• 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!

Random Cubing Discussion

TDM

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
7,006
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
WCA
2013MEND03
YouTube
Visit Channel
what about this method:

make a side, make opposite side, permute bottom, permute top, E slice

or:

make bottom layer, make top layer, E slice
First one is just a slower version of the second.
The second method would be so inefficient because you would have to preserve the first layer. You could just not solve two corners and an edge in between, as that would then give you an extra side to turn, allowing you to solve the other layer much more efficiently.
... oh wait thats just roux
 

goodatthis

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Messages
841
Location
NY
WCA
2014CAVA01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Just wanted to post an alg I found that's pretty cool... (r U' r' U') x5 Flips all LL edges as well as FR and FD

Also if you replace U with u you get a cyclic alg (at least I think it is) that does some neat things.
 
Last edited:

CyanSandwich

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
1,615
Location
Wellington, New Zealand
WCA
2013NELS01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Hehe

Average of 5: 16.97
1. 16.97 B' R2 U2 L B D' R' L U' R' D2 B2 U2 B2 L' D2 F2 L' D2 L'
2. 16.97 B' R' D L U' R F' U' R2 L' F2 B U2 B2 U2 R2 L2 B L2 B' L2
3. 16.97 F' B2 L2 D' B' U D2 L' F L' U2 B2 D2 R2 D2 L B2 R D2 R2

4. (17.46) L B2 U' L B2 R D2 B L2 F2 L2 F2 R' B2 R' F2 R' D2 L'
5. (15.96) R2 B2 U2 R2 B R2 B' L2 R2 B F' U' B' D2 R' D L' D' L F' L'
 

SolveThatCube

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
1,223
WCA
2014ADCO01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Hehe

Average of 5: 16.97
1. 16.97 B' R2 U2 L B D' R' L U' R' D2 B2 U2 B2 L' D2 F2 L' D2 L'
2. 16.97 B' R' D L U' R F' U' R2 L' F2 B U2 B2 U2 R2 L2 B L2 B' L2
3. 16.97 F' B2 L2 D' B' U D2 L' F L' U2 B2 D2 R2 D2 L B2 R D2 R2

4. (17.46) L B2 U' L B2 R D2 B L2 F2 L2 F2 R' B2 R' F2 R' D2 L'
5. (15.96) R2 B2 U2 R2 B R2 B' L2 R2 B F' U' B' D2 R' D L' D' L F' L'

