Older cubers discussions

[Shaky Hands]

A rare 25-solve 3x3 practice session this lunchtime brought with it a new PB single. One of only 2 sub-15s I've ever got.

Generated By csTimer on 2017-3-9
single: 14.48

Time List:
1. 14.47 D2 F2 R' F2 D2 F' U2 B D' B R2 L2 D2 R2 F B2 D2 R2 F2 U2

x2 y // inspection
R L F2 U' R' F R // cross
y L U L' U F U' F' // 1st pair
U' L U L' U L U' L' // 2nd pair
B U' B' U B U B' // 3rd pair
U F' U F U' F' U' F // 4th pair
U' F U R U' R' F' // OLL & PLL skip
U' // AUF

There's undoubtedly better cross solutions to what I did, but it led to a good solve for me, so no complaints.

For the 3rd pair, not sure if I used B moves in this solve or not. I do sometimes. Other times I do a rotation.

 

[kbrune]

x2 y // inspection
R L F2 U' R' F R // cross

There's undoubtedly better cross solutions to what I did, but it led to a good solve for me, so no complaints.
.

Do you always handle a flipped edge like that? Or is it situational depending on where you hands are.

I liked yours and may use it to avoid regrip. I always do this. D R D' F. All with my right hand. The R and F are done with my index while I wrist turn D back and forth. It's pretty fast which is why I always use it. But there's always a regrip. Sometimes it doesn't delay me but other times it does slightly.

 

[Shaky Hands]

Do you always handle a flipped edge like that? Or is it situational depending on where you hands are.

I liked yours and may use it to avoid regrip. I always do this. D R D' F. All with my right hand. The R and F are done with my index while I wrist turn D back and forth. It's pretty fast which is why I always use it. But there's always a regrip. Sometimes it doesn't delay me but other times it does slightly.

Usually I deal with a flipped edge while building the cross, but sometimes like in this cross there was a lot easily inserted from the off. I do like D R D' F though and have used it at times. In this solve F2 U' mini-sledge was just what my brain said to do for whatever reason.

EDIT: I get a lot of F2 practice with my comedy U-perms (F2 U M' U2 M U F2 & F2 U' M' U2 M U' F2).

 

[One Wheel]

I always do this. D R D' F. All with my right hand. The R and F are done with my index while I wrist turn D back and forth. It's pretty fast which is why I always use it. But there's always a regrip. Sometimes it doesn't delay me but other times it does slightly.

I almost always do D and D' with my left ring finger. I would finger trick D R D' F with
D left ring push
R wrist turn
D' left ring pull
F right thumb push down.

 

[kbrune]

Usually I deal with a flipped edge while building the cross, but sometimes like in this cross there was a lot easily inserted from the off. I do like D R D' F though and have used it at times. In this solve F2 U' mini-sledge was just what my brain said to do for whatever reason.

EDIT: I get a lot of F2 practice with my comedy U-perms (F2 U M' U2 M U F2 & F2 U' M' U2 M U' F2).

Yeah same. I mostly deal with flipped edges during optimal cross. But sometimes I'll just let one edge be flipped and do my 4 move quickly and try to use it for look ahead time

P.S. I can not figure out how to execute those U perms without about 5 regrips lol

I almost always do D and D' with my left ring finger. I would finger trick D R D' F with
D left ring push
R wrist turn
D' left ring pull
F right thumb push down.

I like that. I can't do the thumb down part. I'll have to practice and possibly introduce it in the future.

 

[mark49152]

Do you always handle a flipped edge like that? Or is it situational depending on where you hands are.

I liked yours and may use it to avoid regrip. I always do this. D R D' F.

I would do D R u' R.

 

[Shaky Hands]

P.S. I can not figure out how to execute those U perms without about 5 regrips lol

My U-perms don't come with a recommendation, I assure you! That's why I call them comedy U-perms. They're just the first one I learned (or a slight variation on them.) I actually use my proximal inter-phalangeal joint (erm, one up from the knuckles) during part of the execution. I'm not planning on updating existing algs until I've finished learning OLL, but these and many others will be under review.

 

[kbrune]

@Shaky Hands
I know what you mean. I used R2 U' F B' R2 F' B U' R2 and R2 U F B' R2 F' B U R2
for a long time because they were the first ones I learned. They can be fast but pretty difficult to pull off.

 

[mark49152]

@Shaky Hands
I know what you mean. I used R2 U' F B' R2 F' B U' R2 and R2 U F B' R2 F' B U R2
for a long time because they were the first ones I learned. They can be fast but pretty difficult to pull off.

They are actually nicer than they look...

 

[SenorJuan]

Quote:"Shaky Hands said:

x2 y // inspection
R L F2 U' R' F R // cross"

I would sort out the flipped edge during the insertion of the other two, like:

L F' R U F2

With it being 3/4 of an easy cross, there should be time to work out a trick to get the flipped edge sorted.

 

[Shaky Hands]

L F' R U F2

That's nice. Good spot.

I tend to use any surplus inspection time trying to look ahead into my first pair rather than improve a cross I've already found. I don't really solve 3x3 often enough these days though, so plenty of moves I could save I'm sure, especially on cross.

 

[mafergut]

I would have done the cross exactly as @SenorJuan has indicated but in this case with a slight modification to save the xcross:

L F' R U L F2 L'

It was also easy to plan where the green-orange pair would end up, as it was stuck in the BL slot and the L move would bring it to the top. In fact I can't remember another cross or xcross where all the pairs could be so easily tracked during inspection. I wouldn't know which one to choose as 2nd pair, probably the blue-orange, which can be easily inserted in the back without any rotation.

