[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

[Mike Hughey]

I'm getting a lot better at FMC; shall I open a new account at the Dadams' Weekly Challenge site, so my statistics improve? Because on my current profile my worst solves are 54, 48, 48, 47, 47... and they don't help. But I don't want to lose my 30 moves solve... What shall I do?

If I were you, I'd want to keep the single account indefinitely, and perhaps hope that dadams eventually adds statistics for running averages of X (3, 5, 12, etc.). So that way you won't have to lose your history but can see a more representative ranking.

I'm in a similar situation, although my difference isn't quite as dramatic as yours.

 

[porkynator]

Okay, this is just too weird. My solve last week for the Weekly FMC was exactly identical to Porkynator's. Including sub-optimal insertions. What are the odds??? I feel like it was my best solve ever (24 moves!), though, so I'm still proud of it even if it was obvious enough for someone else to find exactly the same solution.

Spoiler

Scramble: D B2 R D F B2 D U2 L U F2 D U2 B2 R B U' R L' D
Solution: U B U B2 U2 L2 U L' U' R' U L2 U' R U2 L2 U' R' U L2 U' B' L2 U

2x2x2: premoves R' + B' L2 U (found with inverse scramble)
2x2x3 and lots of pairs: U B U B2
all but 4 corners!: U2 L2 U L .
insert at .: L2 U' R' U L2 U' R U
insert at +: R U L2 U' R' U L2 U'

Wow - 12 move skeleton with all but 4 corners! At first I was disappointed with the insertions, but after I was done, I tried running it in insertion finder and the best it found was 23 moves - only one better than mine. I'm thrilled with this solve!

This is actually the second time it happens to me: once I've found the same solution as okayama in a no-time-limit on fmc.mustcube.net I think it was a 22.

 

[dbax0999]

This is actually the second time it happens to me: once I've found the same solution as okayama in a no-time-limit on fmc.mustcube.net I think it was a 22.

It's actually happened to you three times, you just don't know it yet! Batista found the same solution as you for this week's scramble.

 

[guysensei1]

I got this... Interesting blockbuild.

B L2 F D2 U2 L2 F L2 B2 D2 B' D2 F2 L' U B F2 D' B2 D U R

B2 D' F' B//1x2x3
F' D2 F R2//2x2x3
F' L' F//square
U L' U'// uhh, this thing is kind of cool. Any names for this type of block?

Is this just a terrible way to go, or is there a good continuation from here?

 

[ottozing]

Everything looked good except those last 3 moves. Instead, add either the premove U2 or U' and try for either a 3-5 corner skeleton, or an easy F2L>LL combo.

 

[okayama]

I got this... Interesting blockbuild.

B L2 F D2 U2 L2 F L2 B2 D2 B' D2 F2 L' U B F2 D' B2 D U R

B2 D' F' B//1x2x3
F' D2 F R2//2x2x3
F' L' F//square
U L' U'// uhh, this thing is kind of cool. Any names for this type of block?

Is this just a terrible way to go, or is there a good continuation from here?

5 min skeleton based on your start.

Pre-scramble: L

1x2x3 block: B2 D' F' B
2x2x3 block: F' D2 F R2
More c/e pair: U' L'
More square: F U F'
Finish F2L: L U2 L
All but 3 corners: U2 F' L' U' L U F

 

[obelisk477]

I got this... Interesting blockbuild.

B L2 F D2 U2 L2 F L2 B2 D2 B' D2 F2 L' U B F2 D' B2 D U R

B2 D' F' B//1x2x3
F' D2 F R2//2x2x3
F' L' F//square
U L' U'// uhh, this thing is kind of cool. Any names for this type of block?

Is this just a terrible way to go, or is there a good continuation from here?

You could add an L2 at the end, and then pre-move L2, leaving you with F2L-1.

 

[G2013]

Let's see what do I get
B L2 F D2 U2 L2 F L2 B2 D2 B' D2 F2 L' U B F2 D' B2 D U R
Premove: D2
F' D F B D //2x2 Premove D2
L2 F U' L' U2 //2x2x3
U' F U2 L U' //EO

Now I could do L' F2 L' F2 L' //6 corners left
But that are too many insertions... so instead

On inverse scramble:
L2 F L' F2 L F' //Pair

From here I don't see anything good...

