Older cubers discussions

[MarcelP]

Its just an event where it is harder to find a solid hour to devote.

I agree. I have same problem with BLD. a 3BLD takes 10 minutes out of my life with an almost guarantee of DNF.. It is so much easier to do some 3x3 and enjoy it

 

[mafergut]

This is what i got:

Spoiler

1 corner 3-cycle(s) insertion(s) needed

B' D L' D L' D2 B' [@1] F R' D R' B' D B' D B' D2 B D R' D2 R D' L' D' L D L' D2 L R D R' D' R' B R B'
Insert at @1: B U2 B' D' B U2 B' D
Fewest moves: 44. 2 moves cancelled
The final solution: B' D L' D L' D2 U2 B' D' B U2 B' D F R' D R' B' D B' D B' D2 B D R' D2 R D' L' D' L D L' D2 L R D R' D' R' B R B'

B' D L' D L' D2 [@1] F B' R' D R' B' D B' D B' D2 B D R' D2 R D' L' D' L D L' D2 L R D R' D' R' B R B'
Insert at @1: U2 B' D' B U2 B' D B
Fewest moves: 44. 2 moves cancelled
The final solution: B' D L' D L' D2 U2 B' D' B U2 B' D F R' D R' B' D B' D B' D2 B D R' D2 R D' L' D' L D L' D2 L R D R' D' R' B R B'

Runtime: 5.321 milliseconds

Exactly the same that the other page gave as a result. Both are basically the same comm cancelling at the beginning or the end. It was very illustrative to check that yesterday. Not sure why csTimer is not working for me in this case. Thanks!

Apart from the DNF the mo5 was 5:09, maybe tomorrow I can get a sub 5 ao12, but just maybe, yesterday's mo6 was 4:54 and I failed today...

So you can't easily roll it because the good times are all at the beginning of the Ao12. Then I might have a chance... if I find some time this afternoon to do 5-6 solves... and they are good At this point it doesn't really matter much to me who wins but the fact that we both improved a lot just by racing

I agree. I have same problem with BLD. a 3BLD takes 10 minutes out of my life with an almost guarantee of DNF.. It is so much easier to do some 3x3 and enjoy it

Exactly the same here. With FMC all the more so, as it can take you the whole hour easily. My 3BLD solves are taking right now even more than 10 minutes to rescramble the cube every time. So it's like 1 hour for the 3 attempts at WC. 3 DNFs two weeks in a row. Maybe this week I can have my 1st success but I doubt it. Maybe I should just forget about OP and M2 and go directly to full comms, maybe the rescrambles are more beautiful that way, if not any faster

 

[h2f]

Looks like cstimer is decent as insertion finder.

 

[mafergut]

Looks like cstimer is decent as insertion finder.

Got what the problem was. It's the secure HTTP version of csTimer. I loaded the HTTP one and there the Insertion Finder works. I assume that the javascript or whatever code that implements the finder is deemed insecure and hence blocked in the secure site. Not sure if that makes sense. Anyway I will ask in the csTimer thread.

 

[h2f]

Some skewb example solves. Sorry for voice quality but my lapotop is not good to record voice.

 

[Jason Green]

Thanks for the 5x5 help everyone! I don't use the "compatible" parity alg right now on 4x4 but might switch.

Nice PB David, almost the same as mine which I have not improved for a while.

 

[mark49152]

I agree. I have same problem with BLD. a 3BLD takes 10 minutes out of my life with an almost guarantee of DNF.. It is so much easier to do some 3x3 and enjoy it

The difference is that FMC will always take an hour. With a bit of practice, you'll find that in no time 3BLD is only taking 2 minutes out of your life .

 

[muchacho]

Nice PB David, almost the same as mine which I have not improved for a while.

Thanks, I'd prefer to improve the ao100, but I keep getting some very bad solves too frequently for that.

So you can't easily roll it because the good times are all at the beginning of the Ao12. Then I might have a chance... if I find some time this afternoon to do 5-6 solves... and they are good At this point it doesn't really matter much to me who wins but the fact that we both improved a lot just by racing

Yeah, if not racing I don't think I would have improved as much even if doing the same amount of solves (and I would probably have skipped some days).

