Older cubers discussions

Mixed bag of frustration and glimpses of improvement today on 3x3. Multiple Ao12s started out well only to fall off the cliff somewhere by solves 6-8. I did land another 23.x, however, a few tenths off my PR that has stood since Dec. Both 23s were full solves... no x-cross or skips, and I think this last one was a 3LLL. The main difference from usual was smooth lookahead for me during F2L and fast, nearly automatic recog on OLL/PLL. That has been an outlier for a while-- I've hit a 25 and a handful of 26s otherwise-- but I'm slowly seeing my "pretty good solve" window move from 29 to 27-28.
 
@Logiqx, I got my 5x5 parity alg somewhere and it's the same you use, save for the fact I do the 3Rw right after the Lw and not before. It seems to work just the same so, instead of:
Rw U2 x Rw U2 Rw U2 3Rw' U2 Lw U2 Rw' U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Rw'
I do: Rw U2 x Rw U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Lw U2 3Rw' U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Rw'

I have adapted this same idea to 6x6 and 7x7 and I grab different number of layers depending on the case. So to solve an edge parity like xoox on 6x6 I do the same as above just changing 3Rw' by 4Rw'

Anyway I have the three different cases for 7x7 in my "big cube algs" notes. Just in case you want them. I have never used them because they are a bit different to the one I know and because I'm lazy, so the 1st case I do it like I said below (all Rw and Lw are changed to 3Rw and the 3Rw' to 4Rw'), the 3rd case I do it in similar way and the 2nd case I just do the 1st case and then the 3rd.

(XXOXX): 3R U2 3R x U2 3R U2 3L' x' U2 3L U2 3R' U2 3R U2 3R' U2 3R'
(OXOXO): 3R U2 3R x U2 3R 2R' U2 x' 3L' 2L U2 2L' 3L U2 3R' 2R U2 3R 2R' U2 3R' U2 3R'
(XOOOX): 2R U2 2R x U2 2R U2 2L' x' U2 2L U2 2R' U2 2R U2 2R' U2 2R'
 
  • Like
Reactions: h2f
@mafergut

Until now, I've been doing the same as you and I simply adapted the 5x5 alg for 6x6 and 7x7.

It works fine for the xxoxx and xooox cases but it needs to be executed twice to solve oxoxo. 6x6 can also present an xoox case during edge pairing then xxxx during OLL when it was really an oxxo during edge pairing. Knowing an alg to fix inner parity avoids using the OLL parity alg twice in a 6x6 or 7x7 solve. On 6x6 you just need to wait until OLL to determine if you have xoox or oxxo. Colour neutrality is probably beneficial as you can force the xoox / oxxo edge to the last layer.

The algs from 1973486 are the ones you posted above, albeit using the standard sign notation.

They look slightly different to the alg we've been using for 4x4 and 5x5 due to the Lw move replacing an Rw' (preceded by an additional x') but they are really the same alg. Think of the real alg containing Lw' x' but executed as Rw'. The widest turn (including the M slice) is essentially a combination of an x' rotation and a turn. Once I realised this, I successfully adapted my 5x5 alg to become a pure parity alg for any slice(s) on any cube size. It was quite a fun exercise trying to understand the effects of subtle differences between the various algs.

The algs provided by 1973486 are ideal for speedsolving as they still use wedge turns at the start and end. I'm comfortably using the new algs now and I shouldn't need to execute the OLL parity alg twice... ever again. :)
 
I was just about to post that I'm not sure which is going to strike first, a sub-30 Ao5 or knocking another second off the Ao12.

Done, and done in the same session... and just like this day has gone I had to do it with a counting 52 lol. Five sub-30s out of a 14 solve session is very encouraging, along with another six under 32. There's also a chance I hit an untimed sub-20 single today, friendly F2L followed by a double Sune 1 look last layer. It was a good day.

Generated By csTimer on 2017-2-23
solves/total: 13/14

single
best: 28.07
worst: 52.07

mean of 3
current: 29.61 (σ = 1.05)
best: 29.54 (σ = 0.95)

avg of 5
current: 30.12 (σ = 0.37)
best: 29.84 (σ = 1.49)

avg of 12
current: 32.58 (σ = 7.07)
best: 32.58 (σ = 7.07)

