Older cubers discussions

[Logiqx]

That's very organised, Mike.

Hehe. I'm quite looking forward to trying out this system. I haven't touched a 4x4 or 5x5 since 5th March so it might take a while to get back to my old times.

Ah... I see that your signature has returned. Your times for 3x3 to 5x5 are looking real nice!

I got a bit fed up today with lack of 3x3 progress.

You've clearly improved a lot this year so I wouldn't get too downhearted. It might be worth trawling through the many advanced F2L videos out there to see if anything seems useful to you. Chris Olson has been doing some nice ones lately. If the current practice approach isn't working then it won't hurt to try doing something differently. Have you tried to accurately determine your splits and check if some aspect of your solves is weaker than the rest? It might be worth trying to film yourself and asking for critique if you completely run out of ideas.

 

[Logiqx]

Nothing to report other than that I have had no practice this week. Working 13 hours the last two days..

Hopefully back to normal soon?

 

[MarcelP]

I got a bit fed up today with lack of 3x3 progress.

Join the club LOL.. I not really fed up or anything but just disapointed that I am not growing further. Although I think in 2015 I have had at least one or two Ao100 Sub 20 every week, I still can not considder myself true sub 20. There are days where I start of being around 22 seconds for the first 30 solves and can not get any faster. So now I have stepped of being stressfull about that and do other stuff. So when I practice I try different things. Like Mike said, I also have watched the Chris Olson video's about advanced F2L (and his advanced LL video is also very good). You learn from these video's but like with all new things you learn, it will take some time before you become faster with it. I also do cool Color neutral practice (just do 12 solves on orange for example), I try ZZ (although that is so very hard to do the first step), and do a few Roux solves every day. I ordered a nice original plastic Pyraminx from Moyu and I am going to catch up with Mike That way I can join the discussions..LOL I picked up a 2 x 2 this week, but I am bored with it after only 10 minutes. Then I watched a video of how to make the first layer in order to learn full CLL. That was very interesting. I might look into that some day.

EDIT: as I come to think of it, most of my cubing time I spend looking at Youtube vids trying to learn new stuff.

Hopefully back to normal soon?

Yeah, just slight less practice..

 

[mark49152]

Like Mike said, I also have watched the Chris Olson video's about advanced F2L (and his advanced LL video is also very good). You learn from these video's but like with all new things you learn, it will take some time before you become faster with it.

I've watched those, and many other F2L tricks videos, and i don't think it's the answer for me. My F2L is pretty efficient already - I have efficient solutions to all cases, can solve at all corners equally, make use of empty slots, can avoid rotations in many cases, etc. These days it's rare that I find an F2L trick that would clearly save me significant time in a solve. I'm also happy with my LL algs and cross efficiency. My solutions are fine, it's just that I suck at doing them fast.

I get a lot of 15-16 solves and also a lot of 20-21. Sometimes it's just down to easy or hard cases, but generally if I look at the difference, it comes down to three things: composure, grips/handling, and lookahead. In a good solve, I just seem to see everything and flow through the solve with no pauses, with execution nice and smooth. In a bad solve, I lose track of pieces, catch or fumble on algs, rotate too much, rush too much, change grip too often, etc. It's those things I think I need to work on. I thought most of them would just improve with doing lots of solves, but it seems not, so my plan is to find some targeted practice techniques for them.

@Mike: I do keep track of my splits. My cross and LL are within range for a 17 second target, but my F2L and especially cross-F2L transition are not.

Then I watched a video of how to make the first layer in order to learn full CLL. That was very interesting. I might look into that some day.

