IsThatA4x4’s progression thread // Sub-10 3x3 // Sub-9 Squan // Road to Squan UKNR - 3-looking now !!! (OBL/PBL)

[That_slow_guy]

11.31 PB!
Scramble: R F' R2 D2 B' D2 F D2 F R2 B' R2 U2 L' D B2 L2 B' L' B2 D2

Cross: z2 y2 D R’ F L F D

P1 - L U2 L’ U’ y R U’ R’

P2 - y2 R’ U’ R L’ U L

P3 - U’ R’ U R U’ y R U’ R’

P4 - U’ y’ R U R’ U’ R U R’

OLL - r U2 R’ U’ R U’ r’

PLL skip

Nice! I am too slow to get those times. Amazing work

 

[That_slow_guy]

View attachment 17249
Sub 16 on all averages
(The session mean is 18.96 because I started it when I averaged 30)

What site/app?

 

[SpeakCuba]

What site/app?

CsTimer

 

[IsThatA4x4]

Nice! I am too slow to get those times. Amazing work

thanks but this was like 2 years ago, my PB single now is a 5.79

 

[SpeakCuba]

thanks but this was like 2 years ago, my PB single now is a 5.79

How do you set up your SQ-1?

 

[IsThatA4x4]

How do you set up your SQ-1?

Whenever it feels dry, I just put a bit of mystic on the slice (1 drop), and more of it on the U/D layers (1-2 drops) + some DNM (1-2 drops). It does dry up quite fast so I’m considering buying other lubes (like silk to make the slice smoother but not necessarily faster since it’s already quite fast).

 

[SpeakCuba]

Whenever it feels dry, I just put a bit of mystic on the slice (1 drop), and more of it on the U/D layers (1-2 drops) + some DNM (1-2 drops). It does dry up quite fast so I’m considering buying other lubes (like silk to make the slice smoother but not necessarily faster since it’s already quite fast).

(Assuming you take the SQ-1 Apart) Where exactly do you put lube in the U/D layers? By taking a corner/edge out, and putting lube in between?

 

[IsThatA4x4]

I got an insane PB ao12 today, finally sub-8!

Spoiler: 7.88 ao12

Generated by CubeTime.
Best ao12: 7.88

Time List:
1. (5.90): (4,3) / (0,6) / (-3,0) / (-1,-1) / (-2,-5) / (-1,-3) / (3,0) / (1,0) / (0,-4) / (4,0) / (-4,-2) / (2,0)
2. (10.03): (0,2) / (0,6) / (4,-2) / (0,-3) / (0,-3) / (-3,-1) / (3,0) / (2,0) / (0,-5) / (2,-3) / (6,-1) / (4,-2) /
3. 6.22: (0,2) / (-3,0) / (-5,1) / (2,-4) / (0,-3) / (-3,0) / (4,0) / (-3,0) / (3,0) / (0,-2) / (5,0) / (0,-3) / (-3,0)
4. 6.44: (-2,0) / (6,-3) / (-3,3) / (-4,-4) / (-3,0) / (-3,0) / (0,-2) / (-3,0) / (6,0) / (0,-3) / (0,-1) / (0,-4) / (0,-2) /
5. 7.10: (-5,0) / (0,3) / (-4,5) / (-5,-5) / (-3,0) / (0,-3) / (5,0) / (6,0) / (3,0) / (0,-1) / (4,-3) / (0,-2) / (0,-3) / (-2,0)
6. 7.14: (3,-4) / (-5,4) / (-3,0) / (5,-1) / (4,-2) / (-4,0) / (-3,0) / (-2,-3) / (4,0) / (0,-4) / (6,-4)
7. 7.94: (1,0) / (2,2) / (-5,1) / (0,-3) / (3,0) / (-3,-3) / (-1,0) / (-3,-3) / (0,-5) / (-2,0) / (2,0) / (6,-4) /
8. 8.14: (0,5) / (3,0) / (-3,0) / (4,-2) / (-4,-1) / (-5,-5) / (5,0) / (0,-3) / (0,-3) / (0,-2) / (4,0) / (-4,0) / (0,-2) / (0,-4)
9. 8.34: (-2,0) / (0,3) / (0,-3) / (5,-1) / (-2,-2) / (3,0) / (6,-1) / (0,-3) / (0,-2) / (-4,0) / (-5,0) / (4,0) / (-4,-2) /
10. 8.90: (3,5) / (0,-3) / (-2,1) / (0,-3) / (2,-4) / (-3,0) / (-2,0) / (-3,0) / (-1,0) / (-2,0) / (0,-2) / (6,-5) / (-2,0) /
11. 8.95: (-2,0) / (0,-3) / (3,0) / (5,-4) / (3,-3) / (-2,-3) / (3,0) / (-4,-5) / (3,-2) / (0,-2) / (-1,-4) / (6,0)
12. 9.64: (0,-1) / (0,3) / (4,-2) / (6,-3) / (5,-4) / (4,0) / (3,0) / (-4,-5) / (0,-4) / (4,0) / (-1,0) / (-5,0) / (-2,0)

