[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

[Robert-Y]

I retried the first FMC scramble of Euros 2016

Normal scramble: R' U' F R2 F U2 L2 B2 U2 B2 U2 B U' R2 U F2 L' D L2 R' U B R' U' F
Inverse scramble: F' U R B' U' R L2 D' L F2 U' R2 U B' U2 B2 U2 B2 L2 U2 F' R2 F' U R

2x2x3 on inverse: (B2 F' U' L R F' L2 {B*} R F)

I was trying to get sub 27 (27 is the best result so far). The move in curly braces is just a move that can be inserted into the 2x2x3 but isn't actually part of the 2x2x3. Can anyone finish this for me?

 

[Hssandwich]

I retried the first FMC scramble of Euros 2016

Normal scramble: R' U' F R2 F U2 L2 B2 U2 B2 U2 B U' R2 U F2 L' D L2 R' U B R' U' F
Inverse scramble: F' U R B' U' R L2 D' L F2 U' R2 U B' U2 B2 U2 B2 L2 U2 F' R2 F' U R

2x2x3 on inverse: (B2 F' U' L R F' L2 {B*} R F)

I was trying to get sub 27 (27 is the best result so far). The move in curly braces is just a move that can be inserted into the 2x2x3 but isn't actually part of the 2x2x3. Can anyone finish this for me?

(B2 F' U' L R F' L2 R F) //223 9/9
(B' D2 B D) //Pseudo F2L-1 4/13
From here I tried:
(B' R' B' R) //F2L-1+tripod block 4/17
And
D2 (B' R' B' R) // F2L-1 + tripod block

But to no avail, someone may be able to make something of this.

 

[Cale S]

fun insertion from the example solve thread

scramble: R' D F2 U R' D B L2 B' U2 R2 D F2 B2 U L2 F2 U' L2 U'

R' // square
(D R) // roux block
(D2 B2 D' F2) // xxcross
R' L U' L' R (U2 R' U' R U) // to 5 twisted pieces

R2 L U' L' R U' @ R' U R U2 F2 D B2 D2 R' D'

@ = U' L U2 F U F2 L F L2 U2 // yay

Final solution: R2 L U' L' R U2 L U2 F U F2 L F L2 U2 R' U R U2 F2 D B2 D2 R' D'
25 moves

 

[CyanSandwich]

fun insertion from the example solve thread

scramble: R' D F2 U R' D B L2 B' U2 R2 D F2 B2 U L2 F2 U' L2 U'

R' // square
(D R) // roux block
(D2 B2 D' F2) // xxcross
R' L U' L' R (U2 R' U' R U) // to 5 twisted pieces

R2 L U' L' R U' @ R' U R U2 F2 D B2 D2 R' D'

@ = U' L U2 F U F2 L F L2 U2 // yay

Final solution: R2 L U' L' R U2 L U2 F U F2 L F L2 U2 R' U R U2 F2 D B2 D2 R' D'
25 moves

Crazy. Have you learned a bunch of algs for twisting corners+edges / how did you come up with that?

 

[irontwig]

Crazy. Have you learned a bunch of algs for twisting corners+edges / how did you come up with that?

You can view it as a conjugate of a well known LL case, although I would have done it as U' B2 R B R2 U R U2 B U2. That alternative version could come in handy if it cancels more moves, though.

 

[Cale S]

Crazy. Have you learned a bunch of algs for twisting corners+edges / how did you come up with that?

The ones I know are R U R2 F R F2 U F U2 and R U R' U F2 L F L' F U2, and I look at setups and variations of those

 

[okayama]

My solution from Kanto Summer 2016 (got 2nd place).
Shuto Ueno got 1st place with 28 moves. Congrats!

Scramble: R' U' F U' B2 U' B2 U' B2 R2 B' R' D2 U F R2 B R B D L2 F2 R' U' F
Solution: D2 F2 B' U' B2 U' L U L2 U L D L' U' L F' L F L U2 L' F D2 F' L U2 L' F D2 (29 moves)

Spoiler

Firstly I found the following start:

2x2x1 block: D2 F2
2x2x2 block: B D
F2L minus 1 slot: U2 L2 U F' L F L F

but I couldn't find any good continuation.
L' leaves 4 corners and 3 edges, but I couldn't manage it.

