I've gotten back into cubing since getting a new cube, and I've been re-looking at roux. My CFOP averages are around 12.5-13.5 seconds, but my roux solves are way up around the 19-23 mark. My F2B and CMLL are always done by about 11-14 seconds. Is there any way to quickly improve LSE? Something other than just drill, because I have done next to nothing but that, and it's always around 8-9 seconds. I have taken a look at influencing LSE through CMLL, but have yet to get the hang of it. Should I hold this off until I'm closer to sub-15?
I've gotten back into cubing since getting a new cube, and I've been re-looking at roux. My CFOP averages are around 12.5-13.5 seconds, but my roux solves are way up around the 19-23 mark. My F2B and CMLL are always done by about 11-14 seconds. Is there any way to quickly improve LSE? Something other than just drill, because I have done next to nothing but that, and it's always around 8-9 seconds. I have taken a look at influencing LSE through CMLL, but have yet to get the hang of it. Should I hold this off until I'm closer to sub-15?
Learn all the tricks you can now anD implement them sooner rather than later as you won't have to adjust so much later. Wrt the LSE influencing during CMLL, I would just caution not to go overboard with this just yet.
For LSE, you should at least be able to predict EO during CMLL and track ULUR during EO. Lastly, look up BU recognition and you should know everything you need to in order to get your LSE to sub-4 if not faster (mine is about 2.5-3 and the only extra thing I know is some CMLL partial EO)
I might consider learning Roux this summer. I'm not bored of cubing but I haven't learned a new alg in about a year (been cubing for 2). Ever since I've broke sub-20 and stayed more with youtube and the community side of cubing, the more I've loved that perspective of the hobby. I would rather be known for just staying active in the community than being exremely fast. So is Roux worth it?
Hello. I've been cubing for over a year now and I average around 16 with CFOP. I had learnt Roux around 4-5 months ago, but I gave it up soon enough and decided to stick with CFOP.
Around 3 days ago, I was a bit bored with CFOP, so I decided to try Roux once again. Suddenly, as if a new realisation had come into me, I made a huge decision - I decided to make Roux my main method.
I spent the 3 days days doing only Roux solves on my Thunderclap. I didn't even touch any other puzzle.
So, today I'm posting this to get some help, tips and tricks from all the experienced Roux solvers out there for improving and optimising my Roux solves.
Here are the reconstructions of 5 of my Roux solves:
Solve 1:
Scramble: U L2 U' B2 R2 D' F2 D F2 D' B2 D L F2 L' B L D2 F2 D2 F' U F
Solution:
y' //Inspection
L' R' U' R U L' U' L U M' U2 r B' //First Block
U R U R2 U R' U2 R U' R' U' R' U2 R U R' U' R //Second block
R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R U //CMLL first look
R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U //CMLL second look
M' U M' U M' U M' //EO
M' U2 M' U2 M2 U //(UL/UR) permutation
M U2 M' U2 //L4E
Scramble: F2 D' L2 D U2 R2 B2 F2 D' B2 U' B L U B2 R2 F2 U R F' U
Solution:
y' //Inspection
D' F U R2 U M' L r B' r L' U' M U' L //First block
M U r' U' R2 UR M2 U2 M r' U' r //Second block
U R' U2 R U R' U R //CMLL
M' U M' U M U' M' U M //EO
M2 U' M2 U' //(UL/UR) permutation
M2 U2 M U2 M //L4E
Scramble: D2 B U2 F2 D2 R2 F2 R2 U2 B D2 L' B' U' F2 R' F' D' R2 U'
Solution:
y' //Inspection
F2 L U' D R U R' D' U2 B' M' U' R B' //First block
U2 R U R U' M U' M' r U r' //Second block
R U2' R2' F R F' U2' R' F R F' U2' //CMLL
M' U M' U M U' M' U M //EO
U M2 U M2 //(UL/UR) permutation (L4E Skip!)
