Older cubers discussions

[Selkie]

But you have quite a few sub 15 averages lately

Very true, the concentrated training at the moment is currently paying off. Still looking for the elusive sub 15 AO12 and of course the eventual aim of sub 15 overall but with old age comes determination

 

[moralsh]

Mark/Mike, have you seen the unbox video's of the CycloneBoys 5X5? It is 9 dollars at Lightake and the unboxing video's all say that it is pretty good. (better than AoChuang). I just ordered one to find out I might be doing some more 5X5 soon.

Edit: even less: http://lightake.com/p/Cyclone-Boys-Jisuzhiwu-5x5x5-Magic-Cube-Speed-Puzzle-6-3cm_m1667.html
Also, only $13 at Cubicle.us

I got it last week but I think I like the aochuang a bit more. the feeling is similar to the yuxin 4x4 and 3x3, very loose cubes that sometimes go faster than I would like to. Value for money? Absolutely. I also ordered the stickerless huachuang but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[mark49152]

the feeling is similar to the yuxin 4x4

I like the faster feel of the Yuxin 4x4. It's less tiring to solve. However, the corner cutting isn't as nice as the Aosu, and that means my times come out worse overall.

 

[Logiqx]

I ordered some cubes and I'll collect them from the mail depot tomorrow; LingPo, Mini AoSu, Mini WeiLong and spare HuaLong.

Initial thoughts after a little bit of playing with the new cubes:

2x2: The LingPo is much faster than my Dayan. It's speed is comparable to my shelved V-Cube 2 but the LingPo has great corner cutting, unlike the V-Cube 2 which sucks in most respects. I think this will become my main, replacing the Dayan.

4x4: The Mini AoSu stickers look kind of big (proportional to the cubies) but they're ok. The smaller cube is more comfortable to turn and it is easier to control, especially during 3x3 stage. I think it will become my main, replacing the regular AoSu.

3x3: The HuanLong (name on the box has changed from HuaLong) is just as good out of the box as my original purchase. I now have two black ones as my main and backup. Actually... one of them is a little gummier than I'd like as I used slightly too much lube in the core.

OH: I ordered the Mini AoLong V2 but I received the V1 instead. I like the smaller size but I think it is too unstable for my OH. The regular HuaLong turns better and is more controllable so it will probably stay as my OH main. I might order a Mini Weilong to see how that fairs for OH as I do like the feel of a smaller cube.

 

[MarcelP]

2x2: The LingPo is much faster than my Dayan. It's speed is comparable to my shelved V-Cube 2 but the LingPo has great corner cutting, unlike the V-Cube 2 which sucks in most respects. I think this will become my main, replacing the Dayan.

For 2X2 I have the newest Fangshi (Xi-something). It performs better than my Dayan, LingPo, and Cycloneboys.. Colors on the white one (with black stickers) are awesome. You should try one when you order some new cubes.

 

[MarcelP]

Very true, the concentrated training at the moment is currently paying off. Still looking for the elusive sub 15 AO12 and of course the eventual aim of sub 15 overall but with old age comes determination

I tried to film a slow Ao12 like you did. I have to say... big kuddos to you man. I honoustly can not do that. When I turn slow I can not get sub 20 solves. I did manage to get a nice average with 'slowish' turning. Still it feels like I turn really fast. (almost as fast as I can)

Spoiler

Yeah, first solve is a plus 2
58. 15.86 R' D2 L2 R2 D R2 B2 U B2 D' B2 D' L' B' F2 D' B U' B R
59. 20.35 L2 F L F' U B D2 R L U2 D F2 U R2 B2 R2 D' B2
60. 17.88 B2 D' F2 D' F2 R2 B2 U' F2 D' U' R D' B F2 D L2 B2 U2 F R
61. 17.20 F' L2 B' L B' R' B' U D' L2 F' R2 F U2 F2 R2 L2 U2 F' R
62. 20.82 B2 U2 R' B2 R' B2 F2 L' U2 R2 F' U2 R2 B L2 R F D R
63. 19.19 U2 R2 D2 U2 L' U2 F2 L2 F2 R' B2 U' F' L' U' B' U' R B F'
64. 15.94 R' D' R B2 L' F U F2 R F2 L2 F2 U' F2 B2 R2 U L2
65. 21.91 F U2 L2 D2 U B2 L2 R2 D' R2 U2 R B' U' B2 F U2 L F2 R
66. 19.68 L2 U L2 R2 D U L2 D' B D F R F' L2 U' R B2 F'
67. 20.42 R D F R2 D' L2 U2 D' F R' U B2 L2 U' B2 U' R2 D' F2 D2 L2
68. 20.40 U' L2 D' F R' L F U' B2 L U2 L' F2 L U2 R2 B2 U2 F2 U'
69. 22.16 L' F2 U F2 U R2 D2 L2 U L2 U' F2 L' U' R' B R F2 R2 F L
70. 16.26 B' L' D2 L' U2 R D2 B2 R F2 L2 F2 B' D B U R D B D2

