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No, I would had done it today if I hadn't looked at the timer too soon in 1 solve to see the time, I stopped the timer before realizing I was still 3 moves away from finishing. Apparently I've lost some motivation, I'm getting some bad solves (more than 6:00) and some DNFs, but I'm improving. I'll continue until my Yuxin 5x5 arrives, I haven't stopped practising (apart from 1 day).

Mega Ao5 PB: 4:41

If you are struggling with megaminx at this stage, I recommend doing slow turning. Also familiarise yourself with the colours so you know exactly what colour you are looking for.
 
I may join to the race to sub-1 though I'm around 20 seconds far from it. I'm courius where it can lead me if I start practice 4x4 again. For last 10 weeks I did 100 solves - I know because I've reset my cstimer after Chirstmas. And my ao100 is 1:23.xx but I think the next will be sub 1:20.

Awesome Grzegorz, would be great if you join :D

Mega Ao5 PB: 4:41

Great improvement in the last few weeks :tu

I think you're right, if I was sub 20 I would probably be practicing more. Although big cubes are starting to grow on me already! I did several 4x4 solves last night and I'm getting closer to 2:30 instead of 3:00 (at least sometimes).

I'll definitely keep you updated, maybe the next world champ will come from our club. ;)

**I just ordered a TangLong and a Yuexiao. :) I ordered my color scheme stickers, and considered ordering without stickers but I figure I will want to do some turns and solves immediately when I open it!

What an improvement in the 4x4 times Jason :) For me the YueXiao is revolutionary and looking forward to solving on the TangLong when my Cubicle order ships. Seeing Marcel's solves looks very promising for that cube.

I'm a little sick and I did few blind solves. Thought I've never uploaded 2bld solves. Easy scramble and a lockup.]

Great solve, the lockup must have cost 3-4 seconds

3:02 3BLD solve while full of brandy. Might have another to celebrate.
It's worth a try I guess, let me fetch a glass.

Had a rum or two myself tonight. Seen some immaculate averages on Sundays at comp from competitors confessing to not sleeping till 5am. I'd struggle to pick the right 6 sides from the 12 on display :D
 
If you are struggling with megaminx at this stage, I recommend doing slow turning. Also familiarise yourself with the colours so you know exactly what colour you are looking for.

Thanks Isaac. I know the colours and the order I follow with them, it's just that the pieces try to hide from me and that I'm also not very efficient at solving them. I'm still improving just by doing solves so I'm fine for now. I'll stop practicing megaminx in a week or two, when I come back to it I'll try to learn some things and practice better.
 
This morning I'm getting more bad solves than usual but also some really good ones, I think this is the first time I get 4 sub-20 in 12 solves, I tried to roll it to get a fifth but I failed (but almost).

That 16.216 is my new PB, not sub-Jason ;) but happy to beat my previous one (it was 16.328 from Dec 4th), but I can't reconstruct it past the first block :mad:

12. 20.365 U L2 U' R2 B2 U' F2 D2 L2 U' R2 F R U' F2 R' B L2 D U L U'
11. 29.470 U' B2 R2 D B2 L2 U2 L2 F2 D2 U' F' L U F L2 U L2 B2 F' L2 D2
10. 26.015 F2 U2 R2 D' L2 D B2 R2 U' R2 U2 F L B2 F R' U B' F D B' D'
9. 16.216 B2 D2 F2 R2 B2 U' L2 D R2 F' U F R' L2 U B' D R' L2 D2
8. 19.431 D B2 U R2 L2 B2 D B2 D' R2 U' F U L' B D' L' U' L' B' F U
7. 23.599 U' R2 L2 D F2 D R2 U2 B2 L2 U L B2 D R L U2 B U L F2
6. 36.245 L2 D' L2 U' L2 U2 F2 L2 D' R2 F' U R' B2 F R' U B D R'
5. 27.254 R2 F2 R2 D L2 B2 U2 F2 D' R2 D2 F L' U2 F2 D' F D L F R2 U2
4. 19.551 D2 R2 B2 R2 F2 D L2 U' R2 D' F2 R' F D2 L' F R2 B2 D B F'
3. 30.567 F2 D L2 U2 L2 B2 U B2 U' F2 U F' L' B U2 B2 U R2 B' F2 R U'
2. 22.654 R2 L2 D2 R2 L2 B2 U L2 D' R2 U' B' R L2 F2 R' D R' D B' F' U2
1. 19.183 L2 B2 U' L2 U B2 L2 D F2 U2 L B R2 B D B D' L' F R' U2

