[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

[2180161]

scramble: D' R2 L2 F2 U2 L2 D L2 U2 B2 L' F' R2 U' L F D U2 B2 R2

On inverse, with pre-moves "F' R B' F' U F' U' F' L": z2 x' F' L F2 L' F2 U F U2

So, how would I get the original scramble to have F2L-1 with those moves? Do I need an insertion somewhere?

 

[Brest]

scramble: D' R2 L2 F2 U2 L2 D L2 U2 B2 L' F' R2 U' L F D U2 B2 R2

On inverse, with pre-moves "F' R B' F' U F' U' F' L": z2 x' F' L F2 L' F2 U F U2

So, how would I get the original scramble to have F2L-1 with those moves? Do I need an insertion somewhere?

Remove the rotations.

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

 

[not_kevin]

Is it conventional to simply do two insertions once the next step is OLL (one corner, one edge)?

I don't know so much about convention, because my personal conventions are "aah what is an edge insertion", but in the particular case you had, where you ended up solving OLL with a commutator, it made sense to me to try to find an insertion for them instead - that being said, doing Niklas there is actually not too bad, since it cancels 2.

I know that Ranzha and Jay McNeill like 3c3e endings a lot They've done some voodoo magic with them before.

 

[PenguinsDontFly]

first ever FMC attemp. ridiculous scramble. terrible solution. someone get sub 20 on this plz

D F2 R U2 L U2 F' U B D2 F R2 F R2 B' U2 R2 D2 R2

R U F' U L2 F D' L R' D R B' L' F L B
F' L' F U' F R' F R F' R' F2 R F'
U L' F2 L U' L' U F2 U' L

 

[brandbest1]

Scrambles from Fantabulous Maryland 2015, advice would be appreciated! (My horrendous solutions)

Spoiler: Scramble 1: F L' U F2 L2 B' L F2 L D' B' U2 D2 F2 B2 R L2 D2 B2 U2

Normal:
L' U' R2 F2 B' U' // 2x2x2
B' L2 B2 D2 B' D // 2x2x3
L2 D F D' L F L2 // pseudo F2L-1
F' D * F2 D' F2 D F' D' L ^ // All but 3 corners and 3 edges

Insert at *: [D' ; L' U L]
Insert at ^: L' U' R U L R' F' R' F R

Final solution: L' U' R2 F2 B' U' B' L2 B2 D2 B' D L2 D F D' L F L2 F' L' U L D L' U' L F2 D' F2 D F' D' U' R U L R' F' R' F R (42)

Spoiler: Scramble 2: L' F2 L B2 R D2 L' R2 U2 R2 D F' R2 D R D L U R' B

Normal:
B' R' ^ D' L' // 2x2x2
R' B' U B2 U * B' // wait i forgot what I was trying to do here can someone help

Inverse:
B' R U B' U2 B2 // pseudo 2x2x3
U' R U2 R U' R' B' // all but 3 edges and 3 corners

Insert at *: [R2 ; B L B']
Insert at ^: R2 L2 F R2 F' L2 R2 B R2 B'

Final Solution: B' R L2 F R2 F' L2 R2 B R2 B' D' L' R' B' U' B2 U R2 B L B' R2 B L' B' R U R' U2 R' U B2 U2 B U' R' B (38)

Spoiler: Scramble 3: B L2 D2 F' L2 U2 B F2 U2 L B' U2 L D B' R' F L U' F2

Normal:
F R L' * F2 // 2x2x2
D R' D' B D B2 // pseudo 2x2x3

Inverse:
B2 R B' D2 // F2L-2
R' B R' B' R2 F' R F // F2L-1
R' B R2 B' D' R D R // tripod
B' D B D' // all but 3 edges

Insert at *: L R' F' L' F L' R U' L U

Final Solution: L' F L' R U' L U F2 D R' D' B D B2 D B' D' B R' D' R' D B R2 B' R F' R' F R2 B R B' R D2 B R' B2 (38)

Also let me know if there are typos!

