[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

[Kynit]

I'm happy with a 29 move skeleton first try, though!

I'm well aware it's a DNF. I ran out of time.

 

[cuBerBruce]

Tried FMC for the first time today. It's hard!

R L U' L' U2 R' L' D L' R U' R2 D L B' U2 D L F R D U' B R' D'

U' L' U B R' L' D' L' (8)
R' U R2 F2 (12)
U' B U' B' F R' F' (19)
R' U' R U R' U' (25)
U' R U2 R' U' (30-1 = 29)

I then spent 15 minutes looking for insertions which ended up messing me up more than not. I'm happy with a 29 move skeleton first try, though!

I'm well aware it's a DNF. I ran out of time.

Still, the last 3 lines of the "skeleton" don't seem to make too much sense.

 

[Kynit]

Hey, I'm new to this; give me a bit of a break! I don't really know where the 'skeleton' stops and the remainder of the solve begins.

 

[cuBerBruce]

Hey, I'm new to this; give me a bit of a break! I don't really know where the 'skeleton' stops and the remainder of the solve begins.

Well, I'm not intending to be mean, but I don't follow the last three lines of your partial solve. It's unclear what the 3rd line is supposed to be accomplishing, and the 4th line creates a 2x2x1 block, only to be broken up again by the last line. Perhaps there is supposed to be an R move after the 4th line, and then you would have only 4 corners left to solve after the 5th line.

 

[Kynit]

Line 3 was EO because I'm too unfamiliar with much else from a 2x2x3.
Line 4 and 5 might as well be one, and I'm not sure why I kept them together. I think you're right about the 4 corners; that's what I had when I started looking for insertions. I'm not sure where my R went

Forgive me if I mistake you as being hostile; the rest of the community seems a bit edgy towards newbies

 

[aikikai_cuber]

is the Dw move allowed?

 

[uberCuber]

So I have this scramble: D2 F2 B' R F' D' R F' R' B L' D B' F' D' L U' R2 D' F' R' F2 R2 D B'

I got this 11-move 2x2x3+EO relatively quickly:
R B' D' L' R2 B L2 U F L F'

but I can't seem to find anything cool to do that leaves a good ending...any ideas?

 

[cuBerBruce]

So I have this scramble: D2 F2 B' R F' D' R F' R' B L' D B' F' D' L U' R2 D' F' R' F2 R2 D B'

I got this 11-move 2x2x3+EO relatively quickly:
R B' D' L' R2 B L2 U F L F'

but I can't seem to find anything cool to do that leaves a good ending...any ideas?

Well, there is an already made CE pair, so you could use that to create an F2L minus 1 slot pseudo block with any of:
D L2 D2 L
D L2 D2 L2
D2 L2 D L
D2 L2 D L2

 

[uberCuber]

gah I am so terrible with pseudoness
guess I might as well start trying it out...tomorrow when I am more awake

 

[Brest]

So I have this scramble: D2 F2 B' R F' D' R F' R' B L' D B' F' D' L U' R2 D' F' R' F2 R2 D B'

I got this 11-move 2x2x3+EO relatively quickly:
R B' D' L' R2 B L2 U F L F'

but I can't seem to find anything cool to do that leaves a good ending...any ideas?

Rather than just fixing the edge orientation directly, have you tried to build blocks while fixing the EO? For example:

R B' D' L' R2 B L2 U : your 2x2x3
D2 L' D B D' B' D' L2 : EO and F2L -1 slot
D' L' D L : Leaves 4 corners

I'm sure there is something better than this sequence, but it's a reasonably good example of doing more than just directly fixing EO.

Other ideas:
* Step backwards move by move through your 2x2x3 block and look for a place where one layer doesn't have any of the pieces from your block. You can turn this layer without disturbing your block and have a different state at the end. Just finding one place to do this will give you 3 different options (eg. R or R2 or R') for the cost of a single move. You may even find that you can fix EO with this.

