[Help Thread] Big Cubes Discussion

[One Wheel]

Been out of cubing for a while so at one point I probably knew the answer to this, but:

Could someone give (or link me to) an approximate breakdown of how fast I should be solving each stage to get sub-5:00 on 7x7?

Currently I average around 6:00 and my breakdown is roughly

first 2 centers: 1:00
next 4 centers: 2:00
F8E: 2:00
L4E: 0:40
3x3: 0:20.

FWIW: I'm averaging about 5:40, I just timed splits for 3 solves, 6:04.64, 5:10.81, 5:12.25

First 2 centers:
1:20.82, 1:15.15, 1:07.54 = 1:14.50

Next 4 centers:
1:35.88, 1:23.37, 1:26.32 = 1:28.52

First 8 edges:
1:53.32, 1:22.34, 1:24.60 = 1:33.42

Last 4 edges:
36.04, 32.36, 40.82 = 36.41

3x3:
38.55, 37.58, 32.95 = 36.36

Pretty sure my weakest point is 3x3. Last 4 centers and first 8 edges are clearly faster than you, I suspect those are the areas that grinding solves may help the most with. I have about 1600 solves in my main csTimer 7x7 session.

 

[Deleted member 74176]

Anyone know the splits for 2:30 on 6x6 with yau5?

 

[Discomantis]

Is it possible to make cutoff for 6x6 and 7x7 in most US competitions with little practice?

 

[One Wheel]

Is it possible to make cutoff for 6x6 and 7x7 in most US competitions with little practice?

You either need a lot of practice, a lot of talent, or a lot of luck. Talent and practice increase your chances of luck. You need all 3 to actually be competitive.

 

[Discomantis]

You either need a lot of practice, a lot of talent, or a lot of luck. Talent and practice increase your chances of luck. You need all 3 to actually be competitive.

What should I practice? I almost never do 7x7 and 6x6, so I don't really know what I should do.

The only reason why I want to do this is I want an official mean success.

 

[One Wheel]

What should I practice? I almost never do 7x7 and 6x6, so I don't really know what I should do.

The only reason why I want to do this is I want an official mean success.

Mostly just do more solves. Kevin Hays Tuesday Tips videos are more or less the gold standard if you want more specificity.

 

[xyzzy]

Is it possible to make cutoff for 6x6 and 7x7 in most US competitions with little practice?

For the benefit of those of us who don't regularly check US competitions (… or are fast enough to not have to worry about cutoffs anymore), what are the typical cutoffs?

 

[BenChristman1]

For the benefit of those of us who don't regularly check US competitions (… or are fast enough to not have to worry about cutoffs anymore), what are the typical cutoffs?

I'm going to a competition in a couple months, and the 7x7 cutoff is 6:00. Looking at another Midwest competition (same region as mine, often the same delegates and organizers as well), the 6x6 cutoff is 4:00.

 

[Deleted member 74176]

I usually see cutoffs at around here:
4x4: 1:30
5x5: 2:00 - 2:30
6x6: 3:00 - 4:00
7x7: ~5:00

 

[Cubinginatree]

Usually I see cutoffs all over the place:
4x4: 1:15,1:30, 2:00
5x5: 1:45. 2:00, 2:30, 3:30
6x6: 3:30 or 5:00
7x7: I never pay attention

 

[sDLfj]

I just had a comp with these cutoffs:
4x4: 1:45
5x5: 3:00
6x6: 8:00
7x7: 10:00

Usually they aren't this high, but it depends. This comp was designed to have high cutoffs.

 

[xyzzy]

Right, right. I think over here the "standard" cutoffs are 3:40 for 6 and 5:00 for 7, though there's also significant variation because some comps are deliberately laxer than usual to let more people have a chance at getting averages/means.

I almost never do 7x7 and 6x6,

This is the problem.

Do 200 solves, and if after that you're still not averaging sub-3:30/sub-5:00, ask again. You'll also have a much better idea of where your strengths and weaknesses are after doing a lot of solves.

 

[Isaiah Scott]

Just use Yau

 

[SkewbIsTheBestEvent]

How much solves does it take to be Sub-3 on 7x7?

 

[SYUTEO]

Recently I've been getting slower on 5x5, I normally average sub-1:30 but now I can barely get past that time and now I average 1:30+. Any idea why and how can I get back to my usual average? I use yau.

 

[Cuber2s]

Recently I've been getting slower on 5x5, I normally average sub-1:30 but now I can barely get past that time and now I average 1:30+. Any idea why and how can I get back to my usual average? I use yau.

I've been having the same problem. IDK why.

 

[OldSwiss]

I've got a 10x10 for christmas

I could solve it in something between one or two hours.
I don't know exactly because I didn't time it and didn't solve it at one time.

The biggest problem were the last two centers. I could do it but I needed almost 10 commutators because for the last lines there is not much freedom to build better lines.
Is there a way with less commutators?
In the very small booklet it seems that they build the centers from the middle? I couldn't find any information about this method. There are only a few videos for 10x10 and all of them use the "normal" Method with lines from the middle to one side and then from the middle to the other side.

My other problem was that I had to turn very accurate to not pop it. Would it help to lube it more?
Maybe I should use a table to realign it. On the couch it was sometimes a little hard because of this.

 

[artless1der]

@OldSwiss
The table is def better, pref with a mat to protect the cube (and the table haha)
The more you make yourself practice with it the easier most things abkut it will get better, like maybe once a day or so

 

[artless1der]

Recently I've been getting slower on 5x5, I normally average sub-1:30 but now I can barely get past that time and now I average 1:30+. Any idea why and how can I get back to my usual average? I use yau.

I heard that the first half of the day is the best time for higher energy kinds of endeavours

 

[cuber314159]

I've got a 10x10 for christmas

I could solve it in something between one or two hours.
I don't know exactly because I didn't time it and didn't solve it at one time.

The biggest problem were the last two centers. I could do it but I needed almost 10 commutators because for the last lines there is not much freedom to build better lines.
Is there a way with less commutators?
In the very small booklet it seems that they build the centers from the middle? I couldn't find any information about this method. There are only a few videos for 10x10 and all of them use the "normal" Method with lines from the middle to one side and then from the middle to the other side.

My other problem was that I had to turn very accurate to not pop it. Would it help to lube it more?
Maybe I should use a table to realign it. On the couch it was sometimes a little hard because of this.

I would recommend solving whichever lines look easiest for each centre, there is little point restricting yourself to a fixed order, for the final centre it is always possible to get 5 lines on the 10x10 centre complete without commutators (on one of the two final centres), you can then use less commutators to deal with the last 3 lines.