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I went through all of that a few years ago. Like Mike, I also think it's easier to learn working with a solved cube. Once you figure out a commutator, you can repeat it several times to remember it better. Another thing I'd recommend is that whenever you find a good commutator, look for all...

Thanks for the tips all! I might consider a magnetized 6x6 one day. For now I'll keep loosening the tensions until it locks up too much. It hasn't popped yet. I can admit that I fear that moment a bit, since I've never taken apart and put together a cube of this size. Maybe I should take it...

Nice progress! I have no idea what I would average right now. Last weekend I did one timed solve when my friend insisted, first timed solve in 6 months, and somehow managed to clock in at 21 seconds despite the added pressure of an audience and resorting to 2-look OLL when I couldn't remember...

Thanks! Good idea, I'll keep that in mind! I had a look at the WCA website and Wow! What is this madness? 3.47 single? 3:01 5bld??

Hello oldies! I haven't been around in about 6 months, haven't had much spare time for cubing lately either. Work has been hectic and I also spent two months in Africa, where I would occasionally do some blind solving on the balcony, with a beautiful view of the Atlantic ocean, which makes me...

Not 40 yet, born 1981. You'll have to wait a couple of years.

Keep in mind that in this case 4% more likely means 1.04/2048 instead of 1/2048. In other words you would get on average one extra scramble with all edges oriented every 50 000 solves. That is perfectly acceptable. Even with the 46% increase it would mean getting that case one time too many in...

I would very much agree with this. Many people have mentioned scrambling it some more if there are cross pieces solved or such. I think that's bad, because you also need to get used to solving the easy crosses. I still feel extra pressure whenever cstimer gives me a super easy cross, because I...

The other day I was watching some World Cup while casually solving hand scrambles. One solve I noticed the cross seemed exactly the same as the previous solve. As I went on, all the F2L pairs also felt familiar and I know for sure I had the same PLL and OLL as the last solve. Seems I scrambled...

Not bad at all, and it will only get faster from there! :) I've never timed cross+1 before, here's my first attempt: Ao50: 5.43. Quite surprised about how even the distribution was. Anything over 6 seconds felt slow. The 9+ I totally messed up the cross, had to rebuild it after I thought it...

This is good advice. Though I'd add that you should not worry about the 15 second inspection time limit yet. When you first start planning full crosses it'll probably take you a minute or several. I know it did for me. I didn't start using timed inspection until I was sub-30. Until then I had...

I'd recommend you also post the scramble you are solving, that way it is easier to give suggestions, especially for the cross. Solving the cross one edge at a time is very slow. Solving them into the slot where they are supposed to end up is even slower. Remember that you can move around the D...

Or if edge is on the left, you can do the inverse to save a U2 setup. Inverse is exactly the same, except the middle R becomes R'.

Yeah, no need to worry about speed and finger tricks and fancy moves like wide moves. I would still recommend rotating the cube so that you mainly use RUL during F2L. It's faster and should make it easier. Speaking of F2L, does anyone here actively use keyholes? I find I might use them a lot in...

Your post is right after mine. :) Btw. the technique you described is actually exactly what you'd normally do, except that you use the F face instead of R or L. So instead of doing something like R' U2 R, you do F' U2 F. Personally I don't use much F turns during F2L. I rather rotate the cube...

Are you timing yourself? Sounds like you lock up while stressing over times. I'd suggest forgetting about the timer for a long time. If you do focused F2L practice, you don't need a timer to know that your times are getting faster. Just look at the corner, say out loud the two colors on the...

When it comes to the last slot, my advice from yesterday very much applies. Don't bring the corner piece to the slot you are about to solve into, like the guy says in the video. If you do, there's no way you can rearrange pieces in the U layer without disturbing a solved slot. If you are solving...

You can always preserve completed slots, because there is always at least one slot that is not commpleted - the one you are about to insert to. That's one part where I don't agree with the F2L video I posted. He says always bring the corner piece on top of the corner you are about to insert to...

Just say F2L. :) I'd assume everyone in this thread is talking about mostly intuitive F2L when we talk about F2L. Personally I've learned only two F2L cases as algs, by actually looking up an alg from algdb. One of them I can mirror to all 4 corners, the other I use only with FR corner. And...

@40yearstosolve did you watch the video I posted? Pglewis suggested JPerm's F2L video. You can always watch more videos to get new views on the subject. Maybe some explanations work better for you than others. You will get very fast with it if you keep practicing. In the beginning it seems like...