Blindsolving Accomplishment Thread

Learnt a 2x2 Bld method last night.

Finally had sucess today with it.
3:05.98 not to bad, im just happy i did one.

Im getting pretty confident with it. However it has made 3x3 BLD seem very daunting.
 
Mike Hughey said:
Micael said:
LarsN said:
[...] I use pure visual memo [...]
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What!? Pure visual for 5x5 BLD!? How do you manage it?
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I wonder about that too. But some of the fastest 5x5x5 BLD solvers use pure visual. Ville has said that he did (and he's sub-10 at 5x5x5 BLD!), and Rowe said his 12:10 on Cubemania was pure visual. I also think I recall comments from Rafal that he was at least partially using visual as well. Which seems to indicate that it may be necessary to use visual to be sub-Chris Hardwick. :)
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Well, I managed to learn pure visual because I was lazy. I've always used visual for corners and then I tried to come up with a nice memo system for edges on 3x3. But I never felt good about the system I came up with, so I figured why not do edges visually as well.
Then I learned 4x4BLD and started using my old system for edges and centers, because of the amount of information to remember. It didn't work well for me. Then I started noticing that when I forgot a cycle in my system I could often remember where I had pointed with my finger. So why use two systems instead of just one? Visual then came quite easy to me and I wasn't suprised that I could use it for 5x5BLD too.
MultiBLD is a pain with visual though.
 
cmhardw said:
cmhardw said:
Chris Hardwick
--------------
5x5x5_bld: DNF 12:04.56 11:46.62
comment: 12:04.56 was my pb by 40 seconds, and 11:46.62 is my pb by 18 seconds :D Sub-10 is not far now.
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Week #44 forum competition. Did all solves back to back, pausing only to scramble the cube again.
:D :D :D :D

--edit--
Mike I just saw your post, and I just wanted to say these solves were both done with images and journeys for centers and wings, and my single syllable method for corners and central edges (and pure commutator BH!). I'm on cloud 9 right now, so I can't even imagine what sub-10 must feel like! *practice...practice...practice*

Chris
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Congratulations!!! I did what I considered pretty well on 5x5x5 BLD this week too, getting the first two and missing the third by 3 wings, and all of them sub-17. But 2 new personal bests in a row - that's amazing!

And of course, when I said you need to be pure visual to be sub-Chris, that implies that it's a moving target - Chris, you can always get faster and move the target! :)
 
Mike Hughey said:
Congratulations!!! I did what I considered pretty well on 5x5x5 BLD this week too, getting the first two and missing the third by 3 wings, and all of them sub-17. But 2 new personal bests in a row - that's amazing!

And of course, when I said you need to be pure visual to be sub-Chris, that implies that it's a moving target - Chris, you can always get faster and move the target! :)
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Mike congrats on your sub-17's as well! You seem to be getting them much more often now, and it seems that your really fast times now are sub-15? Maybe sub-14? Based on some of the past posts you've made I've noticed you're definitely getting a lot faster!

Also, thanks Mike about the congrats, and I knew you were joking a bit :) I just wanted to throw in a support flag for memory methods ;) I did try visual one time on the 4x4x4 back in the very first month or two that I started with big cube BLD and I have to say that it was one of the most painful BLD solves I've ever done in terms of memory recall delays, and difficulty picturing what comes next. I don't even remember if I got the solve successfully, the only memory I have of that solve is of how painful the experience was. That's why I have so much respect for those who are capable of doing the bigger cubes visually! So Lars, much respect to you for your accomplishment! Also, good luck with your future 5x5x5 BLD (and 4x4x4!) solves!