Average: 32.36 (σ = 6.42)
Mean: 32.03

Time List:
1. 30.97 U2 L' R2 B2 L U2 B2 U2 R' F2 R' D R B' R' B F2 L' B L
2. 31.59 U' L2 R2 F2 R2 U L2 D2 U' R' D' L2 D2 U2 B L2 D' F' D'
3. 28.07 R2 U2 F2 U2 B2 L U2 L2 U2 R B D' U2 R D U' F2 U2 B' U
4. 34.70 U R D' B' R D' L B' D' L F2 B2 D F2 U' L2 F2 U2 F2
5. 29.94 R2 F' R B' L D L2 D' R2 B R2 B' U2 D2 B D2 B2 L2 U2 L'
6. 28.30 R F' R2 D2 B' L' U2 D' B R2 U' F2 B2 D R2 D F2 U F2 L2 R'
7. 31.27 B' L2 B' L' U2 R B' R' U' R2 B2 L' D2 L U2 D2 L2 B2 U2 B2
8. DNF(33.41)[Flubbed N Perm] U L2 D2 F2 D2 B2 L2 F2 U' R2 D' F R2 U L B2 U2 F' L' U2 F
9. 52.07 D2 F L' B D' R U D' R' B D B2 L2 U' R2 U' F2 U2 L2
10. 30.27 F2 D' F2 D2 B2 U2 L2 U B2 U2 R2 B' L2 R' F U L U2 L2 F
11. 30.40 F2 U2 R2 B2 D' F2 D2 R2 L' F L R' B' L2 F' U' B D' F'
12. 28.52 F U2 F' U2 L2 F U2 B2 R2 D2 U' F' D2 L' R' U L' R2 B L2
13. 29.70 R2 D2 U' R2 D2 F2 L2 F2 R2 L' U B R2 D R2 B2 R' B2 L
14. 30.61 F R U D2 R F' U D' B' U B2 D2 B2 L' B2 U2 L2 U2 R2
 
In other news, I found some time to do averages with my new Valk, Air and GTS cubes, and my main is..... still the YueXiao. These are all nice cubes but all flawed, and I was a little disappointed because I let the hype build up my expectations that one of them would be my perfect cube. The GTS feels unstable, bumpy and dated, and I actually prefer the Weilong v2. The Valk feels great but I don't like the smaller size and my averages were worse because I fumbled more. The Air is the one I liked most, but it is a little catchy and that ruined a few solves. All are straight out of the box so with some adjustment they might improve. Any tips on resolving catching on a Gan Air would be welcome.

I haven't tried all those but the Yuexiao remained my main after I got my GTS. Have you tried the M cubes yet? The Valk-M is still quite a bit better to me, although the size issue could still be a thing for you.
 
The Air is the one I liked most, but it is a little catchy and that ruined a few solves. All are straight out of the box so with some adjustment they might improve. Any tips on resolving catching on a Gan Air would be welcome.

I have the same issue with the AIR. But the AIR UM is a great cube. The magnets stop the locking for me, and in fact, it is the cube I use for BLD, and I'm still learning... so my turning sucks. :)
 
On 7x7 I use an adapted 5x5 parity to swap inner wings:
3r2 B2 U2 3l U2 3r' U2 3r U2 F2 3r F2 3l B2 3r2
Executed as: 3r2 B2 U2 3l U2 3r' U2 3r U2 x U2 3r U2 3l D2 3r2

I should probably learn one that doesn't use all slices, but I don't think that switch would shave a meaningful amount off my 7x7 times at the moment.
 
And another one, this time actually ducking my old PB. X-cross and 3LLL.

3x3-2325.jpg
 
I haven't tried all those but the Yuexiao remained my main after I got my GTS. Have you tried the M cubes yet? The Valk-M is still quite a bit better to me, although the size issue could still be a thing for you.
I'm avoiding M cubes until they are the standard and all new 3x3 cubes are available magnetised at the $20 price point. I simply don't want to become dependent on $50 cubes or making my own. Plus, what about big cubes and MBLD? I know once I go over to the dark side there's no return :).

Regarding BLD, I haven't tried an M cube but I'm wary of it because BLD depends on feel. I'm not sure I'd trust a cube that makes its own minor adjustments. On the one hand it might help avoid or recover from some fumbles, on the other hand it might make it harder to be sure whether or how far a layer moved. I'll try it once M cubes are mainstream.
 
I'm avoiding M cubes until they are the standard and all new 3x3 cubes are available magnetised at the $20 price point. I simply don't want to become dependent on $50 cubes or making my own. Plus, what about big cubes and MBLD? I know once I go over to the dark side there's no return :).

Regarding BLD, I haven't tried an M cube but I'm wary of it because BLD depends on feel. I'm not sure I'd trust a cube that makes its own minor adjustments. On the one hand it might help avoid or recover from some fumbles, on the other hand it might make it harder to be sure whether or how far a layer moved. I'll try it once M cubes are mainstream.
IMO the magnets align the layers less than you think they would. On my GTS the adjustment is so minor that the layers need to be within 1mm of each other from an alignment perspective to even begin to try pull the layers together. You can feel there is a force and when the magnets align you do feel the "bump", and even that I found not as pronounced as I thought it would be.
 
