• Welcome to the Speedsolving.com, home of the web's largest puzzle community!
    You are currently viewing our forum as a guest which gives you limited access to join discussions and access our other features.

    Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community of 40,000+ people from around the world today!

    If you are already a member, simply login to hide this message and begin participating in the community!

Older cubers discussions

openseas

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
425
WCA
2015PARK24
It's been done, but it's much harder. The basic beginner's "OP" method just uses PLL algorithms with setup moves, and it's really not that hard to learn. M2 is worth learning for edges, though.

I guess what @StanMan is referring to is solving using entirely CFOP blindfolded. It is not just eidetic memory but more about the interaction of your move & outcome, so, not impossible but it will take much longer. I know there are several folks who did entirely using CFOP but times were more than 10 minutes, I believe (somebody can correct me).

I've used to post here a lot about BLD progress but as @pglewis said, becoming more active in FB group.
 

Jason Green

Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2015
Messages
1,144
Location
Fort Worth, TX
WCA
2016GREE02
YouTube
Visit Channel
I guess what @StanMan is referring to is solving using entirely CFOP blindfolded. It is not just eidetic memory but more about the interaction of your move & outcome, so, not impossible but it will take much longer. I know there are several folks who did entirely using CFOP but times were more than 10 minutes, I believe (somebody can correct me).

I've used to post here a lot about BLD progress but as @pglewis said, becoming more active in FB group.
My first and second blind attempts were successes, the only two I've had. Third attempt I only had 3 minutes left and was averaging about 6 so I solved only corners successfully. :)
 
Last edited:

BigDazUK

Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
23
Hi all, I'm 44 from the UK. I've been on this forum nearly a couple of weeks and I've just stumbled on this old folk club :)
11 days ago I couldn't solve the cube. I'm now solving around 1:30-1:40 with my fastest at 1:13 (due to some luck).
My initial goal was under a minute, now I feel I can go much faster pretty soon.
 

SenorJuan

Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
515
Location
U.K
Welcome from another old UK guy. Just keep practicing, the times will fall, it's perfectly possible to get below 40 seconds with basic methods and unsophisticated turning. Then you'll need to think more about technique and methods, and usually this means learning a fair number of algorithms, but that's all part of the challenge.
 

muchacho

Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
1,597
Location
Spain
WCA
2016ALAR01
YouTube
Visit Channel
After a few months of 0 practice a few weeks later I'm now getting closer to my best times at OH (which is the basically the only event I practice), still averaging around 25 seconds, but just managed to get a PB single.

1. 13.68 F2 L U2 L2 F2 L2 D B2 F2 R2 D U B' D2 U2 R2 U' L B L

I tried to reconstruct it, but no luck.
z x'
U' Uw F U M U M' U2 L U' Lw z2 // FB
 

narusite

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2019
Messages
29
Hi guys, I hope you are all doing well.
With remote working I’ve been able to cube a little more :p
Actually, I’ve been able to do longer 3x3x3 sessions. I’ve also decided to keep only 1 session in cstimer in order to see ao100 (because there is currently no way to do one session with a hundred solves in a row).
For the moment, my best ao100 is 31.5. But I’ve more and more sub-30 ao12, less over-40 solves, less CMLL errors, and sub-25 are not so scarced.
I’ve still a lot of training to do, and I know I should do more slow solves, but I feel that my sub-30 ao100 goal is near, and that makes me happy.
I can often plan FB+DR and do reconstruction. So yeah me \o/
Here is my latest sub-20.
 

pglewis

Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2016
Messages
1,268
Location
Cincinnati
WCA
2016LEWI07
My 3x3 Ao5 PB was set back in 2019 with a 18.23. That was a crazy fast flurry of solves for me at the time and has stood for a while, all my other 3x3 PBs have been set in the past six months. I've been on an uptick again the past couple weeks though and I felt this one coming, finally crushed it with a mid 17.

ao5.jpg
 

One Wheel

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,883
Location
Wisconsin
WCA
2016BAIR04
I'm wondering if anybody has any small suggestions: I picked up a FTO, I really want to solve it once without a tutorial, but every move just moves so many pieces I can't figure out basic comms. I can build one face, but I'm stuck there and I suspect that may not be a helpful strategy anyway. Once I either figure it out once or get entirely fed up I'll look up a proper method.
 

