Older cubers discussions

[MarcelP]

Also I just scramble randomly, I'm slow reading the patterns.

I remember clearly when I solved just like you. I also thought reading scrambles from screen was a waste of time. But people here encouraged me to do so. It helps you do fingertricks. And after a short while doing reall scrambles will take you justa few secs to scramble.

So I'm probably not getting any better right now because I'm making my brain diversify into being able to recognise different colors, and colors with a big black strip around them (it's a weird transition from stickerless!), which is also temporarily worsening my scores on my original cube. I think it will speed me up once I'm over the hump though.

That's right. It will soon get better. Every now and then I solve a white cube with black stickers. It throws me off for a while and then I am just as fast on it as with any other cube.

 

[Jason Green]

I remember clearly when I solved just like you. I also thought reading scrambles from screen was a waste of time. But people here encouraged me to do so. It helps you do fingertricks. And after a short while doing reall scrambles will take you justa few secs to scramble.

That's cool I never thought about it helping finger tricks. I'll start working on that also.

 

[mark49152]

That's cool I never thought about it helping finger tricks. I'll start working on that also.

I think it helps with cross in particular, where we rely less on familiar sequences from muscle memory. A year or two back, we each did an ao12 of fixed-length scrambles and posted our times. Might be fun to do that again!

 

[moralsh]

Wow, I'll try to upload something tomorrow, don't think I'll hit sub 20 but I'll try!

 

[Logiqx]

Here is my entry... I'm really glad you did this challenge! It made me realize I was giving up on way too many of my messed up solves. In fact I almost chickened out of this because I was afraid I would end up "double solving" half of them.

It gets less painful after the first two, about 3 minutes in. Also I just scramble randomly, I'm slow reading the patterns. I'm gonna post a follow up if I can get an Ao12 under 40.

https://youtu.be/t1KcZ4JTxao

Cool. I have just got back from a family weekend and watched your video whilst I did some cubing myself.

It looks like you started to settle down and relax in the later solves and there was even a sub-40 Ao5 near the end. Good work.

Wow, I'll try to upload something tomorrow, don't think I'll hit sub 20 but I'll try!

It seems that Marcel has been very successful in getting us to make some videos!

I quite like the scrambling idea that Mark suggested.

 

[EvilGnome6]

Sunday Single 4x4. 1:02.39

On Sunday afternoons I cook food for the week and do some cubing. I wanted to capture a good single and here's my best from the session. This is my second fastest time ever and could have been sub-1 had there been no parity. Darn that parity.

Oh, well. Hope you don't mind me sharing it here. The first two centers were extremely lucky. I can't really plan them out that well. First three edges were smooth and half centers went fast, too. My F2L is choppy, the OLL was easy and PLL took too long to identify. Room for improvement and I think a sub-1 average can be achieved someday. Cube used was the Cyclone Boys G4.

I'll try to capture a good 5x5 next week.

 

[mark49152]

I quite like the scrambling idea that Mark suggested.

Ao12 = 10.99. I used 25 move fixed length scrambles. Note that random state can be variable length.

Sunday Single 4x4. 1:02.39

Nice solve.

 

[MarcelP]

Sunday Single 4x4. 1:02.39


On Sunday afternoons I cook food for the week and do some cubing. I wanted to capture a good single and here's my best from the session. This is my second fastest time ever and could have been sub-1 had there been no parity. Darn that parity.

Oh, well. Hope you don't mind me sharing it here. The first two centers were extremely lucky. I can't really plan them out that well. First three edges were smooth and half centers went fast, too. My F2L is choppy, the OLL was easy and PLL took too long to identify. Room for improvement and I think a sub-1 average can be achieved someday. Cube used was the Cyclone Boys G4.

I'll try to capture a good 5x5 next week.

I am at work so I can't watch now. I thought G4 was my main, untill I did an Ao5 for the weekly contest this week with an AoSu. Broke my single and AVG PB

Ao12 = 10.99. I used 25 move fixed length scrambles. Note that random state can be variable length.


Nice solve.

Cool, I will try tonight.