 

[wontolla]

Hi guys. I am going to participate on a FMC competition and I am not sure if these kind of stickers are allowed:



The regulations say:

E3) The competitor may use the following objects during the attempt. Penalty for using unauthorised objects: disqualification of the attempt (DNF).
...
E3c) Coloured stickers (self-supplied).

I am not sure if they mean "cube stickers" or "any kind of sticker". I just don't want to show up with my stationery stickers and they don't let me use them.

 

[Prakhar]

Has it happened to anyone that he cancelled more moves than the inserted commutator. Example, you inserted a 8 move commutator and it cancelled 8+ moves?

 

[EMI]

Hi guys. I am going to participate on a FMC competition and I am not sure if these kind of stickers are allowed:

View attachment 4542

The regulations say:

E3) The competitor may use the following objects during the attempt. Penalty for using unauthorised objects: disqualification of the attempt (DNF).
...
E3c) Coloured stickers (self-supplied).

I am not sure if they mean "cube stickers" or "any kind of sticker". I just don't want to show up with my stationery stickers and they don't let me use them.

You can use those

 

[EMI]

Has it happened to anyone that he cancelled more moves than the inserted commutator. Example, you inserted a 8 move commutator and it cancelled 8+ moves?

I just found an 8/8 cancellation, however there is a second insertion: http://www.speedcubers.de/showthread.php?tid=1746&pid=162824#pid162824
Scramble: L2 B2 D2 F2 D' B2 U' B2 D' B2 F2 R U' F U' B2 F2 L' D
Skeleton: L . B2 D' F' D U : F2 B' R2 F R2 B D R D' L2
. = D' F' D B2 D' F D B2 [8-8/16]
: = D' F' U2 F D F' U2 F [8-1/23]
I think cancelling more than 8 moves for an 8 move insertion is unrealistic (but possible). It would mean that you didn't see the shorter and better skeleton.

 

[kinch2002]

Has it happened to anyone that he cancelled more moves than the inserted commutator. Example, you inserted a 8 move commutator and it cancelled 8+ moves?

This will only happen if you have been 'stupid' in your skeleton
I think 7/8 move 'cancellations' can usually be spotted easily during the skeleton as well (although you'd never think of them as such when you do them).

 

[guysensei1]

This will only happen if you have been 'stupid' in your skeleton
I think 7/8 move 'cancellations' can usually be spotted easily during the skeleton as well (although you'd never think of them as such when you do them).

Or, your LL could be antisune+ Na perm.
Because one of the algs for Na starts with R U R' U R U2 R'...... effectively cancelling the entire antisune.

 

[G2013]

I think that if you cancelled more than 8 moves the skeleton needs to be something like
(The dots are moves that aren't important in this example)
... B R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
Then you found the insertion
... B * R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
*=D R U' R' D' R U R'
So now your solve is
... B D R U' R' D' R U R' R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
And cancells into
... ... (18 cancellations)

 

[kinch2002]

Or, your LL could be antisune+ Na perm.
Because one of the algs for Na starts with R U R' U R U2 R'...... effectively cancelling the entire antisune.

Where's the inserted commutator?

I think that if you cancelled more than 8 moves the skeleton needs to be something like
(The dots are moves that aren't important in this example)
... B R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
Then you found the insertion
... B * R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
*=D R U' R' D' R U R'
So now your solve is
... B D R U' R' D' R U R' R U' R' D R U R' D' B' ...
And cancells into
... ... (18 cancellations)

Like I said, you must have done something stupid to get >8 moves cancellation

 

[Kit Clement]

Like I said, you must have done something stupid to get >8 moves cancellation

If your skeleton is to two twisted corners, cancellations like this are somewhat common. In that case, it just means that you didn't see a different skeleton.

 

[kinch2002]

If your skeleton is to two twisted corners, cancellations like this are somewhat common. In that case, it just means that you didn't see a different skeleton.

Have you got any examples of this? >8 moves, not 8 moves. I can see how 8 movers can be missed during the skeleton, although I think they're all quite possible to find still.

 

[Kit Clement]

Have you got any examples of this? >8 moves, not 8 moves. I can see how 8 movers can be missed during the skeleton, although I think they're all quite possible to find still.

Nope, never >8. I've seen two with 8 move cancellations on scrambles that I've done with others, but they were not my attempt. Never had the chance to work with two twisted myself

 

[irontwig]

I do think Okayama has done a 8+ move cancellation once.

Edit, found it: http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/s...eekly-competition-2010-21&p=385945#post385945