Why did you get into speedcubing?

[Hypocrism]

I saw a video but didn't have any place near to buy a cube for quite a while. I looked online and found Petrus method, which I learn the vague concepts of without a physical cube. When I did get a chance to buy a cube I didn't have an internet connection any more, so I tried to solve without any instructions! I didn't understand orientation so I didn't understand why I couldn't finish the bit after the 2x2x3, I think I got lucky one time and they were all oriented so I did manage to solve the f2l. Then I learned CFOP.

 

[Deleted member 19792]

4th grade classroom. Saw it on a desk. Solved it. Almost seven years since

I tried F2L and got pretty ok with it..

Dedicated to Speedcubing since August 2012 since due to my grades dropping for stupid reasons in Middle School I could not try speedcubing.

 

[Petro Leum]

Question 1:
When & Where did you find out about cubing?
Saw a WR vid from Feliks Zemdegs on youtube and was super fascinated. got a rubiks brand cube for christmas (coincidence?) and immediately got addicted.

Question 2:
What was your first cube? Your impressions?
Rubiks Brand, stickers went loose incredibl fast, started cutting into fingers n ****, not pleasant. my grandma taught me her selfmade solving method, got to about 3 minutes in that week after christmas

Question 3:
What did you originally think about being able to solve this what seemed insanely difficult puzzle?
after i solved it a few times it instantly went from fascination about the solving itself and the puzzle aspect towards speed, learning, training and competition.

 

[261B]

Q1

I bought a Chinese cube when I was about 5. I remember handing it to some random guy and asking him to solve it for me (unsurprisingly, he failed...). I'm not sure what really happened to it after that. Fast forward ~13 years, and my history teacher played a radio 4 series on the Italian risorgimento, in which events in Italy (1848-70) were quite memorably described though a 'Rubik's cube of Europe' analogy, in which Italians had little actual role in the shaping of their own country. I'm rambling again

Q2
Rubik’s brand. I remember being bummed that I didn’t look into what other options existed (This was only a few months ago, mind.). After that, I got a stickerless Lunhui, which I found to be ridiculously small for my gigantic hands. But god, it was better than the Rubik’s brand.

Q3
Meh. Not much, really. I never saw it as ‘OMFG 3DIFFICULT5ME’ because I knew that it’d all be online. Everything’s on the WWW these days now, huh?

 

[Marco Cuber]

Question #1
I found out cubing at around when I was 10 years old because our school had a bazaar for Christmas and they sold cubes which were fake and horrible turning with a wrong/random color scheme >_> I bought one anyway because it was 20 pesos in the Philippines or around half a dollar. I saw my classmate who was impressing people with his skill of cubing and I wanted to impress people too with that and because I was also very interested in it. He averaged around 45 secs. if I recall correctly. I asked him to teach me tins if times but he just reffered me too RobH0629'S tutorial. And so I learned how to solve it and I solved that fake cube 3 times or so and then I bought a Rubik's brand. This events happened in the early December of 2012.
Question #2
It was the cube I mentioned on top, it turned horribly (worse than a Rubik's brand out of the box, mind you) so I solved it around 3 times and then I
switched to a storebought Rubik's brand.
Question #3
My first ever solve without looking at notes felt AWESOME. I was in a state of shock and joy simultaneously. Little did I know that would soon, be a quite-life-changing event. I quickly told my 45 second friend and so we kept on challenging each other with PB's and soon enough I beat him. I now average sub-15 on 3x3 and he averages around 30

 

[Tempus]

Question 1:
When & Where did you find out about cubing?

I found out about cubing when the world at large did, around 1980.

Question 2:
What was your first cube? Your impressions?

My first cube was an original Rubik's, but when I say that, I want you to understand the full measure of my meaning. It had screws, not rivets, so the tension was adjustable. It was made in Hungary, not elsewhere. It came in a round plastic case branded "Ideal" in black and gold, but all signs point to it being a so-called "Studio Cube" from Ernő Rubik's own studio. This was the best cube you could get at the time, but I didn't appreciate this fact until much later on when I also acquired some of the more disagreeable Rubik's cubes that weren't made in Hungary, and which came in brightly colored square cardboard packages.

Question 3:
What did you originally think about being able to solve this what seemed insanely difficult puzzle?