Yeah I read in another thread recently that if you just make a face with no regard to layer, 2/3rds of the time it's an adjacent swap case. Therefore it makes more sense to learn EG1 before CLL. That makes sense to me and I like that kind of logic . I might learn a few easy EG1 cases just for the adrenaline rush

 

[MarcelP]

It was about time for a new Ao100 PB. Cube: MeiYing. Funny thing is that I did not get any sub 18 Ao12's

Spoiler: best single in Ao100

11.87 F2 D F2 L' F2 B2 U R F2 L2 B2 L' F2 L' D2 R2 B2 F'

y2 // inspection
R' F2 D y B2 U R B' R' // CROSS, yeah I know... (9)
U2 R U' R' //1ST (4)
y' U' R U R' U2 L'U'L //2ND (9)
U' R U R' U R U' R'//3RD (8)
y R' U R U2 R' U R //4TH (8)
U2 r' R U R U R' U' r R2' F R F' // OLL (12)
M2 U' M' U2 M U' M2 //PLL (7)
57 Moves in 11.87 = 4.8 TPS (every now and then I get these ridiculous high TPS solves)

Spoiler: Ao100

Gegenereerd door csTimer op 2015-6-28
solves/totaal: 100/100

enkele
Beste: 11.87
Slechtste: 25.04

mean van 3
Actuele: 19.37 (σ = 0.36)
Beste: 15.82 (σ = 1.22)

avg of 5
Actuele: 19.37 (σ = 0.36)
Beste: 16.65 (σ = 0.22)

avg of 12
Actuele: 19.07 (σ = 0.77)
Beste: 18.03 (σ = 1.68)

avg of 50
Actuele: 18.94 (σ = 1.18)
Beste: 18.65 (σ = 1.47)

avg of 100
Actuele: 18.95 (σ = 1.57)
Beste: 18.95 (σ = 1.57)

