B D L F U2 F2 U2
91 10-jul-2015 11:14:52 01:33.802 L2 U2 B2 D' B2 R2 B2 D' L2 U' R2 B' R' U' B U' L2 F' D' B' R2 D
85 10-jul-2015 10:35:04 01:42.739 R2 U' B2 U B2 U F2 D L2 B2 U' L' D2 B U2 L D B' R U' R' U2
43 08-jul-2015 13:06:39 01:53.281 D' L2 B2 R2 U' B2 D' B2 D2 B2 U' L U' F2 U' L F L' F2 L2 D'
42 08-jul-2015 13:03:17 02:18.199 F2 U F2 D R2 D' L2 U F2 R2 D' R' F2 R' F L D U' B' R2
41 08-jul-2015 12:59:53 02:23.520 R2 D2 F2 U2 B2 R2 D B2 R2 U L2 F D' R D2 U' B' F U L' B D
19 07-jul-2015 19:48:00 02:36.837 D' F2 U2 L2 F2 D L2 B2 D' F2 D F' D2 R' B' F L2 U' F' L D' U
18 07-jul-2015 18:41:38 03:10.723 U2 R2 L2 F2 R2 U F2 U F2 L2 U L' U2 L B' D R2 B U' F2 D
8 07-jul-2015 12:04:41 03:15.764 D F2 D' F2 U2 F2 R2 F2 U2 F2 D2 F' D2 F R' B D F2 D' B D'
5 07-jul-2015 11:43:33 04:31.351 L2 F2 U' L2 D2 F2 U' F2 D F2 U' L' B2 U' F' R2 L U' F' R' D' U2
4 07-jul-2015 11:25:11 05:13.100 F2 L2 D U L2 U R2 F2 L2 U L' F' U' B' R L' D B' R U' L
2 07-jul-2015 9:32:23 06:06.769 B2 R2 L2 U2 R2 L2 B2 D F2 D F2 R' U' B2 R L2 B D B F D2
1 07-jul-2015 8:40:00 07:15.045 D2 R2 U F2 U B2 D' R2 D' L2 D2 L R2 U' B' F L2 U R' D B2 U

 

[Selkie]

I am finding the whole memory side very interesting indeed and really enjoying hearing the methods and tips from the dialogue here.

With my image letter pair complete I am trying to add a letter set a day to flashcards and during this process I am reviewing and changing some images. For some pairs I have both a person and object or modifier. By modifier I mean, for instance, that for AF I have Andrew Flanagan and Afro. If it is the first pair in an image I may use the person but if I have just had a person I might give them an afro. In cases where I have given a person a visual modifier, I will usually have four pairs in an image.

I also find I fit more pairs in a location if they just flow nicely so if I were to get, say, FIfa takes a Back Hander (bribe), it is so relevant in long term memory that more pairs will probably fit in that image.

Whilst I am very early in the journey, I am really looking forward to seeing how my memorisation develops as my BLD does. How ironic that my wife says I have become very forgetful as I have got older

I do feel that the audio for corners just is not working for me right now. It seems I am taking almost as long for corners as edges and perhaps I should use images for all until I have had more practice. Audio seems to benefit from fast tracing due to its short term.

Thanks for the statistics @mark49152 which are very interesting and encouraging. I guess I just need to keep up with practice and work on the letter pairs at this stage.

 

[mark49152]

@Selkie: Nice to hear you're enjoying the BLD. I expect you'll progress faster than I did given that you're a more experienced and faster cuber than I was when I started. General ability and speed definitely helps with BLD.

I agree with your comments on audio. It's not going to work well or be worth it at this point. You need to be able to trace and execute fairly fast otherwise you'll lose the memo unless you do so much reviewing that you're defeating the purpose. IMHO, 2-3 minutes is about the right time to switch to audio. Plus your image memo will get more practice and develop faster if you're using it for twice as much .

 

[pglewis]

For some pairs I have both a person and object or modifier. By modifier I mean, for instance, that for AF I have Andrew Flanagan and Afro. If it is the first pair in an image I may use the person but if I have just had a person I might give them an afro.

Some people use "PAO" (person, action, object). A strict PAO list would have a person, action, and an object for every letter pair and you'd select images so that the flow is "someone does something to something".

I decided strict PAO is probably overkill for blindsolving but I still attempt to collect as many variations for a letter pair as I can come up with: famous people, fictional characters, objects, actions, and places. Searching various sources for "good" images is the most time consuming part for me so my attitude is I might as well put down as many good ones as I find while I'm doing that digging. I basically use it the same way as you, famous people are often the easiest to find and fill-in but remembering a stream of "person, person, person" in order doesn't leverage how my memory works best, much better to have alternates.

 

[pglewis]

3x3 PB single: 10.121 (was 11.289 since July). Sad for not being sub-10, but more than 1 second faster than previous, so not too sad

Nice jump! Suddenly several people knocking on the door of a sub 10 single here.

 

[moralsh]

@newtonbase, you almost got it, I remember a couple of years ago I was at that stage you are now. I got my first success at home around this time of the year, then on the first comp I tried I got a DNF just for not executing midges (I put the blindfold back again and finished it ok, but it was already a DNF, that was Feb, 16) and 2 weeks later I got a couple of centers wrong . Got three successes that same year and none last one .

This year I'm really focusing on blind, I hope I start getting some decent times.

@mark49152 wow, that's quite a lot of practice, I don't think I have even 1000 timed 3BLD solves, 4450 sub 1? Go get that sub 1 official, man, or I'll get really angry!

@Selkie, welcome to the club, once you start getting around 2 it's more fun to practice.

@muchacho, your sub 10 is also overdue, you just need to get really lucky, mine is one year old, and I think I only managed a couple of 10.xx since. My average is still in the low 18s and It'll probably stay around that for quite some time

everybody else, hello, sorry for being away that long

Edit: I found my first success, February 4, 2016 (https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/older-cubers-discussions.37405/page-362#post-1150072 )

 

[newtonbase]

Edit: I found my first success, February 4, 2016 (https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/older-cubers-discussions.37405/page-362#post-1150072 )

I've just had a read of that and of a few of the preceding pages. @mark49152 got his first 5BLD also and you were both around 40 mins which is where I am.
Some nice discussion of Mark's MBLD at Manchester 2016. He said that he doesn't know how people do 15+ cubes. How things change.