To tell the truth, I can't really remember a time when I couldn't solve it. This is because when I received my first cube, I also received a large, maybe 8.5"x11" solution system booklet with a black cover. I can vaguely remember a time when I could not solve it without occasionally peeking at the book because I had not yet memorized the various algorithms, but I don't remember a time when I was unable to solve it.

I studied that booklet until it disintegrated, and at this late date I don't think I could find even a shred of it. As a side note, the solution system it contained is unlike anything else I've seen. Without going into too much detail, the general order of events was to solve the first layer, then permute the corners of the opposite later, then orient the corners of the opposite later, then slot the four edges into the opposite layer (such that they are already oriented correctly) by means of a "keyhole" made by temporarily removing one edge piece from the first layer, then restore the keyhole, and finally solve the four edges in the middle layer. Does anyone know what this system is called? For the longest time, it was the only system I knew, and I don't even know its name. :confused:

 

[Blurry]

Does anyone know what this system is called? For the longest time, it was the only system I knew, and I don't even know its name. :confused:

I'm not sure, I guess it would be the keyhole method, but that is for Pyraminx..

 

[Deleted member 36445]

Question 1:
When & Where did you find out about cubing?
I saw the movie in Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith when he solves the cube to get the job. I was very impressed that it was possible to solve the cube xD. Then I searched the internet on how to solve the cube and I saw pogobat video on how to solve it. I was soo complicated to me and when I saw Yu Nakajima solving it in 6 seconds I tought that you must be alien to solve that thig.

Question 2:
What was your first cube? Your impressions?
Back in the days I was very into juggling so one day we went to the supermarket and I saw a cube. I said: "I need a new addiction" so I bought the cube. It was 1 dollar a very cheap and horrible cube.

Question 3:
What did you originally think about being able to solve this what seemed insanely difficult puzzle?
I loved the sensation I got when all the color were lined up. It was magical. Now I don't have this sensation anymore, just try to solve it faster and faster.

 

[TheNumberZero]

1. I used to play with them when I was about 6, I used to take out the pieces and put them in the correct place only to mess it up again. I grew bored of it and stopped. Then about 4 months ago I saw my friend playing with one at school. He had a DaYan Zhanchi and I was so jealous that I learned the beginners method off a YouTube video by theSergsB. It was through that video that I discovered that there are 4x4s, 5x5s, shape mods and an entire community dedicated to them.

2. My first cube was an original Rubiks brand cube and I didn't think to bad of it until my friend let me play with his Zhanchi. After that day I hated it...

3. At the start, when I was 6 I thought that it was literally impossible, despite the fact that my brother had solved it once in front of me. When I solved it for the first time I thought that it was really easy, but I kept struggling and had to go back to the video until I eventually was able to solve it without the video and I thought I must be one of the cleverest people in my household. My brother kept rubbing it in about the fact that I used the internet, but he stopped once I told him that most speedcubers probably use the internet to learn. I never was an attention seeker, in fact quite the opposite. I hate attention. So when I got everyone on the playground to stop playing football just because I could solve a rubiks cube I felt like it was an amazing thing to be able to, but the only thing I get satisfaction out of them any more is when I break my PB. That is one of the greatest feelings.

 

[cysewo]

Question 1:
When & Where did you find out about cubing?
2009 at School, It suddenly became popular. My PE / Math teacher said during PE time that you could go play outside if you can solve cube without help otherwise you stay in class. So I had to learn that thing because I'm the only guy that doesn't know how to solve so I had to learn it so I could play with my friends.

Question 2:
What was your first cube? Your impressions?
I think my first cube is Diansheng because it cost so cheap and the only cube you could buy in my place. Back then I don't care if it's too blocky or something as long i can solve. :3

Question 3:
What did you originally think about being able to solve this what seemed insanely difficult puzzle?
I was so freaking happy I jump and shout like for 5 seconds. Feels so happy that I could play with my friends outside lels :3

 

[WhatIsRubiks]

Question 1:
I have always known about the rubiks cube. My uncle had one when I was younger (he is only 4 years older than me) and we used to play with it when I was like 6 and he was 10. I never had a clue about it. I actually got into cubing dec 2013. My wife went to the thrift store and bought a brand new knock off brand rubiks cube as a stocking stuffer for me. I started trying to figure it out and finally, after only being able to do one layer. I looked up tutorials on youtube. I was "hooked" I guess you could say. I don't really spend a ton of time doing it, but maybe 30 minutes a day when ever I am out somewhere or bored I will scramble it and solve it.