Gemiddelde: 18.95 (s = 1.57)
Mean: 18.92

Lijst met tijden:
1. 16.83 B D2 U R2 F2 L2 R2 U' L2 F2 D2 U' L' F2 L2 F2 D2 F' R' D' U'
2. 20.26 F2 L2 B' F' U2 F U2 R2 F2 L' B' D R' F2 U' R B2 U F'
3. 20.77 D2 U2 B' U2 L2 F' U2 F L2 R' U R' B2 D B' L' F2 D2 F
4. 17.23 B D2 F2 R2 D' B2 L2 D U2 B2 L2 R F' D B F2 L F' D R2
5. 20.48 B R2 F L2 B D2 L2 F' D2 B2 R' F2 R' B' L' D L B R2
6. 22.04 L2 U B2 R2 U2 B2 R2 U' L2 F2 R2 B U B2 D2 R D L R' B' D2
7. 21.98 R2 B2 U2 L2 B2 R2 F2 U2 L2 R' F2 U' L' U' B D2 F' U' R' U2
8. 18.95 R2 F' L2 F2 R2 F U2 R2 B' R2 B D R2 D B2 L' B2 U B2 U' B
9. 25.04 F2 D2 R' F2 U2 R' F2 L2 F2 L D2 F' D B R B' L D2 B' U L'
10. 15.18 L' U R2 U' F2 L2 U B2 F2 U2 R2 U L' R2 U L' U L' F' R2 F2
11. 22.79 D' L2 F L2 F L2 F' U2 F R2 U2 B' R U2 L2 B' U' L F R2
12. 17.50 R2 B' F' U2 L2 F U2 F2 L2 R B D' R D' L' R B' U
13. 18.11 F L2 B2 D' L2 F2 D2 U2 R2 F L R' F' L2 U L2 R' U2
14. 21.67 R2 D2 U2 R2 B2 F' D2 B U2 L2 B D L R2 U B' D2 R B2 R F
15. 19.62 B2 L2 U2 B' D2 L2 R2 F' D2 U2 B2 U' F2 L' F D2 B' L R' B' U2
16. 23.17 D B D' F2 L2 U F' R' L B' R2 L2 B2 D F2 D B2 D' R2 U2 R2
17. 19.60 B2 R' B2 L2 F2 R F2 L D2 F2 B' R D R' U' F' D' F2 R F'
18. 18.85 R2 D2 F2 D' L2 D2 R2 D' F2 D' R2 L B2 D2 R U' L' B L2 R U2
19. 16.89 U2 L D2 F2 L2 D2 B2 L2 R U2 R F' L' F R' B2 U' L2 D' B' L'
20. 20.28 R F2 L' D2 L2 B2 R' B2 F2 U2 F R2 U' L' F2 D' U' R U2 F
21. 14.42 D L' F2 L2 F2 R D2 U2 L' F2 R U2 D' B F' U B' R F2 L R
22. 16.61 R' D2 R2 U2 B' D2 F' U2 F' L2 U B' R' F2 L' D' F' D2 U'
23. 16.45 D' F2 D' F2 U' F2 U' F2 U' B2 R2 F' L' U B2 F' R' D' R2 F' R2
24. 18.30 R' L2 F' L2 D2 L2 B U2 L2 F R2 B2 D' F R' F D R' D R B
25. 23.09 L2 D2 R2 D L2 R2 U' B2 F2 U' R2 F' R' U2 L B F U2 B U B2
26. 21.91 F2 U2 F2 L2 D B2 L2 U' F2 U' L2 F' D' U' L' D2 B' L2 U B2
27. 16.77 R U L2 F2 U' B2 D2 R2 U' L2 U2 B R' U' L' R' F L B2 D'
28. 20.54 B2 U2 L2 U' B2 D2 B2 F2 D R2 U2 B' L2 R B2 U B L2 U R F2
29. 17.01 R' B2 D L D2 F U F D2 F' U2 B' U2 R2 F R2 B U2 R'
30. 17.83 U D2 R2 D2 B' U2 R2 B U2 B F U2 D L R' D B L2 D L2 U
31. 20.08 F2 R' F' B U D R' B' D2 R' F2 R2 U' F2 U' R2 U2 B2 U2 L2 D
32. 18.91 B2 D2 F D2 B D2 F2 U2 F L2 F2 U' R' B' L2 R B F R
33. 19.05 D F2 U L2 B2 U2 B2 R2 D' L2 R F2 D' B' F R' D' L2 D' B F2
34. 18.31 F2 D L' D B U R' D' B2 R2 F U2 B' L2 U2 F2 L2 F' U2 R
35. 14.91 F2 L2 D F2 D U2 B2 L2 B2 R2 L F D' U2 B' F' U' L F2 D2
36. 20.71 F' D' B2 D2 L2 U' R2 U' R2 U' L2 U B F2 L F' R2 U' L F L'
37. 18.85 U2 F' R' U' F2 U' R B R2 L2 F' R2 U2 B U2 F2 R'
38. 15.55 B2 U2 D2 L' U F' U B' R' F2 U2 R F2 L' D2 L B2
39. 16.85 U' R' U F2 R' D B D' F R2 F L2 B R2 D2 F R2 F' L2 U
40. 21.66 F D2 L2 R2 F' L2 B' U2 F' R B2 R2 D' U2 B D' U' B R2
41. 17.71 L R2 D' R2 F2 D R2 U' B2 D2 U2 L B F' L' F' R' U2
42. 20.15 U2 R2 B' L2 B2 F L2 R2 U2 B' R' D F2 L2 B' R' D' U2 R' D2
43. 16.64 B R2 F' R2 D2 F D2 L2 B2 L2 F' U L B' R D2 U R' F R
44. 16.50 F2 L2 D2 R F B2 D2 R' U' R' D2 L2 U2 R B2 R F2 L F2 B2
45. 21.33 B D' L' U F' D B L B D' L2 F2 D2 F2 U F2 D B2 U2 L2 B'
46. 21.20 B2 F2 R2 F2 D2 B2 U' R2 D' U2 L2 F L' B R2 U' L2 F' R F R'
47. 17.81 R U2 B' R2 D2 L2 U2 B D2 R2 B2 L2 U' F2 R' B2 R2 U2 B D' F2
48. 19.23 B U2 D2 F U D' B' D' L' F' B' L2 F R2 B R2 U2 D2 B'
49. 17.31 D' B' U2 B' L2 D2 F D2 R2 D2 F' D2 R' B R D' L R F2 R D2
50. 19.12 L' U2 R2 B' U2 B2 U2 B' L2 D2 F' U R B F' R F2 L2