lol
 

TDM

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
7,006
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
WCA
2013MEND03
YouTube
Visit Channel
So my dad has been writing something whilst I've been competing, and I wasn't sure what it was I hadn't looked at it until just now, and apparently he wants to send this to a newspaper when he finishes it:
(a few things are in italics; these are my only edits)
I should have known! We had arrived at xxx (he didn't know the name), primary school and venue of the European Rubik's Cube Competition being held in Roskilde, Denmark. There was more life on the deck of the Marie Celeste than here. No banners, no welcome committee, no sign of life, nothing. Then I spotted them. Three lanky, malnourished lads sporting black rucksacks and instantly recognisable as Cubers. Geeks to you and me. My son is one. We followed them into the school gym where the bright colours and noise of the 280 odd (in both senses of the word) competitors contrasted sharply with the empty silence of the playground a minute before.
For those of you who have never been to a Rubik's Cube competition before you have missed a treat. It is like watching magic. If you have ever tried and failed to solve a cube – that annoying little puzzle that looks so simple but is fiendishly difficult - this is like being trackside at the Olympics. I had an inkling of this when we were at Gatwick. Louis, my son, had been absent-mindedly solving his cube when he was spotted by 3 teenage girls. One of them had plucked up the courage to ask him what his fastest solve time was. 'Seven point four' he said laconically. 'Seven point four minutes?' she said in wonder. 'No. Seconds' . She ran away to tell her friends, the shock and awe riddle across her face.
Here at Roskilde, Europe's cubing elite have gathered for 3 days of intense competition. Three days I hear you cry. Well, for Cubers the Rubik's cube itself is just the tip of the iceberg. There are skewbes, square-ones, pyramix, megamix, 2x2x2, 'clocks', 5x5x5, 7x7x7, not to mention the blindfold sections all exquisitely difficult…unless you know how. And this lot know how! The winning average (average of 5 solves) for the Rubik's Cube is likely to be just over 8 seconds though the world record for a single solve is 5.55 seconds XXXXXXXXXX youtube link (he was going to edit this in when he found the link). The lovely thing, however, is that all the Cubers are really a community and they do not really compete with each other. The main thing is just to be in the same room as other like-minded people. Rather beautifully, it is not the winning that matters, it is the taking part. Yes, really!
But who are they, this bunch of nerdy-types? I watch as they empty their rucksacks onto the tables. Each has over a dozen different cubes, a pile of unhealthy snack-food and bottled drinks with enough tartrazine to keep vivisectionists happy. Then they get cubing. If you can imagine dozens of typewriters (or daisywheel printers, if you are not that old or a rusty bike chain if you are even younger!) crunching away incessantly you will begin to understand the sound of the competition room. When they walk they cube, when they talk they cube and, yes, when they go to the toilet they cube ( well, there is also a one-handed competition you know!). I HAVE SEE IT!!
They have all the gear…special screw-drivers for altering the tension, lube (lubricant), electronic timers, blindfolds and competition T-shirts!
The UK contingent number around 12 though this is not a team event. There is no qualifying time – anyone can enter though it is fair to say that there are no slouches here and several British Cubers have held world marks. Less than 10% of participants here are female though the number of women Cubers is growing according to the organisers.. There are around 15000 registered Cubers in the world (those that have entered official competitions) but the number of people cubing is in the millions – the Cube being the highest selling toy in the world - ever.
Now those of you who look askance at the Rubik's Cube should take note. Originally, the cube was invented by the eponymous Mr Rubik - an Hungarian architect - not as a toy but to improve and develop spatial awareness amongst his bright pupils. And there is no doubt that although there is a nerdy element amongst Cubers they are a clever bunch and likely to be very high achievers. The annoying little plastic puzzle has managed to silently transcend the world of toys and is now delineating a select band of highly intelligent individuals. Nerdy they may be how I wish I were one of them. The new Rubik's Speed Cube, for high performance cubers has just made its debut (available online only but in shops by October). It should be on your shopping list today but if you are buying for someone else avoid the cheap imports from China.
The European Rubik's Cube Competition is taking place 8th-10th August in Roskilde, Denmark and Louis de Mendonça from [deleted school name] (and soon from [deleted school name]) is hoping to make it to the final rounds.
Am I the only one who thinks he portrays cubers quite negatively in this?

There are some positive paragraphs - like the one starting "For those of you who have never been ...", and a few other bits here and there, but most of them are about cubing - not the cubers themselves...
 
Last edited:

uberCuber

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
3,921
Location
Tucson, Arizona, USA
WCA
2011THOM01
There are around 15000 registered Cubers in the world (those that have entered official competitions)

There are actually over 30000.

But yeah, it's weird, it seems like a pretty negative portrayal for awhile, and then suddenly at the end he calls them all intelligent and says he wishes he was one of them.
 

TDM

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
7,006
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
WCA
2013MEND03
YouTube
Visit Channel
There are actually over 30000.

But yeah, it's weird, it seems like a pretty negative portrayal for awhile, and then suddenly at the end he calls them all intelligent and says he wishes he was one of them.
I know... he's asked me and a few other people, so it's more accurate than what some people write about cubers, but there are still some errors. I don't even think most cubers know how many people are registered without checking the WCA website.

That did confuse me too, and apparently he says it's all completely positive and he sees nothing wrong with cubers, and that article isn't supposed to show cubers negatively in any way... I don't understand him sometimes
 

IRNjuggle28

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
1,017
YouTube
Visit Channel

If I write a detailed reply to that article, will you show it to your dad? (I'm sure you've already pointed out a lot of it to him, but parents often take criticism more seriously when it's coming from someone who isn't their kid, annoying as that is.)