In the remaining time, I found the following skeleton.

1st square: D2 F2
2nd square: B' U' B2 U' L
3rd square: U L' * D
All but 3CP+2CO: F' L + F2

Insert at *: L' U L D L' U' L D'

For the remaining 2CO, I don't have enough time, so I add

Twist 2 corners: (F' L U2 L' F D2)x2

at the end of the skeleton. But if I moved back 1 move, I should have found

Insert at +: (L2 F D' R2 D F')x2

which results in 28 moves.

IF says optimal insertions give 26 moves.

I found another 28-move solution, not difficult, which also should have been found in 1-hour...

1st square: D2 F2
2nd square: B' U' B2 U' L
3rd square: U L' F' D
4th square: F' D' F2 D
Finish F2L: F L
LL: U' F D' F' U D F2 D' F' D F

 

[uesyuu]

My winning solution from Kanto Summer 2016.

scramble: R' U' F U' B2 U' B2 U' B2 R2 B' R' D2 U F R2 B R B D L2 F2 R' U' F
solution: D2 F2 B' R L B' R B' L2 B R2 B' L2 B2 L' B2 L' R B R' L U' F U F' D F U' (28moves)

Spoiler

normal
premove: D F
222: D2 F2

switch to inverse
222: U F' D'
223: F U' F'
F2L-1: U L' R B' R' L
L4C: B R B R' B

skeleton: D2 F2 B' R B' R' * B' L' R B R' L U' F U F' D F U'
inserted at * = R B L B' R' + B L' B'
inserted at + = R2 B' L2 B R2 B' L2 B

 

[Cale S]

official 23 at US Nationals
finally beat my first official attempt

Spoiler

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

(U) U' // square
(D' F' D) // extend to roux block + square out of nowhere
B // another square
R B2 // Blocks™
(U' B' U' B F') F' // F2L
(F' D2 B R' B R B2 D2 F L') // ZBLL

Final solution: U' B R B2 F' L F' D2 B2 R' B' R B' D2 F2 B' U B U D' F D U' (23)

my first attempt:

Spoiler

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

(U) F' L' B2 D // EO + 4 pairs
F' L2 B R' B (D2 R') // blocks
D2 F L2 F' L' D2 // to L4C

F' L' B2 D F' L2 B @ R' B D2 F L2 F' L' D2 R D2 # U'
@ = [B, L F' L']
# = [R, U L2 U']

Final solution: F' L' B2 D F' L' F' L' B L F L' R' B D2 F L2 F' L' D2 R D2 R U L2 U' R U' L2 U2
30 moves

terrible insertions
optimal insertions are 28

 

[Ranzha]

My solutions from US Nationals 2016:

Moves in parentheses are on inverse.

1. R' U' F L' B2 R' U2 L2 R2 F2 R B' L2 B D R' D2 B' D U F2 U2 R' U' F (27)

Spoiler

Cool thing that led nowhere fast:
U F2 L U B // 2x2x2 [5]
R F U D R' D' U // F2L-1 missing an edge [7/12]

What I then worked with:
U F2 L U B // 2x2x2 [5]
(R F' R2) // 2 pairs?!?! [3/8]
F2 R U' F' // square [4/12]
U R U R' F2 U // 3c2e twisted [6/18]

Skeleton: U F2 L U B F2 R U' F' U R U (1) R' F2 U R2 F R'
Insertion (1): D' F' D2 R' D' R2 F' R' F2
Note: possible alternate insertion F2 U' F' U2 L' U' L2 F' L' at the same point

Insertion Finder can't do these kinds of insertions apparently. This is one of the only times that it's paid to know the 6- to 9-move LL set.

Final: U F2 L U B F2 R U' F' U R U D' F' D2 R' D' R2 F' R' F2 R' F2 U R2 F R' (27)

2. R' U' F L2 R2 D2 L2 U' R2 F2 U L2 F' U2 L' F2 D R2 B' L' R' D' F' R' U' F (26)

Spoiler

(D' B D U B) // 2x2x2 [5]
(D2 L' D L2) // square [4/9]
(B D B' D2 U' F' U F') // Good 6 corners [8/17]

Skeleton: (D' B D U B D2 (1) L' D L2 B D B' D2 U' F' U F')
Insertion (1): ([D R D', L']) // cancels 5
New skeleton: (D' B D U B D' R (2) D' L' D R' L2 B D B' D2 U' F' U F') [20]
Insertion (2): ([L', D' R D]) // cancels 2

Optimal insertions!