SenorJuan

Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
515
Location
U.K
Rather like suggesting the best intuitive way to solve the 3x3x3 is to solve the corners then the edges ,,, I think something like 'solve all the edges' then solve all the 'whatever they're called pieces' etc etc, rather than face-by-face, is the best strategy for this puzzle. ( I don't have one, only the different octahedron-shaped puzzle that's a 3x3x3 shapemod. )
 

Mike Hughey

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
11,303
Location
Indianapolis
WCA
2007HUGH01
SS Competition Results
YouTube
Visit Channel
I agree with SenorJuan. Best way is to solve one piece type at a time; that's how I did it. Comms were easy to find for corners, but I just tried random sequences to find isolated piece movers for the other types, and I eventually found a way to do it that was horribly inefficient.

Once I got it, I learned a real method from a video and realized this was probably the worst self-created method for solving a puzzle I've ever done! At least it didn't have any 80 move sequences, like the one I used to solve parity when I figured out square-1 on my own.
 

One Wheel

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,883
Location
Wisconsin
WCA
2016BAIR04
Rather like suggesting the best intuitive way to solve the 3x3x3 is to solve the corners then the edges ,,, I think something like 'solve all the edges' then solve all the 'whatever they're called pieces' etc etc, rather than face-by-face, is the best strategy for this puzzle. ( I don't have one, only the different octahedron-shaped puzzle that's a 3x3x3 shapemod. )
I think you're probably right. I'm just having trouble figuring out how to isolate particularly the single-color center triangles for commutators. Every face turn moves 3 corners, 3 edges, and 9 centers on 4 different faces.
 

muchacho

Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
1,597
Location
Spain
WCA
2016ALAR01
YouTube
Visit Channel
3x3 Ao100 PB, 16.74. Previous was from May of 2018, and only 0.06 seconds slower, so not much improvement, but I'm quite happy, 2 months ago I was averaging more than 18 seconds.