Question 2:
My first cube was a knock off of a rubiks cube. The funny thing is, the stickers on it were a hundred times better than the actual rubiks brand stickers. My second was a rubiks brand I got at walmart. It actually wasn't that bad. I lubed it was some natural lotion my wife had and it was quite nice. My first speedcube was a cyclone boys 3x3 (simplified version from lightake) I bought two of them. When I got them I was baffled by how much better they were than the rubiks cube brand. Of course, I had to tighten the tensions and slowly loosen them the more I practiced because it was uncontrollable to me.

Question 3:
I was pretty happy with it. I showed my wife, who didn't really give a **** about it..lol..My first times were around 6 minutes 30 seconds. I remember getting a 2 minutes 32 second solve and being so exicted because I had shaved 4 minutes off my time. I then started learning f2l and 4LLL..Now I get pissed if I get above 40 seconds. I am still really slow compared to most on this forum, but I average around 35 seconds now. I have moved on to 4x4 and that is my new obsession though.

 

[CubeShapeMind]

Question 1:
I started in 2007 when I had a dream I solved a Rubik's Cube so I decided to go out and buy one. This also happened to be around the time The Pursuit of Happyness came out so it was becoming sort of popular. The first time I solved it was at school and my friends were all inspired to get one. It started a bit of a craze.

Question 2:
My first cube was a Rubik's brand 3x3 that I still have and use quite a bit even though it'd be terrible for speed solving. I usually let people borrow it when they're learning. The stickers are all still intact although the clear layer on them is coming off.

Question 3:
I was pretty proud of myself for knowing how to do it...pretty much the same way I felt after learning things like minesweeper, sudoku, those tile slider puzzles, etc...

 

[cubeaddicted]

Question : 1
I started in Feb 2013 when I saw my friend solving a cube. Until then, I had thought solving it to be impossible, so I was determined to learn. I first solved it in my car, and exclaimed so loud that the car almost crashed.

Question : 2
My first cube was a Rubik's brand cube. I had lubed it with Vaseline, so it broke after a month.

Question : 3
I learnt how to solve it by watching Dan Brown's tutorial. When I first solved it, I felt I had done the impossible. And then I saw Faz's WR

 

[GhettiBoy]

Question 1 : I first got interested in cubing at around last year, but I don't know the specific date This happened in my school and my house.

Question 2 : My first SPEEDcube was a 57 mm. stickerless Zhanchi ( I was 10 when this happened, so it felt a little bit large for my hands). It was SO SMOOTH AND SO GOOD AT CORNER-CUTTING. This was probably because the cube I used before this was a 50 peso cube/ 1 dollar.

Question 3 : It has to be one of the most exhilarating moments in my life. I bragged to my family and friends, but my big brother (known as Marco Cuber in these forums) was a lot faster than me and still is. ( currently, I'm around sub-27 while he is sub-16)

 

[Christmas]

This probably sounds a little absurd but the only other Chinese kid in my school could solve one in like 20 seconds (15 now) and I felt like I had to kind of treat him as my rival so that was really my motivation to start. So I took my original Rubik's cube onto a plane and figured out how to solve the cross and watched a video later when I got on the ground. Learned lvl with corners first for ll

My first cubes as my original rubiks which I had (still have) for like 7 years, never got solved before a year ago. Then I bought a pillowed v cube, I wanted a flat one but the employee at the puzzle store said pillowed ones turn faster or something.

I don't remember my first time per say but I remember my first time without looking at my algorithms, it was like 3:30. Then I solved it in front of my friend's family and his I older sister was really impressed, see curbing gets girls.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

1. I was in a toy store one day about 5 years ago and one of the employees was running a display of rubik's cubes. I thought it was pretty interesting so my parents bought me one. I then decided I wanted to learn how to solve it. I then quit for at least 3 years and I got back up just a year ago

2. First speed cube ever: My first speed cube was a zhanchi.

3. I had no idea this was even possible and it felt amazing to impress people with it.

 

[Note]

1:Um, I really don't know.. I had watched a few videos on Youtube about a few different puzzles, but I was mostly watching Redkb's videos at one point.