Also, @mark49152 I'm more and more impressed with your BLD skills, sir! I have seen you perform very fast 4BLD attempts but this MBLD 10/12 (you deserved the 11/12) leaves me speechless. Congratulations!

Congratulations also to all the other good solves and new PBs (@muchacho, David, you're now faster than me at 3x3 ).

My only highlights today are:
- Slightly improved 5x5 PBs (all but single this time) with running Ao100 finally sub 2:45 and Ao5 closer and closer to sub 2:30 (2:31.07) and very, very consistent again: (2:40.23), 2:31.27, 2:30.32, 2:31.61, (2:28.10).
- With cold hands, second solve of the day, I got my second sub 1min 4x4 single, not PB (that 55 is going to be hard to beat) but nice anyway: 59.09.

 

[pipkiksass]

Thanks all for the positivity. I maintain that people don't beat cancer, nurses, doctors, and poison beats cancer. All I had to do was not die!

@JohnnyReggae - will definitely be doing a WuQue M. Just need to order me some magnets. I'm ashamed to say that they would still arrive tomorrow if I ordered them at 7pm. Sorry dude!

I managed to keep my rolling Ao100 below 18 for ages today. It kept popping up to 18.0x, then going back down again. Didn't manage to beat my PB though, think I was trying too hard. Time to put the timer away for a few days, I think. Definitely sub-18.5 globally now. That's a decent improvement from 21.25 Ao50 when I started up cubing again in October.

 

[mafergut]

Thanks all for the positivity. I maintain that people don't beat cancer, nurses, doctors, and poison beats cancer. All I had to do was not die!

@JohnnyReggae - will definitely be doing a WuQue M. Just need to order me some magnets. I'm ashamed to say that they would still arrive tomorrow if I ordered them at 7pm. Sorry dude!

I managed to keep my rolling Ao100 below 18 for ages today. It kept popping up to 18.0x, then going back down again. Didn't manage to beat my PB though, think I was trying too hard. Time to put the timer away for a few days, I think. Definitely sub-18.5 globally now. That's a decent improvement from 21.25 Ao50 when I started up cubing again in October.

How could I forget to give you my best wishes for a long and prosper life after your recovery! And full of cubing, as well. My apologies.

And regarding magnetic cubes, I don't have the time or maybe the willpower to start a project to make some myself but I'm pretty envious of those Valk Ms and WuQue Ms.

 

[newtonbase]

And regarding magnetic cubes, I don't have the time or maybe the willpower to start a project to make some myself but I'm pretty envious of those Valk Ms and WuQue Ms.

It's not that hard to do. I really enjoy it. I'll make a hints and tips video one day.

 

[mark49152]

Also, @mark49152 I'm more and more impressed with your BLD skills, sir! I have seen you perform very fast 4BLD attempts but this MBLD 10/12 (you deserved the *12*/12) leaves me speechless. Congratulations!

FTFY . Thanks for the kind words!

 

[pglewis]

EDIT: I get a lot of F2 practice with my comedy U-perms (F2 U M' U2 M U F2 & F2 U' M' U2 M U' F2).

I still use an oddball rotated version I came up with because my F2s were particularly bad at the time and I used a lot more U perms when I was 2-looking PLL: R2 U S' U2 S U R2. Same for both U perms, bar always on the left, the U turns just reverse for the other one. It's one of my faster perms despite the S slices, I'm just used to them .

 

[mafergut]

It's not that hard to do. I really enjoy it. I'll make a hints and tips video one day.

I might reconsider after watching your video!

FTFY . Thanks for the kind words!

Of course. My mistake! I just meant to say that cube #2 was a pity and you deserved to get it right, after realising you had forgotten parity, going back to it and all that. But for sure you deserved a 12/12

A very nice 12.56 I just got with super-easy x-cross + 2nd pair planned in inspection.

1. 12.56 B2 D2 L2 B' L2 F R2 B' L2 B U' F U' F R2 B2 L' R

Reconstruction:

z2 // Inspection
L' U R' F' // X-cross + pair F2L#2
y U R U' R' // Insert F2L#2
L' U L2 U' L' // F2L#3
y' U R U' R' // F2L#4
R U R' U' x D' R' U R U' D x' // OLL
F-perm // PLL

 

[One Wheel]

And regarding magnetic cubes, I don't have the time or maybe the willpower to start a project to make some myself but I'm pretty envious of those Valk Ms and WuQue Ms.

I second what @newtonbase said. When you take everything apart it looks like a lot of fiddly pieces, but it doesn't take nearly as long as you'd think. I've done 2 3x3s now, and I'll get to a bigger cube soon. My last 3x3 was probably a 1 1/2 hour job, maybe less. Just use the first couple of magnets you place to set the position and polarity of the rest.

 

[newtonbase]

I second what @newtonbase said. When you take everything apart it looks like a lot of fiddly pieces, but it doesn't take nearly as long as you'd think. I've done 2 3x3s now, and I'll get to a bigger cube soon. My last 3x3 was probably a 1 1/2 hour job, maybe less. Just use the first couple of magnets you place to set the position and polarity of the rest.

My best was about 35 mins but I have a quicker system now. I've tried to make it as efficient as possible due to kids.