How do _you_ know when you are done with corners/edges (3x3, etc)

[minime12358]

I was just wondering how everyone knows that they are done with memorization of steps of the cube. I personally put my fingers over each solved cubie.

Edit: I see that David posted before , however, I was hoping to have a little more information, and a poll.

 

[toastman]

I'm a n00b but in my head I do:
Edges:
- Do I have 12 letters memoed? (2 lots of 6, assumes we break into a new edge cycle once)
- If not, are there solved or flipped pieces? Does this now add up?
- If not, there must be another cycle to find
This falls in a heap in the case where one has to break into a new cycle 2 or 3 times. However, this happens rarely enough and is annoying enough that I tend to remember it.

Similarly corners, though the number is 8.

 

[Mike Hughey]

Oops, I voted without thinking about other types of pieces. I use a finger on each cubie (that's the only option I checked) for everything except wings. For wings I use a formula (I didn't check that one).

 

[Kynit]

Edges: If I have anything other than 2 full images (12 letters or 11 letters with parity), I run through all of the pieces and double check that I have them all included. Slow, but it works.
Corners: I suppose I just know. I do a lot of tapping to double-check, but not to actually memorize.
Wings and Centers: I haven't tried these too much, but I think they're pretty similar to edges in terms of n full images meaning I'm done.

 

[Zane_C]

If I feel as if my memo is too short, I scan the cube for solved/flipped/twisted/swapped pieces.

I don't like cycles that are too short. Sometimes I spend that much time looking for permuted pieces, it would be faster if I just memorised them as normal targets.

 

[rock1313]

Oops, I voted without thinking about other types of pieces. I use a finger on each cubie (that's the only option I checked) for everything except wings. For wings I use a formula (I didn't check that one).

What's the formula?

 

[TMOY]

I just compute the sum of the lengths of all cycles I've memorized so far (including 1-cycles even though they're not actually part of my memo), and if it doesn't add up to the total number of pieces, then I know I'm not done yet.

 

[Tim Major]

I voted 2 and 3, even if they do contradict, because I do a bit of both. Sometimes putting a finger on all pieces isn't necessary (when I think it's enough letters for the cube to be solved)

 

[poller]

normaly i have the cycles not only on my route.. its visual too.. and if i "see" some pieches what are untouched in my memo i need to do them to.

 

[Mike Hughey]

What's the formula?

Well, mathematically, it's just that the number of pieces (ignoring the buffer) should equal 23, plus 1 for each extra cycle I need to break. In an actual solve, I base it on my locations: I put 3 images (2 pieces per image, so 6 pieces) at each location, so if there are no extra cycles, I should be done with the first 3 locations full and the fourth location with 5 pieces. Often I will hold up fingers on my right hand for the number of cycles I have, just so I don't forget, but I usually only do that when I really want a successful solve. If I'm hoping for a really fast solve, I just hope that I won't have many cycles so I can remember where I am. That's exactly what ruined my 7x7x7 BLD solve for the weekly competition this week - I didn't keep track of the number of cycles with my fingers, but instead just felt like I had them all, and I was wrong.

What do I do if I'm holding up fingers and there are more than 5 cycles? Usually I just get angry because it's such a horribly unlucky solve, and I wind up with a disastrous time.

 

[Kynit]

What do I do if I'm holding up fingers and there are more than 5 cycles? Usually I just get angry because it's such a horribly unlucky solve, and I wind up with a disastrous time.

Easy - just count in binary!

 

[Mike Hughey]

Easy - just count in binary!

Brilliant!!

 

[riffz]

Brilliant!!

I second this