* After your 2x2x3 block you have a corner & edge paired. This pair doesn't extend either side of the block; however you could build it into a 1x2x2 and align it as a pseudo block, then use a pre-scramble move to have it appear aligned. There are two ways to build the CE into a 1x2x2 block, so more options again.

* Inverse the moves for your 2x2x3 block and apply them as pre-moves for the inverse scramble. You will still have a 2x2x3 made, however the rest will be different. You'll find that the CE pair is also still made, but it will likely be different colours/alignment. From here you can find a complete solution or a partial continuation. Do a forum search for NISS for a better explanation of this technique.

I hope this helps and was clear enough to understand.

Now, let's see how many times I was ninja'd...

 

[uberCuber]

Thank you for the informative post Brest. I have put huge effort into getting good at the initial blockbuilding for Petrus, but I haven't actually practiced real FMC. I will start looking at those types of techniques, and hopefully soon start getting cool full FMCs

 

[irontwig]

R B' D' L' R2 B L2 U
L2 D2 L2 D' L F L F'
F' F2 D' F2 D L D' L' F'

Leaves three corners

 

[Cubenovice]

Also: do not worry about the 1 hour time limit while practicing.
For now; try to explore all options and get familiar with as many FMC techniques as possible.

You can always do "competition" practice lateron or participate in the FMC in the weekly comp or on fmc.mustcube.net.
Lots of FMC can be learned in this very thread, the weekly comp thread and offcours AVG great write-up on FMC: http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?1566-Fewest-Moves-Tips-and-Techniques

Also make sure to walk trhough other peoples solutions, to see what and how...
The weekly comp is great for this as you will find many solutions for the same scramble.

 

[okayama]

A friend of mine got an easy scramble. His time was 3.47 (Cross on F).
I tried it for FMC.

Scramble: B2 D L2 U' B2 U F2 D' R2 D' R' D R' D F' L F' D' L' B2
Solution: B L' R2 B' U F' U' B U F R' B' R' D2 L' D' L D' B' U' (20 HTM/22 QTM)

Pre-scramble: B' U'

2x2x2 block: B L'
2x2x3 block: R2 * U
Tripod: R' B' R'
All but 3 corners: D2 L' D' L D'
Correction: B' U'

Insert at *: B' U F' U' B U F U'

Fridrich's method also gives 20 HTM solution though...

 

[Rpotts]

Scramble: D' B F D B' U' B' F' D2 B' F2 D' R2 D2 U' F R B' D' U R B R2 B2 R

I found a good start but can't get far from here, any ideas?

2x2x2 : B R F2 U (4)
2x2x3 : L2 B L' B' F L' F' (7, 11)
F2L-1 : L2 B U' L2 U (5, 16)

 

[okayama]

Scramble: D' B F D B' U' B' F' D2 B' F2 D' R2 D2 U' F R B' D' U R B R2 B2 R

I found a good start but can't get far from here, any ideas?

2x2x2 : B R F2 U (4)
2x2x3 : L2 B L' B' F L' F' (7, 11)
F2L-1 : L2 B U' L2 U (5, 16)

After the 2x2x3,

More c/e pairs: L' B2 L B'

seems good. One possible way to continue is:

Two squares: D F L' F' D' L2
All but 3 corners: F (U B' U' B) F', or, D' (U B' U' B) D

Then insert a corner 3-cycle somewhere.

Here are some of my tries:

[1]
Pre-scramble: R2 U2 D2

2x2x2 block: B R U'
2x2x3 block: L' F2 L D2
F2L minus 1 slot: F2 R' F' R2 F' R
Finish F2L: U' R U R'
All but 3 corners: D F D' L' U' F' U L
Correction: R2 U2 D2

[2]
Pre-scramble: R U2 D2

1st square: B R
2nd square: F D F
Pseudo 2x2x3 block: U' R2
Finish F2L: D' B' L' F L F B D2 F' R
All but 3 corners: F' R F2 R' F' R F' R'
Correction: R U2 D2

