Older cubers discussions

[One Wheel]

Not sure what you mean, but I guess during execution I could do something like angle to the left when solving edges, and to the right when solving corners. I'm just frustrated because it seems a silly problem to have, and I'm inclined to just practise until it (hopefully) goes away.

Something like that. Or just mentally do that, without necessarily physically moving.

 

[SenorJuan]

I've just decided I'd post a few thoughts on the puzzles I recently purchased (from Marty Wolfman's shop).
LanLan Domino: works as it should, I can't really fault it, but it would be nice if it had better corner-cutting. I guess that's a consequence of modern cubes being so good in that respect, we want every puzzle to be like it.

Yuxin Mirror-blocks, black with 'brushed' gold stickers: Low cost, but looks classy. It's lubed, so turns very easily....but that seemed to be my initial problem. I just couldn't hold it without 7 out of the 6 faces turning randomly. Yet to intentionally turn it, you need to align the faces quite accurately. Hopefully the lube will wear off and some useful stiction will occur.
Other than that, (which is quite frustrating) it's fun to solve. Definitely a recommendation. My first ~30 solves saw my solve times drop from 9 minutes to 1m57s Yay! And for those who want more from their puzzles, it is actually a supercube, due to the 'grain' in the metallic stickers, which is clearly visible when a centre is 90 degrees to all the other cubies. It comes with a 'corner-supporting' display stand, as it clearly can't be laid down on a flat surface.....

Calvin's Eitan Twist: Hmm....horrible out the box. Very loose, and lubed, so too easy to turn. But it has zero corner-cutting, and the 'centre-pieces' can move around a lot, so it catches terribly. I tightened it up a bit and it's better. But the movement of the centres looks like a design error. It's a feature I know about, as years ago all cubes had this problem, and I remember my first cube that addressed it ( I even modded another cube to make it that way). The key is to use a large headed fixing screw, that sits inside a round recess in the centre-piece plastic, with little clearance. This Calvin's Twist has screws that are far too small for the recess, so the centre pieces can wobble about.
One feature of it is quite odd, though. Common sense says the two flat faces (red and orange) will be perfect 'Rubiks Cube' shape, and will line up perfectly with the opposite flat face. Wrong on both counts! though I can't see why.... The four 'cuts' that divide the flat faces are slightly skewed, resulting in odd shaped pieces, with odd-shaped stickers. And when you turn a face 90 degrees, it's quite obvious, the mis-matches show up.
And very peculiar is the fact the two flat faces are about 85 degrees apart. Put it down on it's side, it rocks like a wobbly table.
Internally it is modern, and doesn't want to pop at all, so that's a good thing.
As a puzzle, it's OK, there's four middle-layer centres that need aligning, so super-cube care is needed. And as the centre-layer edges can be rotated without any signs, there's a 50% chance of edge OLL parity on your last layer. I tried the obvious (to me): (F M')4 U (F M')4 U' to flip a pair of edges, to be met with misaligned super-centres. Gah, wasn't expecting that. Still, there's other easy ways of sorting the parity problem. It looks pretty when solved.

 

[Lid]

@Selkie , you wanted a sub1:30 in IRC earlier ... here you go: 1:29.12
Easy LL, L U F' U' L' U L F L' + R2' U2' R2 U' R2' U2' R2.

 

[Logiqx]

@h2f, yes there's probably not much in it. Maybe corners first helps with bigger cubes though.

I did another multi attempt today and made the same mistake yet again. Executed edges as corners. I think it's since I started learning corner comms. I now associate each image clearly with a corner pattern and a comm. Sometimes when I recall the image during edges, I see it as corners and execute that instead. I guess it's a lapse of concentration but I have no idea how to fix this...

I seem to remember that Maskow uses different images for corners and edges. Perhaps it is for this very reason. Have you seen his image video?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[mark49152]

I seem to remember that Maskow uses different images for corners and edges. Perhaps it is for this very reason. Have you seen his image video?

