[Help Thread] FMC Discussion

[Sebastien]

Scrambles and my solutions from Hamburg Open 2014:

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

That one looked so nice given the pairs!

My solution (26 moves):

Spoiler

Pseudo-2x3x3: B D B U2 R
switch and F2L-1: R' B2 R' L2 F U'
3E4C: U' F' U

Skeleton: B D B U2 R U' F' U2 * F' L2 R B2 R

Block-commutator for L3C: * = U' R U' R' U F U F'
Unfortunately those L3C in 19 only give one move cancelation. I put R2 B L2 B' R2 B L2 B' at the end.

2. Scramble: U' R2 D R2 D B2 R' B U B R U F2 L B' U' F

This one looked very ugly at first, but turned out to be very nice.

My solution (23 moves):

Spoiler

On inverse:
2x2x2: U' R2 F D' R2
Pseudo-F2L-1: L F L2 F L'
L3C-Finish: F D' F2 D F D' F2 * D L2

* = F2 D' B' D F2 D' B D

I also had 2 other L3C-Skeletons with 19 from L4C-Finish F' D' F' D F2 L2, but this one had the best cancelation.

 

[kinch2002]

Finally broke the 26 move NR (3 times for me, once for Rob Yau) with 25 moves today
I'll post the solution tomorrow. It was a disgusting-looking scramble, with a pretty lucky direct finish

 

[kinch2002]

Here's my 25 moves solution from Nottingham Open 2014
It's a NISS solve, but really it's a ININSS solve, if you get what I mean
The scramble looks really horrible initially. Thankfully there was a decent block on the inverse and a lucky finish for me

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

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

Inverse scramble
2x2x2: L2 F2 D2 F' D2

Switch to normal with premoves D2 F D2 F2 L2
Pseudo 2x2x3: F U' F'

Switch to inverse with premoves F U F'
2x2x2: L2 F2 D2 F' D2
F2L-1: B' L2 U2 L'

Switch to normal with premoves L U2 L2 B D2 F D2 F2 L2
F2L-1: F U' F' U B U
Finish: B U' B2 U R B R' U' B' U

 

[Ollie]

Here's my 25 moves solution from Nottingham Open 2014
It's a NISS solve, but really it's a ININSS solve, if you get what I mean
The scramble looks really horrible initially. Thankfully there was a decent block on the inverse and a lucky finish for me

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

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

Inverse scramble
2x2x2: L2 F2 D2 F' D2

Switch to normal with premoves D2 F D2 F2 L2
Pseudo 2x2x3: F U' F'

Switch to inverse with premoves F U F'
2x2x2: L2 F2 D2 F' D2
F2L-1: B' L2 U2 L'

Switch to normal with premoves L U2 L2 B D2 F D2 F2 L2
F2L-1: F U' F' U B U
Finish: B U' B2 U R B R' U' B' U

How long did it take you to find this?

 

[mycube]

found some funny stuff on your inverse start Daniel:
Premove: L2
L2 F2 D2 F' D' L2 D'
U2 L2 B' U2 L' U' L' B2 L
F2L in 16 Moves. To sad I am not able to use the cube explorer, can somebody tell me what would be the optimal last layer?

 

[kinch2002]

How long did it take you to find this?

Around 45 minutes I think. I spent the first 10 minutes finding nothing on the normal scramble. The next 10 minutes were productive. Then I was totally stuck after F2L-1 for around 25 minutes. It just looks horrible, but somehow there was a direct finish to find...

found some funny stuff on your inverse start Daniel:
Premove: L2
L2 F2 D2 F' D' L2 D'
U2 L2 B' U2 L' U' L' B2 L
F2L in 16 Moves. To sad I am not able to use the cube explorer, can somebody tell me what would be the optimal last layer?

R' U2 R' D R' U R D' R U R2 U2 R' (13f*)

 

[vcuber13]

This was my first attempt at FMC.
Scramble: F' U2 B' L2 U2 B' L2 B R2 D2 F' D' R B' F2 D' F D' U' B2 R

On Inverse:

B R D // 2x2x2
F2 R' F R2 F2 // 2x2x3
F' U' F // Orient Edges
U R2 U R' // Finish Skeleton
U B2 U' F' U B2 U' F // L3C
R B2 R' L' B' L B' R B' R' L' B2 L B // Twist Corners

Solution:
B' L' B2 L R B R' B L' B L R B2 R' F' U B2 U' F U B2 U' R U' R2 U' F' U F' R2 F' R F2 D' R' B' (36 HTM)

I couldn't find anywhere to cancel with the corner comm, and I didn't know what to do with the twisted corners. Other than those last two corners I think it was a pretty good first attempt.

What would you guys do about the twisted corners?