 

[earth2dan]

Ok, I have a noob question. Since I don't even have a 5x5 yet I have not tried to learn it. A co-worker moved into a cube (haha) near mine and we got talking about cubes because of my cube lanyard I got at my first contest. She loves cubes, and she solves them but never got into speed solving (I'll try to correct that). Anyway, she is going to bring in her 5x5 sometime, so I'd like to be able to solve it.

My question is, should I be able to muddle my way through most of it given I know Hoya for 4x4? I figure I would have to look up the OLL parity, and I guess there is no PLL parity (that's cool I didn't even know that!). I'm not sure how different the edge building is. I watched a video or two but haven't found a good one.

...Oh I just now found crazy bad cuber's edge pairing tutorial, it might be good I like most of his!

Edit: I also saw the last edge parity is different. I think I could use hoya and free slice to work through it... maybe.

I really enjoy 5x5. Next to 3x3 it's fast become one of my favourite puzzles. I would recommend the Yuxin, or the new MoYu BoChuang. They're both affordable and they're both excellent. I'm still not sure which one I like best. Out of the box the Yuxin was the clear winner, but after setting up the BoChuang it's a tough call.

I've only ever learned one algorithm for 5x5. I use one from Sarah's cubing site for dealing with the last edge. Basically I found that I can always reduce it down to one edge with the simple slice, edge flip, slice back method. This is the alg I use, I found it easy to remember and follow while executing because it has a nice flow. http://sarah.cubing.net/5x5x5/l2e#alg/5l2e5

My global average is about 3:05 now. Still not very fast, but steadily improving with practice. Here's Cyoubx's video series on 5x5. Following some of his tips helped me shave a lot of time of my solves early on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEEXkFtTfXA

Crazybad's video is good too. I met him last year when he was in Winnipeg. We hung out and solved puzzles at his hotel for a couple hours

 

[mafergut]

Some skewb example solves. Sorry for voice quality but my lapotop is not good to record voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz4WzPrgIrc

Voice was good enough. I think you were saying adjacent corners when you meant opposite a couple times but the video was very nice and your explanations very easy to follow. I just discovered that when I have a corner with the "cross" color facing up I usually rotate it twice through the bottom instead of just once over the top in the opposite direction, so I have learned something useful now. From your explanations I have come to the conclusion that there is really no magic, just maybe I need more solves with unlimited inspection to try and make sure I not only choose the better face but also the optimal corner placing order but, other than that I think I do almost all the things the same during "1st layer". It's just a question of more practise to see where that dang last corner ends up after inserting the others and maybe start learning intermediate. I also need to work on my skewb fingertricks as I still find it a very cumbersome puzzle to turn. My hedgeslammer is horrible (not that my sledgehammer is any good either).

Thanks a lot for the video.

The difference is that FMC will always take an hour. With a bit of practice, you'll find that in no time 3BLD is only taking 2 minutes out of your life .

Well, I would say after A LOT of practice it will just take 2 minutes. Before that I'm sure I'll have to spend months getting 5-6 minute solves, I'd say. The good thing about FMC is that, at home, you can put the solve down and come back later while in 3BLD (or 7x7 or whatever event that takes some minutes per solve) you have to do it all in one sitting. One of the reasons I have waited so much to start solving big cubes. First time I tried to solve a 5x5 it took like 20 minutes. Now times are becoming more manageable (but still so bad).

 

[Selkie]

So my pair of GuoGuan YueXiao's arrived from the UK cube store whilst I still await my mammoth Cubicle order to arrive.

Early verdict ... Lives up to the hype and easily eclipses any cube I have every solved with before!!

Some tall claim but let me qualify the first reason. My main whilst learning most of my algorithms was the Dayan LingYun. It was quickly replaced with a Guhong and later a Lubix Zhanchi was my main cube for years. However when I learned my OLLs and PLLs it was the LingYun and I learned my algs with the forgiveness and traits of the LingYun. The main property of which was little turn resistance to corner cutting and no real adverse effect to being held tightly as I do with cubes. I have never found another cube that offers less resistance to my turning style until ... 20 minutes ago!

Lots of reports of it feeling light, which it does not to me though my main is a Gans 356 v1 which is light anyway. It feels so smooth to turn, almost Guhong smooth. I have not bought many cubes in the last two years so cannot compare it to others.

