Older cubers discussions

[SpartanSailor]

@pglewis ”attack on sub-20”. I like that! Sort of where I am too... need to tighten up my F2L. I’ve been working on it some, but have really slowed down... I’m trying to keep a longer view, but my ego keeps saying “you were faster two weeks ago by mor than a few seconds AND had more sub-20 singles then too”

 

[h2f]

Impressive haul of PBs this weekend, Grzegorz @h2f.... congrats!

Thanks Mark. I've practiced only 4x4 and 3x3 so the results in bigger cubes were surprise.

 

[SpartanSailor]

Just noticed a fun looking comp on the other side of the ocean from me.... The Great British Blind Off 2019 in January.

I’ve only seen a couple of similar stateside events, but none local enuff that I could attend. Maybe I’ll talk to the delegates about how to go about hosting such an event.

 

[newtonbase]

Just noticed a fun looking comp on the other side of the ocean from me.... The Great British Blind Off 2019 in January.

I’ve only seen a couple of similar stateside events, but none local enuff that I could attend. Maybe I’ll talk to the delegates about how to go about hosting such an event.

Yes. I'm really looking forward to that one but there's only 30 competitors so hope it doesn't fill too quickly. It's going to be exhausting.

 

[SpartanSailor]

Yes. I'm really looking forward to that one but there's only 30 competitors so hope it doesn't fill too quickly. It's going to be exhausting.

I figured it was limited based upon previous comps attendance/participation in those events.

Yes. It will be exhausting... all that memorisation is going take its toll. But I’m sure you guys will enjoy every minute of it!

 

[Mike Hughey]

Just noticed a fun looking comp on the other side of the ocean from me.... The Great British Blind Off 2019 in January.

I’ve only seen a couple of similar stateside events, but none local enuff that I could attend. Maybe I’ll talk to the delegates about how to go about hosting such an event.

What a beautiful competition schedule!

It's not nearly as good, but I'm thinking I might try to attend Flag City Fall 2018, which is only 3 hours from me, but I might only make it on Sunday (when most of the good events are being held).

 

[pglewis]

My first check-in on cross +1 was an eye opener. It's a microcosm of my lookahead in general with two clear peaks, an obvious 2 second gap between when I have some lookahead into the first pair and find one quickly vs. when I don't.

1 second granularity:


Half second granularity (with sup 10s removed):

 

[JanW]

My first check-in on cross +1 was an eye opener. It's a microcosm of my lookahead in general with two clear peaks, an obvious 2 second gap between when I have some lookahead into the first pair and find one quickly vs. when I don't.

1 second granularity:
View attachment 9284

Half second granularity (with sup 10s removed):
View attachment 9285

Not bad at all, and it will only get faster from there!

I've never timed cross+1 before, here's my first attempt:



Ao50: 5.43.

Quite surprised about how even the distribution was. Anything over 6 seconds felt slow. The 9+ I totally messed up the cross, had to rebuild it after I thought it was done. The fastest, 1.55, was a 4 move X-cross. That was the only time I planned all of the first F2L pair during inspection. I could clearly improve there.

Edit: Next Ao50 was 5.06. I should try to make this consistently sub-5. My problem with planning X-crosses is that once I've planned the cross, I want to execute it immediately, before I forget how to do it. If I start thinking about the first F2L pair, I often mess up the cross. I'd likely need to do lots of X-crosses with unlimited inspection time, then slowly bring down the time limit and hopefully eventually be able to do it in 15 seconds.

 

[h2f]

My 17.52 from last Sunday:

 

[megagoune]

New package arrived!

The only speed cube in the package is the Gan 249M.
At first, I found it a little bit slippery and hard to turn. I felt I had to use a lot of force compared to my only other 2x2, the LingPo.
But after a small session and re-learning Ortega, I quite like it. It became smoother, it does not catch and the sound is nice (soft low pitch).
I also beat my PB ao5 at 5.99.

 

[pglewis]

Not bad at all, and it will only get faster from there!

I've never timed cross+1 before, here's my first attempt:

View attachment 9286

Ao50: 5.43.

Quite surprised about how even the distribution was. Anything over 6 seconds felt slow. The 9+ I totally messed up the cross, had to rebuild it after I thought it was done. The fastest, 1.55, was a 4 move X-cross. That was the only time I planned all of the first F2L pair during inspection. I could clearly improve there.

Edit: Next Ao50 was 5.06. I should try to make this consistently sub-5. My problem with planning X-crosses is that once I've planned the cross, I want to execute it immediately, before I forget how to do it. If I start thinking about the first F2L pair, I often mess up the cross. I'd likely need to do lots of X-crosses with unlimited inspection time, then slowly bring down the time limit and hopefully eventually be able to do it in 15 seconds.

Nice clean bell-curve... exactly where I'd like to get even if it's initially a couple seconds slower than you. I knew I was bleeding a fair bit, ditching those sup 9s alone would be enough to get my Ao50 under 25 at last.