Generated By csTimer on 2021-01-15
avg of 100: 16.74

Time List:
1. 16.60 U' F2 U' R2 U' L2 D' R2 D B2 F2 R D L R F R2 D' F U
2. 18.45 L B L2 U' L2 U F2 U' F2 L2 D L2 U' L2 B' U2 F2 L' U' R' F
3. 17.51 U' R2 B L U2 R2 D' B2 R2 F2 B2 U2 L' F2 L F2 R U
4. 15.51 R B2 D L2 B2 L2 U' R2 D F2 D U F R' D' R' F' D B' L2
5. 14.86 B' L2 F U2 F D2 L2 R2 B' L2 U' B' D' U2 F2 R' B D2 U' R'
6. 16.79 U2 F2 R2 U2 L2 B U2 B' F2 D2 B' R D' U2 B2 L B' U' L R D
7. 15.72 U2 L' U2 F2 D2 L' F2 U2 L' R2 F2 U L F L2 F L' D B' L'
8. 17.36 U' B D R' L' D F L' F U2 B2 L2 F' U2 L2 F' U2 F L2 B U
9. 15.60 B L2 B2 U' L' B D B2 U2 B' D2 B L2 B' R2 U2 F2 L2
10. 16.80 B U2 F' L2 F' L2 D2 B L2 R2 B2 U' R2 D' R B U2 R' B' L
11. 14.51 F2 U B2 D F' R D' B U2 B' U2 F' D2 B R2 D2 L2 F' L F'
12. 15.16 D L2 B2 U2 L2 D R2 U' B2 D2 B2 U2 L' F L R' U' L' F' L U
13. (12.26) L F' R' L2 U2 L B' U L U' L2 F2 D2 B2 D' R2 B2 R2 F2 D'
14. (27.75) U2 F2 R2 U2 R' F2 R U2 R' D2 R B2 D B2 U' F' D' F2 D2 L F
15. 16.88 R' L' D B D2 L D L' U L2 F R2 B2 R2 D2 F L2 B' U2 B2
16. 18.71 D2 B2 D2 B' L2 U2 R2 U2 B' F2 R U2 R' B' L U' F2 L' B'
17. 13.95 D2 F2 R2 U' R2 B2 U2 F2 U R2 D L' B' L D' B F D' F' L2
18. 17.48 L D2 U2 L' B2 D2 U2 R B2 L2 D B2 R2 F D L2 F2 D' B
19. 17.93 R2 B' L2 D2 F' D2 R2 B' F2 U2 B2 R' U' R2 F R2 F2 L D' U' F
20. (21.06) B2 U' F2 D2 L2 F2 R2 B2 D' B2 U' B R F U L' R2 U B2 U' L'
21. 19.15 F' R F' L D' R F' L2 F2 U2 R2 D2 F U2 B' U2 B U L
22. 15.84 U D2 F2 L2 U2 B' D2 F' R2 U2 F' U2 F' R U2 L' B2 F' D B R2
23. 15.28 D' B' L2 U2 B2 R' D2 F2 R D2 R' B2 R2 D L' R2 B2 D L2 D
24. 14.54 D2 B' L2 B' L2 B2 U2 R2 F' L2 R2 F R D L2 B' D B L' D2 F
25. (29.08) U' L' F2 D2 R2 B2 L2 D R2 D2 U B L B' R2 F D B' U'
26. 17.03 B R2 B2 L R2 D2 R D2 R' F2 D2 B2 U B D' B2 U' R' B L D
27. 18.41 D2 R' F D' B' D2 B' D2 F2 R' D2 R2 U2 B2 R' F2 D2 R' F D
28. 16.38 B D2 L2 D L' U D B L2 U2 F U2 F2 U2 R2 L2 B' U2 L' B
29. 16.24 R U2 B2 D' B2 R2 U2 R2 U' B2 L2 U L F D F D2 B2 F2 L2
30. 18.11 F L2 D' B2 U' L D' R L' B U2 R2 F R2 D2 B2 U2 L2 B' D2 B'
31. 14.62 R' F2 R2 B2 L2 U2 L2 F' D2 F2 L2 D' L' R B L U2 L2 F
32. 20.66 L2 D L2 D2 U F2 D' R2 U B' R' F' R F D' B' F' U2 R2
33. 14.87 B2 R2 B2 U' F2 U L2 U L2 F2 U2 B2 F' R' D B' L2 U R B2 F
34. 16.53 F2 B U2 R' L2 F U F' D2 F' D2 B D2 B' L2 B' U2 F2 U2 D'
35. 14.50 R' U2 B' F2 L2 F R2 F' U2 L2 D2 U2 R' D L2 R2 F R B' L' U
36. 16.35 L D R' L2 U2 F2 L2 F L2 B' L2 R2 D2 B' U B' L2 D F' U2 B2
37. 15.58 U R' B' D' F2 D F' R' U' R2 L2 B2 L2 U D' L2 D' L2 F2 R' D'
38. 18.68 F L F L' B' L F D R2 L2 D L2 U' B2 U2 R2 L2 U' L D2
39. 15.63 U D L B' U2 R' B U' L' F L2 D2 B' R2 B R2 L2 D2 F2 R2
40. 16.64 F2 U2 F' U2 B' U2 F D2 B' L2 F D' R' B' F2 R' U' F' U2 R' U2
41. 18.33 B' U R2 B R' F U F B2 R2 U2 F2 U2 B D2 R2 B' R2 F2 R' F2
42. 15.83 U2 F2 D2 B' U F L R2 D' B2 D' F2 D' B2 D R2 F'
43. 15.15 D' F' R D2 L2 U B2 L2 B2 F2 U B2 R2 U' B' L D2 F2 D' R U
44. 17.05 L' U' D F B2 U2 D2 R' D2 R2 D2 L2 F L2 F L2 U2 L2
45. 19.76 D2 B2 U B L' U R2 B U F2 R2 U2 R B2 D2 F2 L' U2 R' L2
46. (21.32) D' U2 B2 L' F2 R U2 L D2 L' D2 R2 D B L' D2 B2 R2 D' B U
47. 19.27 R' F2 D' L' B L2 U' L2 F2 R U2 F2 D2 R' U2 D2 L' U2 D' B
48. 16.12 D' F2 U B2 U2 R2 D U2 R2 F2 L2 F U B2 L B2 R' F' D' L
49. 17.20 F' L2 B2 D2 R2 B U2 B' R2 B2 D2 R2 L' B2 D' U2 R' U' R B2 R'
50. 16.26 L R2 U2 B2 D2 F2 R2 U B2 L2 D L2 U2 B' D L D U' B2 L' F