51. 20.50 F2 R' D2 F2 R F2 L2 F2 L' F2 R2 F L2 U' L D' U B' R U B
52. 18.96 D2 U2 L' U2 F2 U2 F2 L2 D2 F2 D' L' U F2 U2 L' F' D2 B'
53. 20.67 L U' R2 F2 U2 L2 D2 R2 F2 D' R2 D' R B L2 F' L' B F' R F
54. 20.02 U F2 D' F2 D' R2 U F2 U2 F D2 R' D' R2 B D' L F D
55. 19.01 R' U2 B2 L2 R F2 D2 L' U2 B2 D' U B' R' D F L B' R2 D2
56. 18.94 D R F2 B' L F B L2 B L' D2 F2 D L2 U' R2 U2 B2 L2 B2
57. 17.14 U2 F' L2 B' U2 B' R2 B2 F' D2 R2 D F' U2 R B F' D' L R D2
58. 20.01 B' L U D R2 L' B U F R B2 L B2 U2 L2 B2 U2 R U2 L2
59. 18.66 U2 F2 R' D2 R B2 F2 R U2 R2 F2 U F L R D' L D2 U2 R'
60. 20.42 L2 U L2 D2 F2 U' B' D' U L' U2 R B L R' D2
61. 17.55 F2 U B' D F' R' F' R2 F2 B2 U' R2 D L2 B2 D2 L2 F2 R'
62. 16.19 U2 F' R2 F L2 R2 F' D2 F2 R2 U R B2 R' D' U2 B R F2 U
63. 16.80 L' F2 R2 F' D2 F' R2 B D2 B U2 L2 D R' U2 R2 U B2 F R F
64. 18.18 L2 F2 U R2 D2 B2 R2 B2 U2 B2 L' U' B R' F L U F
65. 20.63 L2 D2 R2 F2 U B2 F2 L2 U' B D' U' F L' D R' F D' L2 U'
66. 19.47 U F2 L2 D L2 B2 D' L2 U2 L2 U L B' F' D B' F' L B' U2
67. 18.86 L2 R2 F U2 L2 R2 B L2 F2 R2 B U' L2 R' U2 B2 R' F2 U R'
68. 19.65 F2 L2 U2 R F' B L2 U' F' L2 D F2 D R2 U' B2 L2 F2 D' R2
69. 17.81 L' B2 D U L2 B2 D' B2 L2 F2 L D' B' L D' R2 D' U B2
70. 17.94 R2 B2 R2 D' F2 D L2 D' R2 F' R' B2 D2 F L B D2 R' U
71. 20.45 B2 L2 D B2 R2 D R2 D' F2 D L2 B D2 R' U' F' R U' L2 D U2
72. 11.87 F2 D F2 L' F2 B2 U R F2 L2 B2 L' F2 L' D2 R2 B2 F'
73. 20.52 L U2 L2 F2 D' L2 D R2 D B2 R2 U' B' L' D B2 F2 L D' B U'
74. 19.65 D R U' F2 L F' B U' R' B' U' B2 U' F2 D R2 F2 R2 U' F2
75. 20.62 L2 D2 B2 D R2 F2 D' B2 L2 F2 U2 L' U R' F2 L2 U L' F' D' R2
76. 22.63 D2 R' F2 D2 R' B2 R2 B2 U2 R' D2 B' D' B2 D' F L2 R2 D' R' B
77. 19.97 R2 F2 R2 U2 L2 U' F2 D' L2 U' L2 B' U' L' U R F2 D' R2 U' F'
78. 17.65 B' F2 R2 B2 L2 U2 R2 D2 F' U2 F' L U R' B' L2 D F' R2 B2 R2
79. 20.13 R' D B' L2 D' R' U B L U F2 U F2 R2 U2 D' F2 U L2 U2
80. 17.55 B D2 F2 R2 B' D2 B2 U2 L2 U2 L2 D' B F2 R' B' U2 B' D L'
81. 16.79 R' U2 B2 L2 B D2 B' L2 B D2 U2 B L F2 U F2 D' L2 R
82. 20.76 B2 U2 F2 U' F2 R2 F2 U' B2 D U2 L R D F' R U R' U' R2
83. 17.40 B D B2 L2 D B2 U F2 R2 U2 R2 U' R' B' D L U2 R2 F U L'
84. 16.95 B2 D2 L2 U2 B' D2 B L2 F' U2 F U' L2 F D' L' U2 F U' B' L'
85. 13.71 U' B2 U' L2 F2 U L2 D2 L2 R2 B' L' U F2 L B2 F' R' B2 R
86. 19.37 F U2 L2 B D2 F2 R2 F' L2 F' U2 D B2 D' R B R2 B2 D U B2
87. 18.72 F2 D' F2 U' B2 R2 B2 R2 D2 F2 D2 B R U2 R D B' L2 D B' F2
88. 18.50 L R2 F2 U2 F' U2 F R2 B U2 F R2 U R' U2 R B' D L D2
89. 20.32 B U B2 L2 U' L2 D' L2 R2 U' F2 R2 B' D2 B2 D' R F R' F
90. 18.10 B2 R2 F U2 R2 U2 F2 R2 B U2 F' R' D' F R B2 L2 F2 D2 B' R'
91. 17.23 B D2 B D2 B2 D2 B U2 L2 D2 U L2 F' U' B' R D L' F2 R'
92. 19.20 R2 U2 L' D2 U2 R2 U2 R' B2 D' U B' L D2 L2 R' D F'
93. 18.40 U L2 D B2 D2 U' B2 U B2 F R2 D2 R F2 U B' R' B L'
94. 19.79 B2 D L2 R2 D' F2 U2 F2 R2 D F2 R' U' R' B F D B2 F' D' B
95. 17.97 F2 U2 F2 D2 R2 B' U2 R2 U2 R2 B L' R' B' D' L' B2 F D2 B
96. 18.85 R2 B2 U2 B L2 R2 U2 F' L2 U2 R2 D' R F' L' D B L F2 R U
97. 21.38 L2 F2 U L2 F2 D' L2 B2 U L2 U F L' U2 L D' L D2 F' D' L
98. 19.09 U' B2 D2 U' B2 F2 R2 U F2 D F D' U2 L U2 R' F U B' D2
99. 19.25 F2 U' B2 D' L2 D L2 F2 L2 U' R' D2 R' U L' U' B' L' D' F2
100. 19.78 D2 R' F U2 R F D' B R' D R2 D2 B2 L2 D2 L2 B' L2 B R2 F

