Man takes 26 years to solve Rubik’s Cube

[Ton]

I too find it hard to believe that it took 26 years of "active" solving to solve a Rubik's Cube. He must have given up at some point of time, and then decided to start, say a few years later. In one year's time itself, you will come up with different ideas/strategies for solving a cube. Its highly likely that if he stuck with one strategy for some time,say something similar to a layer-by-layer approach,he would get an LL skip.

Than he would have spend even more than the 3 hours a day ...

Let say he sleeps 6 hours , work 8 and spend 2 hours, do the rest. Than he has 8 hours of cubing a day , or 27400 hours / 8 = 3425 or a bit more a 9 years constant cubing ...???

 

[Garmon]

He must have the craziest finger tricks by now, that is if the article is correct.

 

[MichaelErskine]

In this article" Ray Hodgkin of the governing body for Rubik's Cube competitions, the World Cube Association (WCA), said: "I think this is definitely the longest it has ever taken someone to complete a Cube""

Ray Hodgkin, who ? WCA official????

Ray Hodges perhaps? She's one of the organisers of the UK Open.

 

[MichaelErskine]

This says it took him 27400 hours
26 * 365.25 = 9496.5 days. That's almost 3 hours every day doing active "solving"

His cube may move quicker if it is lubed

 

[ManuK]

Than he would have spend even more than the 3 hours a day ...

Let say he sleeps 6 hours , work 8 and spend 2 hours, do the rest. Than he has 8 hours of cubing a day , or 27400 hours / 8 = 3425 or a bit more a 9 years constant cubing ...???

What I meant by active cubing,was not 26 years (26x365.25x24 hrs) of cubing. By active, I meant constantly trying(not like trying once every month or so for 5 minutes or giving up after trying for a week and then,trying after a year)to solve a cube.If you try to solve, say even 10 minutes a day;in one year,you have about 3650 minutes or over 60 hours,which should be more than enough to come up with various strategies for solving a cube.

 

[AvGalen]

60 hours wasn't enough for me to come up with 1 strategy for solving the 3x3x3 in the eighties.

I am a little ashamed to admit that I didn't figure out how to solve the 3x3x3 myself. I learned my first strategie (cross, first layer, second layer, EO, EP, CP, CO) from 1 piece of A4 paper. After I realised that you "needed" algorithms to affect only part of the cube it was quite easy to figure out almost all other puzzles I had and bought.

With all the knowledge I have gathered since then it usually takes me about 15 minutes to come up with a good idea, 1 hour for a complete strategie and a couple of hours for a full-proof method (including all "needed" algs) for a new puzzle. But 3x3x3 (and 4x4x4 parities) had me stumped

 

[Abolish]

I wonder what method he used, maybe he created some weird new one?
Although he most likely used some layer-by-layer method.

 

[striderxo]

Can you imagine if someone popped the cube and flipped an edge?

limit -> infinity

 

[Ton]

In this article" Ray Hodgkin of the governing body for Rubik's Cube competitions, the World Cube Association (WCA), said: "I think this is definitely the longest it has ever taken someone to complete a Cube""

Ray Hodgkin, who ? WCA official????

Ray Hodges perhaps? She's one of the organisers of the UK Open.

Well WCA officials are listed here:
http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/node/316

 

[boiiwonder]

In my opinion, he is the greatest cuber ever...he's so great to have tried at it for so long instead of take the easy road of using the internet, a solution booklet, or taking it apart/taking off the stickers. That's pretty honorable :O

What about all the others ( me included ) who figured out the cube on their own then looked up a solution. I mean its one of those good stories ( never give up even if it takes 26 years ), but just because it took him some time in my opinion doesent make him the GREATEST cuber ever. Too me that would be like saying it took this guy or girl two days to complete a marathon that makes him/her the greatest runner ever.


But still 26 years thats crazy. Im glad that he finally solved it. I think if he passed away at that moment he would beable too rest in peace.

