Best beginner's method?

[PetrusQuber]

If you were to teach someone how to solve the cube, what method would you start them off on? Because I might be getting some people to solve a cube soon. But obviously if it's too 'hard', they'll give up. What method do you think is best?
Some methods:
LBL - One alg 4LLL, Daisy Cross
Keyhole
8355
Beginner Petrus
Beginner Roux
Corners first
OP/OP
Commutators
DSEF
Hexagonal Francisco

 

[hpkewber]

Beginner roux. Only 2 algs to memorise. Everything else is intuitive. Makes them feel like they are actually solving the puzzle instead of just doing memorized moves.

 

[PetrusQuber]

Beginner roux. Only 2 algs to memorise. Everything else is intuitive. Makes them feel like they are actually solving the puzzle instead of just doing memorized moves.

The intuitiveness may put them off though.. I still can’t do LSE

 

[AbsoRuud]

LSE is sooo easy. Just watch Kian's video on it.

 

[xyzzy]

I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer here.

For people who are comfortable with spending a bit of time figuring things out, you could just directly teach them cross + intuitive F2L and skip all that LBL nonsense. For people who need their hands to be held throughout, teach them LBL-style F2L (for each slot, insert the corner first, then insert the edge). In either case, teach commutators for solving the last layer; for the former group, mostly let them try to figure it out and give hints/examples when they're stuck, but for the latter group, teach them exactly the moves needed (e.g. RDRD stuff for twisting corners, Sunes for permuting edges, etc.).

Definitely also teach them what unsolvable states are like (e.g. you can't solve a cube with only one flipped edge and everything else solved), so that they know when something looks weird/wrong. Corner twists can happen unintentionally. (Don't bother explaining why the unsolvable states are unsolvable unless you're very confident that (i) you actually know why (most cubers don't; there are a lot of pseudoexplanations floating around that break down on close examination) and (ii) you can explain it without boring the hell out of them (probably impossible unless they're maths nerds).)

(I don't have a strong opinion on whether a CFOP/LBL-like approach or a Roux-like approach would be better for someone completely new to cubing, but it seems to me that CFOP/LBL-like approaches are more "consistent": the manipulations you use are mostly the same in every step. In contrast, Roux's LSE is essentially a completely different puzzle from figuring out how to solve the first two blocks. Also, corners-first has long since fallen out of favour for speedsolving, but it's still a viable method pedagogically, I think.)

 

[Atomixcc]

where did you learn beginner Roux?

 

[KM the cuber]

LBL

 

[GuRoux]

what about op/op

 

[PetrusQuber]

what about op/op

What is that?

 

[Iwannaganx]

LBL because it's the only one I can teach

 

[Triangles_are_cubers]

LBL with some Keyhole tricks
And I would teach them J Perm, not T Perm

 

[SlechtValk]

It depends a bit on your goals.

If it just is so they can learn a way to solve, so they can have the enjoyment if being able to solve it, I usually use a method by @Cride5 using the 'sexy move' as the only algorithm: http://cube.crider.co.uk/beginner.php?v=full (forum post: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/beginner-3x3-tutorial-1-alg-solution.22275/page-5#post-531836). I still use last part of this method to solve the last layer of the Megaminx.

I found out Cride5 has improved the method, but I haven't yet read/studied the new method, so I don't know if I like it.

But if your goals (or theirs) are to get them started on the way to speedcubing a method closer to CFOP or Roux might be better.

But I also think if somebody really likes cubing after they learn to solve it with any beginner's method, they can and will learn an advanced/speed method using YouTube themselves. Just get them started on any beginner's method you like and are comfortable with.

 

[PetrusQuber]

It depends a bit on your goals.

If it just is so they can learn a way to solve, so they can have the enjoyment if being able to solve it, I usually use a method by @Cride5 using the 'sexy move' as the only algorithm: http://cube.crider.co.uk/beginner.php?v=full (forum post: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/beginner-3x3-tutorial-1-alg-solution.22275/page-5#post-531836). I still use last part of this method to solve the last layer of the Megaminx.