Scramble: B F2 R2 F' R2 D2 F' D2 U2 R2 U2 D F D L' B R2 U R2 B
Solution:
y' //Inspection
L2 F U' M U' M' U L B //First block
M U M2 U R' U' R' U2 R' U2 R U' R' U R //Second block
R U R' U' R' F R F' //CMLL 1st look
U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' //CMLL 2nd look
M' U M' U M U' M' U M //EO
M2 U M' U2 M U' //(UL/UR) permutation
M' U2 M U2 M2 //L4E
Scramble: D R2 F2 L2 D L2 D R2 F2 U2 L2 F' U2 B L R2 B2 F U B2 R2
Solution:
y //Inspection
M2 r B' L' U2 M U' L //First block
R' U M' U R2 U M U M' U2 r' U' r R U2 R' U' R U R' //Second block
U' F' r U R' U' r' F R //CMLL 1st look
U2 R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U2 //CMLL 2nd look
M U2 M' U M //EO
M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2 U //H-perm..?
Atm, I would say that the two main things you need to work on are your blockbuilding (for first block I think efficiency could definitely be a lot better- try to get down to around <9 move blocks on all scrambles, for second block it is usually a good idea to still blockbuild rather than inserting DR and solving F2L pairs. Also get into the habit for using wide moves as many of your sb could have been improved by using some wide moves) and try to learn how to half merge steps in you LSE- it's one of the biggest advantages for roux. For example try to solve or "pair up" UL and UR while solving EO or maybe learning how to force good 4c cases during 4b as stuff like that.
Atm, I would say that the two main things you need to work on are your blockbuilding (for first block I think efficiency could definitely be a lot better- try to get down to around <9 move blocks on all scrambles, for second block it is usually a good idea to still blockbuild rather than inserting DR and solving F2L pairs...
My main problem is that I actually *don't* know how to 'blockbuild' correctly. If you take a look at my reconstructions, you'll see that I always do the same thing - align and insert a cross edge and then insert the required F2L pairs. For both the blocks, I do the exact same thing.
Since I'm quite new to blockbuilding, could you please show me how you would make the blocks on my scrambles? I just want to see how wide moves can be made use of?
...and try to learn how to half merge steps in you LSE- it's one of the biggest advantages for roux. For example try to solve or "pair up" UL and UR while solving EO or maybe learning how to force good 4c cases during 4b as stuff like that.
My main problem is that I actually *don't* know how to 'blockbuild' correctly. If you take a look at my reconstructions, you'll see that I always do the same thing - align and insert a cross edge and then insert the required F2L pairs. For both the blocks, I do the exact same thing.
This is how I would solved the first solve (I am a little short on time so I only did one solve reconstruction).
/* Scramble */
U L2 U' B2 R2 D' F2 D F2 D' B2 D L F2 L' B L D2 F2 D2 F' U
/* Solve */
z y'//Inspection
r' F2 U2 B U F U' r' U2 F // FB
R' U' R' U2 R U2 R' U2 R U M' r U r'// SB
R' U' R U' R' U2 R // CMLL
U M' U2 M' U2 M U M // 4a
U M' U2 M' U M2 // 4b
U M' U2 M' U2 // 4c
Try to be x2 y color neutral so you can have more options for your FB, look for pre-made pairs or 1-2 move pairs during inspection.
Wide moves are very useful for FB too! especially u and r
I recommend this video series by teoidus
Hello. A big thanks to you for the reconstruction. I really liked how you influenced the next step while doing the current step (like doing r' U2 F at the end of the first block instead of a simple r' F). Your solve was much simpler than mine, and I learnt a lot from it.
I will surely do so when I reach sub-30 or sub-25. At sub-30/sub-25, I'll try to be y colour neutral and at sub-25/sub-20, I'll try to be x2 colour neutral.
Couple of little things:
(Edit: ended up being a bit more than that in the end, I only planned on saying the first three points initially...)
Make sure the centres are "oriented" after second block. This means make sure you have either the white or yellow centre on U/D. This is as simple as finishing with r instead of R, or r' instead of R'. It might not make much sense to do this now, but it's super important in the future! And bad habits are always easier to fix sooner than later.
You don't need to AUF after CMLL.
Avoid using things like L' U L during FB - instead, use r' F. It's a move shorter, as well as being easier to fingertrick. The trick is to remember that your centres aren't fixed, so that L at the end does nothing.