 

[TeddyKGB]

My official 24 from Fantabulous Michigan Competition

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

Spoiler

F' R // 2x2x1
switch to inverse
F' D F' D' // 2x2x1 + 3x2x1
B U' F2 B2 // Pseudo F2L -1
B D' B' // Pseudo F2L
B D R' B R B' D' B' D2 F2 // L3C

Skeleton - F' R @ F2 D2 B D B R' B' R B F2 U B' D F D' F

Insert at @: R2 F' L' F R2 F' L F (2 moves cancel)

Solution - F' R' F' L' F R2 F' L F' D2 B D B R' B' R B F2 U B' D F D' F

 

[G2013]

Help, I forgot NISS

Scramble: U' B' U' F2 L' U' R L F' U' R2 F' U2 B R2 F R2 B L2 U2 D2
Inverse: D2 U2 L2 B' R2 F' R2 B' U2 F R2 U F L' R' U L F2 U B U

Premoves: R' B' (F')

I did this on normal scramble:

R' B' L2 B L2 B' //2x2
F' D' R D2 R2 //2x2x3

Premoves R' B' for that,

then I went to the inverse scramble, so I did all this:

R' B' L2 B L2 B' //2x2
F' D' R D2 R2 //2x2x3

backwards, then I did the inverse scramble, then I did B R (premoves backwards),

I did this on the inverse:

(L D L' F2) //F2L-1

and I added premove F'...

how do I continue?????? If I want to go back, where do I put the premoves, the skeleton, how to I perform those parts, what do I do?

Thank you for your help

 

[ryanj92]

Help, I forgot NISS

Scramble: U' B' U' F2 L' U' R L F' U' R2 F' U2 B R2 F R2 B L2 U2 D2
Inverse: D2 U2 L2 B' R2 F' R2 B' U2 F R2 U F L' R' U L F2 U B U

Premoves: R' B' (F')

I did this on normal scramble:

R' B' L2 B L2 B' //2x2
F' D' R D2 R2 //2x2x3

Premoves R' B' for that,

then I went to the inverse scramble, so I did all this:

R' B' L2 B L2 B' //2x2
F' D' R D2 R2 //2x2x3

backwards, then I did the inverse scramble, then I did B R (premoves backwards),

I did this on the inverse:

(L D L' F2) //F2L-1

and I added premove F'...

how do I continue?????? If I want to go back, where do I put the premoves, the skeleton, how to I perform those parts, what do I do?

Thank you for your help

assuming you added the extra premove right at the beginning, you have a chain which is the following:

F' (2x2x3 moves)' (scramble)' (B R) (L D L' F2)

so now to continue on the regular scramble you have to invert the whole thing, to get

F2 L D' L' R' B' (scramble) (2x2x3 moves) F

if you put the extra premove somewhere else, then you follow a similar process, just write down your steps so far and invert the lot

 

[G2013]

Thanks Ryan

I didn't add the F' anywhere xD I just didn't know where to add it, lol

Thanks again

Spoiler: Weekly Comp

2nd solve of the year, PB, 28 moves, found in less than 20 minutes:

Scramble: R2 F U2 B D2 F B' R D L R2 D2 L U2 B' R' F2 L2 B2 R

Skeleton:
R' B2 - Premoves

D R U2 B2 //2x2 -> Premove B2
D' R' F' D R' //2x2x3 -> Premove R'
F D2 F2 D2 F' D' F D F' //F2L
F' D' R D F D' F' R' F //LL

Final solve: D R U2 B2 D' R' F' D R' F D2 F2 D2 F' D' F D F2 D' R D F D' F' R' F R' B2 (28 HTM)

I just can't believe it. I counted the moves over and over to see if I was mis-counting... It must be 38, I thought... but it's not!!!!!

 

[adimare]

snip

Hmmm not cool

 

[adimare]

Are there any unwritten rules regarding the weekly FMC competition? From the comments in the solutions it's evident that many solvers are using WCA time limits to do their solves, whereas for this week's scramble, for instance, I found the skeleton on Sunday, read up on 5 corner cycle insertions on Monday and applied it, then decided to change the skeleton yesterday and do all but 3 corners using 11 moves instead of all but 5 corners in 5 moves, and I just finished finding a good insertion for the 3 cycle today. I also use alg.cubing.net heavily while finding my solutions, I only use a physical cube to find 3-cycle insertions.

