Episode XX+6
Princess Leia and
R2D2 were captured by
natives on their way back from
a mission to the Endor moon. The
chief challenged Princess Leia to a Rubik's
Cube challenge…
Princess Leia and R2D2 somehow survived the first round. After a while, the chief declared, "Now, let's begin round two!" and added, "Your opponent this time is named TPS, the current world champion with a record of 25 wins, 0 losses, and 2 draws."
Suddenly, a small-statured man in baggy clothes emerged from the tent.
Princess Leia wondered, "I wonder if TPS is his real name? It's a little strange that it happens to be the same name as the Rubik's Cube term, TPS."
The chief said, "Let's get started right away. TPS will start first," and handed the scrambled cube to TPS. TPS held the front (F) and right (R) sides of the cube and began inspecting it.
She wondered, "That's a strange way to hold it. Can he really move the cube that fast?"
When he finished inspection, she saw an unbelievable sight: another arm emerged from TPS's baggy clothes and grabbed the left (L) side of the cube! She exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, he's got 3 arms! And with that, he can get a really high TPS value!"
TPS finished solving, with a time of 9.5 seconds.
The chief took the cube from TPS and scrambled away, hiding from her and R2D2. The chief glanced at her sideways and said, "When we saw the solve procedure you used in your last battle, we, the members of the Cube Committee, were extremely surprised that we could not possibly read it. However, upon closer inspection, we realized that it was the reverse sequence of the scramble, and concluded that your subordinates must have reversed the sequence and turned it around. Therefore, this time we have made the scramble invisible."
The chief handed Princess Leia the cube that had been scrambled as shown in the simulation below, and she and R2D2 began their inspection.
(Cube position: Yellow top, Blue front)
Princess Leia asked R2D2, "I know I don't need to ask this, but what's the probability that I'll win?"
R2D2 replied, "If I solve it using the CFOP method, your chance of winning is 0.1%. However, if you use the ZZ method, it may increase, but to complete the solve in under 9 seconds using the aerial projection as used earlier, I need to find a solve with less than 10 turns (QTM based). That will take time to calculate."
Upon hearing his reply, she said to the chief, "Chief, 20-second timeout! My opponent has the advantage of having 3 hands, so please give me the inspection time more."
The chief was someone who valued fairness quite a bit, so he said, "This isn't the NBA, so there aren't really timeouts, but you have a point, so I'll take it."
Meanwhile, R2D2 was sweating profusely, desperately trying to find a move less than 10 turns...
Can you, dear reader, find such a move? Oh, and before you ask the Jedi Masters, please try using your own Force
Princess Leia and
R2D2 were captured by
natives on their way back from
a mission to the Endor moon. The
chief challenged Princess Leia to a Rubik's
Cube challenge…
Princess Leia and R2D2 somehow survived the first round. After a while, the chief declared, "Now, let's begin round two!" and added, "Your opponent this time is named TPS, the current world champion with a record of 25 wins, 0 losses, and 2 draws."
Suddenly, a small-statured man in baggy clothes emerged from the tent.
Princess Leia wondered, "I wonder if TPS is his real name? It's a little strange that it happens to be the same name as the Rubik's Cube term, TPS."
The chief said, "Let's get started right away. TPS will start first," and handed the scrambled cube to TPS. TPS held the front (F) and right (R) sides of the cube and began inspecting it.
She wondered, "That's a strange way to hold it. Can he really move the cube that fast?"
When he finished inspection, she saw an unbelievable sight: another arm emerged from TPS's baggy clothes and grabbed the left (L) side of the cube! She exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, he's got 3 arms! And with that, he can get a really high TPS value!"
TPS finished solving, with a time of 9.5 seconds.
The chief took the cube from TPS and scrambled away, hiding from her and R2D2. The chief glanced at her sideways and said, "When we saw the solve procedure you used in your last battle, we, the members of the Cube Committee, were extremely surprised that we could not possibly read it. However, upon closer inspection, we realized that it was the reverse sequence of the scramble, and concluded that your subordinates must have reversed the sequence and turned it around. Therefore, this time we have made the scramble invisible."
The chief handed Princess Leia the cube that had been scrambled as shown in the simulation below, and she and R2D2 began their inspection.
(Cube position: Yellow top, Blue front)
Princess Leia asked R2D2, "I know I don't need to ask this, but what's the probability that I'll win?"
R2D2 replied, "If I solve it using the CFOP method, your chance of winning is 0.1%. However, if you use the ZZ method, it may increase, but to complete the solve in under 9 seconds using the aerial projection as used earlier, I need to find a solve with less than 10 turns (QTM based). That will take time to calculate."
Upon hearing his reply, she said to the chief, "Chief, 20-second timeout! My opponent has the advantage of having 3 hands, so please give me the inspection time more."
The chief was someone who valued fairness quite a bit, so he said, "This isn't the NBA, so there aren't really timeouts, but you have a point, so I'll take it."
Meanwhile, R2D2 was sweating profusely, desperately trying to find a move less than 10 turns...
Can you, dear reader, find such a move? Oh, and before you ask the Jedi Masters, please try using your own Force
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