In the "race" to sub-5 ao12 in megaminx still no luck, I DNFed the first solve (same as yesterday), if I get below 6:10 in my first solve tomorrow I'll make it, how hard can it be, right? :rolleyes:
 
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So, one step forward. Two steps back. I've come up with a plan, but am significantly slower as a result. Previously, I was 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL. But to make any real progress, I need to move forward in learning techniques.

I've decided to work on no look cross on bottom (Cross Bootcamp).

Also, I've got a small notebook to draw and copy the 21 OLLs that seem to fit me.

I'm working on some mnemonics for these. For example, this E-perm (x' R U' R' D R U R' D' R U R' D R U' R' D'). I can remember that it is 'mid two', 'last two', 'third', last three'. That's how I remember the CCW turns.

I'm going slow on F2L to try and get some more awareness of the cube dynamics. How to continue to rotate a face to protect a previously solved pair.

Slow going, but fun.
 
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I made it through AZCubing Winter 2016 in one piece. It was busy and exhausting but I think the event went pretty smooth. The venue was great and I'll definitely be using them for future competitions. My results were decent. I was hoping for better 4x4 and 5x5 results but I'll take the 3 PBs in those events, anyway. The OH was on par and 2x2 went very well. 3x3 was the only event I didn't make any gains in but I wasn't expecting that. Overall, I'll take it as a success.

AZCW2016Results.png
 
I had a closer look at this. It took me 800 solves to get to 1:30, then I was at 1:20 by 1700 solves, then hit 1:13 at about 2700 and have been plateaued there since. So projecting that, it will probably take 5000+ solves to reach 1:00. Then again, I applied a similar prediction to 5x5 and it was wrong.

Nice to see your progression like that Mark. I've done just over 1400 timed solves on 4x4 according to my records. I need to start practicing again and the interest from this thread might be just what I need for motivation!

The recent mention of Skewb also caused me to dig mine out of the "unused puzzles" box; never solved and untouched since I received it for X-Mas 2014. It was fun working out how to do it for myself yesterday but on reflection, I feel kinda dumb for taking between 30 - 60 minutes (I didn't time myself). Maybe I'll do a bit of practice and enter at the next competition!

I made it through AZCubing Winter 2016 in one piece. It was busy and exhausting but I think the event went pretty smooth. The venue was great and I'll definitely be using them for future competitions. My results were decent. I was hoping for better 4x4 and 5x5 results but I'll take the 3 PBs in those events, anyway. The OH was on par and 2x2 went very well. 3x3 was the only event I didn't make any gains in but I wasn't expecting that. Overall, I'll take it as a success.

Nice work. So many PBs!
 
I made it through AZCubing Winter 2016 in one piece. It was busy and exhausting but I think the event went pretty smooth. The venue was great and I'll definitely be using them for future competitions. My results were decent. I was hoping for better 4x4 and 5x5 results but I'll take the 3 PBs in those events, anyway. The OH was on par and 2x2 went very well. 3x3 was the only event I didn't make any gains in but I wasn't expecting that. Overall, I'll take it as a success.

http://mikedecock.com/img/AZCW2016Results.png

Rally great results and very nice ao5 in 2x2 and big cubes. Congrats!
 
Got my 1st success at 3BLD for the WC. I don't know whether to be happy or ashamed because the time was above 17 minutes :(

Congratulations to Raul and Mike for their PBs in comp and also, Mike, for surviving the tournament organization ;)
 
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@Chris: What method do you use for SQ-1 cube shape?
I found this (method 1) that seems easy enough with just 5 algs to learn.
Right now I'm using method 3 in that page, which basically is trying to intuitively come to case 0 in method 1, by putting all the edges together but there are some tricky cases that give me nightmares so I was thinking that maybe I should learn those additional 4 algs for cases 1 to 4.
 
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