So I guess my question boils down to, is all of that ok?

 

[ch_ts]

Yes, that's OK (if you're talking about this one: https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~dadams/fmc/ ). It's meant to be an informal competition that people can use for whatever purpose they want: trying new techniques, learning from other people's solutions, training for competitions, whatever you want to use it for, while having a little friendly competition. If you feel that you need some extra time for something, for example learning insertions, you can use extra time. If you want to train for a competition setting, you can do that too and restrict yourself to an hour. Just use it for whatever you need from it, and have fun while doing it!

 

[TeddyKGB]

I got a 20 move PB. My last 3 attempts were 23, 29, and 20 for a 24 mean.

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

Spoiler

On inverse
D2 F L' F2 // 2x2x2
B2 R2 D' // Pseudo F2L -1
Switch to normal
R // F2L -1
L B2 L' B2 L B' L' // 3C3E
L' D2 R D R' D2 L D' // Finish

Solution - R L B2 L' B2 L B' L2 D2 R D R' D2 L R2 B2 F2 L F' D2 (20)

 

[2180161]

I got a 20 move PB. My last 3 attempts were 23, 29, and 20 for a 24 mean.

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

Spoiler

On inverse
D2 F L' F2 // 2x2x2
B2 R2 D' // Pseudo F2L -1
Switch to normal
R // F2L -1
L B2 L' B2 L B' L' // 3C3E
L' D2 R D R' D2 L D' // Finish

Solution - R L B2 L' B2 L B' L2 D2 R D R' D2 L R2 B2 F2 L F' D2 (20)

Nice! was that optimal?

EDIT: no it was not optimal, optimal was 17 HTM

 

[spyr0th3dr4g0n]

Irish Championship 2015 FMC Scramble

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

My Attempt:

Spoiler: option

U' R' U' R' D R D' F' D2 F2 //2x2x2 with unaligned block
B' U B' F' U F //XXXCross
U' R B' R' B U //tripod done/6 pieces left? Dunno what to call it
U (cancels with previous U into U2) R' U R //3 edge cycle
R2 *cancels for just a R') F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R' //3 corner alg, standard one too
33 total

Can anyone show me how to find an insertion for the last 3 corners?

 

[Kit Clement]

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

My Attempt:

Spoiler: option

U' R' U' R' D R D' F' D2 F2 //2x2x2 with unaligned block
B' U B' F' U F //XXXCross
U' R B' R' B U //tripod done/6 pieces left? Dunno what to call it
U (cancels with previous U into U2) R' U R //3 edge cycle
R2 *cancels for just a R') F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R' //3 corner alg, standard one too
33 total

Can anyone show me how to find an insertion for the last 3 corners?

Write out your skeleton to 3 corners: U' R' U' R' D R D' F' D2 F2 B' U B' F' * U F U' R B' R' B U2 R' U' R

Now, perform the scramble and your skeleton to get the three corners. Put stickers on the 3 corners to mark where the three pieces need to go. Solve up and re-scramble. Now, one move at a time, examine 8 move commutators to see how you can cancel moves best. At the star above, I found:

F' U B2 U' F U B2 U'

This cancels 3 for a 30 move solution. Just checked with IF (good tool for practicing insertions), and this is indeed optimal for the skeleton: http://mf.qiyuuu.com/cube/if/6a810f229488a5e3d61c5a462a266788.cube

 

[spyr0th3dr4g0n]

Write out your skeleton to 3 corners: U' R' U' R' D R D' F' D2 F2 B' U B' F' * U F U' R B' R' B U2 R' U' R

Now, perform the scramble and your skeleton to get the three corners. Put stickers on the 3 corners to mark where the three pieces need to go. Solve up and re-scramble. Now, one move at a time, examine 8 move commutators to see how you can cancel moves best. At the star above, I found:

F' U B2 U' F U B2 U'

This cancels 3 for a 30 move solution. Just checked with IF (good tool for practicing insertions), and this is indeed optimal for the skeleton: http://mf.qiyuuu.com/cube/if/6a810f229488a5e3d61c5a462a266788.cube

What do you look for generally when looking for 8 move commutators?