 

[Logiqx]

I ordered a nice original plastic Pyraminx from Moyu and I am going to catch up with Mike

Cool. My target is now sub-10 on the pyra. It'll be great to hearing about you improving as well!

I get a lot of 15-16 solves and also a lot of 20-21.

That variance (relative to the average) is typical of my sessions as well. For myself, I reckon on 20s +/- 15% being "normal" (i.e. 17.0-23.0) and anything outside that being lucky or a screw up. The 15% is derived from single times in the second and third quartiles during a session. Ignoring the idea of a normal distribution (statisticians would shoot me) and considering outliers to be anything more than the IQR away from the median, most sessions end up with this +/- 15% figure. Primitive as this is, I can look at the best single times and say "yeah... that was lucky". These often equate to the top 5% of the solves as well... what we discard in our session averages on csTimer / qqTimer, etc.

I don't know when I'll consider myself to be sub-20 but I consider myself "about 20" at the moment. I did two sessions yesterday (125 solves then 50 solves) and they averaged 19.7. Oh yeah, they also included a full-step PB single of 13.16 (3 move cross, easy F2L, anti-sune, ra-perm),

Yeah I read in another thread recently that if you just make a face with no regard to layer, 2/3rds of the time it's an adjacent swap case. Therefore it makes more sense to learn EG1 before CLL. That makes sense to me and I like that kind of logic . I might learn a few easy EG1 cases just for the adrenaline rush

I've always thought this makes a lot of sense but I think I heard one of the fast 2x2 guys (Chris Olson?) say that EG-1 algs aren't as nice as CLL and suggested learning CLL first. Another approach might be to see which cases land you with your least favourite PBLs and learn those ones first.