Chris
 
cmhardw said:
Mike congrats on your sub-17's as well! You seem to be getting them much more often now, and it seems that your really fast times now are sub-15? Maybe sub-14? Based on some of the past posts you've made I've noticed you're definitely getting a lot faster!
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Thanks, and yes, I'm definitely sub-15 on my fast solves. I haven't had a sub-14 success, I think, but I've had a couple sub-14's that should have been successes. This week I was 16:38.11, 15:58.03, and DNF (15:26.62), so still pretty good.

cmhardw said:
Also, thanks Mike about the congrats, and I knew you were joking a bit :)
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I guess I was joking a bit, but I guess I'm also a little serious. It seems that in order to get really fast at solving using memory methods like we use, you have to have a lot of experience and practice using them. (I can't help noticing Ben Pridmore had been doing it for something like 8 years before he set the record with hour cards!) So since you have a 2-year jump on everyone else with memory methods, until and unless you slow down with it, you will probably always have the fastest times for those using image memory methods. So I really do mean that you have to go visual to be sub-Chris.
 
Mike Hughey said:
Thanks, and yes, I'm definitely sub-15 on my fast solves. I haven't had a sub-14 success, I think, but I've had a couple sub-14's that should have been successes. This week I was 16:38.11, 15:58.03, and DNF (15:26.62), so still pretty good.
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Wow, those times are definitely very good! Your times are really very consistent too. I don't think it will be long before those sub-15 fast solves become sub-15 average solves for you ;)

I guess I was joking a bit, but I guess I'm also a little serious. It seems that in order to get really fast at solving using memory methods like we use, you have to have a lot of experience and practice using them. (I can't help noticing Ben Pridmore had been doing it for something like 8 years before he set the record with hour cards!) So since you have a 2-year jump on everyone else with memory methods, until and unless you slow down with it, you will probably always have the fastest times for those using image memory methods. So I really do mean that you have to go visual to be sub-Chris.
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I honestly didn't know that Ben was using his method for so long before he set any records. I guess that makes sense that it would take some time to get fast at an image method, as you need to be able to seamlessly remember the image as well as interact it with the nearby images. I'd say by this point my images have really settled and distinct personalities. Carmen Elektra is of course very sexy, and seduces whatever the nearby image is (even inanimate objects haha), rake is extraordinarily violent, prince valium is completely impassive and uninterested no matter what craziness is happening next to him or around him, Darth Vader is very well Darth Vader haha. Cyclops (from X-men) is REALLY trigger happy, and likes to use his eye-beam blast full power no matter what the action is around him, and the list goes on.

I do still review my images though with my cards. I find that it really is the case that I sometimes don't see an image (or a particular single syllable word) in my solving for weeks on end, just based on the probabilities. So I find it useful to still practice my recalling all of my images with my deck of index cards from time to time. Mike do you review your images, or do you get enough review still with all of your really big cube, relays, and regular attempts put together? ;)

Or perhaps the 3 image per location method requires this much practice. What do you think about Boris Konrad with his 1 image per location method? All of his memory method practice goes into creating new journeys, as well as rehearsing and remembering his current ones. Perhaps this would be a good method for visual memorizers who already have a very strong natural memory? I need image interactions in a meaningful way in order to memorize, I can't memorize strings of things or visual patterns easily. But, perhaps those who can would benefit from a Boris Konrad style of memorizing? What are your thoughts on this Mike?

Chris
 
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cmhardw said:
I honestly didn't know that Ben was using his method for so long before he set any records.
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I need to correct myself here. I just noticed that it was 6 years (2000 to 2006) between his first attempt at hour cards and his world record. (Sorry, I thought it was 2008 when he got his record, but it was 2006.) I really doubt he was using that method the whole time, so I'm probably a bit wrong about that; I have no idea how long he used his current method.

