qwr's road to nowhere

[qwr]

Consistency is the hardest part. I think we all struggle with it. I do try and atleast o some slow F2L practice while checking out at the end of the day. Cubing takes a lot of mental energy so it definitely can be hard to make time for true practice!

Do you think it's bad I don't even know how to do the tricky f2l cases? I mean like cases with the pair stuck together. I only know a few cases. I feel like if I practice my bad solutions too much, I'll just get used to them.

 

[GenTheSnail]

Do you think it's bad I don't even know how to do the tricky f2l cases? I mean like cases with the pair stuck together. I only know a few cases. I feel like if I practice my bad solutions too much, I'll just get used to them.

I would go through and learn at least the LS cases for F2L on somewhere like algdb or speedcubedb and compare what your solution is to what the one posted there is. You don't necessarily need to memorize it then and there, but being familiar with it and learning it intuitively really helps out.
I think the main thing with tricky F2L cases is that you make sure to break them apart in a way that leads to a nicer case (like a split insert) as opposed to just separating the pieces.

Regarding CN, since you're still over 30 seconds, I would definitely invest time in getting comfortable being full CN, as its a real pain to try to make the switch once you get faster. I've heard other people have had success doing things like BLD scrambles and just solving in that orientation to avoid cross bias, even though the whole point is to select the best cross.

 

[qwr]

I would go through and learn at least the LS cases for F2L on somewhere like algdb or speedcubedb and compare what your solution is to what the one posted there is. You don't necessarily need to memorize it then and there, but being familiar with it and learning it intuitively really helps out.
I think the main thing with tricky F2L cases is that you make sure to break them apart in a way that leads to a nicer case (like a split insert) as opposed to just separating the pieces.

Regarding CN, since you're still over 30 seconds, I would definitely invest time in getting comfortable being full CN, as its a real pain to try to make the switch once you get faster. I've heard other people have had success doing things like BLD scrambles and just solving in that orientation to avoid cross bias, even though the whole point is to select the best cross.

yeah some cases the split and combine works pretty well, albeit with a rotation if I don't use f or F moves.

for CN I am not so used to finding good crosses when it's not white but sometimes there'll be a really easy 4 move solution on another color that I can spot (usually involving one or more cross edges already relatively solved)

 

[EngiNerdBrian]

Do you think it's bad I don't even know how to do the tricky f2l cases? I mean like cases with the pair stuck together. I only know a few cases. I feel like if I practice my bad solutions too much, I'll just get used to them.

I feel ya. Starting right around the new year I really started focusing in on my bad F2L cases. I was noticed I’d consistently do something “bad” or inefficient during solves. I definitely think it’s worth the time to deliberately fix those habits if you can can manage it. Having good solutions for the bad cases I’d imagine is one of those small things that takes your solves to the next level.

 

[Cubing Forever]

Do you think it's bad I don't even know how to do the tricky f2l cases? I mean like cases with the pair stuck together. I only know a few cases. I feel like if I practice my bad solutions too much, I'll just get used to them.

with the pair stuck together wrong in the U layer, there's only a few cases which are very intuitive.(considering front right slot is open

you recognize this case as cross color facing the top and the front sticker of the corner is not identical to the top sticker of the edge. To solve this, you separate the pieces using R U2 R' which sets up to R U R'

full solution: R U2 R' U' R U R' (for FR slot)(do not confuse this with an antisune)

This is the mirror of the first case. You notice that the top color of the edge and the front color of the corner both match.
you do R U' R' U' which brings the corner into the bottom layer. you solve the resulting F2L case with R U' R'(which sets up the pair) U R U' R'(insert the pair)

full solution(for FR slot): R U' R' U' R U' R' U R U' R'


These are two important cases for the pair connected wrong cases. There are others but I'm too lazy to gen images and post them here

 

[GenTheSnail]

This is the mirror of the first case. You notice that the top color of the edge and the front color of the corner both match.
you do R U' R' U' which brings the corner into the bottom layer. you solve the resulting F2L case with R U' R'(which sets up the pair) U R U' R'(insert the pair)

full solution(for FR slot): R U' R' U' R U' R' U R U' R'

For the second case you posted, there are actually a few better algs for that:
(U) (R' U2 R U R' U R2) (U R') -- back sune, cancel into a split pair
(U') (R' U' R) (U') (R' U2 R2 U2 R') - separate edge, place corner on top, insert both pairs
(U2) (R' U' R) (U' R') (U2 R2 U' R) - hide corner, pair with edge, insert both pairs