Final: F U' F U D2 B D' B' L2 R D' L R D L' D' R' D L R' D B' U' D' B' D (26)

3. R' U' F D U2 R2 B2 U2 R2 F2 R2 U B D B2 R F' L2 D' L' R B2 F' R' U' F (32)

Spoiler

Stuff I found at the beginning:
(U F' L D') // ps2x2x2 [4]
L' F U2 F' D2 // ps2x2x3 [5/9]
(D) // cancel the pseudo! [1-2/8]

Stuff I tried working with for the majority of the time:
L' F U2 F' D2 // [5]
(U' F U') // square [3/8]
Here I had a few options, namely:
- (F U' F' L F2) // this turned out being awful [5/13]
- (F U' F' L F) // [5/13]
- (F2 U' F' L F) // [5/13]
I tried not solving the square (i.e. psF2L-1), but didn't have enough time/focus to explore everything.

So at 49 minutes and no skeleton, I worked with my backup skeleton:
(U F' L D') // ps2x2x2 [4]
L' F U2 F' D2 // ps2x2x3 [5/9]
(D) // cancel the pseudo! [1-2/8]
(U2 F2 U F' U2 F2) // F2L-1 [6/14]
(U' R U2 R' F' U F R U' R' U) // ab3e [11/25]

Skeleton: L' F U2 F' D2 U' R U R' F' U' F R U2 R' U (1) F2 U2 F U' F2 U2 L' F U'
Insertion (1): L2 D2 R2 B R2 D2 L2 F // cancels 1

Final: L' F U2 F' D2 U' R U R' F' U' F R U2 R' U L2 D2 R2 B R2 D2 L2 F' U2 F U' F2 U2 L' F U' (32)

 

[Chree]

Just curious if anyone's tried this before:

Finding your PB distance from optimal.

For instance, if your find a 32 move solution on a cube that's a scramble that was a 17 move optimal cube state, your distance from optimal was 15.

You could do a sum/mean as well:
42 moves on 15 optimal. Distance: 27.
38 moves on 18 optimal. Distance: 20.
35 moves on 13 optimal. Distance: 22.
Sum of distance: 69.
Mean of distance: 23.

 

[BboyArchon]

Scramble from Euros (don't remember which one)

SCRAMBLE: R' U' F L' R U2 B2 F2 R' D2 R2 F2 L F D' B' U2 L F' U R' B2 F' U R' U' F
SOLUTION: F' R F' U D2 B' L2 B U B' F' U' R' F2 B U2 B' U' B U' B2 R B2 U B' U' R' U L' U' L (31 moves)

Premoves: L' U L (3/3)
Starting 2X2X2: F' R F' U D2 (single insertion) B' L2 (7/10)
F2L-1: B U B' F' U' R' F2 (7/17)
Ending: B U2 B' U' B U' B2 R B2 U B' U' R' U (14/31) (pair + cancellation into F sexy F' and Pll skip)

Any tips or other ways to do this scramble? Thanks ^^

 

[Bubtore]

My solution on the 2nd scramble at European champs :

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

F' B R' // EO
(R2 U' F U) // P223
F2 D2 // 223
(B2 L2 B L2) // F2L-1
(B D' B2 D B') // 2E2C

Skel // F' B R' F2 D2 B D' B2 D B' L2 B' L2 B2 U' * F' U R2 - 18
* U B U B' U R2 D' F D R2 U (11-3)

Solution // F' B R' F2 D2 B D' B2 D B' L2 B' L2 B' U B' U R2 D' F D R2 U F' U R2 - 26

The other 2 attempts weren't that good nor special to share them

 

[brandbest1]

FMC PB!!! Sub-30 we're getting there...