 

[Logiqx]

Ao12 = 10.99. I used 25 move fixed length scrambles.

I've just done my Ao12 using "old style" scrambles of 25 moves... 9.602s / 2.6tps

I can't have woken up yet because my first attempts (deleted) confused me!

Start the timer... scramble... stop the timer... check the pattern. What... how did I mis-scramble? Solve the cube and try again... what... another mis-scramble! Repeat...

It took me a few scrambles + solves to twig I was checking against the image of the next scramble. I did the Ao12 by just scrambling and not doing solves in between.

I think I was turning a bit more carefully once I knew I couldn't check the image. Next time I'll do it on the computer with two timer windows... one for scramble checking and one for timing!

 

[mark49152]

It took me a few scrambles + solves to twig I was checking against the image of the next scramble.

LOL! I didn't check scrambles or solve in between. It's possible I misscrambled here and there but I don't think it matters as long as I did all 25 moves. Your time is pretty fast! All my scrambles were consistently 10.x or 11.x.

 

[muchacho]

Ao12 of scrambles: 17.68

I used scrambles from here:
http://www.jaapsch.net/scramble_cube.htm

And then I was checking them here:
https://alg.cubing.net/
(funny that I did them all right, usually even I scramble slower I fail like 1 out of 10)

Spoiler: times

12 00:17.655 B' D U2 B2 F2 R' B2 D2 U' B F2 R U2 L' U' L' B2 F U F U' F' L U B
11 00:16.047 L2 B' F' L' R2 D2 R D B D' F U' B F2 R U L R' F2 D2 U F D' R2 D'
10 00:16.645 B L' D2 U2 F' U2 F' L' D U' B L' D U B' F' D U L R B2 F2 D2 U R2
9 00:17.070 U' R D' U F' D' U2 L F L2 B L U2 B F' L' R2 F L2 R U' R' B' F' R'
8 00:19.559 D2 U2 B2 F' D2 U' B2 F D2 U2 L B2 D' U B R' U L' R' D L2 U2 L2 B U'
7 00:18.519 L2 B2 L' B' L2 D2 U' F2 U L' D2 F D2 U2 L' B2 U2 B' F' L' B F2 R U F2
6 00:16.335 D' U F' R' D2 B2 F L' D U' L F D2 L D R U2 R2 B2 F D2 R D2 B' D
5 00:17.247 F2 L2 U' B F' D2 U' L2 R B L2 R U' L' F' D U2 F2 R' D U F2 U2 L R
4 00:17.280 L' R B R D U2 B F' D2 L R2 B D L2 D' U2 B' R2 D2 B' L B2 F2 L2 D2
3 00:18.624 R' B2 L F2 L2 B F L' R F L2 U' R' B2 F R D' U2 B2 F2 L2 B' D' L' R'
2 00:20.325 F2 D2 F2 L U' F2 D2 U R' D' B L2 R' U' R2 D' U B2 F' D2 U2 R2 D2 U B2
1 00:17.903 L2 R2 D2 B2 F' L2 D2 B2 D U2 L2 R B F' L' R2 F L' B' F L' R D2 R F

 

[Logiqx]

LOL! I didn't check scrambles or solve in between. It's possible I misscrambled here and there but I don't think it matters as long as I did all 25 moves. Your time is pretty fast! All my scrambles were consistently 10.x or 11.x.

Yeah... pretty pleased with a sub-10 Ao12 for my first attempt but I think with a bit of a warm up, I can probably do sub-9. It's all about the "read-ahead".

I did some zero inspection solves yesterday night, something I haven't done since I was averaging 24/25s. I was racing Jason on his video so when he started his timer, I'd uncover my hand-scrambled cube and solve it. The timing was only rough (looking at his screen) but I was generally doing 25.x with a best of 21.x and worst of 26.x.

Maybe we should do a "real man" challenge... scrambling, inspecting and solving included in the time? Sub-30 would be a great target but I don't think I could average that yet... maybe a single!

 

[Logiqx]

Sunday Single 4x4. 1:02.39

Very nice! Less pauses on 3x3 and that would have been way sub-60.