51. 17.89 B' U R' F' D2 B' U' L2 F' B2 L2 U' D' F2 D L2 U F2 L2 B2 U
52. (12.44) B L' F R' L' U' B D' L U2 D2 R2 B2 R' B2 D2 R F2 L2 D2
53. 20.41 D2 L2 U2 F R2 F' D2 B2 U2 L2 D2 R D U B' R D' B2 R' F R
54. 13.36 L F' D F2 D2 B2 D R2 U R2 D F2 U F2 R' B R U2 B' U2
55. 19.60 R' F2 R2 F2 L2 D B2 R2 U2 F2 U2 F2 R' F' U R D' R B2 R2 F'
56. 15.91 D2 L' B2 D2 U2 L U2 B2 R' B2 R D2 F U' F U' F R F2 L'
57. 18.55 D2 L2 F2 D F2 U' L2 D L2 F2 R2 B' U2 R' U L' F D2 B' D'
58. 17.36 B R' F B2 R2 F2 U L2 B2 U2 F2 D' L U2 F R2 U F' L
59. 15.60 B2 U2 R2 U2 L2 R2 B' D2 B' U2 L2 F' R D' B' L' F2 R2 F2 D' U'
60. (12.91) R' L2 F2 L2 D2 R2 F L2 F2 D2 B' F2 U R U R D U' F'
61. 15.95 R B' U' L B2 R L' D2 F U' L2 U R2 D2 F2 D2 B2 L2 U B2
62. 20.22 B2 D' L F' D2 B' U L2 U2 R F2 L' D2 F2 U2 F2 L F' L
63. 13.47 L' U' R2 B U2 F2 R2 U2 L2 B L2 B' F2 D U' B' D' R2 U' R'
64. (28.07) B2 L2 D' R2 U' R2 B2 R2 D U2 B D R' F L2 B F' L U' R2
65. 15.64 R' D' F2 R2 U B2 L2 D U B2 L2 D2 F D2 U' L2 U2 B R F'
66. 20.80 D2 B' U2 L2 F D2 L2 B2 R2 F U2 R2 L' F2 U' R2 D2 B' F2 U F2
67. 16.74 B U2 L2 F U2 B2 R2 U2 L2 U2 B2 F' D U R' B' R2 D2 F' U2 F2
68. (12.86) F' B2 D2 B' D' R F' B' U2 F2 L2 F2 U R2 L2 D' L2 U' L
69. 15.43 B2 U' L' F' D B2 L' B D2 B2 U2 L U2 R2 D2 F2 R' D2 F2 R' F
70. 15.50 U L2 U R2 U' R2 U' R2 B2 L2 B' D2 U L B D' L2 D' R'
71. 16.11 L' U D2 B' D' L F' L' F R2 U' F2 U2 F2 D L2 D L2 U' B2
72. 14.63 F2 L2 B2 U R2 U' R2 D' F2 D' F2 B' D L F2 R U' F D L' B
73. 14.63 D' L' D R F2 L' B' L' D2 R' U2 L' F2 B2 R F2 R2
74. 17.28 R2 B R' D2 R B2 L' B2 D2 R' F2 R' U2 R D' R' B' D R U' L'
75. 17.60 L U' B2 U2 L R2 D2 R2 B2 R' B2 D2 U2 B F' D L2 U F' D2
76. 15.09 D2 R' D2 U2 B2 L' B2 D2 B2 L' F' D' B' R' B2 R2 U L' F
77. 19.25+ L' R' D2 B2 R B2 U2 F2 R' D2 L B2 D F' L F' D' F U2 R U'
78. 15.64 R' F' U' F2 L' D' L F B2 D2 R2 B2 R' B2 R D2 F2 R' F2 B
79. 19.71 L' U L U2 L2 F2 R2 F2 U2 B2 L U2 B' R' U B D' R B'
80. 14.76 B' D' L U' L D2 R' D2 B' L2 F2 D R2 U' B2 D2 B2 R2 B2 D
81. 20.70 U' F D2 B U2 L2 R2 B' L2 F D2 F D L' F' D2 U R' B2
82. 16.52 B2 D L' B U R2 U' B U R2 B2 L2 D2 F2 B2 R2 U R2
83. 19.42 D' B' D2 F L2 B' U2 F' U2 B' D2 F L2 U F R' F2 D2 U' B
84. 17.32 U2 L R2 D2 R' F2 R F2 R' U2 R' F L F2 L2 D2 U R U
85. 17.01 D2 F' R2 B2 D2 F R2 F U2 R2 L F' D2 B' D L' R' B2 D' F'
86. 15.18 L B' U D2 R' F' R L2 F2 U F2 R2 U2 B2 D' R2 F2 B2 R
87. 20.60 U2 L D' R' B U' L F' D L2 F' L2 F L2 F2 L2 B' U2 F' U2 B2
88. 18.34 R B' F2 L2 D2 F2 R2 U2 B L2 F U2 L' D2 B' D' R2 F U' R' B
89. (12.20) F2 L B2 L2 B' U2 B' D2 U2 F2 D2 R2 U' R2 D R2 B U' R'
90. 15.77 R2 D2 F2 R U2 B2 L' D2 R' B2 R2 F L2 B' D U' B' L2 U' F'
91. 17.85 U' F R B2 U2 B2 U2 R' U2 B2 R' D2 L B2 D R' F2 D R2 D L'
92. 13.17 U2 R D R2 U2 L2 B2 U L2 D' R2 D2 U' R2 F' U B2 R' F2 D2 F
93. 14.20 F R F2 L2 F2 D L2 F2 D2 B2 R2 U L D B' R D' B' L
94. 19.31 B U R2 B R2 B' L2 F U2 F L2 D2 B2 D' L U R D2 F L
95. 16.40 L2 F2 U2 L' F2 D2 L F2 R' U2 L' D2 F' L B' R' D' F2 U' L B
96. 17.69 B D2 F2 U' R2 B2 D' R2 U2 F2 L2 R2 D' L' D R' B' R2 D F' D'
97. 15.57 B' R F R' L' D' L' U' F R U2 F2 D2 B2 L B2 U2 L U2 D2 L2
98. 15.58 U' B2 D2 B2 R2 D' F2 U' B2 D' B2 F2 L' F U2 R D2 U' F' L'
99. 13.63 R' B U' B' U L D R' B' U2 R2 U' D L2 F2 U' L2 B2
100. 15.70 R F2 U' L2 R2 U B2 U F2 L2 B2 F' D L R2 B2 F D' U' F2
 