 

[kinch2002]

What would you guys do about the twisted corners?

2 or 3 twisted corners can be solved with 2 insertions. 2 twisted corners will generally cancel a ton of moves as you have so much choice. For your first insertion you need to cycle any sticker on piece 1 with any sticker on piece 2 with any sticker on the rest of the cube. That will leave you with a 3-cycle. 3 twisted corners is similar except you need to cycle those 3 corners in any orientation.

You left 4 corners though (3-cycle and 1 twisted). That should be solved in 2 insertions. The first insertion should involve the twisted corner, and solve any of the other 3 corners. That will leave you with a 3-cycle for the second insertion.

 

[Brest]

This was my first attempt at FMC.
Scramble: F' U2 B' L2 U2 B' L2 B R2 D2 F' D' R B' F2 D' F D' U' B2 R

On Inverse:

B R D // 2x2x2
F2 R' F R2 F2 // 2x2x3
F' U' F // Orient Edges
U R2 U R' // Finish Skeleton
U B2 U' F' U B2 U' F // L3C
R B2 R' L' B' L B' R B' R' L' B2 L B // Twist Corners

Solution:
B' L' B2 L R B R' B L' B L R B2 R' F' U B2 U' F U B2 U' R U' R2 U' F' U F' R2 F' R F2 D' R' B' (36 HTM)

I couldn't find anywhere to cancel with the corner comm, and I didn't know what to do with the twisted corners. Other than those last two corners I think it was a pretty good first attempt.

What would you guys do about the twisted corners?

Your skeleton leaves 4 unsolved corners. The "L3C" commutator you used solves 2 corners and leaves 2 twisted corners.
A better way to approach this is to use a commutator to solve any 1 of the corners while cycling the twisted corner. This will leave 3 unsolved corners which a second commutator can solve.

For example, try these two commutators at the end of your solution:
[U B U', F']
[L F L', B2]
alg.cubing.net
B R D F2 R' F R2 F2 F' U' F U R2 U R' U B U' F' U B' U' F L F L' B2 L F' L' B2 (31)

It is best the try to insert these commutators into the skeleton to potentially cancel moves. There will be a lot of chances to cancel moves because the 1st commutator (solve 1 corner & cycle the twisted) has many options.

 

[vcuber13]

2 or 3 twisted corners can be solved with 2 insertions. 2 twisted corners will generally cancel a ton of moves as you have so much choice. For your first insertion you need to cycle any sticker on piece 1 with any sticker on piece 2 with any sticker on the rest of the cube. That will leave you with a 3-cycle. 3 twisted corners is similar except you need to cycle those 3 corners in any orientation.

You left 4 corners though (3-cycle and 1 twisted). That should be solved in 2 insertions. The first insertion should involve the twisted corner, and solve any of the other 3 corners. That will leave you with a 3-cycle for the second insertion.

Your skeleton leaves 4 unsolved corners. The "L3C" commutator you used solves 2 corners and leaves 2 twisted corners.
A better way to approach this is to use a commutator to solve any 1 of the corners while cycling the twisted corner. This will leave 3 unsolved corners which a second commutator can solve.

It is best the try to insert these commutators into the skeleton to potentially cancel moves. There will be a lot of chances to cancel moves because the 1st commutator (solve 1 corner & cycle the twisted) has many options.

I didn't even think to solve one corner and cycle the twisted one. Thanks guys.

 

[TheDubDubJr]

wtp
fedora(s) are cool

FMC from (current) Weekly Comp #9

Spoiler

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

Premove(L') (1/1)
R' F' L D' B D2 //(6/7) crappy 2x2x2
L' U F' // (3/10) F2L-2
R U .. R' U' L U L' // (7/17) -3corners

.. = U2 R' D2 R U2 R' D2 R // (8/25)

4 cancellations = 21

solution - R' F' L D' B D2 L' U F' R U' R' D2 R U2 R' D2 U' L U L2 (21)

lel PB
(PB before that was 29 )

 

[irontwig]

That would be "crappy 2x2x2", although it wasn't that crappy, since the contiunation was very nice. I found a 30 mover on that scramble; 18 moves for L4C, but couldn't find nice insertions.

 

[TheDubDubJr]

That would be "crappy 2x2x2", although it wasn't that crappy, since the contiunation was very nice. I found a 30 mover on that scramble; 18 moves for L4C, but couldn't find nice insertions.

Yea I always shoot for a 5move 2x2x2 unless the continuation is really good. :3
Hopefully I can get a bit lucky like this at my next comp.

