Older cubers discussions

mark49152 said:
Hey I'm now #2 oldie in 4x4 average, behind Ron VB. I'm honoured :).

@Logiqx, have you thought of adding kinchranks to the 40s rankings? That would give a really nice overview. Even better if it showed kinchranks for classes of events, like on WCADB.net.
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I'll add it as a "maybe" on my slightly out-of-hand todo list. The ideal scenario would be for WCADB.net to implement an over-40's category where individuals opt-in.

@mark49152. It's been a a while but here's my response to your question about events.

I've also included my methods and my global averages. I haven't been to a competition in almost a year but I'm globally 2.5s faster at 3x3 and 4.0s faster at OH.

1) 3x3 + OH

3x3 (CFOP, average <18): The main event and the one that the general public recognise! My main method is CFOP but I also enjoy solving with other methods. I know full OLL + PLL + COLL (excluding Sunes).

OH (CFOP, average <32): I don't recall why I started OH but I do recall my first attempts being during a coach trip. I found it hard to recall the 4LLL algs but I persevered and used it as an opportunity to learn what my algs were actually doing (i.e. tracking pieces rather than relying on muscle memory alone). I know full OLL + PLL + COLL (excluding Sunes).

2) 4x4 + 5x5

4x4 (Yau with half centres, average <1:20): My first "big cube" event and probably the best result at my first competition, faster than my global average of the time. I did zero 4x4 practice leading up to my second competition and as a consequence, I failed miserably!

5x5 (free-slice, average <2:50): I think I enjoy this fractionally more than 4x4 and the lack of PLL parity is a bonus! I've yet to compete 5x5 so hopefully I'll get a PB single when I do compete. ;)

3) 2x2 + Pyra

2x2 (Ortega, average <6): I practice this event infrequently but I try to plan as far as I can into the solve (ideally predicting the OLL), leaving just PBL to spam at the end.

Pyra (LBL, average <10): I bought one of these out of curiosity and solved it without a guide within about 10 mins. After an hour, I'd figured out the method / algs that I still use for my sub-10 global average. :)

4) 6x6 + 7x7

6x6 (free-slice): My first real "big cube" and I enjoy the additional challenges / opportunities of the centres.

7x7 (free-slice): Another "big cube" which takes longer to solve but at least it doesn't have triple-parity!

5) Megaminx + Skewb

Megaminx (Ballant method then EO, EP, CP, CO): I'm not super-keen on how mega turns but I enjoyed solving it without a guide. I've only solved it a dozen times at most and I still use the same method.

Skewb (beginner): Another puzzle which I figured out for myself but my method was super inefficient (bottom face + corners, top corners, triple-sexy centres). I switched to Sarah's beginner method and the move count has more than halved. lol

6) Clock + Square-1

Clock: I bought one as a teenager in the late-80's and figured out a basic solution which I've subsequently forgotten. My notes are written on a sheet of dot-matrix printer paper but make absolutely no sense to me now! I'm not particularly interested in learning it before I'm competent at the puzzles above, plus I'd want to figure it out for myself, again.

Square-1: This puzzle intrigues me but I don't own one as I know it would end up in a box until I figure out a solution. I'm not particularly interested in learning it before I'm competent at puzzles above. Too little time!

BLD events are on my bucket-list but I have other projects to finish before I embark on that particular journey! :)
 
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mark49152 said:
Well, I expect it's just a temporary thing until you next compete: )
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I wouldn't be too sure there mate. I won't be competing in 4x4 at Guildford as I will only be there for day two and I am out of practice. All recent efforts have been on Megaminx. To the extent where I am having to consciously start other puzzles again as I am aware Guildford is a month away!
 
Logiqx said:
I'll add it as a "maybe" on my slightly out-of-hand todo list. The ideal scenario would be for WCADB.net to implement an over-40's category where individuals opt-in.
Click to expand...

So I actually talked to Jeremy Fleischman at Oregon this weekend. He's in charge of the WCA software team, etc. and he said they are hopefully going to be adding back the opt-in for age stats. I did not realize they used to have those, he said they still have birthdates in the private DB.

Anyone else want to get in touch with him about helping with the code? Mike? I'm sure I could message you his email, or you message me yours or something.
 
Got some new cubes yesterday from zcube.
SS Master Kilomix, ~1.5mm smaller & ~20grams lighter than the SS Gigaminx, turns very nicely, aimed for a sub10 solve & got 9:42.83 on my second try. edit: and 2 solves later 8:54.17

The other ones were the QiYi WuShuang (SL) and a 68mm QiYi Sail (see CBCs youtube video for it), fun to play with.
 
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Jason Green said:
So I actually talked to Jeremy Fleischman at Oregon this weekend. He's in charge of the WCA software team, etc. and he said they are hopefully going to be adding back the opt-in for age stats. I did not realize they used to have those, he said they still have birthdates in the private DB.

Anyone else want to get in touch with him about helping with the code? Mike? I'm sure I could message you his email, or you message me yours or something.
Click to expand...

Cool. I'll be great if the WCA re-introduce age statistics to their website. There's no need for full DOBs to be published... only the "effective age" which changes on a specific day of the year; e.g. 1st Jan.