It was about time for a new Ao100 PB.

Nice! While you're busy chasing my Pyraminx times, I'll be chasing your 3x3 times.

Changing the subject... I had my first chance meeting with another speedcuber this weekend. I was at a windsurfing competition and saw one of the younger guys carrying a stickerless cube around in the morning then I heard the distinctive noise of a cube coming from the van next to me later in the day. I asked him how long he'd been doing it and how he was getting on / what times he was getting. He's been doing it for about 3 months and has a PB of 30 seconds but was unsure of his average... probably about 40 seconds he thought. Another question I asked... does the noise irritate his parents ("oh yes" was the response) and what method does he use (described CFOP). I reckon he's about 17/18 years old as he said he has plenty of time to practice after college. I thought it was pretty cool to meet another speedcuber by chance.

Another random topic... I'm teaching a couple of colleagues during lunchtime(s) from 6th-9th July. It should be fun, I think!

 

[MarcelP]

they also included a full-step PB single of 13.16 (3 move cross, easy F2L, anti-sune, ra-perm),

Nice! If you have the scramble and reconstruction I would love to see it. Also nice to calculate TPS on a PB

Another random topic... I'm teaching a couple of colleagues during lunchtime(s) from 6th-9th July. It should be fun, I think!

I have considered to teach 3x3 at work but I am hesitant because it involves algs. I am affraid people would become discouraged when they see the 4LLL algs.

 

[Logiqx]

Nice! If you have the scramble and reconstruction I would love to see it. Also nice to calculate TPS on a PB

13.163 L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

I was unable to reconstruct at the time and had no luck trying today. There are too many possible options at each point during the solve.

I have considered to teach 3x3 at work but I am hesitant because it involves algs. I am affraid people would become discouraged when they see the 4LLL algs.

I taught my nephew at Christmas and without heavy reliance on algs. I also had him doing cross on bottom, proper finger tricks and colour neutral from the first solve. Although I taught him to solve the cube LBL, I made a point of explaining the concept of a corner / edge pair in the F2L. I taught U R U' R' for the first layer corners (rather than R U R') and then taught how it can be used later to pair an edge + corner for insertion and then insert them together. After teaching F2L, I explained that if you take a pair (or pairs) out and put restore the F2L you can affect the last layer. FURU'R'F' is a tiny extension to the already familiar U R U' R' (i.e. conjugate using F...F'), Niklas permutes corners (easiest alg when I was learning) and Sune can be used for CO (normal) and finally EP (righty Sune followed by lefty Sune). Sune is easy to teach if they re familiar with corner / edge pairs as they can track the pair rather than thinking R U R' U R U2 R. The nastiest algs when I learnt were A-perm for CP and U-perm for EP but my introductory method doesn't include these algs. Essentially, I only had to teach Niklas and Sune after he'd grasped the F2L. Both of these algs lend themselves to tracking an F2L pair.

I'll let you know how my colleagues get on next week.

 

[MarcelP]

13.163 L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

I was unable to reconstruct at the time and had no luck trying today. There are too many possible options at each point during the solve.

I will try to find it for you when I get my hands on a cube tonight.. With a three move cross and easy F2L it should not be that hard..

 

[MarcelP]

I will try to find it for you when I get my hands on a cube tonight.. With a three move cross and easy F2L it should not be that hard..

