Hi Everyone - New cuber here

[barrowmatt]

Hi all,

I've been reading on the forum for the past week waiting for my cube to arrive (slow ebay seller) and now wanted to say hi.

As a bit of background I was simply searching for images relating to puzzle/problem solving for my website (I'm a freelance software developer) when I saw a cube image and it made me think about speed cubing. So I did some googling and ordered a cube which arrived yesterday

So far I have been using this method which i'm just getting to grips with:

http://badmephisto.com/begsoln/

The biggest area i'm struggling with is the middle layer edges, I just seem to keep repeating the same algorithm as I often have yellow edges on top so I put these into the middle layer before taking them back out again as I go around in circles until it solves. I commonly get stuck with 1 middle edge flipped the wrong way.

I would be interested to know how others who use a layered approach deal with yellow edges on the top, are there some additional algorithms to solve the middle edge which aren't on top such as a flipped middle edge?

I'm not sure whether to stick with this or look at a block building method.

 

[barrowmatt]

Edit: I just had another thought regarding the middle layer edges. If the middle edge is already in the correct position then fine but if it's wrong I should swap it for a top edge using the algorithm before correctly solving after bringing all incorrectly placed middle edges to the top

This morning I also popped the cube open (Rubiks model), lightly sanded the inside faces with fine wet and dry then put some silicone oil on the inside joints and faces which has made it move much better.

 

[DYGH.Tjen]

I'm not sure whether to stick with this or look at a block building method.]

Stick with this. Block building is quite difficult imho. Try to use this and average 50s maybe? Then proceed to learn something more advanced.

I would be interested to know how others who use a layered approach deal with yellow edges on the top, are there some additional algorithms to solve the middle edge which aren't on top such as a flipped middle edge?

Use the same algo. Its quite fast once you're used to it.

This morning I also popped the cube open (Rubiks model), lightly sanded the inside faces with fine wet and dry then put some silicone oil on the inside joints and faces which has made it move much better.

Good!

Edit: I just had another thought regarding the middle layer edges. If the middle edge is already in the correct position then fine but if it's wrong I should swap it for a top edge using the algorithm before correctly solving after bringing all incorrectly placed middle edges to the top

Yes.

 

[Magix]

..or you could just start learning F2L right away. More time learning beginners method which doesn't give you anything = less time learning F2L = you take longer to get faster

 

[FoxWolf]

I don't think learning f2l right away is a good idea. Just relax and practice, afterwards move to more advanced methods.

 

[cannon4747]

okay that method works but its a bit vague to new cubers. i found a video of chris dzoan (one-handed world record holder) teaching how to solve one in under a minute. of course this method (as with any other) needs practice to get the goal of under 1-minute. although he does forget one algorithm in his method, but you can use the algorithm on badmephisto's page instead (step 3, the one on the left). here's a link to his video:
http://www.videojug.com/interview/how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube-in-under-a-minute

if you want to start speedsolving then after you perfect some kind of beginner method learn finger tricks. there are many tutorials for this on youtube, but you mostly just need to come up with your own fingertricks

 

[JonnyWhoopes]

I'm not sure whether to stick with this or look at a block building method.

You are going to hear many, and I mean many, different answers on this one. There are those of us (like myself) who love blockbuilding. It has huge potential to be very fast, and requires very few algorithms depending on the route you take. But there are also those people who will tell you to use braindead (not meaning to be insulting! It just takes comparatively no brainpower) methods. Both can be very fast, but YOU have to choose. Both sides will fight for themselves, but you have to make a decision.

 

[Hodari]

Basically solve all the non-yellow edges first, then if all the edges on top are yellow and the middle layer isn't solved yet, there are 2 possibilities:
1. 2 or more edges are swapped
2. 1 or more edges are in the right place but flipped incorrectly
In either case, just use the algorithm to insert any of the yellow edges in its place which will push the edge that was there into the top layer, then solve that edge as normal.