Coincidentally, I've finally uploaded my code for a basic World Cube Association - Single Person View (wca-spv) to GitHub:

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/world-cube-association-single-person-view-wca-spv.62237/
 
Lid said:
Got some new cubes yesterday from zcube.
SS Master Kilomix, ~1.5mm smaller & ~20grams lighter than the SS Gigaminx, turns very nicely, aimed for a sub10 solve & got 9:42.83 on my second try. edit: and 2 solves later 8:54.17

The other ones were the QiYi WuShuang (SL) and a 68mm QiYi Sail (see CBCs youtube video for it), fun to play with.
Click to expand...
Wow! Sub-9 on Master Kilominx is great! What times do you get on Gigaminx? I would like to buy the MK but let's see... I don't have any more room for big puzzles in my drawers :)

What can you say about the wushuang and big sail? I saw a vid by one of the big guys (don't remember if Lucas or other) and he was turning the big sail like a normal 3x3 at astonishing speeds :)
 
mark49152 said:
Well, I will be watching nervously at UKC :). It will be fun to have a little rivalry going.

Actually I have no idea where that 1.05 came from, as I did zero 4x4 practice in the last month, nor 5x5 either. It wasn't lucky on parities either, as far as I recall.
Click to expand...

Sometimes no practice is better than lots to be fair. I know plenty of people who have pulled out PBs with no practice mate. I probably won't touch a 4x4 until after Guildford now so be interesting to see where I get to by then.

Lid said:
Got some new cubes yesterday from zcube.
SS Master Kilomix, ~1.5mm smaller & ~20grams lighter than the SS Gigaminx, turns very nicely, aimed for a sub10 solve & got 9:42.83 on my second try. edit: and 2 solves later 8:54.17

The other ones were the QiYi WuShuang (SL) and a 68mm QiYi Sail (see CBCs youtube video for it), fun to play with.
Click to expand...

Hmm, must get a kilominx. I got a gigaminx and got to sub 20 after seeing your posts about them. Hopefully all the mega practice will have helped too :)

-------

Started practice for Guidford but only attending Sunday so need to concentrate on Skewb, 5x5, Megaminx and 3x3. Started on 5x5 and pleased to get third fastest average and third fastest single on film this morning. Aim though is a sub 2m average on film before Guildford!

5x5 Average of 5: 2:04.43
5x5 Single: 1:51.17
1. 2:06.26 L U' F L2 l2 u D r' U2 F d' f' b' L2 l' d' u L2 F2 d2 D2 f u2 F2 L l u U f d2 l2 D r' R B D2 l' B2 U' F2 L' F2 f b2 U' l2 u D f2 b2 u' L' u2 L b2 B2 r f L2 b2
2. 2:02.31 U' F' f2 u2 F2 r2 d F2 l f' b' d2 D2 f R2 B b f' d U' f' r2 F d R2 b2 u b u' B' f2 D l2 B' d D' l' D F b2 R2 D' F2 L u2 L r' b2 d F u2 B2 u2 b U' B2 D2 L2 U2 D2
3. 2:04.72 U' b d u U2 B f u B u' L D r L' R' b' r2 R2 f u U l' B' R' r' L d2 r2 D d' U b u' l2 u B D B d' B2 D' B r d f2 b U' L' F' R' l2 r F D' L' R' u' B' L' B'
4. (2:16.65) L r' f D' r U L f' B' R' r2 F' U' L D f2 U l F2 u' L2 D d2 l u2 U f' l2 u b' u' U l L2 D' l' u B' F' u U' d2 l R2 L B2 d l' R' B l' F f2 b l' F2 b' f2 u2 R2
5. (1:51.17) R L2 b2 l2 f B2 l d2 F' f2 r F B d2 U F' l2 d F f L' r U l' r f F L' d B2 R' b B' u2 d' F' d' U2 r U2 d' R U2 u R B2 L2 F L b l' L2 R b2 u' r' f2 r B' l
 
Wow! Nice times indeed. I wish I could just average sub... 3 minutes :)
Gigaminx under 20 minutes is quite a feat too and points to a possible 2x relation between master kilominx and gigaminx as expected.
By the way I just ordered a Valk 3 :) Why? Well, why not? And also, I wanted to have a good stickerless 3x3 and I already have a Yuexiao, the Weilong GTS is not available in stickerless, nor the Gans 356 so... it had to be the Valk3 (or the Thunderclap v2, but I went with the Valk). And no, I did not take the opportunity to order a Master Kilominx... maybe when I order the XMD Magnetic Pyra... :p
 
All this talk of minxes .... a birthday present to myself :)

It's a great solve, but it did take me quite a long time. I'm sure they will get easier. The biggest issue is finding the pieces as there are so many of them.

20160831_111536.jpg
 
I got the big sail as a foot cube and was quite disappointed. I've had some success slowing it down, but not enough. For hand solving though it's not bad. I have been averaging around 34-35 seconds with my thunderclap, and I tried a few times with each of my 3x3s. I didn't do enough for a reliable sample, but the big sail was about 38-39 and my Rubik's was 36-37.

I'm a little torn: I feel like if I put all my free time into BLD over the next few days I can get a success there, but if I put my time into feet I can probably make the soft cut on that. I'll probably keep working mostly on blind.
 
A few recent PB's
4x4 single: 1:25.56 - first and so far only solve below the UK cutoff time
5x5 single: 2:46.xx - 11 second improvement
7x7 single: 9:26.40 - 33 second improvement

Also, I mentioned this to Mark at the last comp, but I had a 3BLD "almost-success" last week. All solved except for a single corner that I twisted during execution. :( Still happy though as I now know I have it within me to get the memo correct. :)
 
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