It this your solution?:

https://alg.cubing.net/?setup=L2_U_...2_(y-)_R-_U_R_U-_//_Ga_looks_a_lot_like_Ra_:)

Mine 15.73:

Spoiler

L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

y // inspection
L' F R' //cross (3)
U' R' U R U' R U2 R' U2 R U' R' // ah that sucked (12)
y' L' U L // better (4)
L U L' y' U R' U2 R L'U L // OKAY (11)
y U2 R U R' // YEAH (5)
R' U R' U' B' R' B2 U' B' U B' R B R U2 // v-PERM (14) (49 IN 15.73 = 3.11 tps)

https://alg.cubing.net/?setup=L2_U_...-_B-_R-_B2_U-_B-_U_B-_R_B_R_U2_//_v-PERM

 

[Logiqx]

It this your solution?:

https://alg.cubing.net/?setup=L2_U_...2_(y-)_R-_U_R_U-_//_Ga_looks_a_lot_like_Ra_:)

Mine 15.73:

Spoiler

L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

y // inspection
L' F R' //cross (3)
U' R' U R U' R U2 R' U2 R U' R' // ah that sucked (12)
y' L' U L // better (4)
L U L' y' U R' U2 R L'U L // OKAY (11)
y U2 R U R' // YEAH (5)
R' U R' U' B' R' B2 U' B' U B' R B R U2 // v-PERM (14) (49 IN 15.73 = 3.11 tps)

https://alg.cubing.net/?setup=L2_U_...-_B-_R-_B2_U-_B-_U_B-_R_B_R_U2_//_v-PERM

Nope. Definitely not a V-perm.

I think it was a 3 move cross, 21-24 move F2L, 8 move anti-sune (including auf) and 14-15 move Ra-perm = 46-50 moves

It was a high TPS solve for me. Heck... I'll have a one last go at reconstructing.

 

[Logiqx]

Aha!

13.163 L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

y // Inspection
F R' L' // Cross (3/3)
U R U' R' U R U' R' U2 y L U' L' // F2L#1 (12/15)
U L' U2 L // F2L#2 (4/19)
U2 R U R' // F2L#3 (4/23)
U R' U' R // F2L#4 (4/27)
U' R U2 R' U' R U' R' // Anti-Sune (8/35)
R U' R' U' R U R D R' U' R D' R' U2 R' // Ra-perm (15/50)

TPS = 3.79

I saw lots of "better " F2L options whilst trying to reconstruct and it wasn't until I tried the "triple inverse-sexy" for F2L#1 that I stumbled upon my original solution.

Edit: F2L#2 was a complete fluke. I was actually setting up for the next pair and it solved itself. lol

 

[Logiqx]

Actually... I remember BR solving itself so I've re-recreated that by changing the rotation during F2L#1.

13.163 L2 U D F U D B U2 L F2 D' U' B2 D F2 R' B2 U2 R2 D B' D' L F2 R2

y // Inspection
F R' L' // Cross (3/3)
U R U' R' U R U' R' y' U2 R U' R' // F2L#1 (12/15)
U R' U2 R // F2L#2 (4/19)
U2 L U L' // F2L#3 (4/23)
U L' U' L // F2L#4 (4/27)
U R U2 R' U' R U' R' // Anti-Sune (8/35)
R U' R' U' R U R D R' U' R D' R' U2 R' U2 // Ra-perm (16/51)

TPS = 3.87

 

[mark49152]

Nice PB Marcel, and nice solve Mike! I had a go at reconstructing but couldn't find the solution until you posted it.

I dug out the Pyraminx to see if I could remember how to solve it. Took me a few mins but I can now do it... but not fast. Maybe I will give it a bit more effort.

That variance (relative to the average) is typical of my sessions as well. For myself, I reckon on 20s +/- 15% being "normal" (i.e. 17.0-23.0) and anything outside that being lucky or a screw up. The 15% is derived from single times in the second and third quartiles during a session. Ignoring the idea of a normal distribution (statisticians would shoot me) and considering outliers to be anything more than the IQR away from the median, most sessions end up with this +/- 15% figure. Primitive as this is, I can look at the best single times and say "yeah... that was lucky".

That is pretty accurate for me as well - 18.5 +/- 15% is roughly high-15 to low-21 and yes that is about what I consider the bounds of "normal" - outside that is lucky or a screw up. The solves I really hate are the ones that felt fast, so I expected to get 17 or so, but the timer shows 20+, and I can't understand where I lost the time .