EDIT: practicing LS+LL, and got a scramble with sune in it. R U' R' U' R U' R' F' U F R U R' U R U2 R' F' U F U' F' U2 F U' F' U F U2 F' U F U'
 
Last edited:

TDM

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
7,006
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
WCA
2013MEND03
YouTube
Visit Channel
If I write a detailed reply to that article, will you show it to your dad? (I'm sure you've already pointed out a lot of it to him, but parents often take criticism more seriously when it's coming from someone who isn't their kid, annoying as that is.)
yeah I would, but if you don't send it to me in the next 40 mins he won't get it for 10 hours :p
 

IRNjuggle28

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
1,017
YouTube
Visit Channel
There was more life on the deck of the Marie Celeste than here. No banners, no welcome committee, no sign of life, nothing. Then I spotted them.
The reason that there are not banners or welcome committees is that cubing is not a spectator sport. Unlike many other sports, cubing competitions are made to appeal to the athletes, not the spectators. That is the reason that it doesn't appear welcoming in the way that other sports venues might.
Three lanky, malnourished lads sporting black rucksacks and instantly recognisable as Cubers. Geeks to you and me. My son is one. We followed them into the school gym where the bright colours and noise of the 280 odd (in both senses of the word) competitors contrasted sharply with the empty silence of the playground a minute before.
Cubers are not neccesarily geeks, and they definitely do not look malnourished. Let's take a look at the world record holders in many of the main disciplines. Mats Valk(3x3 record holder), Feliks Zemdegs (3x3, 5x5, 7x7 record holder), Marcin Zalewski (3x3 blindfolded), Oliver Frost (4x4 and 5x5 blindfolded), and many other big name cubers all appear to have classic good looks, and do not appear to be malnourished or geeky in appearance. Kevin Hays (6x6 world record holder) is a very accomplished competitive swimmer. Drew Brads (best pyraminx solver in the world) is a basketball player. Chris Olson (best 2x2 solver in the world) is a frisbee player. "Geek" implies abnormal interests and subpar social skills, and I don't agree that cubers in general have either of those problems.
For those of you who have never been to a Rubik's Cube competition before you have missed a treat. It is like watching magic. If you have ever tried and failed to solve a cube – that annoying little puzzle that looks so simple but is fiendishly difficult...
You, like many others who don't know how to solve cubes, have made the mistake of thinking "I don't understand how to solve cubes. That must mean that solving cubes is difficult." And you are very wrong. The only thing that is difficult is doing it completely on your own without a tutorial. And you know what else that's true of? The level of math you would teach a 9 year old. If studying math in school wasn't a given, the odd person who could do basic algebra would be considered just as magical, skilled, and yes, nerdy, as the people who can solve Rubik's cubes. Conversely, if solving Rubik's cubes was taught to every kid at every elementary school, being able to solve a cube in 20 seconds would be so commonplace it wouldn't even be thought of as requiring any skills that aren't ubiquitous among humans. You do not have to be intelligent or dexterous or gifted in any way to solve a cube. You merely have to spend a few days learning the techniques; something that you and the other people who think you're watching something magical are utterly unwilling to do. But by all means, keep thinking of me and my fellow cubers as geniuses. It's flattering. :D
The lovely thing, however, is that all the Cubers are really a community and they do not really compete with each other. The main thing is just to be in the same room as other like-minded people. Rather beautifully, it is not the winning that matters, it is the taking part. Yes, really!
This is the part of your article where you really hit the nail on the head. That's one of the perks of being part of a small sport--the community is small enough that everyone there is an human being, not just another competitor. It is a wonderful community that anybody is welcome to be part of.
And there is no doubt that although there is a nerdy element amongst Cubers they are a clever bunch and likely to be very high achievers. The annoying little plastic puzzle has managed to silently transcend the world of toys and is now delineating a select band of highly intelligent individuals.
I actually would agree that the cubing community is very intelligent, but not for the reasons you implied earlier in the article. I would reverse cause and effect, and instead of saying that solving cubes requires intelligence, I would say that intelligent people are more likely to be interested in solving a puzzle. You definitely do not have to be intelligent to solve a cube. It's also worth noting that the highly intelligent people in this community are more frequently the ones that develop solving methods, understand cube theory, and create cube related software, and less frequently the ones who are fast solvers.
Nerdy they may be how I wish I were one of them.
Then become one. It's less difficult than you expect, and we'd be happy to have you join us. :)
 
Last edited:

Tim Major

Platinum Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
5,381
Location
Melbourne, Australia
WCA
2010MAJO01
I don't know about calling cubers "socially awkward" as wrong. Sure lots of normal cubers are around. But the amount of kids who have little social skills/are weird at cubing comps greatly outweighs when I'm with non-cubers. I feel like at least 30% of the people at cubing comps I've been to are pretty socially awkward. Also using "Chris Olson plays frisbee" as proof of cubers not being nerds is stupid. I talk to Chris on skype often and I WOULDN'T call him socially awkward, but saying "Chris Olson plays frisbee" sounds so "geeky", the image you're trying to escape from. Also you chose a lot of strange pictures when saying they're not geeks...