Fedora

 

[porkynator]

I've kept track of my last 100 FMC solves (1-hr attempts only); I started on 2013-08-13 and today I did my 100th solve. All of the solves are documented in the italian forum, starting from this message. Here are the results:

Spoiler

34, 30, 35, 26, 29, 33, 31, 31, 28, 30, 33, 28, 27, 30, 34, 29, 33, 33, 26, 25, 24, 32, 28, 30, 31, 30, 29, 25, 31, 28, 31, 28, 28, 28, 26, 32, 31, 29, 28, 32, 31, 29, 31, 30, 33, 27, 28, 29, 31, 31, 32, 30, DNF, 30, 30, 27, 29, 34, 23, 26, 26, 32, 30, 29, 31, 30, 31, 28, 30, 30, 34, 27, 26, 33, 31, 26, 30, 29, 31, 31, 31, 29, 32, 37, 32, 32, 32, 27, 30, 29, 29, 30, 28, 31, 32, 27, 32, 32, 31, 28

Best Mo3: 25
Best Avg5: 26.(3)
Best Avg12: 28.3
Avg100: 29.89

Now it's time to study more algs and other people's solves

 

[okayama]

Quite interesting cases where 10-move commutator beats 8-move commutator. (Previously I posted here)

From FMC485:

Scramble: F2 R U R' B2 D U2 R D2 U2 R' L B' R L2 D2 F' R2 L2 D2 R U L2 R2 D2 U' F' D' R2 B'
Skeleton: D B R U2 R B' U * F' U2 F' U' F' U' [@1] F2 R L' U' R' L

I inserted U F D F' U' F D' F' at *, but IF says the optimal insertion is

Insert at @1: U F U' L' U F' U' F L F' = F [F' U F U', L'] F'
(Shuto Ueno told me this interpretaion)

From FMC491:

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

I inserted D R D' L' D R' D' L at *, but IF says the optimal insertion is

Insert at * (the same place): F D' F' D L' D' F D F' L = [F D' F' D, L']

TuRBo-like alg, such as [R U R' U', M']. Interesting.

 

[guusrs]

Hi Tomoaki & others.

Someting went wrong with my Per's FMC491 solution
I think I forgot to backslash the first quote.
But within the hour the solution was quite nice:

scramble: L U' F2 B2 U' L2 F D R' L U D2 F2 L2 U' D F D' R D' U F' R2 D2 U R B' R2 L2 U2
solve: R D2 L' B' L B D' L2 D L F' D F D' F L' F' U' R' F U B2 (22)

on inverse scramble with premove R':
pseudo 2x2x3: B2 U'F'R U
swith to normal scramble with pre-moves [U'R'F U B2]
2x2x3: R (1+5)
pseudo F2L: D2 L'B'L B D' (7+5)
LL: L2 D L L2 D L F'D F D'F L'F'(D'D) (17+5)
undo premoves: U'R'F U B2 (22)

 

[irontwig]

Very nice, Guus. I found L6C in 14 on that scramble that could be turned in L5C in 16, but then the best insertions only cancelled one move, so I DNF'd. Later I checked with IF and saw that sub-30 was possible with doing one of the quite many insertions that cancelled one move, which I suspected, but I didn't feel like mechanically trying a bunch of different insertions. Also, just 1% DNF is just insane, Porky.

 

[porkynator]

Amazing start, especially the 2x2x3 guus!

Very nice, Guus. I found L6C in 14 on that scramble that could be turned in L5C in 16, but then the best insertions only cancelled one move, so I DNF'd. Later I checked with IF and saw that sub-30 was possible with doing one of the quite many insertions that cancelled one move, which I suspected, but I didn't feel like mechanically trying a bunch of different insertions. Also, just 1% DNF is just insane, Porky.

Thanks, but it is not so hard if you allow yourself to get really bad results (for me it means > 32 HTM) instead of a DNF.

 

[vcuber13]

My second fewest moves attempt. It was decent.

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

F' U // Premove
U' L D' L' U // 2x2x2
F2 D2 F2 // 2x2x3
B' D2 @1 B // Orient Edges
D' R2 D R D2 // F2L-1
R D R D' // Finish Edges

@1 = D2 R @2 U R' D2 R U' R'
@2 = (R U2 R' D2)2

U' L D' L' U F2 D2 F2 B' R2 U2 R' D2 R U2 R' D2 U R' D2 R U' R' B D' R2 D R D2 R D R D' F' U (35 HTM)

 

[okayama]

The domain name of fmc.mustcube.net seems to have expired.
I found this week's scrambles from google's cache.

FMC round 492
speed: R' B2 U F L B' U F B' U' D2 R L' U R' L' D2 L B' F2 D L2 D' F' L2 R2 B' F' R' L2
1hr/classic: U2 D2 R' B F2 U L' R2 F2 U' B' U2 L2 R D2 F2 L' U B' F2 D U R L' F2 B R' L D' B

Does anybody know the way to contact Per...?