Has anyone done a 7x7x7 blindfold solve?

[Kyle Girard]

That would be awesome if someone could do this

 

[jcuber]

Only a few have successfully, I believe Mike Hughey is one of them.

 

[Kian]

yes. mike hughey, istvan kocza, i assume chris hardwick, probably a number of others.

 

[masterofthebass]

http://speedcubing.com/records/recs_bf_777.html

 

[Mike Hughey]

Here's my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1ot85K0C_A

I'd have to check my records, but I think I've had something like 10 successful solves so far. I've run about 25-30% accuracy, I think.

I've tried 7x7x7 multis three times (just 2 of them), and gotten 0/2 all three times. But someday I'll get one - the memorization isn't too much for me.

 

[cmhardw]

yes. mike hughey, istvan kocza, i assume chris hardwick, probably a number of others.

Yeah, I did a successful solve a couple months back. Took 3.5 hours for the whole attempt. Not sure if I have any plans to try again any time soon. Right now I'm trying to focus on 4x4 and 5x5, probably moreso 4x4 though.

I like medium cubes, big cubes are still a little intimidating for me BLD ;-)

Chris

 

[Jhong253]

I'm surprised to see Kuti's record on the speedcubing site.

 

[Kian]

I'm surprised to see Kuti's record on the speedcubing site.

oh boy, let's nip this in the bud really quick. this was discussed before and it really doesn't end well. let's try and move on.

 

[DennisStrehlau]

i found way how to solve the "edge centers" of the 7x7x7 on the D-face with U2. but its really annoying. has anyone a good algorithm to solve those pieces?
i mean those, who are only at the 6x6x6 and 7x7x7.

Greetings...Dennis

 

[Mike Hughey]

I assume you're talking about what Chris originally called obliques (that's what I call them)?

They're my favorite pieces to do. They're really easy to do with regular commutators. So if you look at one face of a 7x7x7, the obliques are the Os below:

XXXXXXX
XXOXOXX
XOXXXOX
XXXXXXX
XOXXXOX
XXOXOXX
XXXXXXX

The key is to look at them as if they were big bars instead of just little pieces. Like this:

XXXXXXX
XXOOOXX
XOXXXOX
XOXXXOX
XOXXXOX
XXOOOXX
XXXXXXX

Now you can just solve the bars like you would + centers on a 5x5x5 (or even X centers, if you think about them a little differently), using the same commutators as the + centers use. But when the time comes to do a slice move, pick the proper off-center slice to get the individual piece instead of the whole bar.

I hope that hint is enough for you to see it - it really works well! I should really write a tutorial up about this using letters so people can follow the examples. The cool thing about this method is that you can spend very little effort thinking about which slices to move, and you don't have to visualize the individual pieces moving to do it. I'm quite confident that with this method, I could move around pieces on an 11x11x11 just as easily as I can a 7x7x7. Once you get the feel of the slices, you don't even have to count them - you can move quite fast. These pieces are the most fun to solve BLD for me!

 

[byu]

Mike you are amazing. I'll probably never solve a 4x4 bld

 

[Mike Hughey]

Mike you are amazing. I'll probably never solve a 4x4 bld

Don't say that! Your next attempt could be the one!

Have you tried doing solves one set of pieces at a time? Don't bother to memorize; just look at the next 2 pieces to solve, close your eyes, and solve them. Then look at the next 2 and do it again, etc.

If you can get through a solve that way, then for sure you're on the verge of getting one BLD. Just make sure you spend enough time on the memo to not lose it and then it's just a matter of making enough tries before you get one.

 

[byu]

I can't do that. I need to work on center comms

 

[DennisStrehlau]

Mike you are amazing. I'll probably never solve a 4x4 bld

Don't say that! Your next attempt could be the one!

Have you tried doing solves one set of pieces at a time? Don't bother to memorize; just look at the next 2 pieces to solve, close your eyes, and solve them. Then look at the next 2 and do it again, etc.

If you can get through a solve that way, then for sure you're on the verge of getting one BLD. Just make sure you spend enough time on the memo to not lose it and then it's just a matter of making enough tries before you get one.

GREAT TIP MIKE!
you are copmpletely right, i alway did the same, when i try bigger cubes. i also do that on the 7x7x7 now, after i finally found a way to solve it completely blindfolded Thanks for your tip about the oblique centers, i just use 3 steps to do them now. but do you have a tip for me about recognizing the layers while being blindfolded? its so hard to realize wich layer is wich while turning. the memo is no problem, the solving is also no problem. i just have trouble with the recognition of the layers.
Thanks already Mike!