I found out Cride5 has improved the method, but I haven't yet read/studied the new method, so I don't know if I like it.

But if your goals (or theirs) are to get them started on the way to speedcubing a method closer to CFOP or Roux might be better.

But I also think if somebody really likes cubing after they learn to solve it with any beginner's method, they can and will learn an advanced/speed method using YouTube themselves. Just get them started on any beginner's method you like and are comfortable with.

Yeah that’s 8355. I’m confused on the edge orientation and permutation part though, I always have to use algs to do it, or just try until I succeed.

 

[SlechtValk]

Yeah that’s 8355. I’m confused on the edge orientation and permutation part though, I always have to use algs to do it, or just try until I succeed.

It isn't exactly 8355, because it places 3 of the middle layer edges before placing 3 of white corners.

The description of the last edges is/was a bit confusing, but essentially you place the top layer edges using the free slot. The trick is to place penultimate edge in the place of the last edge while putting the last edge in the free slot. When you place the last edge you also place the penultimate edge on the correct position.

 

[Skewbed]

What is that?

OP/OP is a blindsolving method called Old Pochmann being used for both corners and edges. It only uses 3 algorithms (T perm, Y Perm, and R perm).

The T perm can be used to swap edges, and the Y perm can be used to swap corners. Sometimes, the T perms end up messing up the corners, and the Y perms mess up edges. That is called parity, and it can be solved by doing an R perm.

Every quarter turn switches parity, so you can solve parity by using a U or a U' then resolving the top layer, instead of doing an R perm.
You can also get rid of the Y perm, but it makes conjugation longer and more confusing when doing corners.

That takes it down to one algorithm, with only easy intuitive steps needed.

 

[PetrusQuber]

OP/OP is a blindsolving method called Old Pochmann being used for both corners and edges. It only uses 3 algorithms (T perm, Y Perm, and R perm).

The T perm can be used to swap edges, and the Y perm can be used to swap corners. Sometimes, the T perms end up messing up the corners, and the Y perms mess up edges. That is called parity, and it can be solved by doing an R perm.

Every quarter turn switches parity, so you can solve parity by using a U or a U' then resolving the top layer, instead of doing an R perm.
You can also get rid of the Y perm, but it makes conjugation longer and more confusing when doing corners.

That takes it down to one algorithm, with only easy intuitive steps needed.

Oh, I know what Old Pochmann is. Just confused with the abbreviation. It's fairly simple when you've learnt it, but it might be confusing for beginners? Been a long time since I was one.

 

[GuRoux]

OP/OP is a blindsolving method called Old Pochmann being used for both corners and edges. It only uses 3 algorithms (T perm, Y Perm, and R perm).

The T perm can be used to swap edges, and the Y perm can be used to swap corners. Sometimes, the T perms end up messing up the corners, and the Y perms mess up edges. That is called parity, and it can be solved by doing an R perm.

Every quarter turn switches parity, so you can solve parity by using a U or a U' then resolving the top layer, instead of doing an R perm.
You can also get rid of the Y perm, but it makes conjugation longer and more confusing when doing corners.

That takes it down to one algorithm, with only easy intuitive steps needed.

if you're doing op/op sighted, you don't have to worry about parity. if all your edges are solved there is no parity for the corners. and if you solve edges first, you don't have to worry about the corners when doing setups for you t-perm. it makes the method seems pretty easy to learn. to long algorithms but pretty much just have to learn one concept of solving pieces using setup moves and the beginner will be able to solve the whole cube.

 

[Underwatercuber]

Just straight up comms, no algs you have to learn. Just full intuition.

 

[Cuberstache]

Hexagonal Fransisco.

 

[Filipe Teixeira]

Lbl with daisy cross and one alg for each 4lll stage ( fruruf, sune, aperm, uperm )

teach a more efficient technique for each stage as they progress