I will try and get a nice average on it once I have finished uploading a 4:23.x 6x6 Mo3

 

[Selkie]

6x6 Looking promising for Exeter in April. never made mean cutoff which is 5 minutes. But feel this is an event I could maybe get to sub 4 minute:-

Mean of 3: 4:23.79
1. 4:20.71 3u2 R2 F L f' 3u' l2 d 3u' 3f2 L2 f2 B' 3r' U 3u' f' B L' u2 L D' f' r2 B r2 B' u' 3r l r2 B d' L' U' d' F 3r F2 b' 3f2 B 3r2 f2 B2 b2 u d2 B 3u L 3r2 F L' 3r b2 L' 3r D2 b' d' r2 b L' r D' 3r' D L' r u' f2 b' 3f' 3u2 L2 f U2 u2 3r2
2. 4:18.17 R' b2 u2 b R2 3u2 U D r' u2 3f' f B d' 3r2 u R2 u2 F b l U R2 u' B2 l B' F' 3u' f' u' f2 D U 3f B d2 3r 3f' L2 3f r2 L' l 3r2 R D L' 3f' l D' d' L' U2 3u' D B2 U u B2 3r' L' b U B' 3u 3r' R l U B' l' 3u f2 3f' d R2 3r d2 L2
3. 4:32.48 B u' b' D' B l u B L' d' 3u' r2 f2 U' 3u2 R' F' U 3r d' 3u l' D2 u d' l b' 3f2 f l' b 3f2 3u' 3r2 b' f' l 3u2 F2 f' 3f2 R' 3u 3r2 r2 3f 3u R2 3u2 f' u' F2 U' L2 u 3u' r' 3u' L 3u' u' R 3r' U r2 d2 u 3f' u2 3r d F b' l2 3f' 3r2 U' f' 3u' U

 

[earth2dan]

Very nice 6x6 solves! I have yet to break the 6 minute mark :/

I also have a YueXiao on order and am really looking forward to it. Your first impressions are encouraging

 

[Shaky Hands]

Good work Chris. I'd be vaping after a 6x6 solve too.

 

[Jason Green]

I ordered a ShengShou 5x5 just because it was $8 on Amazon and will be here in two days. I did not want to spend $25 on one yet, but maybe I'll regret it.

 

[mafergut]

I ordered a ShengShou 5x5 just because it was $8 on Amazon and will be here in two days. I did not want to spend $25 on one yet, but maybe I'll regret it.

I'd gone directly to a Yuxin or, at least a Cyclone Boys.
I'm trying to make the same choice with 6x6 and 7x7 but Moyus are sooo expensive and Shengshous are so meh...

 

[muchacho]

I ordered a Yuxin 5x5 almost 3 weeks ago from fasttech (they were on holiday then), probably it will not arrive in another 2-3 weeks. But it cost me less than $13.

Some skewb example solves.

Thanks!

 

[Selkie]

I ordered a ShengShou 5x5 just because it was $8 on Amazon and will be here in two days. I did not want to spend $25 on one yet, but maybe I'll regret it.

Nothing wrong with the ShengShou, was my main 5x5 for a few years. Onlt stopped being when I got the Moyu Aochuang, then theHuachuang and of course the Yuxin is main since I got that last month. So many new puzzles come out it is impossible to keep up. All the great 5x5's and now I want a Moyu BoChuang as I hear they are great

Edit: Nothing wrong with them when they are broken in but the SS does take some solves to become fast.

 

[MarcelP]

I'd gone directly to a Yuxin or, at least a Cyclone Boys.
I'm trying to make the same choice with 6x6 and 7x7 but Moyus are sooo expensive and Shengshous are so meh...

Me too. The 5x5 SS is horrible compared to them. But if you never tried a 5x5 I guess it is allright. The Yuxin is so much smoother and less lockier. And not a lot more expensive.

 

[MarcelP]

Some skewb example solves. Sorry for voice quality but my lapotop is not good to record voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz4WzPrgIrc

Thanks! That makes a lot sence.

Early verdict ... Lives up to the hype and easily eclipses any cube I have every solved with before!!

I felt the same way too the first day. But I did not get my normal times with it so I was soon back to Gans 356 V1. And even after many solves I feel the same. It's not going to be my main.