That 5.90 single was sad; if I had cancelled into bar flip it probably would've been a low 5, which would've been pb; but otherwise very happy.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

(Assuming you take the SQ-1 Apart) Where exactly do you put lube in the U/D layers? By taking a corner/edge out, and putting lube in between?

I don’t take the squan apart much because I don’t want to risk stripping the screw (my old one turned into a donut), when i lube U/D layers i try to get it on the big contact points of the corners, edges are quite small so they don’t matter much. You should be able to reach them just by slicing a bit of the way to kite/kite.

 

[SpeakCuba]

I don’t take the squan apart much because I don’t want to risk stripping the screw (my old one turned into a donut), when i lube U/D layers i try to get it on the big contact points of the corners, edges are quite small so they don’t matter much. You should be able to reach them just by slicing a bit of the way to kite/kite.

Oh okay, thanks. I've always taken mine apart, but I will try this next time.

 

[That_slow_guy]

The

CsTimer

 

[IsThatA4x4]

I finally broke my 5.66 single from November, it sorta should've been a 4 because I locked up during PBL, but I'm still happy regardless:

Generated by CubeTime.
5.11: (0,5) / (0,-3) / (3,3) / (3,0) / (4,-5) / (-3,0) / (3,-1) / (-3,0) / (3,-2) / (2,0) / (-2,0) / (6,0)

Spoiler: recon

z2 -10/-30/ // CSP (good fists) [2/2]
-20/-30/ // CO [2/4]
-33/30/30/-1-1/-30/-30/ // EO [6/10]
60/30/-3-3/63/60/0-2 // PBL (JJ+) [5/15]

15/5.11=2.94 SPS

 

[IsThatA4x4]

I had yet another crazy session today; I finally got a sub-7 ao5, and a sub-7.5 ao12 (0.22 off off of the UKNR squan ao5):

Generated by CubeTime.
Best ao5: 6.60

Spoiler: times

Time List:
1. (5.81): (4,3) / (-4,5) / (4,-5) / (-4,-1) / (3,0) / (3,-2) / (3,0) / (1,0) / (4,-3) / (2,0) / (0,-3) / (4,0) /
2. (6.82): (-5,0) / (-3,0) / (2,5) / (-2,-5) / (-1,-1) / (-5,0) / (-3,0) / (-1,0) / (-4,-5) / (2,0) / (-4,-1) / (0,-5)
3. 6.49: (0,-4) / (-3,6) / (-2,4) / (3,-3) / (-4,-4) / (4,0) / (0,-3) / (-1,-3) / (1,0) / (2,-1) / (-2,-4) /
4. 6.51: (1,0) / (3,6) / (-3,0) / (5,-3) / (0,-3) / (3,-1) / (0,-5) / (-5,0) / (-2,0) / (4,-4) / (4,-2) / (2,0)
5. 6.81: (1,0) / (-3,-3) / (5,2) / (3,0) / (4,-2) / (-1,0) / (0,-3) / (-3,0) / (6,-5) / (2,-2) / (6,-2) /