I have although I don't remember if he has separate images. It makes sense but is a lot to learn and I can imagine I would mix those up from time to time too.

 

[Logiqx]

I have although I don't remember if he has separate images. It makes sense but is a lot to learn and I can imagine I would mix those up from time to time too.

The other thing is he didn't use basic letter pairs. He had unique letters, digits and symbols for each sticker. Lots to learn but completely unique. Interesting but not particularly useful to anyone well practiced in letters!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[mark49152]

The other thing is he didn't use basic letter pairs. He had unique letters, digits and symbols for each sticker. Lots to learn but completely unique. Interesting but not particularly useful to anyone well practiced in letters!

At the time I looked at it, I concluded that it reduced to the same thing. One image element per pair of targets, with elements combined to a compound scene.

If he uses different letters, numbers or symbols for each piece type I can see how that would help with my problem, but I'm not really keen on extending to numbers and symbols as it would be harder to develop images for them. Plus, I'm not sure it would really help any more than just having a different image, since in the end the letters/coding is secondary anyway.

Funny how I don't make the same mistakes in 4BLD or 5BLD, where in the latter case I use the same images for five piece types.

 

[bubbagrub]

@h2f, yes there's probably not much in it. Maybe corners first helps with bigger cubes though.

I did another multi attempt today and made the same mistake yet again. Executed edges as corners. I think it's since I started learning corner comms. I now associate each image clearly with a corner pattern and a comm. Sometimes when I recall the image during edges, I see it as corners and execute that instead. I guess it's a lapse of concentration but I have no idea how to fix this...

I had exactly the same problem for a while with MBLD, but I fixed it by making a conscious decision to pause before each new room and confirm to myself whether it was corners or edges. It adds a couple of seconds per cube, but it stopped me doing the wrong execution.

 

[mark49152]

I had exactly the same problem for a while with MBLD, but I fixed it by making a conscious decision to pause before each new room and confirm to myself whether it was corners or edges. It adds a couple of seconds per cube, but it stopped me doing the wrong execution.

Hey it's great to hear I'm not the only one! I will try that and see how it goes. Thanks Ben.

 

[JanW]

I've been quiet lately, life is interfering with cubing again. But I'm trying to keep it up, do maybe 10-20 solves/day and also try to get in one or two blind solves every day, so that I don't forget about everything. I should have more time on my hands again next month for some more serious practice. There's a comp I should be able to go to end of November. I might go there for some first official results. Not sure yet.

I'm quite happy with regular 3x3 right now. I'm not seeing any exceptional times, but the average is very steady at around 26-28 seconds whenever I do an Ao12. My latest Ao12 was possibly my most even ever:

Ao12: 25.65 (cube: Weilong GTS)
25.59, 24.90, 25.77, 25.49, 26.86, (28.84), 26.52, 24.31, 24.81, 26.93, 25.39, (24.03)

Currently doing CFOP with mostly 2-look OLL. I haven't counted, but know about 10-12 OLL algs (apart from those with edges oriented). I'll try to increase that next month.

 

[JohnnyReggae]

Finally some new PB's for 5x5 It's been a little while since I've broken all my PB's with 5x5 so quite chuffed
Single PB broken 3 times in this session, although the last one was by 1 hundredth of a second

ao12 : 2:50.70, 2:57.36, 3:13.30, (3:15.23), 2:51.59, 2:53.71, 3:00.37, 3:12.79, 2:41.86, 2:34.53, 3:08.49, (2:34.52) = 2:56.47

ao5 : (3:12.79), 2:41.86, 2:34.53, 3:08.49, (2:34.52) = 2:48.29

mo3 : 2:34.53, 3:08.49, 2:34.52 = 2:45.85

single: 2:34.52

 

[h2f]

At the time I looked at it, I concluded that it reduced to the same thing. One image element per pair of targets, with elements combined to a compound scene.

