[Member Intro] Trying to break the 1m time barrier =D

[theos]

Awesome thanks. I actually started playing around with an 8x8. So awesome! Had this idea of trying to solve it w/o any more guidance than what you wrote above. So I've got 4 solved center faces but I'm running out of ideas how to solve the last 2. I'm wondering if the solving order of the different faces makes any difference...

So far I'm successfully managing to ignore the fact that the edges are probably trickier than the center pieces

Last 2 centers are always the hardest part. I don't have an 8x8 myself, but I can't imagine directly jumping there from 3x3. Each of the steps up the chain to a 7x7 added just a little bit of complexity that felt manageable in those increments. Anyway, the 8x8 will be a tough challenge - I'm happy to provide some hints if you stay stuck on those centers.

 

[OtterCuber]

Welcome, glad to see other older cubers on here!

 

[muph]

Ok I got it. In the beginning of the thread I got the impression that there was a "simple" way to solve any big cube into a 3x3 pretty much regardless to the amount of layers. I have a 4x4 lying here that I haven't played around with yet so I'll try this one first and come back to the 8x8 later thanks!

 

[EngiNerdBrian]

Hey welcome to the forums! You've set realistic goals for yourself at the start. Good luck with your progress!

 

[muph]

Hey welcome to the forums! You've set realistic goals for yourself at the start. Good luck with your progress!

Much appreciated Brian.

I just solved my 1st 4x4 and I was a little baffled of all the new things I had to learn in addition to the 3x3 solving centers? Edge pairs? OLL parity? so much fun though! I think I'm starting to see why it makes sense to work your way up gradually through the weight classes @theos gonna stick to the 4x4 a bit longer I guess...

 

[muph]

Welcome, glad to see other older cubers on here!

I can't see any!? Just kidding hahaa! Greets @OtterCuber

 

[Manxkiwi]

I think I'm correct in saying that the solving moves and parities encountered on 4x4 and 5x5 cubes, will have you covered for any NxN cube.
All even number cubes will/could have 4x4 type parities. All odd number cubes will/could have 5x5 type parities.
So, if you learn 4x4 and 5x5, you're pretty much set up to do any size cube. This is what I did.
Odd number cubes have a small advantage when it comes to learning, as the centres are fixed.
Hope this helps a little..

 

[muph]

I think I'm correct in saying that the solving moves and parities encountered on 4x4 and 5x5 cubes, will have you covered for any NxN cube.
All even number cubes will/could have 4x4 type parities. All odd number cubes will/could have 5x5 type parities.
So, if you learn 4x4 and 5x5, you're pretty much set up to do any size cube. This is what I did.
Odd number cubes have a small advantage when it comes to learning, as the centres are fixed.
Hope this helps a little..

Thanks, that was awesome to know! So I have been solving 4x4 and 5x5 and started playing around with the 8x8 again. Got a bit further with the last 2 faces this time but it only worked out once I learned about contouring which I think is an awesome thing because it's so intuitive!

I have solved all but 3 edges now - crunch time

Oh yeah, my 8x8 has got one corner that is locked to one edge piece. Is this standard for all even-numbered bigger cubes or do they sell better constructed cubes? That corner really messes with my head

 

[theos]

Oh yeah, my 8x8 has got one corner that is locked to one edge piece. Is this standard for all even-numbered bigger cubes or do they sell better constructed cubes? That corner really messes with my head

That definitely sounds like a puzzle defect. Some puzzles, like the bandaged cubes, have pieces combined together (like a corner+edge) into a bigger piece. But this doesn't sound like that. You might want to try removing the offending pieces from the puzzle to see if they are truly stuck together or if you can maybe prise them apart.

 

[muph]

That definitely sounds like a puzzle defect. Some puzzles, like the bandaged cubes, have pieces combined together (like a corner+edge) into a bigger piece. But this doesn't sound like that. You might want to try removing the offending pieces from the puzzle to see if they are truly stuck together or if you can maybe prise them apart.

I've tried to take out some pieces but apart from the center piece covers nothing seems to come off. I'm a little hesitant to use too much force.

The corner definitely seems fused to me. It doesn't move one bit. Good to know this isn't standard construction.

 

[Ultimatecuber0814]

Hi guys and girls...

A very warm welcome!

I really picked up the cube for the first time at 43 yrs.of age because my gf picked up a €5 3x3 cube at the supermarket. Went out, got a GAN 356 X S and have been solving exclusively OH since. Found cubeskills.com and have been listening to Feliks Zemdegs a lot learned the beginners method and have been using 4LLL CFOP for 1 or 2 months now starting to slowly gain some speed in F2L. My fastest solve so far has been 1m35s.