 

[Selkie]

I tried to film a slow Ao12 like you did. I have to say... big kuddos to you man. I honoustly can not do that. When I turn slow I can not get sub 20 solves. I did manage to get a nice average with 'slowish' turning. Still it feels like I turn really fast. (almost as fast as I can)

Marcel, I am delighted you gave it a try mate :tu

I have to confess I probably found it easier because I have always tried to do a few exploring solves at that pace or slower very regularly during practice sessions. You are quite right, older hands always feel like they are at TPS maximum a lot of the time and it takes a lot of practice and persuasion to get the fingers moving faster.

That slow average of 12 has had a big impact on me, almost like a light bulb moment. Though work has been very busy today I did have half hours practice after getting home from work and I tried to emulate the video but increasing TPS to say 80% of maximum while solving the last slot, OLL and PLL and was surprised by the results. Best Ao12 was just sub 16! But with very regular 13.x solves, more regular than normal but also some bad solves. Overall session was 16.9, just 0.6 second off my usual. I am going to alternate between max throttle and those new types of sessions to see if I cant claw a few tenths to aim for a sub 16 Ao100 by the end of next month. My self set challenge is on!

Have to say I find it great being able to chat and discuss cubing with people of similar age. It's hugely motivating

 

[Logiqx]

For 2X2 I have the newest Fangshi (Xi-something). It performs better than my Dayan, LingPo, and Cycloneboys.. Colors on the white one (with black stickers) are awesome. You should try one when you order some new cubes.

On the subject to 2x2. Try this scramble from csTimer...

R2 F' R F U' F' U2 R' U'

Spoiler

Wow. There are two intuitive 4 move solutions. They are actually the same solution but from a different perspective.

Blue start: x z2 U R U' R2'
Red start: zy R U R' U2'

I solved it in just over half a second (blue start) but I was taken by surprise and didn't stop the timer until 1.68.

Haha... failed and the moment I realised it on video.

 

[mark49152]

R2 F' R F U' F' U2 R' U'

LOL... Never had one of those.

Here's my PB scramble, 1.79:-
R F' R U R2 U F R' F' R2 U'

 

[MarcelP]

Marcel, I am delighted you gave it a try mate :tu

Overall session was 16.9, just 0.6 second off my usual.....

Have to say I find it great being able to chat and discuss cubing with people of similar age. It's hugely motivating

I will focus on slow turning for a while. I was always very impressed with this video of Sneklyfox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzrlf2yNXtU
She used to come here in this topic but has not been seen in a while. I agree, discussing cubing with people my age makes it so much more fun.

On the subject to 2x2. Try this scramble from csTimer...

R2 F' R F U' F' U2 R' U'

Spoiler

Wow. There are two intuitive 4 move solutions. They are actually the same solution but from a different perspective.

Blue start: x z2 U R U' R2'
Red start: zy R U R' U2'

I solved it in just over half a second (blue start) but I was taken by surprise and didn't stop the timer until 1.68.

Spoiler

I had 2.45.. I am just that slow LOL..

LOL... Never had one of those.

Here's my PB scramble, 1.79:-
R F' R U R2 U F R' F' R2 U'

Took me 10 seconds. I could not find a short solution

 

[Logiqx]

LOL... Never had one of those.

Here's my PB scramble, 1.79:-
R F' R U R2 U F R' F' R2 U'

That was a great time. I can see 3 possible good starts and only one leads to a PBL skip. I don't think I'd have got that in a normal solve. Bowtie is not my favorite OLL.

My previous PB was 1.90 and required a 2 move layer, 6 move OLL (U or T), 3 move PBL and AUF. I managed to plan past OLL during inspection and the PBL was double-diag + U2 which is very distinctive.

 

[mark49152]

I can see 3 possible good starts and only one leads to a PBL skip.

Just shows how 2x2 is all down to luck. My solution (no bowtie) was

z' F R U' R'
R U R' U' R' F R F' U'

Note the 6 moves that could have cancelled if I had your inspection skills

 

[not_kevin]

LOL... Never had one of those.