 

[MichaelErskine]

I think if he passed away at that moment he would beable too rest in peace.

In heaven the 11x11x11 is already available

 

[d4m4s74]

world´s best slowcuber

 

[qqwref]

In this article" Ray Hodgkin of the governing body for Rubik's Cube competitions, the World Cube Association (WCA), said: "I think this is definitely the longest it has ever taken someone to complete a Cube""

Ray Hodgkin, who ? WCA official????
27400 hours can never be done with one cube... Sounds like 1 april fools day

I'm pretty stumped about this Ray Hodgkin business, I've never heard of this person at all [although perhaps Ray Hodges is the correct name]. This story kind of sounds like it was more or less made up, although there's no way to know for sure. I'm most confused by the fact that his wife didn't look up a solution or solve it *for* him or something, I know it wouldn't have taken me 20 years to do that...

 

[EmersonHerrmann]

In my opinion, he is the greatest cuber ever...he's so great to have tried at it for so long instead of take the easy road of using the internet, a solution booklet, or taking it apart/taking off the stickers. That's pretty honorable :O

What about all the others ( me included ) who figured out the cube on their own then looked up a solution. I mean its one of those good stories ( never give up even if it takes 26 years ), but just because it took him some time in my opinion doesent make him the GREATEST cuber ever. Too me that would be like saying it took this guy or girl two days to complete a marathon that makes him/her the greatest runner ever.


But still 26 years thats crazy. Im glad that he finally solved it. I think if he passed away at that moment he would beable too rest in peace.

Yeah I guess I was exaggerating a bit...imagine if he was 45 degrees from clicking the last side into place and he passed away, dropped it and a side broke off (rare), or he passed out because he was so happy he was almost done xD

P.S. - Maybe the new people replaced the cube with a new one to make it look nicer? Maybe he broke his old one and bought another (a few times)? Who knows...I'd like more detail. Also, who the heck is this Ray person? I have never heard of them being in the "governing body" of the WCA.

 

[deco122392]

wow....26 years....it took me 3hrs a basic (very basic!!!!!!!) understanding of commutators and an idea of what i gues is a corners first method, to solve the cube.... im not quiet sure how a 15y.o. (im 16 now) could grasp this and not a 40 something y.o. man cant....

 

[nitrocan]

Imagine if the cube popped and he put it in incorrectly, then trying to solve it for the rest of his life

 

[MistArts]

I hope he comes to a competition.

In my opinion, he is the greatest cuber ever...he's so great to have tried at it for so long instead of take the easy road of using the internet, a solution booklet, or taking it apart/taking off the stickers. That's pretty honorable :O

What about all the others ( me included ) who figured out the cube on their own then looked up a solution. I mean its one of those good stories ( never give up even if it takes 26 years ), but just because it took him some time in my opinion doesent make him the GREATEST cuber ever. Too me that would be like saying it took this guy or girl two days to complete a marathon that makes him/her the greatest runner ever.


But still 26 years thats crazy. Im glad that he finally solved it. I think if he passed away at that moment he would beable too rest in peace.

Yeah I guess I was exaggerating a bit...imagine if he was 45 degrees from clicking the last side into place and he passed away, dropped it and a side broke off (rare), or he passed out because he was so happy he was almost done xD

P.S. - Maybe the new people replaced the cube with a new one to make it look nicer? Maybe he broke his old one and bought another (a few times)? Who knows...I'd like more detail. Also, who the heck is this Ray person? I have never heard of them being in the "governing body" of the WCA.

What if the side didn't break off and he got a +2. Would he come back alive for 2 seconds? :rolleyes:

 

[Kian]

i cannot imagine that this has any validity. it's just a bit too outlandish.

 

[Rabid]

The whole site looks looks like gags. Like an English onion.

 

[deco122392]

The whole site looks looks like gags. Like an English onion.

please elaborate on that ive been stumped for a while trying to figure that out.