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[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

I was doing a casual solve at home with this scramble: R’ U’ F R2 D2 F2 U2 L' B2 R U2 L2 U2 F2 U2 F U' R2 B2 D2 F' D R' R’ U’ F
Then I found this really nice F2L-1
R L2 F2 U B R (L’ D’ F’ D’) D
Can anyone find a good continuation from this? I did U L U’ L F’ L2 F to L4C and got 28(IF says 23 is optimal, now I regret not searching more thoroughly), but I wanna see what people that are way better than me can do :D

I'm not that good at FMC, so I don't know, but I got a 32 (PB) which is pretty cool.

Scramble: R' U' F L U R' U2 R2 U F2 D F2 R2 U B2 U2 R2 F D' L U2 B2 D2 B' R' U' F

Skeleton: L' U' R F' R' D F2 U2 R B2 * R U' B R2 F R' F' U2 R B' R' B2 U' B' U' F

Insertion: D' L D R D' L' D R' (Cancels two moves)

Final Solution: L' U' R F' R' D F2 U2 R B2 D' L D R D' L' D U' B R2 F R' F' U2 R B' R' B2 U' B' U' F (32)

First solve using premoves, insertions and NISS. Former PB was 37 with blockbuilding LL skip.
Edit: Optimal insertion was 31.
 
I was doing a casual solve at home with this scramble: R’ U’ F R2 D2 F2 U2 L' B2 R U2 L2 U2 F2 U2 F U' R2 B2 D2 F' D R' R’ U’ F
Then I found this really nice F2L-1
R L2 F2 U B R (L’ D’ F’ D’) D
Can anyone find a good continuation from this? I did U L U’ L F’ L2 F to L4C and got 28(IF says 23 is optimal, now I regret not searching more thoroughly), but I wanna see what people that are way better than me can do :D
U L' U' does give 3 twisted corners and 3 edges, but i doubt it's better :p
 
24.00 official FMC mean with 19 single! Finally sub25!
Done at Ayase Autumn.

1st 26
Scramble: R' U' F U2 L' U2 L F2 L F2 L B2 D U2 B2 L2 D L' F' D' L2 F' D' R' U' F

R L2 U // EO
(L U2 L') // 122
(B' R D2 R F) // 222+122
(L' B2 L' B') // 5c

sk: R L2 U B * L B2 L F' R' D2 R' B L U2 L'
*: [B' L F2 ** L' B L F2 L']
**: [B2 L F L' B2 L F' L']

Final: R L2 U L F2 B2 L F L' B2 L F' L2 B L F2 B2 L F' R' D2 R' B L U2 L' (26)

2nd 19
Scramble: R' U' F L2 U L2 U2 F2 D' B2 L2 B' R2 U2 F U2 R D R F R2 D U R' U' F

(L F) // EO
(U' B2 R' U' L) // 2 square
(F2 R' U F2) // 222
(U' R U' R) // more 221 and DR!?
(U R2 U' B2) // Finish

Final: B2 U R2 U' R' U R' U F2 U' R F2 L' U R B2 U F' L' (19)

comment:
I found this in 10 minute, so I left the room immidiately.

3rd 27
Scramble: R' U' F U F2 R2 U F2 L2 U' L' D2 L' D' B2 R U B R U2 L U' R' U' F

(D' U2 F) // EO
L2 U2 D2 B2 R // 222
D L' D' L // 223
(D R' D2 R) // F2L-1
(R L D' L' D R' D2) // 3c

sk: L2 U2 D2 B2 R D L' D' L D2 R * D' L D L' R2 D2 R D' F' U2 D
*: [L' U L D' L' U' L D]

Final: L2 U2 D2 B2 R D L' D' L D2 R L' U L D' L' U' L2 D L' R2 D2 R D' F' U2 D (27)

comment:
This scramble looks like easy, but I couldn't find sub25 solution. Arifumi Fushimi found 23moves with same EO.
 
24.00 official FMC mean with 19 single! Finally sub25!
Done at Ayase Autumn.
1st 26
Scramble: R' U' F U2 L' U2 L F2 L F2 L B2 D U2 B2 L2 D L' F' D' L2 F' D' R' U' F

R L2 U // EO
(L U2 L') // 122
(B' R D2 R F) // 222+122
(L' B2 L' B') // 5c

sk: R L2 U B * L B2 L F' R' D2 R' B L U2 L'
*: [B' L F2 ** L' B L F2 L']
**: [B2 L F L' B2 L F' L']

Final: R L2 U L F2 B2 L F L' B2 L F' L2 B L F2 B2 L F' R' D2 R' B L U2 L' (26)

2nd 19
Scramble: R' U' F L2 U L2 U2 F2 D' B2 L2 B' R2 U2 F U2 R D R F R2 D U R' U' F

(L F) // EO
(U' B2 R' U' L) // 2 square
(F2 R' U F2) // 222
(U' R U' R) // more 221 and DR!?
(U R2 U' B2) // Finish

Final: B2 U R2 U' R' U R' U F2 U' R F2 L' U R B2 U F' L' (19)

comment:
I found this in 10 minute, so I left the room immidiately.