[3]
Pre-scramble: D2

2x2x1 block: B R
2x2x2 block: F D U' F' U F
2x2x3 block: U
Orient edges: U B2 U2 L2 U
All but 3 corners: L' B L B L' * B' L2 B' L'
Correction: D2

Insert at *: D B' U' B D' B' U B (results in 29 HTM)

 

[irontwig]

My try:

D B R F2 U D2 L2 R' B R D B D R' B2 U2 F' L' F U2 B' R2 D' L' D R' D' L' (28)
D [Trial and error]
B R F2 U [2x2x2]
D2 L2 [2x2x3]
R' B R D B [Pseudo F2L]
D R' B2 U2 F' L' F U2 B' R B' [Leaving three corners]
B D' L2 [Undo Pseudoness]
L2 D R D' L' D R' D' L' [L3C]

 

[Cubenovice]

Check out this scramble posted by irontwig in the example solve thread:

B2 F' R' B L B' U F' U' L2 B U' F L' R2 D' U2 L R2 D' F R2 L2 D U2

In a few minutes I came to 5 corners left in 15 HTM (2 cycles)
Haven't checked for insertions yet but direct solving of corners gave me 31 HTM
Will check for insertions when I have time, this should become my new PB (currently 28 HTM)

EDIT final solution 25 HTM PB by 3 moves!!!

LOL, for a minute I thought I had a 21 HTM solution with a 6 move cancel on the 2nd insertion but it proved to be a fail comm...

Spoiler

F L B2 U : D2 . L makes 2x2x2
B R B2 makes pseudo F2L-slot
R' F R2 F' R2
U2 leaves 5 corners at 15 moves

At . insert F L B L’ F’ L B’ L’ to cancel 4 moves
At : insert U’ L’ U R’ U’ L U R to cancel 2 moves

F L B2 L’ U R’ U’ L U R D2 F L B L’ F’ L R B2 R' F R2 F' R2 U2 = 25 HTM

 

[uberCuber]

WTFFFFFF
I just got a sub-30 FMC solve in weekly comp 18 by pure luck
In spoiler in case someone has not done that weekly comp yet for some reason

Spoiler

scramble: B U L U B' F R F' D2 R' B' U' F D' B' D' R2 F'

solution: F2 L R' B' U2 R2 D' F B U B U L2 U' L U' L2 U' L' U2 L' U L' U' L2 U L' (27 MOVES HTM WTF!!!)

2x2x3 + EO: F2 L R' B' U2 R2 D' F B U B wat
Finish F2L: U L2 U' L U' L2 U' L' U' wat
LL: U' L' U L' U' L2 U L'

My face was already like WTF when I got a 20 move F2L, and then I notice that LL was an antisune and I was like WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

I will probably never get this lucky again by accident.

 

[okayama]

WTFFFFFF
I just got a sub-30 FMC solve in weekly comp 18 by pure luck
In spoiler in case someone has not done that weekly comp yet for some reason

Spoiler

scramble: B U L U B' F R F' D2 R' B' U' F D' B' D' R2 F'

solution: F2 L R' B' U2 R2 D' F B U B U L2 U' L U' L2 U' L' U2 L' U L' U' L2 U L' (27 MOVES HTM WTF!!!)

2x2x3 + EO: F2 L R' B' U2 R2 D' F B U B wat
Finish F2L: U L2 U' L U' L2 U' L' U' wat
LL: U' L' U L' U' L2 U L'

My face was already like WTF when I got a 20 move F2L, and then I notice that LL was an antisune and I was like WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

I will probably never get this lucky again by accident.

Congratulations. Nice to find a good 2x2x3.
After that, the cube can be solved by only <L, U>, as you solved.
This suggests me:

Spoiler

2x2x3 + EO: F2 L R' B' U2 R2 D' F B U B (your start)
Pseudo F2L minus 1 slot: U2 L U2 L U2
Solve all: L' U L2 U' L' U2

results in 22 HTM.