• Welcome to the Speedsolving.com, home of the web's largest puzzle community!
    You are currently viewing our forum as a guest which gives you limited access to join discussions and access our other features.

    Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community of 40,000+ people from around the world today!

    If you are already a member, simply login to hide this message and begin participating in the community!

Mnemonics for Algorithms

Exsufflicate

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2010
Messages
15
Location
Calgary, AB
WCA
2009YAUK01
Hmm... seems like it might be more trouble than it's worth to remember a little poem type thing than to just commit the moves to memory right off the bat. I guess I can see the merit if the algorithm is quite a bit longer, but then you'd have to make sure your mnemonic device is easy to remember.
 

Mike Hughey

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
11,303
Location
Indianapolis
WCA
2007HUGH01
SS Competition Results
YouTube
Visit Channel
I have trouble remembering my square-1 PLLs (Jason Baum's method), since I only did 5 solves per week for so long (and now I do even less than that). So I have several that I've memorized for them. They're not great and rather silly, but at least I can still solve square-1 even without practicing it - usually. :)

Example: V perm - capital letters show the moves
shoot the AOrta (with a BB) of a COyote and toss him in the OVen, then ask the DistrictAttorney to toss the COyote into a VOlcano and put EXcalibur into the OVen as an OFfering.

A = 1, B = 2, etc.; O = 0; X = -1, W = -2, etc.

So:
AO = (1, 0)
BB = (2, 2)
CO = (3, 0)
OV = (0, -3)
DA = (4, 1)
VO = (-3, 0)
EX = (5, -1)
OF = (0, 6)
 

AvGalen

Premium Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2006
Messages
6,857
Location
Rotterdam (actually Capelle aan den IJssel), the N
WCA
2006GALE01
YouTube
Visit Channel
That is the weirdest Square-1 notation I have ever seen :)

This guy just send me his mnemonic for the other A-Perm

R' - F - R' - B2 - R - F' - R' - B2 - R2

Rabbits And Filthy Rats And Bunnies too,
Rats **** and Rabbits And Bunnies too, Rabbits too

Personally I think it isn't helpfull to remember algs that way, but it works for him
 

Lux Aeterna

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
65
I don't see how this could possibly be helpful. You can't recite a mnemonic in your head as fast as you should be executing the algorithm it goes with...

Unless it's for puzzles you aren't trying to speedsolve. Then go nuts with your memorization methods, sure.
 

Mike Hughey

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
11,303
Location
Indianapolis
WCA
2007HUGH01
SS Competition Results
YouTube
Visit Channel
I don't see how this could possibly be helpful. You can't recite a mnemonic in your head as fast as you should be executing the algorithm it goes with...

Unless it's for puzzles you aren't trying to speedsolve. Then go nuts with your memorization methods, sure.

I'm sufficiently slow that I can execute my square-1 algorithms almost as fast as I can think the mnemonics. Of course, that just shows how slow I am. But it's still fast enough to get me around a 45 second average on square-1 if I'm sufficiently in practice to remember how to get to square. :)

To be good at square-1, you have to practice. I just use this because I don't practice enough to actually be good at it. It depends on what you consider "speedsolving". I'm trying to solve square-1 as fast as I possibly can, given my practice level. I figure that counts as speedsolving; perhaps you don't.
 

Muesli

Premium Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Messages
1,714
Location
Sheffield, UK
WCA
2009SMIT05
YouTube
Visit Channel
This is how I remember my BLD corners. I have A B C D E F or G for Permutation and 0, 1 or 2 for orientation. I can make up words by seeing G1 as a "GI" sound and A2 as "AZ" sound.
 

maggot

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
543
Location
Phoenix
when memorize, i just look at screen at algorithm and turn cube, close eyes turn cube, then keep do 100 time until my muscle memory... then i practice until fast. not help with recognition, but help perform alg fast without thinking.
 

MichaelErskine

Premium Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Messages
1,244
Location
Sherwood, Nottingham, UK
WCA
2008ERSK01
YouTube
Visit Channel
When I was learning to solve the cube I learned two edge orientation algorithms with two images: -

FUR U'R'F' == "Fur Earth": a plush furry globe!

FRU R'U'F' == "Through Ruff": passing through the centre of a giant Elizabethan ruff!

I still see these images when using these algorithms!
 

4Chan

Premium Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
2,984
Location
Lumbridge
YouTube
Visit Channel
I don't see how this could possibly be helpful. You can't recite a mnemonic in your head as fast as you should be executing the algorithm it goes with...

Unless it's for puzzles you aren't trying to speedsolve. Then go nuts with your memorization methods, sure.

Mnemonics are great if you have to memorize a few hundred algorithms.

I really like when the notation makes pseudo-words.

Like one of my sune cases: L U R' D...something.
The first 4 letters of the notation almost forms the word "Lurid".
 

xXzaKerXx

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
441
I don't see how this could possibly be helpful. You can't recite a mnemonic in your head as fast as you should be executing the algorithm it goes with...

Unless it's for puzzles you aren't trying to speedsolve. Then go nuts with your memorization methods, sure.

Mnemonics are great if you have to memorize a few hundred algorithms.

I really like when the notation makes pseudo-words.

Like one of my sune cases: L U R' D...something.
The first 4 letters of the notation almost forms the word "Lurid".

hey i just wanna ask is mnemonics easier for ZB algs than plain muscle memory? or its according to personal preference?
 

xXzaKerXx

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
441
I just learn algs by seeing the patterns of movement and where the pieces go. I've never thought of using this method, although sometimes if I'm desperate and there is a certain sequence of letters, I'll say the word in the letters.
eg. F U R = Fur.

yeap i used this method when i was a noob learning LBL but now i find it easier to use your way because we usually exceute algs faster than we can recall them, i think:confused:
 

memory1134

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
1
I'm a newbie in rubics cube, I even solved it...can someone give me some techniques about it. thanks.
 
Top