Older cubers discussions

[ryuusei86]

Fairly cheap it is, I've just bought a Yuxin 5x5 for $12.xx at fasttech, and a Qiyi Square-1 for less than $7.

It'll happen. My Square-1 is also a QiYi and it may be the best puzzle I've bought so far. I'm curious about the similarities and differences among how to solve 3x3s, 4x4s, and 5x5s. But I'll wait until this big shipment of toys arrives first.

Selkie. Watching your Square-1 video makes me want to buy a QiYi Square-1.

I am a beginner, but for what it's worth, I think you will be very happy with it if you buy one. I don't remember why I bought a ShengShou Skewb instead of a QiYi, but I know I had a reason. It might have had to do with reviews at the Cubicle.

I also forgot to mention that I'm not giving up on my Cyclone Boys 4x4, even though I just bought a YJ GuanSu. The Cyclone Boys is locking up a lot, but it's probably my fault for messing with the tensions. I'll probably have to take it apart, lube absolutely everything, and put it back together again. Taking it apart looks easy, but I'm guessing putting it back together will be beastly hard.

 

[newtonbase]

I think I'll be giving 3BLD another chance soon.

Do it!

 

[gateway cuber]

3BLD is my specialty.....

single: 47.31, avg: 53-55 secs or so

multi: 4/5 in 8:03.95

 

[Selkie]

Selkie. Watching your Square-1 video makes me want to buy a QiYi Square-1. I have an old one, I don't even know what brand it is, but it's awful. Strictly for casual solving. I'd lost interest in Square-1 but if the QiYi moves as good as you make it look, I want one

Your 3x3 videos are an inspiration too. It looks like you're turning slow, but you're killing it. I've been chasing sub20 for over a year and I'm finally getting close. Watching you solve gives me hope that I could even see sub15 one day.

The Qiyi is a great puzzle. Had a couple of other Square 1 puzzles but they always popped. Got an average which was fast for me in comp and then forgot how to solve. The delivery of the Qiyi this week has certainly got me to relearn lost algs and get practicing again. A great puzzle it has to be said.

Thank you for your comments re 3x3. Sub 20 is such a threshold that often it takes a lot of mental power as well as cubing skill to attain. Just looked back and I achieved sub 20 in ~ November 2011 according to this graduation thread anyway which has an interesting graph of my progress from sub 30 to sub 20:-

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?20037-Racing-to-sub-20/page433

To be fair it stayed pretty linear to sub 18 from there too and it has taken 4 years to drop the next two seconds! I always practicing slow turning as recommended but I guess never really appreciated that perhaps my hands were slow enough so in recent times have tried increasing TPS. What I have now is what looks like some weird hybrid between fast and slow!!

I'll probably have to take it apart, lube absolutely everything, and put it back together again. Taking it apart looks easy, but I'm guessing putting it back together will be beastly hard.

Any even order cube (4x4, 6x6) is a challenge to re construct mainly due to the fact they do have a middle layer but it is hidden inside the cube. Useful to practice though for the day you get a 6x6 explosion

3BLD is my specialty.....

single: 47.31, avg: 53-55 secs or so

multi: 4/5 in 8:03.95

Those are some pretty awesome times I have to say. Mind me asking what age you are?

 

[Isaac Lai]

Been practicing Square 1 on my new Qiyi last few days having had to relearn. Gone down from ~55 average a few days ago to sub 45 with a 37s average on film. Really enjoying Square 1 and really want to try and push for sub 30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY9x2ff6i1k

Something that will definitely help your solves is turning the U and D layers like you would on a 3x3, and slicing by alternating R and R'.

 

[Selkie]

Something that will definitely help your solves is turning the U and D layers like you would on a 3x3, and slicing by alternating R and R'.

Indeed there are still lots of places where I can make up time

 

[Logiqx]

 

[mark49152]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulLWLyXMb_M

Wow, haven't had one that that since LingYun days!

 

[muchacho]

Comp results:
http://cubecomps.com/live.php?cid=1333&compid=17

Skewb: Times are not up yet, I can't remember, but probably more than a 25 seconds average, building the layer took me too much time.

FMC: DNF, I waited too much, I copied the moves to the paper without verifying the last ones... someone told me later the solve was a M2 away from being solved and like 63 or 65 moves long.

3x3: 30.36 ao5, best time 23.46
Lookahead was bad, and I should have practiced more picking up the cube, but the times are not that far from what I expected.

2x2: 10.51 / 7.28
I screwed two solves, but the rest were good enough.

3x3OH: 2:34.13 ao5, best 1:24.25
This was the last event, I was tired and made so many mistakes, in the last cube once I knew it was not going to be a PB I just DNF it.


