One-Answer WCA Competition and Regulations Question Thread

[GenTheSnail]

If you go above the 2:00 in both of your first two solves, you get a DNF average for the Ao5.

Actually you just don't get an average. If you have two DNF times in a complete average, then you get a DNF.
Even if you go over 4:00 on both of your first two solves, you simply don't get an average, not a DNF average.

Although, in fear of @Ranzha reprimanding me, I checked the regulations, and it looks like one should get a DNF average? o_O

https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/regulations/#9f

• 9f9) For "Average of 5" rounds, one DNF or DNS is permitted to count as the competitor's worst result of the round. If a competitor has more than one DNF and/or DNS result in the round, their average result for the round is DNF.

However, the three worst results (notably me) of the sq-1 combined final have two DNF/DNS' but don't have a DNF average.
https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/competitions/Michigan2017/results/all#esq1_c

Is this something (awarding DNF averages for DNFing cutoffs) that competitions should start doing, something that should be fixed in the regulations, or something that I missed?

 

[Keroma12]

[...] I checked the regulations, and it looks like one should get a DNF average? o_O

https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/regulations/#9f

• 9f9) For "Average of 5" rounds, one DNF or DNS is permitted to count as the competitor's worst result of the round. If a competitor has more than one DNF and/or DNS result in the round, their average result for the round is DNF.

[...]

That's why combined rounds exist (which you need to use in order to have a cut-off). It's a combination of Average of 5 and Best of 2. If you don't make cutoff then you were actually in a best of 2 round, so 9f9 doesn't apply. (Analogously for mean of 3 events.)

 

[GenTheSnail]

That's why combined rounds exist (which you need to use in order to have a cut-off). It's a combination of Average of 5 and Best of 2. If you don't make cutoff then you were actually in a best of 2 round, so 9f9 doesn't apply. (Analogously for mean of 3 events.)

Okay, cool, that makes sense.

 

[Duncan Bannon]

Magnetic clocks are legal right?

And a small discoloration on a 5x5 is legal right? Ill provide pictures, when I can find out how to upload pictures.... Thanks!

 

[Hazel]

Would this 7x7 be competition legal with that corner defect? My guess is no.

Spoiler

 

[Duncan Bannon]

That almost exacly how my 5x5 is. So apply that pic for my 5x5 question please.

 

[teboecubes]

Would this 7x7 be competition legal with that corner defect? My guess is no.

Spoiler

um, what defect? i dont see anything wrong with it

 

[teboecubes]

Magnetic clocks are legal right?

And a small discoloration on a 5x5 is legal right? Ill provide pictures, when I can find out how to upload pictures.... Thanks!

3h) Modifications that enhance the basic concept of a puzzle are not permitted. Modified versions of puzzles are permitted only if the modification does not make any additional information available to the competitor (e.g. orientation or identity of pieces), compared to an unmodified version of the same puzzle.

Yes, magnetic puzzles are legal, as long as they don't make additional information available.

 

[Duncan Bannon]

um, what defect? i dont see anything wrong with it

The discoloration on RWB piece. On the blue side.

 

[SolveThatCube]

Would this 7x7 be competition legal with that corner defect? My guess is no.

Spoiler

That almost exacly how my 5x5 is. So apply that pic for my 5x5 question please.

Your puzzle is 100% legal. My 7x7 also has the same discoloration and trust me it's fine.

 

[weatherman223]

My clock is partially open with no tape, has a crack down a side, and has small superglue dots on some corners. Is it comp legal?

E: I should probably mention the dots of glue are on the inside of the casing, not the dial, and don’t affect any movement of the puzzle

 

[Dancing Jules]

My clock is partially open with no tape, has a crack down a side, and has small superglue dots on some corners. Is it comp legal?

E: I should probably mention the dots of glue are on the inside of the casing, not the dial, and don’t affect any movement of the puzzle

Not if Laura Ohrndorf is your delegate.

 

[Duncan Bannon]

There are no +2's in clock right? If so what are they?

 

[CarterK]

There are no +2's in clock right? If so what are they?

There are no misalignment +2s. You can still plus 2 from bad timer starts and other stuff too though. It's the same as other events.

 

[BenBergen]

Spoiler: Image

Any thoughts on whether this cube would be legal for 3bld? It has a few minor chips in the stickers.

 

[Ranzha]

View attachment 9130

Any thoughts on whether this cube would be legal for 3bld? It has a few minor chips in the stickers.

In my opinion, this is definitely "reasonable wear".

 

[BenBergen]

In my opinion, this is definitely "reasonable wear".

Ok, thanks

 

[hotufos]

Why do all FMC scrambles start and end with R' U' F?

 

[Hazel]

Why do all FMC scrambles start and end with R' U' F?

Most FMC solutions (or many at least) start with edge orientation, so this makes sure that the edge orientation isn't super easy. I'm not sure on the specifics but I think regular scrambles would make it too simple or something? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I also believe you always end the scramble with R' U' F. I hope this helped somewhat
I also have a question regarding this, to convert a regular random state scramble to a legal FMC scramble do you just add on R' U' F to the beginning and end and you're good or is the scramble itself generated differently?

 

[Mike Hughey]

This was actually done to prevent problems with premoves / inverse scrambles - to allow people to find premoves without having to worry so much about using part of the scramble in their solutions. Those 3 moves don't count towards using part of the scramble, which gives some breather for finding premoves.

A good discussion of this change appears here:
https://github.com/thewca/tnoodle/issues/210

Adding on R' U' F to the beginning and end doesn't quite accomplish the requirement, as I unfortunately discovered with my first attempt at adding it in the Weekly Competition - the possibility exists that the scramble being added to might cancel one or more of those moves, which would defeat the purpose. So the initial scramble needs to have nothing that cancels or partially cancels an F at the beginning or an R' at the end. But given that, adding R' U' F to the beginning and end does give a valid scramble for FMC.