 

[danthecuber]

Edit: I just had another thought regarding the middle layer edges. If the middle edge is already in the correct position then fine but if it's wrong I should swap it for a top edge using the algorithm before correctly solving after bringing all incorrectly placed middle edges to the top

This morning I also popped the cube open (Rubiks model), lightly sanded the inside faces with fine wet and dry then put some silicone oil on the inside joints and faces which has made it move much better.

Please try to avoid double posting next time. There is an edit button on the bottom of your posts which you can use instead.
Don't feel bad about this because I double posted my first few posts too

 

[barrowmatt]

Thanks everyone, a couple of days in and i've now learnt the algorithms. Just tried using one of the Stopwatch applications on here and got 3:14. I glanced after the first 2 layers and that had taken me 2 minutes. Plenty to practice!

I did watch the Chris Dzoan video, i'll have to watch it a couple more times as I was losing track a little bit going through. Is there any advantage in creating the daisy first rather than just creating the white cross?

 

[Hodari]

Is there any advantage in creating the daisy first rather than just creating the white cross?

It might make it a bit easier to see how to align the edges with their centers without messing up the ones you already solved at first, however if you can just do the cross directly, that is much more efficient obviously. Also you might want to watch this video(and the other ones in his channel) as well:
How to solve a Rubik's Cube

 

[danthecuber]

It might make it a bit easier to see how to align the edges with their centers without messing up the ones you already solved at first, however if you can just do the cross directly, that is much more efficient obviously. Also you might want to watch this video(and the other ones in his channel) as well:
How to solve a Rubik's Cube

When I was a beginner learning Dan Brown's method, I solved the cross directly on top, but since you're a beginner, it doesn't really matter in this stage of your cubing career

 

[freshcuber]

When I was a beginner learning Dan Brown's method, I solved the cross directly on top, but since you're a beginner, it doesn't really matter in this stage of your cubing career

I disagree, there's not point in learning bad habits early and then having to break them.

Work with your beginner's method until you're comfortable with it and then switch to a faster, more advanced method such as Fridrich, Roux, Petrus, or ZZ. I know that's not all of them but those are pretty popular. I use Fridrich and I love it. Mostly because it was easy to transition to after my beginner's LBL method. I can also solve with ZZ although I'm much slower because I don't practice it. I do see the potential in ZZ though and one day I might look into it more for OH. Any questions you have will most likely be answered by searching the forums here, or checking out the Speedsolving Wiki which is linked at the top of the page. If you're still unsure go to the One Answer Question Thread.


One thing I recommend to you is becoming color neutral. Solve the daisy on whichever has an easier one. For example if there are two green edges at the blue center and no white edges around the yellow center, solve the green daisy. It might look weird to you now but it's work it in the long run. I switched the CN about two months ago and the number of really easy crosses I've gotten because of it is awesome.

 

[Olji]

the sooner you begin with cross on bottom, the easier it gets to get used to it (probably), since having cross on top gets more worked into your brain when doing it, still finding myself doing cross on top when having a tough cross.... 3:

however, always starting the cross of a certain color has its pros and cons, you have an easier recognition in f2l, and you know what peices to look for at the beginning of inspection, but you are rather limited to one color, so you'll probably lose time if trying on an easy cross of a different color, being color neutral pretty much inverses those pros and cons, color neutrality is great for some puzzles, although the single color cross probably gives some advantages too, dont know acually.

started to think about my startup, made weird rhymes of the notation to remember the algs, but most of them got stuck in my head right after xD

 

[danthecuber]

I disagree, there's not point in learning bad habits early and then having to break them.

well, you could also say that doing the cross, or daisy, in this case, on top is a bad habit, but I found it very easy to transition to doing the cross on the bottom

 

[freshcuber]

The daisy is formed on top because you then do R2 L2 and U moves to form the cross on bottom. You can of course use more sides than that but if you're doing daisy I highly doubt you're optimizing it. The daisy is just a very inefficient way to form that cross but it still forms the cross on bottom. To form daisy on bottome would then mean you're forming cross on top unless you're soing an x2. Transition from a daisy to cross on top=bad. Transition from daisy to cross on bottom=good. Doing the daisy is the equivalent of doing beginner's F2L. Corners and edges are done separately as sub-steps to F2L. In the same way the daisy is a sub-step of the cross.


