[Help Thread] 4x4 Discussion

[mark49152]

Does anyone know of a 4x4 scrambler that can leave the 3x3 cross intact, so that I can practise edge pairing alone? Or maybe a good method of hand scrambling for this?

 

[Jaycee]

To leave 3 cross edges intact you can scramble using only R, Rw, R3w, and U. This will mess up the 4 centers and one cross edge, but it's probably to most efficient way to hand-scramble. Once you scramble you could just resolve the 4th edge.

Edit: Or you can go on qqtimer.net -> Bigcube subsets -> 4x4 edges. It won't leave the cross intact but it will leave all the centers intact.

So basically you have a choice of scrambling the centers and leaving 3 cross edges, or keeping all the centers and scrambling all 12 edges.

 

[mark49152]

That's great, thanks.

 

[pipkiksass]

How to reassemble a Weisu...

So I bought a Weisu, and it's great. For anyone who's taken one apart and tried to put it back together, I tried the method in this video, which was the top YouTube result for Weisu assembly:

and found it really tricky to keep the last 2 small internal pieces from falling out when I was inserting the last piece (2 edges + large internal).

Anyhoo, after a few tries, (one where I assembled the cube only to realise there was a small internal rattling around during my first solve, and having to break the whole thing apart to find it ) I found Convinsa's vid:

which uses an alternative method for assembling the last layer, basically inserting the last layer internal pieces first, then jamming all the LL edges, centres and corners in the holes.

Convinsa's method is SO much easier and more idiotproof (as demonstrated by my fail using method 1).

Just thought I'd post this, for anyone needing to disassemble/lube a Weisu/Aosu, and who doesn't already know how to reassemble. Use Convinsa's method! :-D

 

[Jaycee]

My splits for Yau are (rounded to the second)

5/9/11/5/19/23 (steps should be obvious, I'll clarify if not)

According to Jacob Hutnyk's video, for sub-1 splits should be 5/10/8/4/10/whatever. So obviously my L8E sucks. Does anybody have tips on how to practice 3-2-3 other than repetition and lookahead? Like, is there anything specific that you know of or have done to improve edges?

 

[uberCuber]

All I did was lots of solves trying to focus on looking ahead, sorry

 

[TheOneOnTheLeft]

My splits for Yau are (rounded to the second)

5/9/11/5/19/23 (steps should be obvious, I'll clarify if not)

According to Jacob Hutnyk's video, for sub-1 splits should be 5/10/8/4/10/whatever. So obviously my L8E sucks. Does anybody have tips on how to practice 3-2-3 other than repetition and lookahead? Like, is there anything specific that you know of or have done to improve edges?

I noticed in Sebastian Weyer's videos that he uses very few rotations in L8E, where I would usually rotate to place every edge. If you do the same, it might be worth trying to lookahead so you can place the edges without rotating. It was fairly hard to do when I first tried, but I've not given it a good go - either way, that might help if you get good at it. Disclaimer: I only average sub-1:30.

 

[yoshinator]

My splits for Yau are (rounded to the second)

5/9/11/5/19/23 (steps should be obvious, I'll clarify if not)

According to Jacob Hutnyk's video, for sub-1 splits should be 5/10/8/4/10/whatever. So obviously my L8E sucks. Does anybody have tips on how to practice 3-2-3 other than repetition and lookahead? Like, is there anything specific that you know of or have done to improve edges?

I (Jacob Hutnyk) think that you should just spam TPS, try to turn as fast as you can. It'll help you in the long run, and I found it very effective for improving at L8E.

Hope this helps!

 

[Lagom]

Just started 4x4x4.
I use Yau and average about 2 min and pb 1.39.
3x3x3 average about 15 secs so obviously I gotta work on the pairing and stuff...

When I do the edge pairing i do 3-2-2-2. Is this the quickest way?

Sometimes when i finish the last 2 centers the last colors aren't next to each other, but diagonally, and to fix that I have to mess up some already done centers. You know what I mean?
Any one got an alg for that?

 

[TDM]

When I do the edge pairing i do 3-2-2-2. Is this the quickest way?

Everyone fast uses 3-2-3. I use 6-2, but idk the advantages/disadvantages of both. Use 3-2-3-.

Sometimes when i finish the last 2 centers the last colors aren't next to each other, but diagonally, and to fix that I have to mess up some already done centers. You know what I mean?
Any one got an alg for that?

Idk what you mean. If it's swapping two opposite centres, Rw2 U2 D2 Rw2 U2 D2, or R2 E2 R2 E2. If the last two centres you have to solve are opposite each other, do the same as you would for if they were adjacent, but use Rw2/Lw2 moves instead of Rw/Lw. Sorry if it's something else; I'm tired and I don't understand.