I agree with you. As I was talking with Maskow - he never used letter pairs but images. When he switched comms he connected images with algs. In 3bld he had strange marks for corners (e.g. +, -, etc) but in mbld he changed it to images as well. I think when you use letter pairs it leads to the same pattern. Letter pair = image = alg.

 

[newtonbase]

Fixed my clock. I took it to pieces and used emery boards to smooth it all out and reassembled it. That did nothing so I took it apart and wiped down every surface that moves against another with shock oil and reassembled it. Then I took it apart and reassembled it the right way up. It now moves pretty freely other than an occasional lockup. I'm hoping that my 2nd timed solve beats my sup 12 min PB.

 

[Shaky Hands]

@newtonbase... plenty of advice on Google... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+to+lube+a+rubik+clock.

 

[newtonbase]

@newtonbase... plenty of advice on Google... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+to+lube+a+rubik+clock.

Thanks. I had thought it was damaged as it locked up so much but couldn't find any videos that helped so tried the lube. Unfortunately I don't have the spray that most people seem to use so dug out the shock oil. I thought Maru would be too short term a solution.
My PB is now 2:05! That's at least 10 minutes improvement.

 

[chtiger]

First PB at anything in months. Clock sub-9 ao5. Previous best was 9.44. Some easy scrambles certainly helped.
Average of 5: 8.98
1. 8.93 UR4+ DR4+ DL1- UL3- U5+ R5+ D3- L1- ALL0+ y2 U3- R4- D5+ L6+ ALL3- DR DL UL
2. 9.02 UR2- DR1- DL1- UL3+ U2- R1+ D1+ L2- ALL1- y2 U1+ R5+ D4+ L4+ ALL4+ UR DR
3. (8.40) UR5- DR3+ DL0+ UL1- U5+ R2+ D3- L4+ ALL6+ y2 U1- R6+ D3- L1- ALL2+ UR DR DL UL
4. (10.24) UR4+ DR1+ DL2+ UL5- U4+ R5+ D1- L1- ALL0+ y2 U3+ R4+ D4- L5+ ALL0+ UR UL
5. 8.99 UR2+ DR6+ DL2- UL5+ U5- R5+ D4- L4- ALL6+ y2 U3+ R2+ D0+ L1+ ALL2- DR DL UL

@newtonbase, lubing the clock helps tremendously. I'm not familiar with all the different lube types to know what's what. I use Traxxas differential lube 50k wt, which coincidentally is what was used in this video I watched for how to do it.

 

[newtonbase]

First PB at anything in months. Clock sub-9 ao5. Previous best was 9.44. Some easy scrambles certainly helped.
Average of 5: 8.98
1. 8.93 UR4+ DR4+ DL1- UL3- U5+ R5+ D3- L1- ALL0+ y2 U3- R4- D5+ L6+ ALL3- DR DL UL
2. 9.02 UR2- DR1- DL1- UL3+ U2- R1+ D1+ L2- ALL1- y2 U1+ R5+ D4+ L4+ ALL4+ UR DR
3. (8.40) UR5- DR3+ DL0+ UL1- U5+ R2+ D3- L4+ ALL6+ y2 U1- R6+ D3- L1- ALL2+ UR DR DL UL
4. (10.24) UR4+ DR1+ DL2+ UL5- U4+ R5+ D1- L1- ALL0+ y2 U3+ R4+ D4- L5+ ALL0+ UR UL
5. 8.99 UR2+ DR6+ DL2- UL5+ U5- R5+ D4- L4- ALL6+ y2 U3+ R2+ D0+ L1+ ALL2- DR DL UL

@newtonbase, lubing the clock helps tremendously. I'm not familiar with all the different lube types to know what's what. I use Traxxas differential lube 50k wt, which coincidentally is what was used in this video I watched for how to do it.

So that's what a scramble looks like.

The lube has worked well but the locking might be a problem. Do you know how I might reduce that?

 

[Shaky Hands]

So that's what a scramble looks like.