3rd 27
Scramble: R' U' F U F2 R2 U F2 L2 U' L' D2 L' D' B2 R U B R U2 L U' R' U' F

(D' U2 F) // EO
L2 U2 D2 B2 R // 222
D L' D' L // 223
(D R' D2 R) // F2L-1
(R L D' L' D R' D2) // 3c

sk: L2 U2 D2 B2 R D L' D' L D2 R * D' L D L' R2 D2 R D' F' U2 D
*: [L' U L D' L' U' L D]

Final: L2 U2 D2 B2 R D L' D' L D2 R L' U L D' L' U' L2 D L' R2 D2 R D' F' U2 D (27)

comment:
This scramble looks like easy, but I couldn't find sub25 solution. Arifumi Fushimi found 23moves with same EO.
Huge congrats uesyuu! You really deserve to get the results.

nice! @okayama come back :p
Hopefully ;)
 
From current reddit weekly comp (im giving up getting a mo3 because this scramble is making me lose my mind)
There's a 3 move CO - L' U' L - but i can't get DR. I've looked at lots of options but there's always an odd number of misoreinted edges in the E layer which makes it hard to get DR. Maybe i may have missed some good continuations

If you do CO first, should EO or E-layer edges next be more important?

Edit: i posted the wrong scramble, updated
 
Last edited:
From current reddit weekly comp (im giving up getting a mo3 because this scramble is making me lose my mind)
There's a 3 move CO - L' U' L - but i can't get DR. I've looked at lots of options but there's always an odd number of misoreinted edges in the E layer which makes it hard to get DR. Maybe i may have missed some good continuations

If you do CO first, should EO or E-layer edges next be more important?
I went through the scramble and tried L' U' L, but it doesn't solve CO.... Am I doing something wrong?

Using a completely different approach this is what I found:
R' B // SQ (2/2)
F' // EO (1/3)
R' // ps222 (1/4)
D' // SQ (1/5)
L D' // DR-4c4e (2/7)
L B2 D // DR (3/10)
R L D2 L' // All DR's (4/14)
F' U2 B' R2 // Good stuff (4/18)
B2 U2 B' R2 F B2 // Finish (6/24)
Solution: R' B F' R' D' L D' L B2 D R L D2 L' F' U2 B' R2 B2 U2 B' R2 F B2 (24)
I do have to say that is a pretty easy scramble.

As for your question about continuing CO-first, I'd say do EO and then E-edges, as long as don't have a ton of bad edges.
 
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I went through the scramble and tried L' U' L, but it doesn't solve CO.... Am I doing something wrong?

Using a completely different approach this is what I found:
R' B // SQ (2/2)
F' // EO (1/3)
R' // ps222 (1/4)
D' // SQ (1/5)
L D' // DR-4c4e (2/7)
L B2 D // DR (3/10)
R L D2 L' // All DR's (4/14)
F' U2 B' R2 // Good stuff (4/18)
B2 U2 B' R2 F B2 // Finish (6/24)
Solution: R' B F' R' D' L D' L B2 D R L D2 L' F' U2 B' R2 B2 U2 B' R2 F B2 (24)
I do have to say that is a pretty easy scramble.

As for your question about continuing CO-first, I'd say do EO and then E-edges, as long as don't have a ton of bad edges.

Oops wrong scramble, here's the 2nd and correct scramble
R' U' F L F' L' B U' D2 L2 F' U F2 U R2 D L2 U' D2 B2 L2 U R' U' F
 
Last edited:
First scramble of last week's forum weekly:

Scramble: R' U' F R2 U2 L2 D R2 U' R2 U R2 B2 F2 L U R' B F' L F' L2 D' R' U' F

Solution (26): R2 U F U2 D2 F D2 F B D2 B' D' F2 D B D2 B' D F' D2 F2 L2 U' L' U' D2

(D2 U L) // EO (3/3)
U F U2 // two squares (3/6)
(U L2 F2 D2 F' D' F2) // 223 + three pairs (7/13)
D2 F D2 F' // ab4c4e (2-cycles) (4−1/16)

skeleton:
@ U F U2 D2 F D2 F # D F D2 F2 L2 U' L' U' D2
@ = R2 // edges; ab3c3c (1/17)
# = B D $ F2 D' B' D F2 D' // ab3c (8−3/22)
$ = D B' D' F2 D B D' F2 // finish (8−4/26)

First time I used a single half turn as an insertion (without any setup moves), I think. Spent probably too much time on trying to insert setup moves to solve all the pieces at once, then I gave up and did the two 3-cycles. 26 moves matches what Insertion Finder could find on default settings.