How would you indicate which direct the cycle should be in?

Thanks for the reply

 

[Kit Clement]

What do you look for generally when looking for 8 move commutators?

How would you indicate which direct the cycle should be in?

Thanks for the reply

I usually mark for L3C 1-2-3 such that 1 needs to go to 2, 2 needs to go to 3, and 3 needs to go to 1. When I'm searching for comms, I look for one move that will replace one sticker with another, this can act as the interchange move. Then, I check for 3 move inserts that can put the third sticker (needs to be in in opposite layer) into one the place of one of the two interchange stickers. Whether you do the insert or the interchange first depends on the numbers -- if the insert will do the correct replacement (e.g. 2 replacing 3) then you do the insert, interchange, inverse of insert, inverse of interchange. Otherwise, you do the opposite.

Hope this helps!

 

[Julian]

Last 3 FMC: 26, 25, 28 = 26.33
Moves in brackets are done on the inverse.

Spoiler: 26

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

(B2 R B' D2) // 2x2x2 + 2 pairs
R2 F2 // 2x2x3 + pair
B U' B' (U) // F2L-1
R F' U F U' R U' R2 U R // L3C

R2 F2
B U' B'
R F' U F U' R U' R2 U R
U' D2 . B R' B2

Insert U' F U B' U' F' U B at . cancelling 2 moves.

Spoiler: 25

R2 D' L2 R2 U F2 L2 U' F2 U' B2 R' F U' L2 D B F2 R2 U'

(B') // pair
R2 F B2 D L D // 2x2x3
F' U' // pseudo F2L-1
D R D' (F) // F2L
D R2 D' R' D R' D' R' // L3E

R2 F B2 D L D
F' U' . D R' D' R' D R' D' R'
F' B

Insert U F' U' B' F R F R' B F' at . cancelling 3 moves.

Insertion Finder says 22 was possible :/ I don't know how I would have seen that though.

Spoiler: 28

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

F U2 R B L' F2 // 2x2x2
B' R U R2 // 2x2x3
B' U' B // F2L-1
U B U B' // F2L
F R2 B' R' B R' F' U // L3C

F U2 R B L' F2
B' R U R2
B' U' B
U B U F .
B' R2 B' R' B R' F' U

Insert F' U' B2 U F U' B2 U at . cancelling 5 moves.

Also, I tried out the so-called "hardest scramble", and got a (very lucky) 31
As you can tell by the first line, the attempt didn't start out very seriously

Spoiler: 31

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

B R F U L B .. D // cross + pair
U2 B L' U' L // xcross + pair
B2 R . U2 R' U R B R' // F2L-1 + free pair
U B' U' B U' // 2 flipped edges

Insert R' B2 R L' D2 L at . cancelling 6 moves
Insert B' L' B L F' B D' B' D F at .. cancelling 4 moves.

Solution: B R F U B L F' B D' B' D F D U2 B L' U' R D2 L U2 R' U R B R' U B' U' B U' (31)

A lot of fewest moves...

 

[mycube]

I just thought it could be interesting for some people to see my 22 move solution from Franconia Open 2015 It's a really cool scramble!

Scramble:
F' L2 U2 L B R2 F2 U L2 F2 D2 F' D2 B U2 B2 L2 U2
inverse scramble: U2 L2 B2 U2 B' D2 F D2 F2 L2 U' F2 R2 B' L' U2 L2 F

Solve on inverse:
F2 B2 R' (*) D' F2 U2 - 2x2x2 and many pairs
now you could get a 2x2x3 with two moves: B' R', but I was more interested in this one:
D' R2 D2 B D B2 - F2L-1
R2 D R D' - Finish to 3 corners in 16 moves

insert at (*): L U L' D' L U' L' D to get a 22 move solution. Too bad that there were only an insertion with 2 move cancellation

inverse solution: F2 B2 R' L U L' D' L U' L' F2 U2 D' R2 D2 B D B2 R2 D R D'

Maybe it was a bit lucky, but it was pretty cool found in about 10 minutes, I spend 15 more minutes but after I was not able to find anything else I took this solution