Actually, about that last point - it can be really helpful to look back at reconstructions of your own solves. Look carefully at which pieces get moved by which moves - in particular, which moves don't solve anything. Let's take a look at your second FB: y' D' F U R2 U M' L r B' r L' U' M U' L. y' D' F: This does connect the blue edge with the centre. But it's not in DL. If instead, you did y' x F D', then you'd have the piece where you wanted straight away. This saves a move (or sometimes a rotation) later on. U R2 U M': After the U R2, it's only one more move to make a pair. So why make it two? I would do x' U' personally (the rotation also makes sure your blue/white edge is in DL), and then insert with R U' B. L r B': Absolutely fine, nothing I would do differently. r L': This is just a rotation! You don't need to do this at all. If you don't rotate, then the three moves afterwards would become F' M F', after which you don't even need that L at the end, because your block is already in the correct place.
(Also, notice how if we did F' r' F' instead, the block is still solved? This is even more easy to fingertrick! Slice moves are generally bad during FB, so if you ever see an opportunity to use wide moves instead, then use those.)
Hello, and thanks a lot for your valuable tips! I have indeed improved my blocks a lot since yesterday. Yesterday, they were sub-20 and today they are consistently sub-15!
I also discovered a lot of cases where I could solve EO and (UL/UR) together, through research and experimentation.
Here is a simple example: generate the case using L R' B2 F L2 R2 B F2 L R'. I used to solve this using M' U M U M2 U M2 U'. After playing around for a while, I discovered that I could solve it very easily using M U M2 U M! There are many more which I discovered. If I list all of them here, this post will become too long.
From various other reconstructions, I learnt how to make good use of a special type of conjugate - F2 (slice) F2 - during EO or (UL/UR) permutation. Well, I think I'll have to give another example to demonstrate it. Take a look at this case: U B2 L' R D2 B' L R'. I used to solve it using M U' M' U2 M U2 M U'. Instead, look at this: M U' F2 M' F2 U. Note the use of [F2: M'].
So, that's it. I'm almost consistently sub-30 now, and I hope to become better in the future.
From various other reconstructions, I learnt how to make good use of a special type of conjugate - F2 (slice) F2 - during EO or (UL/UR) permutation. Well, I think I'll have to give another example to demonstrate it. Take a look at this case: U B2 L' R D2 B' L R'. I used to solve it using M U' M' U2 M U2 M U'. Instead, look at this: M U' F2 M' F2 U. Note the use of [F2: M'].
I don't think you should do this. Just stick to M and U moves. Your old solution would actually be faster, since you wouldn't need to regrip or rotate.
I don't think you should do this. Just stick to M and U moves. Your old solution would actually be faster, since you wouldn't need to regrip or rotate.
That was just an example. I have created many more algs using that conjugate. I'll edit the post and give some examples when I recollect some of them.
EDIT:
Wow, I just discovered something amazing!
If you make conjugates/commutators using M and U and nest them under the F2 conjugate, it will form a fully functional algorithm!
Check this out:
Set up the case using U2 L2 U F2 R2 B2 D2 B2 R2 F2 U L' R' F' L' R U' (long, I know...). I would have solved it using U M' U M' U M' U2 M' U'. Instead, try doing F2 U M' U' M F2. Just amazing, isn't it? Put simply, it is this: [F2: [U, M']].
That was just an example. I have created many more algs using that conjugate. I'll edit the post and give some examples when I recollect some of them.
EDIT:
Wow, I just discovered something amazing!
If you make conjugates/commutators using M and U and nest them under the F2 conjugate, it will form a fully functional algorithm!
Check this out:
Set up the case using U2 L2 U F2 R2 B2 D2 B2 R2 F2 U L' R' F' L' R U' (long, I know...). I would have solved it using U M' U M' U M' U2 M' U'. Instead, try doing F2 U M' U' M F2. Just amazing, isn't it? Put simply, it is this: [F2: [U, M']].
Alright, noted. By the way, I use (M' U2 M2 U2)2 for dots.
I just got an ao5 of 30.62 on CSTimer. Hopefully, I'll be sub-30 by tomorrow or the day after. I also got an 18.24 single which would have been my PB if only I ensured that the timer successfully started before making a move... (it became DNF).