I've always thought this makes a lot of sense but I think I heard one of the fast 2x2 guys (Chris Olson?) say that EG-1 algs aren't as nice as CLL and suggested learning CLL first. Another approach might be to see which cases land you with your least favourite PBLs and learn those ones first.

Yeah I saw that, and maybe it's reasonable for people who intend to learn both, but I'm not going to learn CLL. I'm motivated by the fact that EG1 would come up 2/3rds of the time. Factoring in which PBL each case would otherwise go to is a good idea. I'm not a fan of the adjacent top/bottom PBLs at all.

 

[MarcelP]

Actually... I remember BR solving itself so I've re-recreated that by changing the rotation during F2L#1.

Well at least I am glad you did not find a shorter first F2L in both solves than me. Twelve is the number for us

 

[Logiqx]

I dug out the Pyraminx to see if I could remember how to solve it. Took me a few mins but I can now do it... but not fast. Maybe I will give it a bit more effort.

Cool.

I really hate are the ones that felt fast, so I expected to get 17 or so, but the timer shows 20+, and I can't understand where I lost the time .

I use KingEn on my phone when I am out and about but it's been acting weirdly lately. Sometimes the real-time display freezes then jumps to the correct number some time later. Often times it might stop updating towards the end of my solve then jump to a realistic number when I stop the timer. The most annoying thing is when I stop the timer and the display refreshes to something accurate then 3 seconds later it jumps up to another number which I know was not my time! I don't know if the number of solves in it's history is causing issues or if it is something else on my phone.

Well at least I am glad you did not find a shorter first F2L in both solves than me. Twelve is the number for us

I'm pretty sure I'd have done L' U L U R U R' for the first pair after your cross execution. I'm surprised at my pair selection after my cross. I can only think that I'd spotted them during the cross and thought it better to do the triple-sexy solution than pause and look for another pair.

 

[mark49152]

I use KingEn on my phone when I am out and about but it's been acting weirdly lately. Sometimes the real-time display freezes then jumps to the correct number some time later. Often times it might stop updating towards the end of my solve then jump to a realistic number when I stop the timer. The most annoying thing is when I stop the timer and the display refreshes to something accurate then 3 seconds later it jumps up to another number which I know was not my time! I don't know if the number of solves in it's history is causing issues or if it is something else on my phone.

I use KingEn always, and have the display update turned off so it just shows "solving". Occasionally when I stop the timer, there's a pause before the result appears, but I do think it's the correct time.

I do sometimes wonder how trustworthy the timer is, but then I wonder if I switched whether I would trust the new timer any more

 

[mark49152]

Some new PBs this week: My first sub-3 5x5 solves (2:54 and 2:55) and PB ao12 = 3:16. Also broke the sub-7 ao100 on 2x2 (6.63). My plan is to keep doing 5x5 until I break 3 mins ao12 then move on to 4x4.

I decided not to learn EG1 for 2x2 (yet) as I don't care about 2x2 enough to learn the recognition - I will just get as fast as I can with Ortega and learn to predict OLL/PBL as Mike suggested.

 

[Logiqx]

Nice times Mark. I'll start working on my 2x2 in a couple of weeks. This week is 3x3, Pyra and 4x4.

I've done my first 4x4 session in about 5 months. My previous PB for Ao30 (never got to Ao50) was 01:38 but I am a fair bit slower now. I went for my first Ao50 today and got 01:48 but It includes a lot of mess ups and I was getting faster throughout the session. At least I have a baseline against which I can try to improve over the next 3 weeks.

I did get a single PB of 01:16.75 midway through the session which was encouraging. The Yau stage was fast and then it was a smooth 3x3 stage with fast OLL / PLL with no parity fixes.

 

[mark49152]

The Yau stage was fast

Have you tried Hoya?

I started to clean out my Aosu as it has gone catchy and gummy, but it takes too much time to clean and reassemble so it's lying in pieces. The next great cube innovation should be lower friction plastic that doesn't need lube...