The thing about color neutrality is that it changes your recognition from seeing sticker colors to recognizing patterns. If you've been white cross for your whole solving career and I suddenly throw a blue one at you you'll be helpless. Well, near helpless. That's because you see a white corner. Let's say white-red-blue. You then look for the red-blue edge. When you're CN you make your cross and see a bottom colored corner, find it's edge, and solve it. The biggest problem non-CN solvers have with non-white crosses is identifying corner-edge pairs. He's currently not making corner-edge pairs. Just corners, and then edges after that. This makes it very easy to be CN. Once he gets used to what his orbital colors are he'll be fine. Don't listen to what other people say. CN is well worth it and it doesn't hurt recognition since you see all colors as equal.

 

[danthecuber]

The thing about color neutrality is that it changes your recognition from seeing sticker colors to recognizing patterns. If you've been white cross for your whole solving career and I suddenly throw a blue one at you you'll be helpless. Well, near helpless. That's because you see a white corner. Let's say white-red-blue. You then look for the red-blue edge. When you're CN you make your cross and see a bottom colored corner, find it's edge, and solve it. The biggest problem non-CN solvers have with non-white crosses is identifying corner-edge pairs. He's currently not making corner-edge pairs. Just corners, and then edges after that. This makes it very easy to be CN. Once he gets used to what his orbital colors are he'll be fine. Don't listen to what other people say. CN is well worth it and it doesn't hurt recognition since you see all colors as equal.

Is it possible to become CN if you are someone like me who is intermidiate.

 

[freshcuber]

Is it possible to become CN if you are someone like me who is intermediate.

Anyone can become CN at any time. If you choose to go CN understand it doesn't come immediately if you're used to white cross. I spent two weeks doing a different cross color Ao100 a night with CN Ao100's on Saturdays. My friend then broke my cube and it took me three weeks to get a replacement and when I cam back I was CN. I don't know why the time off just worked for me but it did. Expect to dedicate at least a month to becoming CN. EricReese on the forums also just went CN and it took him a solid month to get CN. He averaged about 23 when he switched.

In this time learning algs or new puzzles won't be a problem but trying to speedsolve your 3x3 will. Since you're neglecting white cross your times there will go up a couple of seconds and since you're still not used to other cross colors they won't be on par with your white cross times. Here's the thread on how I originally went about getting CN.

http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?25663-My-Quest-to-Color-Neutrality-Any-Tips

I averaged about 26 seconds when I made the switch, then When I cam back I was at 25 and quickly dropped to 24. I'm chilling at about 22 while I learn Square-1 and some OLL's. Once my swim season ends I'll be able to practice more and improve faster.



Edit: The sooner you become CN the easier the transition will be. A 30 second solver who has been cubing three months will make the transition much easier than a 14 second solver who has been at white crosses for over a year. The sooner the better.

 

[Olji]

took less than a week for me to get CN, 4 days after starting CN training i made my first sub 20 solve on red cross, with my pb on white cross being 23 sec, of course, i sometimes i start making a fail pair/forgets cross color and looks at it, without thinking about looking at top instead @_@, so i guess im not fully CN yet

 

[freshcuber]

took less than a week for me to get CN, 4 days after starting CN training i made my first sub 20 solve on red cross, with my pb on white cross being 23 sec, of course, i sometimes i start making a fail pair/forgets cross color and looks at it, without thinking about looking at top instead @_@, so i guess im not fully CN yet

lol Starting your reply with "took less than a week for me to get CN" and ending it with "so i guess im not fully CN yet" is quite the contradiction. My averages in a few days were only a few seconds off my white cross times but those last few seconds are the tough ones. That, and like I said in my previous post, I didn't have a 3x3 for three weeks so it probably wouldn't have taken me too long otherwise. I think the break did me good though.