Here's my PB scramble, 1.79:-
R F' R U R2 U F R' F' R2 U'

I don't do 2x2 much, but I found a nice solution to that scramble

Spoiler

x' y2 R' F R F' U'

 

[Logiqx]

Just shows how 2x2 is all down to luck. My solution (no bowtie) was

z' F R U' R'
R U R' U' R' F R F' U'

Note the 6 moves that could have cancelled if I had your inspection skills

My orange solution was z' y (L' U' L' U L2') U' (F' R U R' U' R' F R). We both started on orange but I've learnt a new way to solve that corner case from your solution. Thanks.

Your solution also includes the T OLL just like my previous PB. I quite like the T but I suck at the mirror when I try to do it left handed!

IMHO, I think scrambles with 4 move solutions are too easy; often a 3 move insert + 1, R2 F2 R2 + 1 or something intuitive. 5 moves are probably too easy as well and account for <1% of all possible states. It's certainly a contentious issue when you search for "scramble filtering" and has polarised views.

I don't do 2x2 much, but I found a nice solution to that scramble

x' y2 R' F R F' U'

Nice. It's slightly ironic that a sledgehammer insertion (SS style) is the quickest solution when Mark's previous PB started like that iirc.

 

[Selkie]

That slow average of 12 has had a big impact on me, almost like a light bulb moment.

Indeed a light bulb moment with PBs just now for AO5 and AO12

Average of 5: 14.08 (In Bold)
Average of 12: 14.98
1. 15.39 U2 B D2 R2 F' L2 F' R2 F2 R2 B2 L' B' D2 R' F2 U B' L2 D U'
2. 14.14 F B' U' F2 B' D R2 L' F U B2 U L2 D2 L2 B2 D' R2 U' L2
3. (18.62) B2 D2 L' U' F' R D F L B2 L2 B R2 D2 L2 F2 D2 L2 B D2
4. 15.11 B2 U L2 U2 F2 D' B2 U2 B2 R2 D' F' D' B' L2 U2 R F2 U' L' R'
5. 16.56 B2 D2 L2 U' F2 D' R2 B2 D2 L2 U2 B' U' R' U' L' D U' R B' F
6. 14.27 D' L2 R2 D2 R2 U' R2 D' R2 D2 R' B' U' F2 D' R U' B2 U' F' R'
7. 14.64 F2 U2 B2 L' D2 L2 F2 U2 L' U2 R2 F' U B D2 L U' L' R B' F2
8. 15.04 L2 U' B2 D2 R2 U L2 D B2 F2 U' L F2 L2 F' U' R2 F' R U R
9. (11.05) B2 D R2 U F2 U L2 U2 L2 U B' D B' U2 B2 R' F' D2 L U' R
10. 13.34 U L' B L2 U2 B' L2 B2 U L D2 L2 D R2 U L2 F2 D F2 B2 U'
11. 15.01 F U D2 F2 U2 F U' B2 R B2 R2 U' L2 U R2 B2 U L2 D' L2
12. 16.26 U' B2 L2 D R2 B2 U' R2 D' R2 F2 R' B D2 R' D L U F L2 R'

 

[MarcelP]

Indeed a light bulb moment with PBs just now for AO5 and AO12

Did you do that with slow turning in F2L and fast LL? Or everything slight fast.

 

[Selkie]

Did you do that with slow turning in F2L and fast LL? Or everything slight fast.

That's the strange thing mate, felt like normal pace or maybe 2%-3% slower across the whole solve but I just seemed to be able to track better. I am wondering if the concentrated slow solves for the video are giving me look ahead practice to apply to my normal speed. One thing is for sure, I'm going to try and do a super slow AO50 as often as I can. The few percent helped F2L for lookahead and that drop in TPS on LL seemed to more or less get rid of lockups.

I am still on the same Ao100 session and sub 16 might still be possible if improbable

 

[Logiqx]

I've uploaded my first 4x4 recording - 1:20.68 mean of 3

It looks soooo slow there is clearly plenty of room for improvement.

 

[Selkie]

I've uploaded my first 4x4 recording - 1:20.68 mean of 3

It looks soooo slow there is clearly plenty of room for improvement. [/url]

Nice mean and really good times with the turn speed :tu

 

[MarcelP]

I've uploaded my first 4x4 recording - 1:20.68 mean of 3

It looks soooo slow there is clearly plenty of room for improvement.

Very nice. It looks indeed so slow. I average just under 2 minutes and I feel like I am turning so fast that smoke comes from my cube..