(Third scramble also went pretty well for me, although that was kinda just luck and it's not really noteworthy. I see @WoowyBaby found the same start as me but used it to get a 3e skeleton and had a nicer insertion.)
 
From current reddit weekly comp (im giving up getting a mo3 because this scramble is making me lose my mind)
There's a 3 move CO - L' U' L - but i can't get DR. I've looked at lots of options but there's always an odd number of misoreinted edges in the E layer which makes it hard to get DR. Maybe i may have missed some good continuations

If you do CO first, should EO or E-layer edges next be more important?

Edit: i posted the wrong scramble, updated

I would go for EO first, usually. Even without going for full DR, corner first skeletons with EO can give nice insertions.

In your case I can modify your CO:

[S,L'] //EO, cancels 2
L' [U R': S2] //Adjust E-layer edges, cancels 1
U' L //DR in 12

Simplified: B F' D' B' F U R' B2 F2 L D2 R (using this script)

and then corners are very easy to solve: D2 L2 D' F2 D (you could see this before messing around with edges).
You can also just start with B F' D' B' F U L, which gives CO + EO. Then you solve corners and then edges with insertions (of course solving some edges while solving corners makes your life easier).
 
I got a DR solve of 45.
I know it's good for a start, but I might need critiquing on it a little (or a lot)
Here's the solve:

F R F D F' (5/5) // EO
U2 D' L D L' (5/10) // Preserve + Pseudo 2x2x2 Block
D R' D R D (4/14) // Insert FR edge + Setup to WV alg
R U2 L' U' L U2 R' (7/21) // mirrored WV + inadvertent 2x2x2 Block
D' R2 D2 R2 D2 (5/26) // 2x2x3 Block [wrong way]
D' R2 D (3/29) // Extension to 2x2x3 Block [pretty much a 2x2x3 Block that's the right way]
U R2 U' R2 (4/33) // 3x3x2 Block [basically finishing F2L]
R' U R' U' B' R' B2 U' B' U B' R B R (14/47) // PLL with a V Perm

Solution: F R F D F' U2 D' L D L' D R' D R D R U2 L' U' L U2 R' D' R2 D2 R2 D R2 D U R2 U' R U R' U' B' R' B2 U' B' U B' R B R
47 moves
-2 cancellations
_________________
45 moves

I'm trying to get sub-30 on FMC, and I just need to know how to get better at efficiency. I know NISS, but I couldn't get any good solutions with it, so if you have any other tips please let me know.
Thanks!

-White KB
 
I thought it was DR. Maybe you could do a *real* DR solve for that scramble?
'Cause I'm confused now...
I'm very inexperienced with DR and I don't have the time to do a whole solve today but here's a DR I found in about 5 minutes:

F (U' B R' B) // EO, DR-2e5c (5/5)
(D L') // Change some corner orientations, DR-2e4c now (setup to one move) (2/7)
(R2 U L2 D' R2 U) // Setup pieces (6/13)
(L) // DR (1/14)

What the cube looks like now is what's actually referred to as "DR" or "Domino Reduction". Edge orientation is done, but also corner orientation and E-layer edges placed into the E-layer. It looks like you've already found the guide, but my guess is you didn't read far enough. Feel free to ask questions here anytime though!
 
I thought it was DR. Maybe you could do a *real* DR solve for that scramble?
'Cause I'm confused now...
DR stands for Domino Reduction which reduces the cube to the moveset R2, L2, U, D, F2, B2 (or rotations of that). Try it out, apply some moves within that moveset and you'll notice that white and yellow will always be on top and bottom. Domino Reduction (DR) is EO on two axis and CO on one.

Using your scramble, this is what I found:
F R F D F' // EO+SQ (5/5)
U R' // DR-4c2e (2/7)
F2 D' R2 U' R' // DR (5/12)

For more general info about Domino Reduction, see 'A Domino Reduction Guide' by Alexandros Fokianos & Tommaso Raposio. It's a really great resource and can help you solve to domino effectively, I highly recommend a read of it.
 
Hello everybody;),I have a few questions about DR.
1.What should I do after I finish DR?
such as:
R' U' F D' R2 F2 D' B2 D2 U B2 F2 U' L' D F D L2 B2 U R B2 F2 U' R' U' F
(F L' D' R2 B' R)//EO(6/6)
D2 F U F //DR(4/10)

R' U' F D U L2 U' R2 D' L2 B2 U' F2 L' F L D2 R B' F2 D' U' L F2 R' U' F
(R2 B' D) //EO(3/3)
(F' B' R) // (3/6)
B2 L2 F' B2 L B' L //DR(7/13)

R' U' F D2 F2 D' F2 U2 F2 L2 D2 F2 L2 R' D2 B U2 F R D2 R' B2 R' D2 R' U' F
(R2 U R D2 F' U2 B' D' B)//DR(9/9)

2.How to understand using middle layer insert to solve Edge cycle?