There's actually 2 forms of Clock notation. The notation used in this week's Weekly Competition is:

1. UUdd u=-5,d=-2 / dUdU u=6,d=0 / ddUU u=-2,d=-4 / UdUd u=2,d=-2 / dUUU u=1 / UdUU u=-4 / UUUd u=-5 / UUdU u=-5 / UUUU u=4 / dddd d=1 / UddU
2. UUdd u=-4,d=1 / dUdU u=6,d=-3 / ddUU u=-4,d=6 / UdUd u=-5,d=-3 / dUUU u=6 / UdUU u=3 / UUUd u=-5 / UUdU u=3 / UUUU u=4 / dddd d=1 / ddUU
3. UUdd u=5,d=5 / dUdU u=-2,d=-5 / ddUU u=-3,d=-2 / UdUd u=6,d=-2 / dUUU u=-4 / UdUU u=-4 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=-5 / UUUU u=6 / dddd d=-3 / dUdd
4. UUdd u=-4,d=-4 / dUdU u=2,d=4 / ddUU u=2,d=0 / UdUd u=-5,d=5 / dUUU u=4 / UdUU u=4 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=5 / UUUU u=-4 / dddd d=0 / UddU
5. UUdd u=5,d=-5 / dUdU u=5,d=-4 / ddUU u=-3,d=-1 / UdUd u=6,d=2 / dUUU u=0 / UdUU u=1 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=-3 / UUUU u=-3 / dddd d=-5 / UUUd

I'm happy using either but having a basic understanding of how one or the other works helps to give a reasonable hand-scramble in the first place.

 

[chtiger]

So that's what a scramble looks like.

The lube has worked well but the locking might be a problem. Do you know how I might reduce that?

Not sure. Did you lube the pins? If not, that might fix it. The only lockups I get now are if I leave a face in between two proper positions. Then the pins won't move. That could be a problem with too much lube which could make it not 'clicky' enough.

 

[newtonbase]

There's actually 2 forms of Clock notation. The notation used in this week's Weekly Competition is:

1. UUdd u=-5,d=-2 / dUdU u=6,d=0 / ddUU u=-2,d=-4 / UdUd u=2,d=-2 / dUUU u=1 / UdUU u=-4 / UUUd u=-5 / UUdU u=-5 / UUUU u=4 / dddd d=1 / UddU
2. UUdd u=-4,d=1 / dUdU u=6,d=-3 / ddUU u=-4,d=6 / UdUd u=-5,d=-3 / dUUU u=6 / UdUU u=3 / UUUd u=-5 / UUdU u=3 / UUUU u=4 / dddd d=1 / ddUU
3. UUdd u=5,d=5 / dUdU u=-2,d=-5 / ddUU u=-3,d=-2 / UdUd u=6,d=-2 / dUUU u=-4 / UdUU u=-4 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=-5 / UUUU u=6 / dddd d=-3 / dUdd
4. UUdd u=-4,d=-4 / dUdU u=2,d=4 / ddUU u=2,d=0 / UdUd u=-5,d=5 / dUUU u=4 / UdUU u=4 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=5 / UUUU u=-4 / dddd d=0 / UddU
5. UUdd u=5,d=-5 / dUdU u=5,d=-4 / ddUU u=-3,d=-1 / UdUd u=6,d=2 / dUUU u=0 / UdUU u=1 / UUUd u=3 / UUdU u=-3 / UUUU u=-3 / dddd d=-5 / UUUd

I'm happy using either but having a basic understanding of how one or the other works helps to give a reasonable hand-scramble in the first place.

That's a little trickier to understand.

Not sure. Did you lube the pins? If not, that might fix it. The only lockups I get now are if I leave a face in between two proper positions. Then the pins won't move. That could be a problem with too much lube which could make it not 'clicky' enough.

That is the sort of locks I am getting. I didn't think I went crazy with the lube but I have nothing to judge it by. I'm just happy that it actually moves now.