I think I have some 3x3 and skewb solves on cam, I'll try to upload some of them... if there is a cube in frame.

 

[Jason Green]

Comp results:
http://cubecomps.com/live.php?cid=1333&compid=17

Skewb: Times are not up yet, I can't remember, but probably more than a 25 seconds average, building the layer took me too much time.

FMC: DNF, I waited too much, I copied the moves to the paper without verifying the last ones... someone told me later the solve was a M2 away from being solved and like 63 or 65 moves long.

3x3: 30.36 ao5, best time 23.46
Lookahead was bad, and I should have practiced more picking up the cube, but the times are not that far from what I expected.

2x2: 10.51 / 7.28
I screwed two solves, but the rest were good enough.

3x3OH: 2:34.13ao5, best 1:24.25
This was the last event, I was tired and made so many mistakes, in the last cube once I knew it was not going to be a PB I just DNF it.


I think I have some 3x3 and skewb solves on cam, I'll try to upload some of them... if there is a cube in frame.

Good job! Since I only do 3x3 so far I can't compare myself to most of your events.

 

[chtiger]

Goals for Saturday:
3x3 -- eh, don't really care, PB I guess Yes and No
3BLD -- sub 3:00 No
MBLD -- 5 correct No
clock -- sub 13.5 avg No

lofty goal -- sub Feliks in clock avg(11.8) or MBLD (6/6 36:16)

http://cubecomps.com/live.php?cid=1366&compid=14
3x3 -- PB avg by .31, missed PB single by .16
3BLD -- missed by 1.72s,
1st solve struggled with memo, took a dnf @ about 2 minutes to save time for later(10 min total time limit)
2nd solve was 2:17 DNF, I think I made a wrong move undoing a setup
MBLD -- 3/6, but 0 pts was good enough for 1st. Not nearly as impressive as 7/15, but that's the rules, so I'll take it
clock -- messed up twice, so had to count a 17, but got a pretty good single

Also got 3rd in 3bld and clock. Yay for unpopular events. Got some gift cards for cubicle as prizes, so looks like I'll be adding some new puzzles. What should I get? I don't have pyraminx, megaminx, skewb, square-1, or anything above 4x4

 

[newtonbase]

Well done.
Pyraminx and skewb are fun but older cubers can't get bogged down in too many events that they can't do well at. Square-1 is evil and mega is too big. Get a good 5x5 first.

 

[Selkie]

Well done.
Pyraminx and skewb are fun but older cubers can't get bogged down in too many events that they can't do well at. Square-1 is evil and mega is too big. Get a good 5x5 first.

5x5 is a good option but Sq1 isnt too bad a choice

 

[Jason Green]

No one here is going out to this are they?
http://www.cubingusa.com/Kcubingspring2016/

I can get a pretty cheap round trip flight, and a guy I used to bowl with lives there and his son is going to compete. So I may go.

Mike D. I looked at flights to AZ for your thing, but they're about twice as much so I doubt I'll try to come.

What about US nationals, anyone going? My niece lives up there, but flights not as cheap either.

 

[Logiqx]

Wow, haven't had one that that since LingYun days!

I've popped a single edge with that cube before (only once) but never an edge plus two corners.

First pop I've caught on camera.

 

[mafergut]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulLWLyXMb_M

Wow! Was that a Tanglong exploding? It must be pretty loose, man! I hate when that happens to my Yueying, btw.

 

[Selkie]

Just about to do another cube order. Got the Yuxin 5x5, Gans 356 v2 and Qiyi Square 1 last week and there are a few more I would like having not ordered for a while.

Definitely going for the YueXiao, Black Moyu AoFu 7x7, Aolong GT, Thunderclap.

My current 4x4 is a AoSu mini and 6x6 is an Aoshi. Any good new 4's or 6's and anything else you guys recommend?

 

[mark49152]

First sub-1 4x4 solve! Been pushing for it for ages, and when it came... man... 54.98... wow! No sneaking one in at 59.99

 

[Selkie]

First sub-1 4x4 solve! Been pushing for it for ages, and when it came... man... 54.98... wow! No sneaking one in at 59.99

Wow awesome solve there sir, that is the way to smash 1 min Have about 15 sub 1 minute solves, only one on film but no sub 55.

You going to Exeter perchance?

 

[EvilGnome6]

Mike D. I looked at flights to AZ for your thing, but they're about twice as much so I doubt I'll try to come.

Registration is already full, anyway. I'm just going to have to make an even bigger event this spring. Where are you flying in from? Phoenix is usually a reasonable place to fly.