Anyway the article obviously has overall negative comments apart from the occasional positive comment. But I think arguing saying, "CUBERS AREN'T GEEKY/SOCIALLY AWKWARD" in the way you just did kind of proves the stereotype mentioned in the article.

Plenty of cubing friends I could imagine going places for non-cubing reasons. But then you get some others, and whilst I'm friends with them, I think even they would admit to being socially awkward as ****
 

IRNjuggle28

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2013
Messages
1,017
YouTube
Visit Channel
I don't know about calling cubers "socially awkward" as wrong. Sure lots of normal cubers are around. But the amount of kids who have little social skills/are weird at cubing comps greatly outweighs when I'm with non-cubers. I feel like at least 30% of the people at cubing comps I've been to are pretty socially awkward. Also using "Chris Olson plays frisbee" as proof of cubers not being nerds is stupid. I talk to Chris on skype often and I WOULDN'T call him socially awkward, but saying "Chris Olson plays frisbee" sounds so "geeky", the image you're trying to escape from. Also you chose a lot of strange pictures when saying they're not geeks...

Anyway the article obviously has overall negative comments apart from the occasional positive comment. But I think arguing saying, "CUBERS AREN'T GEEKY/SOCIALLY AWKWARD" in the way you just did kind of proves the stereotype mentioned in the article.

Plenty of cubing friends I could imagine going places for non-cubing reasons. But then you get some others, and whilst I'm friends with them, I think even they would admit to being socially awkward as ****

Fair points. Some cubers probably are a bit on the awkward side, though I don't think most are. But I won't feel too bad about arguing that cubers in general aren't awkward, even if we are more awkward than I admitted, since I'm talking to someone who is publicly calling all cubers geeks and nerds. Aim high, hit low. :p I was more interested in saying "there's nothing intrinsically awkward or geeky about speedsolving" than "speedsolvers aren't awkward."

It's amusing to me that I'm the one arguing that I'm the one saying these things, since I'm an autistic person with social anxiety disorder. :p

In America, frisbee isn't thought of as geeky... it's a serious sport over here. I was surprised to hear that! I assume ultimate frisbee isn't as big elsewhere?
 

TDM

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
7,006
Location
Oxfordshire, UK
WCA
2013MEND03
YouTube
Visit Channel
He read your posts, and this is what he says:
"Guys, guys, I think you've got this wrong. There are cubers and there are non-cubers; I am writing to the non-cubers. I think non-cubers perceive someone who has such a narrow, dedicated 'pastime'/'hobby' (call it what you will) which by its difficulty excludes a large part of society as nerdy or geeky. You may disagree with this, but that is our perception. You could be physicists or astronomers, but how we perceive you would be the same. What I'm trying to get across to non-cubers is that you are very intelligent people - worth appreciating and being part of. We could easily dismiss you as 'nerdy-types', but what I'm saying is that you are really intelligent people and should not be dismissed, but should be appreciated for your gifts. I am really sorry if you've misunderstood my words, but I think that although I am 'setting you up' as geeks, I am then extoling your virtues, and trying to get people involved with what you are doing.
Please read it again, but from the point of view from a non-cuber and with an open mind.
I'd like to see your thoughts and I'll make amendments if necessary."

...
 

Renslay

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
1,716
Location
Hungary
WCA
2005HANT01
YouTube
Visit Channel
A silly idea...

For T-shirts / proposals / etc:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love
visualcube.php
!
 

guysensei1

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2013
Messages
5,143
Location
singapore
WCA
2014WENW01
Challenge (I guess it will be doable only for sub-10 people...)

1)scramble your cube
2)start inspection time
3) inspect and solve the cube before the 15 seconds runs out.
 
Top