Random Blindfold Cubing Discussion

[cmhardw]

What are you guys racing to? Sub-1 single?

Yeah, we've each had only maybe 3 or so sub-60s, so we're racing each other to our next one. The first person to get a sub-60 wins a cookie from the other at our next competition (if I win I demand chocolate chip! lol)

Oh crap. Uhm, I'll go do some solves. I figured I'd have a few days . Apparently not.

I'm trying hard to push myself on my solves, and as you can see it either comes out close to 2 minutes, or sub-1:20 or even sub1:10. I'll have to work on my consistency for sure, but I'm definitely trying to give you some competition here!

Good luck!

 

[Marcell]

I'm trying to make speed optimal comms for a couple bad edge cycles (and their reflections along M). I have some ideas but I'm hoping someone can maybe find something better.

DF-RD-FR
b U'M2U R U'M2U R' b'
DF-RD-FL
F' R U'M2U R U'M2U R2 F

 

[riffz]

DF-RD-FR
b U'M2U R U'M2U R' b'
DF-RD-FL
F' R U'M2U R U'M2U R2 F

I had the first one in my post, but I assume you're just posting what you use for each.

Second one is pretty nice. Not sure if it's faster than u' R2 U M' U' R' U M U' R' u for me so I'll have to time it.

 

[lucarubik]

why does everyone use DF as buffer?
isnt better U..?

 

[aronpm]

I think that a U buffer, probably UF, is best because of <M,U> and <R,U> algs, but I think DF is fast too, and it's a very easy transition from M2.

 

[riffz]

I actually think DF is possibly better than UF if you don't use a lot of <R,U> algs, as it leaves the U face free, but if you take the time to learn lots of speed optimal <R,U> algs then UF is probably better. Also keep in mind that for DF you can just do x to setup a lot of <R,U> cases.

Anyway, as Aron said, the reason I chose it was because it was just an easy transition from M2 for me.

 

[riffz]

<DavidWoner> x R U' R U R' U' M' U R U' r' U R' x' fasts

 

[amostay2004]

<DavidWoner> x R U' R U R' U' M' U R U' r' U R' x' fasts

Isn't that just TuRBo?

 

[riffz]

Isn't that just TuRBo?

Seeing as it doesn't solve pieces on one face, I'm inclined to say no.

 

[Marcell]

Erm... If turbo could only solve pieces on one face, turbo users would have a hard time solving fully scrambled cubes.
This alg sets up the third edge to the same face and solves the 3-cycle there. So it really is turbo. Also, it is fast, thanks for sharing.

 

[riffz]

Erm... If turbo could only solve pieces on one face, turbo users would have a hard time solving fully scrambled cubes.
This alg sets up the third edge to the same face and solves the 3-cycle there. So it really is turbo. Also, it is fast, thanks for sharing.

I understand how turbo works. I thought he had maybe looked at the alg without a cube with him and was asking if it was a turbo algorithm. Kind of a strange question to ask, that's all.

 

[cmhardw]

Completely random and self serving, but I just bought a mini QJ and two QJ 4x4's, yay! Can't wait until they come in! More 4x4 BLD sub-5 solves here I come!

 

[cuboy63]

Completely random and self serving, but I just bought a mini QJ and two QJ 4x4's, yay! Can't wait until they come in! More 4x4 BLD sub-5 solves here I come!

GOGOGO Sub-4

 

[Julian]

Here's an idea I just had for 4BLD edges, using r2.

Your buffer is DFr, and your last target is LFd. You had an odd number of edge targets, so after you shoot to LFd, you'll do the edge parity:
r2 D' L' F l' U2 l' U2 F2 ... etc.
Then you'll be done with edges.

OR you could set up your last target to FUr (in this case the setup would be L' U'), do an x rotation, and perform the parity alg:
l' U2 l' U2 ... r' U2 l2
Then do an x', undo the setup moves (U L), and you're done.

Does anybody do this?

 

[tim]

Does anybody do this?

I have no idea why I haven't used it yet. It seems so obvious and it's especially useful for the M-slice targets. So, thanks for pointing that out.

 

[cmhardw]

I tried something new last night while doing my 5x5x5BLD solves for the weekly competition. At first I thought it would help, but then I found that I was HORRIBLY wrong in that assumption.

I've recently been on an Eminem kick, listening to a lot of his more inspirational songs like Not Afraid, Like Toy Soldiers, Sing for the Moment, Mockingbird, Beautiful, etc..