 

[caters]

Okay I have a 4x4 and I do it by reduction + 3x3 LBL and when I get to the yellow side I often have either edge parity but no corner parity, edge parity and corner parity, or corner parity and no edge parity.

I hate doing those long algorithms for parity on a 4x4 and I wonder how I can get rid of parity faster while still using reduction + 3x3 LBL

Here are the algorithms I currently use:

Edge parity:

Rr2 B2 U2 Ll U2 Rri U2 Rr U2 F2 Rr F2 Lli B2 Rr2

Corner parity:

Uu2 Ll2 U2 l2 U2 Ll2 Uu2 R Ui L U2 Ri U R Li Ui L U2 Ri U Li U

 

[natezach728]

Okay I have a 4x4 and I do it by reduction + 3x3 LBL and when I get to the yellow side I often have either edge parity but no corner parity, edge parity and corner parity, or corner parity and no edge parity.

I hate doing those long algorithms for parity on a 4x4 and I wonder how I can get rid of parity faster while still using reduction + 3x3 LBL

Here are the algorithms I currently use:

Edge parity:

Rr2 B2 U2 Ll U2 Rri U2 Rr U2 F2 Rr F2 Lli B2 Rr2

Corner parity:

Uu2 Ll2 U2 l2 U2 Ll2 Uu2 R Ui L U2 Ri U R Li Ui L U2 Ri U Li U

So, there is no (efficient) way to get rid of parity. For OLL parity, use the Lucas parity alg, its like Rw U2, its all Rw, U(2) and Lw. For corner parity, I'm not sure what it is, does it refer to PLL parity? If so, use r2 U2 r2 Uw2 r2 Uw2

 

[Lagom]

Everyone fast uses 3-2-3. I use 6-2, but idk the advantages/disadvantages of both. Use 3-2-3-.

Idk what you mean. If it's swapping two opposite centres, Rw2 U2 D2 Rw2 U2 D2, or R2 E2 R2 E2. If the last two centres you have to solve are opposite each other, do the same as you would for if they were adjacent, but use Rw2/Lw2 moves instead of Rw/Lw. Sorry if it's something else; I'm tired and I don't understand.

Thanks. I feel kinda stupid for using 3-2-2-2 now :-D


I mean this case. When solving the last centers

(the orange looks like yellow in this pic)

I can solve it, but probably not the quickest way. In this case I´d have to mess up orange or red, and than redo that color.

 

[TDM]

Thanks. I feel kinda stupid for using 3-2-2-2 now :-D


I mean this case. When solving the last centers

Spoiler: Images

(the orange looks like yellow in this pic)

I can solve it, but probably not the quickest way. In this case I´d have to mess up orange or red, and than redo that color.

Yeah, imagine they were adjacent to each other, but use Rw2/Lw2. For this case, hold it like you're holding it in the second picture, and assuming you're using the standard colour scheme l2 U' l2 U l2 U2 l2 (using slice moves).

 

[Lagom]

Yeah, imagine they were adjacent to each other, but use Rw2/Lw2. For this case, hold it like you're holding it in the second picture, and assuming you're using the standard colour scheme l2 U' l2 U l2 U2 l2 (using slice moves).

Excellent, thanks

 

[UB]

What should I use
3-2-3 or 6-2 ??? Avg about 2 mins

 

[Jaycee]

Use the one that you like more.

 

[tx789]

My splits for yau is approx.

F2C: 7
Cross edges: 10
L4C: 20
Last Cross edge: 5
(Centres+cross I finsh at around 35-40)
L8E: 10-20
(yauduction is around a 55-1:00 )
3x3: ~15-20(my last layer sucks)

I feel my L8E is fast and the centres plus cross is slow.
Also my shengshou 4x4 v3 locks up a lot. It a good cube. The outer layers are noticeably looser than the inner slice. Also some find really loose and feel if they turn turn fast it will pop. It good when you are used to it. I have an AoSu coming so hopefully that will help a bit. Since my shengshou v3 maybe slowing me down a little. I average 1:28ish on 4x4.

What do you guys think of my splits? And what about the ratio of what you splits for yau on 4x4?

 

[Jaycee]

My splits for yau

What do you guys think of my splits? And what about the ratio of what you splits for yau on 4x4?

I average around 1:08-1:09 my splits on an avg12 I just did are roughly: 5/10/10/5/18/20. Yeah, L8E is my weak point. I think you should work on L4C the most. Perhaps you could try this technique. I also use an SSv3 and I agree with everything you said about the cube. Strangely, I also have an AoSu coming soon.

 

[Lagom]

Hey again

I just realized I´ve been doing Yau "wrong"…


What I do is that I solve 2 centers and 3 pairs. Then I put the pairs in the right cross orientation. And then I finish the centers and the last pair, and insert it at it´s correct place…

I guess my method is a tad more inefficient?