2:My first cube(besides the crappy dollar store one) was the original Rubik's Cube. It was okay, but I was a little disappointed that there was a tension cube avalible, I guess I was just too excited.

3:I was so amazed that I was able to solve the Rubik's cube. Shortly after, I memorized the algorithms and just kept solving it, until I found out about speedcubing. It was stunning to see all of the different speedcubes available, and I took no hesitation to buy some.(Sadly, my 'Zhanchi' I ordered from Fasttech was a Diansheng. :confused After finding out about Fridrich method from MeMyselfAndPi, and getting a real speedcube(Yup. I went there.), I was off to get faster times(I think I'm between sub-40 and sub-50 right now...). And here I am, impressing others(mostly non-cubers) with my cubing skills, and becoming a speedcuber.

Current cube:Zhanchi

 

[PJKCuber]

Quesion 1: We always had a cube at home. I didn't think it could be solved. Boy was I wrong!!! An older student solved it in around 1 minute at our school. He said there were some "formulae" to
solve it. I went home and then looked up a tutorial(badmephisto's) and then solved it. I discoverd speedcubing 1 month later and then got addicted.

Question 2: My 1st cube was a Rubik's brand. 1st speedcube is a YJ Chilong.

Question 3: I was pretty happy . But then I remembered what my dad had said in 2010. He said he saw a person on youtube solve it in 7 seconds.
Then I started learning CFOP a month after my final exams.(Around Beginning of May). After 2 weeks, I average around 40 seconds.

 

[rowan]

Q1: Well, I've seen Rubik's cubes around before, I think I even owned one as a child, and there was that movie with Will Smith, etc. My older brother also owns a few and solves them, but we don’t talk very frequently. But I found out about "cubing" as a hobby and a competitive activity from my partner who's been solving for six years. He basically always had one on him and he'd solve them in the dining hall at our school and everyone would crowd around in awe. I think I was pretty unimpressed and also I might have made one of those very stereotypical, "I just put the thing back together after I break it" jokes, but in all fairness I had done that once. For some weird reason, I learned how to reduce a 4x4x4 into a 3x3x3 first and then kind of left it at that. I didn't really care about actually solving cubes but was pretty fascinated with cube theory, after a couple months of reading up on all of that, later I decided that I wanted to learn how to solve one. I learned Roux in three days and that’s still the only way I know how to solve a cube.

Q2: The first cube I ever solved was a Maru CX3. I loved that cube for awhile and then I decided I wanted to switch to a drastically smaller cube (50mm) because I realized a lot of the finger tricks people execute were much easier for me on a smaller cuber since I have smaller hands.

Q3: Before I actually started solving I was already reading speedsolving forums and going through old thread archives, so I already acknowledged that solving a Rubik's cube wasn't difficult. When I actually did complete my first solve I was pretty stoked, though. Mostly because I was struggling keeping corner permutation and orientation algorithms separate in my head and kept executing them incorrectly. After that, I took about a month break, solved for a couple of weeks, and took another pretty long break because of college, but now that the semester's coming to a close I've been practicing more and will hopefully improve before US Nationals.

 

[Thaynara]

Question 1: I first met the cube in 2009 during my xmas holidays. I was at a xmas party of my aunty and some people were giving away a bag for kids under 12 full of goodies and my cousin and I wound't stop looking at that colorfull cube that the kids were playing with. I was 15 and so my cousin was. We weren't able to get one of those bags. But by the end of the party, we saw some spare ones and asked if we could keep them. The main reason for me to stay until the end of the party and get that bag was because my cousin told me he knew how to solve on side (how typical right?) and i was doubting. On our way home he solved that one side over and over and i said to myself that I would learn somehow to solve the entire cube. A week after i was able to solve the cube.

Question 2: My first cube was a DianSheng 3x3. I thought it was the best cube on earth, firstly because I bought it in a brazilian store and it was pretty expensive compared to asians but back that time i didn't know i was able to buy from other countries. Secondly because it was in fact better than my 1 dollar cube that I had. Vivid and painted colors instead of crappy stickers and etc.

Question 3: During 15 years of my life I thought it was impossible but after seeing my cousin solving that one side I knew that somehow it was possible to solve the entire puzzle. It took me 3 days to solve it.