 

[qwr]

all of those seem about the same

is there a specific f2l case trainer that just shows you a picture case? maybe my poor man f2l trainer wasn't so stupid https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/poor-mans-f2l-trainer.78549/

 

[qwr]

Just got a pb single of 22.09 on my first solve of the day on yellow cross. I'm glad I looked because I couldn't pass up the TWO MOVE cross (apparently only a 0.54% chance), and f2l went smoothly.
U' F2 D' L2 F2 R2 U2 F2 D L U R2 F' D' R U' L' F2 U'

Honestly it's kinda crazy. I improved my session avg 2.5 seconds just by doing CN crosses because I have low cross tps and not good planning.

 

[qwr]

PB single 20.94 on a scramble that wasn't even that good. idk what I did but it was green cross and weird but the f2l turned out easy
R D R L' B2 L' D2 B L' U2 B2 R2 B2 R2 U2 D' L2 B2 D B2

also my 2x2 session average of 5.75 is my new best after I started implementing tracking the first layer PBL bar and predicting OLL on easy ortega first face. I'm much more active practicing 2x2 rn and I think getting better PBL algs that don't use D moves (as much) and predicting OLL will help me get sub-5.

I'm technically CN but I have a strong bias towards solving on white or yellow. It's just easier F2L for me.

Edit: actually I got another PB single 20.64 with an easy white cross and I guess lucky f2l
R2 B D R' B' D2 F2 B R' F2 U R2 F2 U' D L2 U' R2 B2 L2
also my first sub-30 session avg which is exciting

 

[Cubing Forever]

R D R L' B2 L' D2 B L' U2 B2 R2 B2 R2 U2 D' L2 B2 D B2

this is some scramble lol:
M U L2 B //cross
U R U R' U' S' L' S //Pair
U F' U' F U F' U' F //Pair
U F U2 R U2 R2 U' R U' R U' R' U F R U R' U' F2 //stuff
U R U' L' U R' U' L //ZBLL

 

[qwr]

I can't remember my solution any more. It sure wasn't optimal in any way, I just got lucky.

Also I've confirmed a valuable lesson. ALWAYS PLAN CROSS. Sometimes I get lazy and try to wing it for a cross and it usually doesn't end well for my times.

 

[Cubing Forever]

I can't remember my solution any more. It sure wasn't optimal in any way, I just got lucky.

Also I've confirmed a valuable lesson. ALWAYS PLAN CROSS. Sometimes I get lazy and try to wing it for a cross and it usually doesn't end well for my times.

Yes that's true. Not planning the cross(cross+1 at advanced levels) results in bad pauses.

 

[PikachuPlayz_MC]

BUTTER MAN

 

[qwr]

I had a good 2x2 session today, practicing optimizing turning for the ortega first face, remembering first layer bar, and starting to practice OLL prediction (mostly on easy first face)

If you are wondering, this is what my spreadsheet looks like. I also save every cstimer time I've ever done (I mean every single time)

BUTTER MAN

Reminder to checkout my youtube channel

 

[qwr]

idk if it's because i'm not good at CN F2L yet, but I find dual CN (white and yellow) to be usually sufficient for cross, while any other cross color slows my f2l.
I won't pass up an easy cross on a different color but maybe dual CN is better for me?

 

[Cubing Forever]

I had a good 2x2 session today, practicing optimizing turning for the ortega first face, remembering first layer bar, and starting to practice OLL prediction (mostly on easy first face)

If you are wondering, this is what my spreadsheet looks like. I also save every cstimer time I've ever done (I mean every single time)

View attachment 15710

why th would you use a wittwo in 2021??

 

[qwr]

why th would you use a wittwo in 2021??

for fun ofc
my times are the same because i'm not fast enough for it to matter.

 

[PetrusQuber]

idk if it's because i'm not good at CN F2L yet, but I find dual CN (white and yellow) to be usually sufficient for cross, while any other cross color slows my f2l.
I won't pass up an easy cross on a different color but maybe dual CN is better for me?

Dual CN is never better long-run, although it may seem so to you short-term.
Anything new is slower at first.

 

[qwr]

Dual CN is never better long-run, although it may seem so to you short-term.
Anything new is slower at first.

idk man those chinese kids (and Philipp Weyer) are getting by quite well with dual CN

 

[Cubing Forever]

idk man those chinese kids (and Philipp Weyer) are getting by quite well with dual CN

that's like riding a bike over the hill instead of around it lol