Greetings...Dennis

 

[Mike Hughey]

... do you have a tip for me about recognizing the layers while being blindfolded? its so hard to realize wich layer is wich while turning. the memo is no problem, the solving is also no problem. i just have trouble with the recognition of the layers.

It's so weird - Chris has always complained of the same issue. But for me, it was never a problem. I got my 7x7x7, and almost immediately I could just naturally feel which layer was which. In a way, the 7x7x7 is even better than other cubes, because it's not really a cube. The fattest part of the cube is the center slice, and then you just work from there. The outer layer is obvious; then if you need the next to outer layer, you just use the inner layer closest to the edge, and if you need the next slice in, you take the slice next to the middle layer. But honestly, I just try not to worry about it. Just go for the right slice and you should get it.

Maybe this helps: I always apply scrambles without looking at the cube. Do you have trouble doing that? I figure if I can find the right layer by feel while scrambling, I should be able just as easily to find it by feel when solving, right?

A general piece of advice that I think goes with this problem, but also goes with solving a 7x7x7 BLD to begin with: have no fear. No fear. Just think, "If I miss this solve, I'll just scramble another one tomorrow and try again." And go for it, at a nice comfortable pace. (Not too slow.) I really think having no fear is important to succeeding at the really big cubes BLD.

Good luck, Dennis - I'm looking forward to seeing your 7x7x7 BLD video soon!

 

[DennisStrehlau]

... do you have a tip for me about recognizing the layers while being blindfolded? its so hard to realize wich layer is wich while turning. the memo is no problem, the solving is also no problem. i just have trouble with the recognition of the layers.

It's so weird - Chris has always complained of the same issue. But for me, it was never a problem. I got my 7x7x7, and almost immediately I could just naturally feel which layer was which. In a way, the 7x7x7 is even better than other cubes, because it's not really a cube. The fattest part of the cube is the center slice, and then you just work from there. The outer layer is obvious; then if you need the next to outer layer, you just use the inner layer closest to the edge, and if you need the next slice in, you take the slice next to the middle layer. But honestly, I just try not to worry about it. Just go for the right slice and you should get it.

Maybe this helps: I always apply scrambles without looking at the cube. Do you have trouble doing that? I figure if I can find the right layer by feel while scrambling, I should be able just as easily to find it by feel when solving, right?

A general piece of advice that I think goes with this problem, but also goes with solving a 7x7x7 BLD to begin with: have no fear. No fear. Just think, "If I miss this solve, I'll just scramble another one tomorrow and try again." And go for it, at a nice comfortable pace. (Not too slow.) I really think having no fear is important to succeeding at the really big cubes BLD.

Good luck, Dennis - I'm looking forward to seeing your 7x7x7 BLD video soon!

Thanks a lot Mike.
I think this all will help me a lot, seriously
I will do 7x7x7 BLD and when Erik is here, i will do a 6x6x6 with his cube
Its funny, that the 4x4x4 and the 5x5x5 are getting so easy to do blindfolded, because of my Relays. What you say on the speedcubing.com page about your 2 5x5x5 is sooooo right. i wonder how easy then even becoe, after doing a 6x6x6 and 7x7x7
I will do a video, of course, i am also looking forward to it. IF i miss, i hope i wont have too many mistakes so i could still upload the video

Greetings...Dennis

 

[Jhong253]

Easy way out of learning blindfold cubing --- Get Mike Hughey

 

[byu]

Mike you are amazing. I'll probably never solve a 4x4 bld

Don't say that! Your next attempt could be the one!

Have you tried doing solves one set of pieces at a time? Don't bother to memorize; just look at the next 2 pieces to solve, close your eyes, and solve them. Then look at the next 2 and do it again, etc.

If you can get through a solve that way, then for sure you're on the verge of getting one BLD. Just make sure you spend enough time on the memo to not lose it and then it's just a matter of making enough tries before you get one.

Mike, are you a fortune teller or something? My very next 4BLD attempt after you posted this was my first success

 

[Jhong253]

haha, Mike Hughey is the master of BLD. If he says something BLD-related will happen, it will. Only that I'm still bad at 3x3 BLD

 

[EmersonHerrmann]

*claps* Congrats