cmhardw said:
Mike do you review your images, or do you get enough review still with all of your really big cube, relays, and regular attempts put together? ;)
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I really don't review my images, and I don't seem to need to at all. It's funny, but I've tried it a few times, and it seems almost like reviewing images for me is a complete waste of time. I feel almost like I could give this up for 10 years and come back to it and they'd still all be there. :)

cmhardw said:
Or perhaps the 3 image per location method requires this much practice. What do you think about Boris Konrad with his 1 image per location method? All of his memory method practice goes into creating new journeys, as well as rehearsing and remembering his current ones. Perhaps this would be a good method for visual memorizers who already have a very strong natural memory? I need image interactions in a meaningful way in order to memorize, I can't memorize strings of things or visual patterns easily. But, perhaps those who can would benefit from a Boris Konrad style of memorizing? What are your thoughts on this Mike?
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It's funny, but I've seemed to always get better as I add more images per location. If I understood him correctly, Mondo does 4 images per location; I've been wondering if I should switch to that. But the nice thing about Boris Konrad's approach is that you can't have that problem with getting a couple of images out of order, which can kill an otherwise good solve. I really don't feel like I have much useful to say about it other than that, though, because I really haven't had much luck with trying that sort of thing.

While we're talking about these things, what do you think of Mondo's idea of using his list of images as a journey? I think it's a pretty cool idea (although I haven't tried it yet). The idea is that, since you've spent so much time going through the list of images (probably alphabetically - I know that's how I did it), it essentially constitutes a journey you're automatically very familiar with. A 552-location journey for free seems like a pretty good deal, doesn't it?
 
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cmhardw said:
That's why I have so much respect for those who are capable of doing the bigger cubes visually! So Lars, much respect to you for your accomplishment! Also, good luck with your future 5x5x5 BLD (and 4x4x4!) solves!

Chris
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Thanks Chris, I hope to get a 4x4x4 BLD soon even though I've tried five times now.
For me it seems a much bigger accomplishment to complete a list of images and journeys, than just practising tapping you fingers on the cube. I truly respect what you and Mike and many others are capable of with your memory methods. I can't see myself doing anything bigger than 5x5x5 visually.
 
Not a massive achievement but I thought I'd give 2x2 BLD a go today using old pochmann and out of my first 3 solves managed to get two successful!! Best one 2:06.00

Sub 2 next time I try hopefully :D
 
4x4BLD: 10:22 :D

I don't think I'm ready for stackmat yet though. It was kinda lucky. Not by normal standards, but because all corners, edges and center cycles had really nice symmetrical patterns which made visual memo incredibly easy.
 
I made 4:04.xx 3x3 BLD.. too bad it was stupid mistake.. I remembered one wrong letter.. 2 flipped edges.. at the first the edges were behind and I didn't see them but then I turned the cube.. so much from a new PB
 
Hi,
After 4 days of preparation (learning algorithms) and 3 days of attempts, I did my first 4x4x4 blindfolded today. Yesterday was my birthday and I said "my gift will be to succeed to do the 4x4x4 blindfolded". I did try like 12-14 times during all the day. I finally got a headache and call it a day at 9pm. Hopefully, today I succeed at the third attempt (about 18th attempts overall). I finally succeed in 30:25 (19:25 memo + 11:00 execution).

Well, I have the video of this, but it is speeded up because I am quite slow currently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr1e8Wxmf3I

Thanks everyone for the inspiration!

Micaël
 
6x6 BLD

I just did a 6x6 in 1:24:14 (49+ min memo). Wonderful!

See what motivation does for you. I did my first attempt about 6 weeks ago.
It was very good, only 2 centres off. Guess I was really concentrated then as
it was the very first time. Then I tried one each week in the weeklies and have
been faster each time, but nowhere nearer.

Now yesterday Maarten did his first attempt. That gave me extra inspiration
and motivation, thanks Maarten :p. So I scrambled the cube last thing last
night with the intention of doing this first thing in the morning. (I memo best
early in the day). Woke 4:30 (am) and couldn't fall asleep again, so I tried
the cube instead. Went very careful and very slow on each step. Had one
memory relapse, but rememberd it was a full 23-cycle of edges and could
sort it out. So very nice! (the very same scramble as Maarten too, the first
of this weeks comp)

So I guess I am the oldest blindfolded solver of the 6x6 in the world now ;).
 
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