3.How can I better understand the formulas for 2e2e, 5e, 3e...or just memorize them?
 
19 tied pb single (3rd 19)

R' U' F B2 L2 B F2 R2 B' L2 D2 L2 R2 B' U R F U L U2 B2 U' F2 U R' U' F

U R2 F // EO
@ R2 D2 F2 D2 L U' // Domino
R2 F2 R D2 R2 F2 L' D2 // 17 to 2e2e

@ = D2 F2 L2 U2 L2 F2 D2 R2 // 8-6 wth

Solution: U R2 F D2 F2 L2 U2 L2 D2 L U' R2 F2 R D2 R2 F2 L' D2 (19)
 
Hello everybody;),I have a few questions about DR.
1.What should I do after I finish DR?
such as:
R' U' F D' R2 F2 D' B2 D2 U B2 F2 U' L' D F D L2 B2 U R B2 F2 U' R' U' F
(F L' D' R2 B' R)//EO(6/6)
D2 F U F //DR(4/10)

R' U' F D U L2 U' R2 D' L2 B2 U' F2 L' F L D2 R B' F2 D' U' L F2 R' U' F
(R2 B' D) //EO(3/3)
(F' B' R) // (3/6)
B2 L2 F' B2 L B' L //DR(7/13)

R' U' F D2 F2 D' F2 U2 F2 L2 D2 F2 L2 R' D2 B U2 F R D2 R' B2 R' D2 R' U' F
(R2 U R D2 F' U2 B' D' B)//DR(9/9)

2.How to understand using middle layer insert to solve Edge cycle?

3.How can I better understand the formulas for 2e2e, 5e, 3e...or just memorize them?

1. There are different approaches, it depends on the situation. I think what is usually the best is to solve all corners and as many edges as possible, and finish with edge insertion. But this is not always easy.
Another common option is to do "blockbuilding" and try to finish directly or leave a few pieces unsolve, like in a normal solve.
I have tried your first scramble:

R' U' F D' R2 F2 D' B2 D2 U B2 F2 U' L' D F D L2 B2 U R B2 F2 U' R' U' F
(F L' D' R2 B' R)//EO(6/6)
D2 F U F //DR(4/10)

R2 U' F2 //One square and many pairs (3/13)
R2 [2] //2 other squares (1/14)

Up to here it was promising, but then I had to break some blocks to go on:

F2 L2 D' L2 [1] U B2 U2 //2e4e (7/21)

The skeleton is not incredibly good. But, as often happens with DR, the insertions are very nice:

[1] = L2 D2 L2 U2 R2 U2 (6-4/23)
[2] = R2 B2 U B2 R2 F2 D F2 (8-4/27)

Maybe later I will try the other two. If I do I will edit this post.

2. I assume you are referring to what they also call "slicey shenanigans" or "free slices". The way I see it is this: a move like M2 solves a 2e2e (double swap of edges) case (ignoring centers). Just like you solve 5c (5 corners) using 2 commutators, you can solve different cycles of edges (for example 2e4e etc) using this special "2e2e" cycles. When I insert a slice move like this, I try to always solve at least one more edge. If you do more than one insertion, the first ones tend to be easy and you can even cancel moves (you have more freedom), but for the last ones sometimes you are not lucky and you need setup moves. This is a solve I did last night:
R' U' F D' F2 L2 R2 U' R2 D2 L2 U2 F' R' U B' L' D' F' U' L2 U2 F R' U' F

B' R' L2 F U //EO (5/5)
(F2 L F2 L B' L2 B) //DR (7/12)
(R F2 R F2 R' B2) //7e (6/18)

Skeleton: B' R' L2 F U B2 R F2 [2] R' F2 R' B' L2 B [3] L' F2 L' [1] F2 [4]

[1] = S2 (2-2)
[2] = S2 (2-2)
[3] = S2 (2-1) (2e2e4x in 19)
[4] = [L2 U2 R: S2] (8) :(

Solution: B' R' L2 F U B2 R B2 L' F2 L' B' R2 B' F2 L' F2 L' B2 R2 D2 L' F2 B2 R U2 L2 (27)

3. Some of the are easy to understand (for example commutators), but some others are hard to understand. There are many 2e2e cycles that I don't understand and I have just memorized (for example F2 L2 U R2 B2 L2 D R2), but sometimes I forget them :(
I hope someone else has a better answer for this.
 
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