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

U' R D' B D L2 B' U2 // 2x2x3 (8)
D' L2 D // stuff (3)
(inverse) D' L2 D2 F2 D' L F L2 // all but 5 corners (8)

Skeleton: U' R D' B D L2 B' U2 D' L2 D L2 F' L' D * F2 ^ D2 L2 D (19)

Insert at *: D' R U' R' D R U R'
Insert at ^: F D B2 D' F' D B2 D'

Final solution: U' R D' B D L2 B' U2 D' L2 D L2 F' L' R U' R' D R U R' F' D B2 D' F' D B2 D L2 D (31)

Could've spent more time looking for much better insertions but I got lazy...

 

[TheDubDubJr]

My FMC solutions from US Nationals 2016.
Congrats to Brandon, Cale and Mark for Finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd on a very close Podium.

If I could say 1 word on my attemps, especially on my 3rd attempt, I would call them "unlucky" on both cancellations and choice of skeletons.

Spoiler: Attempt #1 - 30

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

start on normal
n: U F2 L U B // 2x2x2
U' F U' R // PS 2x2x3
switch
i: R' // fix PS
L F' L' U // PS F2L-1
F2 U F' U' F R' F2 R F U2 // 24 to L3C

Skeleton: U F2 L U B U' F U' R U2 F' R' F2 R F' U F U' F2 ([2] F2 L' B L F2 L' B' L) U' L F L' R

Final: U F2 L U B U' F U' R U2 F' R' F2 R F' U F U' L' B L F2 L' B' L U' L F L' R (30)

Optimal Insertions
This was an insanely hard scramble. EO was absolute crap.

Spoiler: Attempt #2 - 29

n: R' U' F L2 R2 D2 L2 U' R2 F2 U L2 F' U2 L' F2 D R2 B' L' R' D' F' R' U' F
i: F' U R F D R L B R2 D' F2 L U2 F L2 U' F2 R2 U L2 D2 R2 L2 F' U R

start on normal
n: F D' U' // EO + 1 pair
B2 // PS 2x2x2
switch
i: L' B' // Fix PS
F' L' F2 L D2 L' B' L2 B L' D2 // 17 to L5C

Skeleton: F D' U' B2 D2 L ([2]234 D B' U2 B D' B' U2 B) B' L2 B L D2 L' F2 L ([2]512 R2 F' L F R2 F' L' F) F' B L

Final: F D' U' B2 D2 L D B' U2 B D' B' U2 L2 B L D2 L' F2 L R2 F' L F R2 F' L' B L (29)

Optimal Insertions on this 17 to L5C. I also checked nested on all insertions to make sure there wasn't anything that cancelled 3+.

I also found a 19 to L5C that optimal insertions gave a 28.
That Skeleton: (B L2 U2 R B' U2 F' D' F B' U' B' U' R2 B U B' R2 U)

Terrible Cancellation luck and unlucky that the backup skeleton cancelled more.

Spoiler: Attempt #3 - 28

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

start on normal
n: R' U2 L' // EO
switch
i: B' U' B // PS 2x2x2
switch
n: B2 // Fix PS
switch
i: F D F2 D F U F' U' // 15 to Bad 6, BUT I saw that I could save some moves like this.
(edit) i: U F D F2 D U' // 13 to Bad 6 corners

Skeleton: R' U2 L' B2 U D' F2 D' ([5] U' B U F' U' B' U F) F' U' B' U B // 16 to L5C

I found this Bad L6C skeleton with about 18 minutes left and I picked one of the first insertions that cancelled 4 or more moves. After finding this one that cancelled 5, I had about 13-12 minutes left.

New Skeleton: R' U2 L' B2 U D' F2 D' U' ([2]345 L2 B R' B' L2 B R B') B U ([2]123 U' F U B U' F' U B') F' U' B2 U B

Final: R' U2 L' B2 U D' F2 D' U' L2 B R' B' L2 B R F U B U' F' U B' F' U' B2 U B (28)

I wrote down with 28 as a backup and made sure it worked. I had a little extra time so I checked nested on 2 of my insertions. While checking nested on one of them, I found an insertion that cancelled 8 moves with about 1 minute left. I quickly wrote that possible 22 but I quickly checked it and it didn't work so I submitted the 28. Later I found out that I did a move wrong on my cube so that nested insertion was actually never a possibility.