 

[Logiqx]

Maybe we should do a "real man" challenge... scrambling, inspecting and solving included in the time? Sub-30 would be a great target but I don't think I could average that yet... maybe a single!

Well... that was pretty fun! This was my first ever attempt at the "real man" format.

I had csTimer running in two windows... one showing "old style" (25 move) scrambles, waiting for times to be input manually and one being used as a timer. Start the timer, scramble, solve, stop the timer, enter the time. In the future, I will pre-generate scrambles and enter them into csTimer rather than using two windows.

1/5/12 = 25.62/32.01/32.74

That 25 felt sweeeeet. A super-easy white cross, easy F2L then a nice OLL+PLL!

p.s. I did this challenge using white cross. No point searching for the "best" cross when the clock is ticking!

p.p.s. I'll do a video of this some time. Slightly too busy over the next few days.

Spoiler

Generated By csTimer on 2015-9-14
solves/total: 12/12

single
best: 25.62
worst: 37.71

mean of 3
current: 30.59 (σ = 4.55)
best: 30.20 (σ = 4.06)

avg of 5
current: 32.26 (σ = 0.96)
best: 32.01 (σ = 1.27)

avg of 12
current: 32.74 (σ = 2.46)
best: 32.74 (σ = 2.46)

Average: 32.74 (σ = 2.46)
Mean: 32.56

Time List:
1. 33.62 B2 U' D2 L2 B' L' R' U R2 D' B U2 B' F' R U2 B' R2 B2 R' D2 L' R2 F B
2. 30.34 U2 B' R2 F L' U' R2 B2 R' U2 L2 B L2 D U' B2 L R2 B F D' B' F2 D B2
3. 37.71 R F' U' F U2 R' L2 U' B2 L' U2 B2 F R2 D2 F' D' F' U2 R' B2 R2 D B2 D
4. 28.95 L2 D' F B R' F U R2 U' R' F' B' U R B D' R2 F D2 U2 F B2 R2 L U
5. 35.62 U2 F U2 F D' U2 B R B' D' L' U2 B' R2 U2 D' R U' D2 R2 D' B2 L2 F' B2
6. 30.85 B U2 R2 D' R' F2 R2 B L U D' B' R2 U D L' F' D U' B2 D' B2 R D' R2
7. 36.71 B2 L F L2 U' F' U' F R' D2 U' L R' U' R2 L2 U B' L B F' L R D F
8. 31.81 U2 D' R2 F U' D L' B U F D' U2 F2 U2 D2 R2 B2 D2 L' F' L2 D U R B
9. 33.37 U2 B' U' R' L B2 R L F2 B2 D' F2 D2 U' B' U D2 B D' B2 L2 U' R2 F2 U
10. 25.62 F D' U F U' F' D2 B' L D2 U B2 R L F2 R2 U2 R U' F2 U2 R2 F2 L2 D
11. 31.61 D U' R2 F' L2 D L' D2 F2 D' U' R' L2 B D' L2 F2 B L R2 D2 B2 R D' B2
12. 34.54 F' R2 D B2 D2 F' R' B2 F2 L B' F R B2 L2 F' D' R' D2 U' F' B2 U' R' L2

 

[EvilGnome6]

I thought G4 was my main, untill I did an Ao5 for the weekly contest this week with an AoSu. Broke my single and AVG PB

When I first did a timed session using the YuXin 4x4 I broke my single and AVG PB so it replaced the AoSu as my main. After a few months of using the YuXin as my main, the internal catching started to really aggravate me. The AoSu has issues with that, too. So far, the G4 doesn't seem to have that problem and my times haven't suffered.

The G4 isn't perfect, though. The design is very good but the manufacturing is cheap. It takes a lot of work to set up and break in.

 

[Jason Green]

I was racing Jason on his video so when he started his timer, I'd uncover my hand-scrambled cube and solve it.

You were racing ME? That's not much of a challenge is it? Did you also play pick up basketball with some pre-schoolers? Just giving you a hard time!