The humorous surprise was the mid 7 avg without actually landing many in the mid 7s, they're either 6's or 8's. I was sharper at the start of the session, mostly sub 7 in the first dozen or so solves. I feel like I can improve the non-mistake ones fairly easily with continued focus, low 6 should be doable even for me.

I'll be curious if you continue drilling it on a regular basis and if you see a noticeable improvement on your full solves as a result.

 

[SpartanSailor]

Still 2/5 success... but I’m in the mid-3s at this point pretty steadily. I’m hopeful that will bear out this weekend in Delaware. I wouldn’t mind a little Nationals Qualifying time

Time List:
1. 3:14.40) B' L2 D B2 F2 R2 D2 F2 U' R2 U2 L' F2 R2 B D L' B' R Rw' Uw
2. (DNF(3:17.87)) B R2 B U2 F' R2 F2 U2 F' L2 B U L2 B' R F2 D' U R U' L' Rw2 Uw2
3. 3:36.36 L2 F2 L2 D L2 B2 U' F2 R2 D2 B2 R F R' D2 B L' B' L2 F R Rw
4. DNF(3:22.98)[Missed BR/RB flipped edge during memo] F2 U' L2 D2 B2 D' F2 L2 U2 F2 L2 R' U' L' U' R F R2 B' D R Fw Uw2
5. DNF(3:42.63)[Forgot a pair during execution. ] F2 U L2 D' L2 B2 D' F2 D' B2 U2 F D L2 F2 L' D' F' R2 D L Fw Uw'

 

[JanW]

The other day I was watching some World Cup while casually solving hand scrambles. One solve I noticed the cross seemed exactly the same as the previous solve. As I went on, all the F2L pairs also felt familiar and I know for sure I had the same PLL and OLL as the last solve. Seems I scrambled the same way twice in a row! I know I tend to do similar patterns when I scramble by hand, apparently it can happen that I do everything exactly the same. Another good reason why you shouldn't trust hand scrambles!

I'll be curious if you continue drilling it on a regular basis and if you see a noticeable improvement on your full solves as a result.

Any regular drilling would help right now. The last couple of months I've been doing timed sessions once a week at most. As a result I'm about 1 second slower than I was earlier in the spring.

 

[AbsoRuud]

I do find that my hand scrambles are often slightly harder than random scrambles from my timer program. I tend to make sure everything is really messed up when I scramble by hand, so I don't tend to end up with easy edges or anything like that. With the random scrambles I often get one or sometimes even 2 or 3 edges of the white cross already solved, which makes the entire solve just that much easier. I'm nowhere near colour neutral yet.

 

[h2f]

I dont like hand scrambles in all blindes. They seem always harder for me than normal.

 

[Mike Hughey]

I've had hand scrambles come out the same quite a few times. That's why I usually toss the cube in the air a few times during each hand scramble now, on the rare occasions that I hand scramble.

Square-1 is particularly hard to hand scramble, so I have an "algorithm" I use to hand scramble it.

 

[SpartanSailor]

I toss the cube a few times while doing hand scrambles as well. I onlybdo hand scrambles if I’m just messing around while watching tv or something... inwhich case I’m actually hoping to get the same F2L setups so I can practice those new little bits of frustration, I mean joy.

 

[CLL Smooth]

There was a time several years ago when I would get a reaccuring hand scramble. I got it so many times I would recognize it right away and would already know exactly how the whole solve would go.

 

[mark49152]

I don't like hand scrambles and only use them if proper scrambles are not available to me. I also toss the cube, and do lots of moves, probably 100+. I also don't look at the cube towards the end to prevent myself from deliberately breaking lucky blocks etc.

 

[pglewis]

I've done enough solves with the Yuxin HuangLong M stickerless to give my final take on it.

Shades: definitely my favorite shades of all the stickerless 3x3 I've tried. Full stop.

Magnets: a bit strong for my taste for 3x3, I prefer the weaker feel of the mass produced GTS2M. But I like it for 3bld, I still execute somewhat slowly and like the confidence the stronger magnets give me.

Speed: yes it's fast but a well maintained GTS2M tuned for speed is faster IMO, or at least feels like there is less turning resistance. I'd say it's on par with my magnetic Valk 3 stickerless.

After about a week and a half I did a full disassembly, wipe down, and tune up. I decided to take the corner ball-bearing weights out at that time* and try it without them and I think I like it better without the weights. I introduced the extra variable of having just cleaned and lubed it at the same time though, jury is still out. I'm definitely back to the GTS2M for 3x3, still the reining champ for my tastes, but the HunagLong is a great puzzle and I consider it main-worthy. Like my Valk 3, I expect it to get plenty of use just for a change of pace here and there.

* I recommend putting down a towel or something to catch the small elusive bearings that will try to escape