EngiNerdBrian

Premium Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2018
Messages
960
Location
Denver
YouTube
Visit Channel
Anyone in the older crowd get tension or stiffness in their fingers when speed solving on a regular basis? I’ve had some tendinitis in my pointer finger since a few years ago that developed when I was doing a lot computer modeling and clicking my mouse 5,000+ times a day.

Cubing sometimes aggregates this and causes stress in my fingers. Anyone else have this issue? Any good solutions/stretches/remedies?
 

One Wheel

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2016
Messages
2,883
Location
Wisconsin
WCA
2016BAIR04
My first ever PLL skip in a comp this morning. Trouble was that it took me a few seconds to realise it. I couldn't believe what I saw!
I think I've gotten 2 PLL skips in competitions, the only problem is they were actually both J-perms. The other day I was doing some idle untimed solves with hand scrambles, and I think I got 5 PLL skips including 2 consecutive ones.
 

Scriv58

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
22
Anyone in the older crowd get tension or stiffness in their fingers when speed solving on a regular basis? I’ve had some tendinitis in my pointer finger since a few years ago that developed when I was doing a lot computer modeling and clicking my mouse 5,000+ times a day.

Cubing sometimes aggregates this and causes stress in my fingers. Anyone else have this issue? Any good solutions/stretches/remedies?

Hello Jeff here in not-so-balmy southern Illinois, having just joined the forum 3 weeks ago after a year of lurking. Before learning to solve the cube in nov. 2019, I was a professional tattooer for 22 years, as well as a long time acoustic guitar player (medium strings!) so I know a bit about overusing the hands. I no longer am a tattooer, but guitar and cube and being 62 can still take their toll.
The simplest routine for me is to stretch the hands after 20 minutes or so into a session, in the opposite direction of all the gripping- fingers fanned out, arms outstretched long easy breaths wrist rotations.

For at least 12 years I have been using this at least twice a week
I start by rinsing my hands in warm water, drying them then working a glob into every area of my hands and wrist til it starts getting tacky, then another glob, repeating until still a little slippery. I then don two pair of nitrile gloves (latex allergy) and retire to the couch for 45 minutes of tv, occasionally working the gloved gel into knuckles, palms, etc. I remove the gloves after 45 minutes, rinse them under warm water, then soap the stuff off. A home made regimen that works well for me. There are of course many balms available, this one being my own preference.

I also take one or two of these daily, the only pill I take, for I am not (yet) on any prescription medications whatsoever- but one may want to check further if they are on a prescription regimen for health maladies.

I also use one of these daily, along with a regular garden variety spring hand gripper

Hope this helps, it works well for me... Love, Peace, and Speedcube grease, the scriv
 

openseas

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
425
WCA
2015PARK24
My first ever PLL skip in a comp this morning. Trouble was that it took me a few seconds to realise it. I couldn't believe what I saw!

Congrats! Also envy you guys competing at real comps!

I think I've gotten 2 PLL skips in competitions, the only problem is they were actually both J-perms. The other day I was doing some idle untimed solves with hand scrambles, and I think I got 5 PLL skips including 2 consecutive ones.

I wasted several (total 3?) PLL skips in comm - all of them were garbage solves anyway. But my only OLL skip was really good, my current official PB single of 16.84.
 
Top