The new skeleton that was a 16 to L5C was an optimal 28 which I found.
Optimal on the 13 to Bad 6 was a 25 on a first insertion that cancelled 5moves, which was 2 moves in front of the 5move cancelled insertion that I found. (I find insertions back to front so I don't waste time solving and scrambling the cube again, so if I checked 2 moves later I could have found that insertion)

I also found a first insertion that cancelled 4moves in the same spot as my own first insertion that cancelled 5moves (D B2 D' F' D B2 D' F). Optimal for that was a 27.

With this very close Podium, 1 move better would have gotten me 3rd. 2 moves better would have gotten me tied for 1st while a 25 would have gotten me alone for 1st place.

 

[Joey VOV]

My best solve from us nats 2016. For the other 2 I was super pressed for time and rushed.

1. R' U' F L' B2 R' U2 L2 R2 F2 R B' L2 B D R' D2 B' D U F2 U2 R' U' F (30)
All on normal:
F' U F' U F / 221
D B U2 / 222 in 8 moves but some pairs too
L F' L D2 L' / another 221
D' F' L' D F' ^ D2/ F2L-1 in 19 but some good looking stuff
L2 D F L' F' D' L / to 3 corners in 26

^ = F U F' D2 F U' F' D2 ayyy 4 canceled and optimal

Final Solution: F' U F' U F D B U2 L F' L D2 L' D' F' L' D U' F' D2 F U F' L2 D F L' F' D' L

 

[Cale S]

revisited the 3rd scramble of Nationals since there were lots of nice EO starts

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

R' U2 L' // EO
(B' U' B F) B2 D' F2 // 2x2x3
D R2 D2 // F2L minus corner
(F') F' // shift block
U' B U' B' U2 // L4C

R' U2 L' B2 D' F2 D R2 D2 F' U' @ B U' B' U2 B' U ^ B
@ = [D', B U' B']
^ = [U' F' U, B']

Final solution: R' U2 L' B2 D' F2 D R2 D2 F' U' D' B U' B' D U2 B' F' U B' U' F U B2
25 moves

combining this with my 23 and Mark's 26 makes a 24.67 mean

 

[porkynator]

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

I've tried this scramble too and got a 25 as well.

L' B2 R //Same EO (3/3)
D2 F //Pseudo Block and a Pair (2/5)
(U' F2 U2 F2) //Square (4/9)

At this point I have found the same skeleton in two different ways:
#1
(B' U2) //3x2x1 (2/11)
U2 B' //Another Pair (2/13)
L2 B2 D' B' D //Square, restore the Block and another Pair (5/18)
L2 U //All but 3 corners, 1 move cancels (1/19)

#2
(B' U) //Pseudo F2L (who cares about EO anyway?) (2/11)
U2 B' L' B //F2L-1 and Pair in Slot (4/15)
(L2 D' B D B2 L B) //All but 3 corners

Skeleton L' B2 R D2 F U2 B' L2 B2 D' B' D L2 U' * B F2 U2 F2 U
* = D' F D B D' F' D B' //L3C (6/25)

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

 

[guysensei1]

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

Normal: U F R F2//2x2x2
Inv: D' R' B2 B'//XXcross
Normal: U R2 U'//F2L-1
D' R' F' R F D R'//AB5C
Skeleton: U F ** R F2 U R2 U' D' R' F' R F D R' B D2 R *D
*=B U B' D B U' B' D'
**=U' L' U R2 U' L U R2
31 moves
First time doing insertions in an actual serious attempt, missed optimal by 3 moves but I'm happy that I can do reasonable insertions now

 

[Cale S]

retried the first scramble of US Nationals with my start and

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

(U) F' L' B2 D // EO + 4 pairs
F' L2 B // 2squarez
R' // pseudo 2x2x2
(L) // square
(F2 L2 F2) // more blocks
(F' R F R2 D2 L B' L') // L3C

F' L' B2 D F' L2 B R' L B L' D2 R2 F' R' F' @ L2 F2 L' U'
@ = [F R F', L]

Final solution: F' L' B2 D F' L2 B R' L B L' D2 R2 F2 L F R' F' L F2 L' U'
22 moves

with this and the 23 and 25 I found on the other scrambles it makes a 23.33 mean