I think it helps with cross in particular, where we rely less on familiar sequences from muscle memory. A year or two back, we each did an ao12 of fixed-length scrambles and posted our times. Might be fun to do that again!

So question, what advice can people give on how much to work on limiting cube rotations, especially during F2L? This comment on the cross made me realize sometimes I do a bunch of unneeded rotations just to like in my last cross edge (for example). If I was better with my turns I could avoid that. I can do the full F2L without rotations, but some of that would be slow. Like if I have a slot aligned that I can solve with RUR'U' RUR'U' RUR', I think it would be horribly slow for me if I tried to do it from another angle. At the same time I'm probably way over rotating to get the slots in a certain spot. Is there a "happy medium" for my current level? What should be me "end goal"?

 

[EvilGnome6]

So question, what advice can people give on how much to work on limiting cube rotations, especially during F2L? This comment on the cross made me realize sometimes I do a bunch of unneeded rotations just to like in my last cross edge (for example). If I was better with my turns I could avoid that. I can do the full F2L without rotations, but some of that would be slow. Like if I have a slot aligned that I can solve with RUR'U' RUR'U' RUR', I think it would be horribly slow for me if I tried to do it from another angle. At the same time I'm probably way over rotating to get the slots in a certain spot. Is there a "happy medium" for my current level? What should be me "end goal"?

Take a solved cube and scramble it using only R and U turns. That means the 2 F2L pairs on the right can be solved using only R and U moves and no rotations. It will help you recognize those cases and get you used to doing rotationless insertions.

Then scramble using only L and U moves to work on the left side F2L pairs.

 

[Jason Green]

Take a solved cube and scramble it using only R and U turns. That means the 2 F2L pairs on the right can be solved using only R and U moves and no rotations. It will help you recognize those cases and get you used to doing rotationless insertions.

Then scramble using only L and U moves to work on the left side F2L pairs.

That's an awesome idea, thanks!

BTW, on my phone app I can "like" a post but I do not know if that is visible anywhere. I can't see any other likes from other people, is there a way to do that, or is this just something weird on the Tapatalk app?

 

[Logiqx]

You were racing ME? That's not much of a challenge is it? Did you also play pick up basketball with some pre-schoolers? Just giving you a hard time!

So question, what advice can people give on how much to work on limiting cube rotations, especially during F2L? This comment on the cross made me realize sometimes I do a bunch of unneeded rotations just to like in my last cross edge (for example). If I was better with my turns I could avoid that. I can do the full F2L without rotations, but some of that would be slow. Like if I have a slot aligned that I can solve with RUR'U' RUR'U' RUR', I think it would be horribly slow for me if I tried to do it from another angle. At the same time I'm probably way over rotating to get the slots in a certain spot. Is there a "happy medium" for my current level? What should be me "end goal"?

Well, I watched your first 3 solves then I wanted to do some practice so that's how it came about!

You should get into the habit of doing solutions for any slot through simple mirroring. You gave the example of (RUR'U')*3 but you can also do it at the back right with (R'U'RU)*3, front-left with (L'U'LU) and back left with (LUL'U') with practice. This applies to many of the F2L cases and the general rule is that if it works without a rotation for the FR slot there is an equivalent for the BL slot. If it works for BR (many cases which require a rotation are typically solved to BR) then there is an equivalent for FL.

With time / practice you'll realise which of your F2L cases are worst and start investigating better solutions.

 

[Jason Green]

Well, I watched your first 3 solves then I wanted to do some practice so that's how it came about!

You should get into the habit of doing solutions for any slot through simple mirroring. You gave the example of (RUR'U')*3 but you can also do it at the back right with (R'U'RU)*3, front-left with (L'U'LU) and back left with (LUL'U') with practice. This applies to many of the F2L cases and the general rule is that if it works without a rotation for the FR slot there is an equivalent for the BL slot. If it works for BR (many cases which require a rotation are typically solved to BR) then there is an equivalent for FL.

With time / practice you'll realise which of your F2L cases are worst and start investigating better solutions.

Cool, lots of good advice! Thanks!!