Generated by CubeTime.
Best ao12: 7.45

Spoiler: times

Time List:
1. (5.81): (4,3) / (-4,5) / (4,-5) / (-4,-1) / (3,0) / (3,-2) / (3,0) / (1,0) / (4,-3) / (2,0) / (0,-3) / (4,0) /
2. (9.14): (0,-4) / (-3,0) / (1,4) / (-1,-1) / (0,-2) / (0,-3) / (6,-3) / (-4,0) / (-5,0) / (-4,-4) / (-4,0) / (4,0) / (0,-2)
3. 6.49: (0,-4) / (-3,6) / (-2,4) / (3,-3) / (-4,-4) / (4,0) / (0,-3) / (-1,-3) / (1,0) / (2,-1) / (-2,-4) /
4. 6.51: (1,0) / (3,6) / (-3,0) / (5,-3) / (0,-3) / (3,-1) / (0,-5) / (-5,0) / (-2,0) / (4,-4) / (4,-2) / (2,0)
5. 6.56: (-3,-4) / (1,-2) / (2,-4) / (6,-2) / (-3,0) / (0,-3) / (-2,0) / (-2,0) / (0,-3) / (4,0) / (-4,0) / (2,-3)
6. 6.81: (1,0) / (-3,-3) / (5,2) / (3,0) / (4,-2) / (-1,0) / (0,-3) / (-3,0) / (6,-5) / (2,-2) / (6,-2) /
7. 6.82: (-5,0) / (-3,0) / (2,5) / (-2,-5) / (-1,-1) / (-5,0) / (-3,0) / (-1,0) / (-4,-5) / (2,0) / (-4,-1) / (0,-5)
8. 7.17: (0,-4) / (0,3) / (-5,1) / (-1,-4) / (0,-3) / (3,-2) / (3,0) / (1,-3) / (0,-1) / (4,0) / (0,-4) / (0,-4) /
9. 8.00: (1,0) / (2,-4) / (0,-3) / (0,-3) / (1,-2) / (-3,0) / (-3,-4) / (3,0) / (2,0) / (0,-2) / (-4,-1) / (1,0)
10. 8.24: (3,2) / (-5,4) / (-1,-4) / (-3,0) / (-3,0) / (0,-5) / (3,0) / (1,0) / (-4,0) / (-4,-3) / (3,0) / (2,0) /
11. 8.88: (4,0) / (0,3) / (-4,-1) / (3,0) / (-3,0) / (-5,-5) / (6,-1) / (-3,0) / (0,-3) / (-1,-3) / (6,-2)
12. 9.03: (1,0) / (5,-4) / (4,-5) / (2,-1) / (-3,0) / (3,0) / (0,-2) / (3,0) / (1,0) / (0,-4) / (-2,-2) / (-4,-3) / (-2,0)

I also got a PB ao100 of 8.39 because of all of these crazy solves.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

For the past 5 days or so, I decided to grind out learning full square-1 OBL, and it honestly turned out to be way easier than I had expected! I finished learning the last 2 cases today, and all I have to do now is work on being able to consistently 1-look every case. I'm also planning to regularly upload an OBL/PBL ao5 so I can track my improvement towards full 3-look.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

Generated by CubeTime.
4.37: (0,5) / (1,-2) / (0,3) / (5,-1) / (-2,-2) / (0,-1) / (0,-3) / (-3,-3) / (0,-3) / (-3,-3) /

00/ // CSP [1/1] good kite/kite
64/ // CO [1/2]
30 W' M' W' // EO [6/8]
-33 U e' D // CP [4/12]
11 M' u2' M' -34 // EP [4/16]

16/4.37=3.66 SPS

My first sub-5 single! Definitely didn't expect it to be this deep into 4s territory but the scramble is insane. One of the first PB singles I'm actually happy with because I executed it well.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

 

[IsThatA4x4]

Almost sub-8!!
I would say I global ~mid 8 now with 5-look; I'm still practicing 3-look, I have a comp in about 2 weeks but I don't think I'll be able to 1-look OBL by then, but hopefully I can finally get a sub-9 average.

 

[IsThatA4x4]

I grinded 4x4 a ton the past couple weeks, and I managed to improve my global by about 7 seconds (54-47). I used to kinda hate this event but now honestly I don't mind it.

I also grinded 3x3, only for a couple days but for some reason I have suddenly improved and I'm almost sub-9 without really doing anything?? I mean I'll take it I guess.

It's my birthday in 4 days, and that's when I receive my hong 5x5, so I'll probably start practicing that a bit when I get it because currently I'm really slow compared to my 3x3 and 4x4 avgs

 

[IsThatA4x4]

I haven't ever really practiced 5x5, but since I got better at 4x4 I want to match my speed in that with 5x5 (so I want to average sub 1:30). Here are my stats after 2 days of grinding some 5x5 solves (with the XMD Hong which is incredible btw):

Generated by CubeTime
37.52: R U2 R2 F2 L2 D F2 L2 D R2 F D' L2 D F' B L' D R' Rw2 B' U2 Rw2 Uw2 L Uw2 F' Rw2 F' B D' R' Fw2 Uw2 F Uw Fw2 Rw' F2 Uw' Rw' B' L'

Also got this 4x4 PB single while casually talking in a discord vc and getting OLL parity (which means it could've been like a 34 which is a bit upsetting but whatever).

 

[IsThatA4x4]

5x5 progress update