F2L (which, I hear a lot, makes for the biggest time savings among the solving stages if done well) almost overloads my brain but I'm kind of smooth when it comes to fixed algorithms. At this point I'm only interested in OH 4LLL CFOP solving (no way in hell I could memorize a single algorithm more beyond those 16 ). Currently I'm awaiting my GAN Mini M Pro 3x3 to help with OH (feels like a smaller cube would be easier to handle...) even though a lot of cubers seem to think a standard size cube is just fine. I followed Feliks' advice to solve the cross on the bottom and to go color-neutral - any tips on how to get my PB below 60s? I've been playing around with the cube setup quite a bit (blue hex: 2, clear GES: 1 click, magnets on the weakest setting) - any thoughts on that?

Thanks so much for sharing all this stuff guys!

Ps: saw a video of Will Smith solving the cube in <55s so I gotta beat that only in OH

If you want to get sub1min, here are my tips:
-Learn CFOP, ROUX, zz or any other speedcubing method.
-If you learn cfop practice f2l lots.
-Try to pick up finger tricks
-Learn algs
-Practice Solving
-Watch youtube videos and seek for improvement.

That's my suggestions, hope you can get sub 1 min soon!!!
I got sub1min after a week of practice with beginner's method, so you should be able to do it also.

 

[theos]

I've tried to take out some pieces but apart from the center piece covers nothing seems to come off. I'm a little hesitant to use too much force.

The corner definitely seems fused to me. It doesn't move one bit. Good to know this isn't standard construction.

Definitely a manufacturing defect. Can you confirm if the two pieces each have their own stalks connecting to the core? If so, you might be able to fix it by forcibly separating the pieces with an appropriate tool.
Alternatively see if you can exchange the puzzle with the store you purchased it from.

That's my suggestions, hope you can get sub 1 min soon!!!
I got sub1min after a week of practice with beginner's method, so you should be able to do it also.

Getting under 1 minute in OH using just beginner's method seems very unlikely for someone with only a week of practice. I mean the other recommendations are fine, but goals need to be reasonable.

 

[muph]

Definitely a manufacturing defect. Can you confirm if the two pieces each have their own stalks connecting to the core? If so, you might be able to fix it by forcibly separating the pieces with an appropriate tool.
Alternatively see if you can exchange the puzzle with the store you purchased it from.


Getting under 1 minute in OH using just beginner's method seems very unlikely for someone with only a week of practice. I mean the other recommendations are fine, but goals need to be reasonable.

I tried again prying the pieces apart with a butterknife and this time they did come apart nicely! Looks like some sticky fluid dried up between the pieces.Thanks for the advice!!

Thanks for backing me up on my 1m goal. For a second I felt like an idiot considering how much more time than a week I have been practicing and playing around

 

[muph]

If you want to get sub1min, here are my tips:
-Learn CFOP, ROUX, zz or any other speedcubing method.
-If you learn cfop practice f2l lots.
-Try to pick up finger tricks
-Learn algs
-Practice Solving
-Watch youtube videos and seek for improvement.

That's my suggestions, hope you can get sub 1 min soon!!!
I got sub1min after a week of practice with beginner's method, so you should be able to do it also.

If you want to get sub1min, here are my tips:
-Learn CFOP, ROUX, zz or any other speedcubing method.
-If you learn cfop practice f2l lots.
-Try to pick up finger tricks
-Learn algs
-Practice Solving
-Watch youtube videos and seek for improvement.

That's my suggestions, hope you can get sub 1 min soon!!!
I got sub1min after a week of practice with beginner's method, so you should be able to do it also.

Do you mean sub1 in OH?

 

[Manxkiwi]

What is 'contouring' please? I'm not familiar with that term/name. Cheers.

 

[White KB]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but welcome to the forums! I hope you have a nice time here.

 

[muph]

What is 'contouring' please? I'm not familiar with that term/name. Cheers.

I watched a YouTube tutorial for 8x8 where the guy explained how to swap center pieces between the last 2 unsolved faces and called it 'contouring'. Sorry, I can't explain too much better, maybe someone can?

 

[muph]

I know I'm a little late to the party, but welcome to the forums! I hope you have a nice time here.

Thanks a lot I appreciate it! no problem, you'll just have to 'get wasted faster'

 

[muph]

Hey friends,
I can't seem to find the right clue on how to solve my particular case of the last 2 edge pieces needing to swap sides. Can someone help me out?

 

[White KB]

Hey friends,
I can't seem to find the right clue on how to solve my particular case of the last 2 edge pieces needing to swap sides. Can someone help me out? View attachment 18004

Well, I would recommend first flipping the rightmost edge:
(R U R') (F R' F' R)
Then I would do this to swap the pieces:
3u' (R U R') (F R' F' R) 3u
Now, you're left with a case where one of the edges is solved and the other has parity. If you know the parity algorithm, then you can solve it easily from there, and if you don't, Cube Solve Hero has a great video on solving parity, linked here.

I hope that helps. Good luck!