For those interested in big cubes, I've written up the "Lucas Parity" variations for 4x4-7x7. The pure algs were the ones that I was failing to generate without a helping hand.

Note that the first Rw' turns in the speed algs are really an x' Lw'. This was tripping me up when trying to convert them to pure algs by myself. I only spotted the rotation thanks to the algs from @1973486, labelled "pure - speed" below.

Please let me know if you spot any typos. Hope they help!

upload_2017-2-24_10-52-48.png
 
I'm avoiding M cubes until they are the standard and all new 3x3 cubes are available magnetised at the $20 price point. I simply don't want to become dependent on $50 cubes or making my own. Plus, what about big cubes and MBLD? I know once I go over to the dark side there's no return :).

Regarding BLD, I haven't tried an M cube but I'm wary of it because BLD depends on feel. I'm not sure I'd trust a cube that makes its own minor adjustments. On the one hand it might help avoid or recover from some fumbles, on the other hand it might make it harder to be sure whether or how far a layer moved. I'll try it once M cubes are mainstream.

IMO the magnets align the layers less than you think they would. On my GTS the adjustment is so minor that the layers need to be within 1mm of each other from an alignment perspective to even begin to try pull the layers together. You can feel there is a force and when the magnets align you do feel the "bump", and even that I found not as pronounced as I thought it would be.
I like the M cube feel for blind. It's easier to feel where you are up to and they are more controllable. As @JohnnyReggae says, the realignment is minimal.
 
I'm avoiding M cubes until they are the standard and all new 3x3 cubes are available magnetised at the $20 price point. I simply don't want to become dependent on $50 cubes or making my own. Plus, what about big cubes and MBLD? I know once I go over to the dark side there's no return :).

Regarding BLD, I haven't tried an M cube but I'm wary of it because BLD depends on feel. I'm not sure I'd trust a cube that makes its own minor adjustments. On the one hand it might help avoid or recover from some fumbles, on the other hand it might make it harder to be sure whether or how far a layer moved. I'll try it once M cubes are mainstream.

I'm learning BLD on a Gans AIR UM, and I have a Gans AIR to test on.

Overall, the UM is easier to work with, because when it offers up additional feel, I know what it did. My actual second preferred BLD cube is an AolongV2 in some ways, because it is a bit clicky. Anything that gives you feedback, and can corner cut well, is good for BLD from what I can tell.

The "Gans AIR" part is really important, because the AIR cuts SO effortlessly... The feel is very consistent, regardless of how bad my turning may be at times. I know I'll get better with practice. But when learning, I could see going to a much more clicky cube with more feedback... A Valk, maybe a Yuexiao, maybe an Aolong V2?!

But given that I have the Air UM.. it is exactly what I want. (I have all the above cubes around to play with.)
 
@Logiqx Thanks for the big cube parity alg compilation! I will need quite some time to master them all but at least I can try ;)

Still fighting with the idea of buying a 2nd WuQue. I hate how hard it is to turn when dry but it's amazing how much of a difference a couple drops of Maru can do to it. Just one between two dedges to lube the "inner ball" pieces and another one between a corner and an edge and it feels like a different cube. If the "non-defective" batch feels like that without the need of Maru it would be worth buying it for sure.

Got my PB Ao50 down to 1:13.31 and it looks like there's still some room for improvement.
 
Last edited:
BLD Update:

Since I mentioned I was working on it. At this point I'm working 4 edge scrambles, to make sure my execution is solid. Then I expect I'll graduate up to 8 edge ones.. and onto full edges.

Part of my strategy towards BLD has been slowly building my skills and confidence so I can get there. If I can't get 4 edges right, there's no real point in 12, I can learn more, and more quickly on the shorter memo... and get my memo + techniques straight. At the rate I'm rolling along, I expect I'll be doing full edges soon. Then it will be combining it all together, and actually getting my first blind solve.

But the process doesn't feel easy... but I guess that's what makes it worthwhile. :)
 
@Logiqx Thanks for the big cube parity alg compilation! I will need quite some time to master them all but at least I can try ;)

You already know the default alg(s) so it is just a case of seeing learning the pure alg(s).

Once you've learned a pure alg on one cube, adapting it for other cubes / slices is a piece of cake. :)
 
You already know the default alg(s) so it is just a case of seeing learning the pure alg(s).

Once you've learned a pure alg on one cube, adapting it for other cubes / slices is a piece of cake. :)
Sure, that's why I was saying "mastering", meaning, I don't spoil a solve while trying to perform the alg :D I have tried the pure ones slowly and they are starting to sink in.
 
Back
Top