One-Answer Other Question Thread

[xyzzy]

I made the alg myself. And by shorten an alg I mean, well, make an alg shorter. I don't know how else to explain it lol.

Basically, what WACWCA already said. Sometimes there are parts that can be replaced (e.g. U2 R U R' F' = F' L' U L U2, so in a last layer alg you might be able to cancel the U2 of one of the two options with AUF) but this process almost never produces a significantly better alg.

The reason I asked for clarification is because you didn't fully specify what you want to accomplish (and you still haven't). When you "shorten" an alg, do you want something that does exactly the same thing as the original alg, or an alg that merely orients pieces in the same way, or what? The answer in every case is the same (use Cube Explorer, ksolve, etc.), but you need to know what you want your alg to do before you can generate algs to do that, and the new algs most likely will have zero resemblance to the original alg you started with.

(also also, there is very little reason to generate algs because AlgDb is (mostly) very good; for last layer algs, you can check Birdflu too)

 

[joshies-twisty-endeavors]

I see things like 490 case zzll and think that people cannot come up with that many algorithms by random chance. Is there a secret to know or am i gonna have to just keep chancing it?

 

[Hazel]

I see things like 490 case zzll and think that people cannot come up with that many algorithms by random chance. Is there a secret to know or am i gonna have to just keep chancing it?

People use a program called Cube Explorer, you can find a guide on it on youtube, it's pretty easy to use and works really well. For cubes other than 3x3 there's a program called ksolve, but I don't think it's as easy to use

 

[Sue Doenim]

I see things like 490 case zzll and think that people cannot come up with that many algorithms by random chance. Is there a secret to know or am i gonna have to just keep chancing it?

Are you asking about how to make algs or how to find how many there are?

 

[Analytical_Wheelbarrow]

I recently learned how to solve the 3x3x3 and I start by solving the white cross.

Someone mentioned to me (a guy I met IRL, not on this forum) that it's a good idea to mix up which color you start with, e.g. start with the blue cross one time, then the red cross the next time, etc. The idea is that when you pick up a scrambled cube, one of the crosses might be almost solved already, so you'd want to start with that face.

Other people claim that you should pick a starting color and stick with it, e.g. always start with the white cross no matter what. Their justification is that you get faster at recognizing certain color combinations when you're consistent with the starting color.

Is there a general consensus as to which method is better?

 

[DGCubes]

Picking the most efficient cross color instead of just sticking to one is known as being color neutral, and the general consensus is that it is better. I'd personally recommend that you become color neutral as soon as possible, because it definitely gets harder to switch as you get faster. I personally always start with green cross, and I do regret not starting off color neutral. You can definitely be fast without it, but it does give you a slight advantage over those who only do one cross color.

 

[Mastercuber04]

Uea i agree

I waited too long and i feel i cant be color neutral anymore without a lot of effort

If you are just starting out i would reccomend starting with every color and get used to recognition on all sides

 

[tnk351]

Its color neutral.
You can practice this by generating scrambles for bld and only make cross on the u face.

 

[CornerCutter]

I'll just affirm the previous posts. I strongly recommend that you be color neutral. I started cubing being CN and am so thankful I am now.

 

[Analytical_Wheelbarrow]

Thanks for all the replies!

My mission to become color neutral begins today...

Actually I just noticed that color neutrality is listed in a thread of controversial topics. Interesting that everyone on this thread is advocating CN. Maybe all the people who are opposed secretly wish they had learned CN much earlier on. (But I have no idea... I'm obviously a newb.)

 

[Thom S.]

Actually I just noticed that color neutrality is listed in a thread of controversial topics. Interesting that everyone on this thread is advocating CN. Maybe all the people who are opposed secretly wish they had learned CN much earlier on. (But I have no idea... I'm obviously a newb.)

People like Feliks and Rowe are Color Neutral while People like Mats or Antoine have their fixed bottom color(green and orange if I think correctly)

Color Neutrality used to be thought to be worse(speaking of the time span of the late 90s to like 2008) in general thinking. (If I'm not wrong, Rowe played a big part in the change). A Cross can always be solved in 8 moves or less, but if another cross can be made in 3 moves, it's obviously faster. Your mind will associate the right pieces after some time automatically-lookahead and as a beginner, you don't really have that. That's why everyone is the same opinion. If you were to already be at like 12 seconds, most people would say it's not worth it anymore - hence the controvercy.
To add to that, if you take the big-four(Methods - CFOP, Roux, ZZ, Petrus), full Color Neutrality mostly only affects CFOP. The other ones have a different way of dealing with EO which is even more work - hence the controvercy.

 

[lucarubik]

what was this online site where you could write algs and such, lol, called? you know it had like an orange ish background iirc and a 3d cube and it could read commutator notation i believe...
thanks
*nevermind, found it, just after i thought i was giving up and posted this comment, sorry.

 

[Duncan Bannon]

Well well. You talk to people! You warm up for the next event. Do team blind. Do team factory. Learn something from someone better than you. Teach someone something. Build a cube tower. Talk to someone thats famous. Do an FMC attempt. Go to the bathroom. Do team factory. Watch other cubers cube. JUDGE (and really judge). Scramble. Run. Trade some cubes. Sell some cubes. Buy some cubes.


BOOM, there is 18 things to do. One for each event

Edit- Did I mention talk to people?

 

[FastCubeMaster]

When I go to a contest, what the heck do I do while I'm waiting an hour for the next event?

The real question is:

"why the heck don't I get another hour before my next event?"

Honestly it's quite true

 

[The Pocket Cuber]

I know this might be obvious, but for my whole cubing life I’ve never known what a global average is Can someone answer this question?

 

[JustAnotherGenericCuber]

Basically, if you were to do a solve, it's what time you would expect to get on that solve. an ao1000 is usually a good estimate for your global average

 

[DGCubes]

When I go to a contest, what the heck do I do while I'm waiting an hour for the next event?

My favorite competitions recently have been the ones where there's a lot of time between events. I've made some of my best friends through cubing, so it's great to get to spend time with them!

 

[Zombie Cuber]

Could someone tell me how to solve the hungarian rings

 

[Brest]

Could someone tell me how to solve the hungarian rings

https://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/rings.htm

 

[KingDolphin123]

Should PBs in ChaoTimer be counted? Trying to settle a debate