These songs really pump me up and motivate me to be AWESOME! So, I figured I would loop them all on a track while doing some of my 5x5x5BLD solves this week. It turned out that Eminem (and I think hip hop/rap in general) is a HORRIBLE choice for me when doing BLD solves.

I found that doing solves while listening to these songs was extremely difficult. In the session where I was listening to these songs I DNF'd 1 solve, and I got 2 successful ones.

DNF (16:28.56) memo in 10:45ish
15:58.49 (unsure of memo time, but probably 9:30ish)
17:35.53 (memo in 10:47.xx)

The DNF was off by two permuted but disoriented midges. I had cycled incorrectly and flipped them in the process.

What I found so difficult about these solves is that I have a problem with sub-vocalizing my memorization while also imagining the images. I know that this is a problem I have, as the memory sports group have told me flat out to stop doing this. I found out quickly that it's very difficult to sub-vocalize while also listening to rap/hip hop

One thing I think is cool is that these solves felt very reminiscent of a competition room, where you can hear the talking around you. Before I would wear my earmuffs I could still hear the talking around me, and it was quite difficult to focus. So, in short, I feel that listening to rap/hip hop while doing big cube BLD solves is a great way to work on distraction training! I also think it's a good way to better learn to visualize your journeys without sub-vocalizing the interactions (because you HAVE to if you want any hope of getting through your memo!)

Has anyone else tried listening to rap/hip hop while doing BLD solves? Was your experience similar or different?

 

[AJ Blair]

I tried something new last night while doing my 5x5x5BLD solves for the weekly competition. At first I thought it would help, but then I found that I was HORRIBLY wrong in that assumption.

I've recently been on an Eminem kick, listening to a lot of his more inspirational songs like Not Afraid, Like Toy Soldiers, Sing for the Moment, Mockingbird, Beautiful, etc..

These songs really pump me up and motivate me to be AWESOME! So, I figured I would loop them all on a track while doing some of my 5x5x5BLD solves this week. It turned out that Eminem (and I think hip hop/rap in general) is a HORRIBLE choice for me when doing BLD solves.

I found that doing solves while listening to these songs was extremely difficult. In the session where I was listening to these songs I DNF'd 1 solve, and I got 2 successful ones.

DNF (16:28.56) memo in 10:45ish
15:58.49 (unsure of memo time, but probably 9:30ish)
17:35.53 (memo in 10:47.xx)

The DNF was off by two permuted but disoriented midges. I had cycled incorrectly and flipped them in the process.

What I found so difficult about these solves is that I have a problem with sub-vocalizing my memorization while also imagining the images. I know that this is a problem I have, as the memory sports group have told me flat out to stop doing this. I found out quickly that it's very difficult to sub-vocalize while also listening to rap/hip hop

One thing I think is cool is that these solves felt very reminiscent of a competition room, where you can hear the talking around you. Before I would wear my earmuffs I could still hear the talking around me, and it was quite difficult to focus. So, in short, I feel that listening to rap/hip hop while doing big cube BLD solves is a great way to work on distraction training! I also think it's a good way to better learn to visualize your journeys without sub-vocalizing the interactions (because you HAVE to if you want any hope of getting through your memo!)

Has anyone else tried listening to rap/hip hop while doing BLD solves? Was your experience similar or different?

I haven't done it with hip hop or rap, but I have memo'd with classic rock and SNL....extremely difficult with both...DNF every single time...

 

[tim]

What I found so difficult about these solves is that I have a problem with sub-vocalizing my memorization while also imagining the images. I know that this is a problem I have, as the memory sports group have told me flat out to stop doing this. I found out quickly that it's very difficult to sub-vocalize while also listening to rap/hip hop

So, you might use rap during practice to eliminate your sub-vocalization problem. I'm also struggling with sub-vocalizing my images. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Has anyone else tried listening to rap/hip hop while doing BLD solves? Was your experience similar or different?

I listen to all kinds of music (including rap) while doing BLD solves. And I've yet to find a song which successfully distracts me from it. I seem to memo a bit faster and more secure when I listen to rock songs (especially SOAD), though. But that might be just a coincidence.

 

[RyanReese09]

Chris, No Love is a great song too . I can't memo when their is distraction. Well, I can it just goes slower. I should start listening to music while BLDing.

 

[Escher]

Has anyone else tried listening to rap/hip hop while doing BLD solves? Was your experience similar or different?

I'm not that much of a bld solver, but whenever I BLD I'll be listening to hip-hop, stuff like Jehst and Roots Manuva and Tech9. I do use visual memo though, so it could just be there's no 'interference' as there is since you have words/images associated to pieces?