sDLfj's Progression Thread

[sDLfj]

Hopefully a progression thread will motivate me to practice more.
My current averages/short-term goal/long-term goal
2x2: 8/sub-7/sub-5
3x3: 33/sub-25/sub-17
4x4: 2:00/sub-1:30/sub-1
I don't practice these events much/at all but these are my long-term goals
5x5: 2:15
6x6: 3:30
7x7: 4:30
3x3 BLD: 2:30
3x3 OH: 30
Pyra: 8
Skewb: 9
Square-1: 30

Right now my focus is being consistently sub-30 on 3x3 since I haven't improved in months. I learned full PLL except G perms and quick execution of N perms. My F2L is terrible and is the only thing keeping me from my goal. My splits are 3/18/4/6, I think everything except F2l (and PLL, but once I finish learning full PLL, it will be better) is good enough for a 25s average, but I need to cut about 5 seconds from my F2L.
Does anybody have advice for practicing efficient solutions for F2L? Right now I find the corner, then look for the edge (which often involves rotations), and if the edge is already inserted I'll insert the corner in that slot to move it out and then pair them in the U-layer (I know it is terrible and I'm trying to break that habit). If needed I can add a video, but right now, any advice will help. Is it better to find the corner or edge first before finding the matching piece? Are slow solves the best way to make efficient solutions and then working on TPS once I'm comfortable with the ideal/near-ideal solution for each case?

I'm also working on learning blindfolded solving. I think I understand the concept of tracing stickers and cycles/new cycles, but I just need to practice and get more comfortable with it. I've been able to solve the cube with the method (writing down letters, having a model for which letter associates with which piece, and not being blindfolded) for edges-only scrambles, but I haven't practiced the corners yet.

 

[sDLfj]

New 2x2 pb single: 3.20
Scramble: F U2 F2 U' R2 U F U2 F'
y' x' U' L' U L // First layer
U' L' U' L U' L' U2 L // OLL

 Twizzle link 

y' x' U' L' U L U' L' U' L U' L' U2 L

I solved it with an orange face, but I can't figure that out on the software, other than that it is the same.

 

[sDLfj]

2x2 pb mo3

Generated By csTimer on 2022-12-23
mean of 3: 5.66

Time List:
1. 3.20 F U2 F2 U' R2 U F U2 F'
2. 6.55 U2 F2 R2 F' U F2 R' F R2
3. 7.24 R F R2 F U' R2 F' U2 R'

 

[sDLfj]

2x2 pb ao5

Generated By csTimer on 2022-12-23
avg of 5: 6.27

Time List:
1. (3.20) F U2 F2 U' R2 U F U2 F'
2. 6.55 U2 F2 R2 F' U F2 R' F R2
3. 7.24 R F R2 F U' R2 F' U2 R'
4. (10.27) F2 R' U2 F U2 F R' U2 F2
5. 5.03 U' F U R' U' F R2 F' R

 

[Anthonycube]

2x2 pb ao5

Generated By csTimer on 2022-12-23
avg of 5: 6.27

Time List:
1. (3.20) F U2 F2 U' R2 U F U2 F'
2. 6.55 U2 F2 R2 F' U F2 R' F R2
3. 7.24 R F R2 F U' R2 F' U2 R'
4. (10.27) F2 R' U2 F U2 F R' U2 F2
5. 5.03 U' F U R' U' F R2 F' R

Nice

 

[abunickabhi]

2x2 pb ao5

Generated By csTimer on 2022-12-23
avg of 5: 6.27

Time List:
1. (3.20) F U2 F2 U' R2 U F U2 F'
2. 6.55 U2 F2 R2 F' U F2 R' F R2
3. 7.24 R F R2 F U' R2 F' U2 R'
4. (10.27) F2 R' U2 F U2 F R' U2 F2
5. 5.03 U' F U R' U' F R2 F' R

Nice, which methods do you know?

 

[sDLfj]

Nice, which methods do you know?

I use ortega for 2x2.
I use CFOP for 3x3, but I also know Roux (but I don't speedsolve with that method) and I'm getting close to finishing learning blind.
For 4x4 and 5x5 I use a modified Yau (solving 2 cross edges instead of 3).
For 6x6 & 7x7 I use Reduction.

 

[sDLfj]

I got some new cubes today (squan, skewb, 5-7 n x n & 356 xs) and even though I didn't cube much, I got some good times.

3x3 single
I solved the 356 xs 16 times and I got the 2nd best single I've had, it wasn't even a super lucky solve.
1. 23.81 U' L2 B2 U B2 U R2 F2 L2 U' L2 B' R2 B D R B' U' B' U'



5x5
My previous average was around 6:00-6:30 with a YuXin Cloud, with a YJ MGC, my average is around 4:30, and I have a lot more room for improvement.

Best single: 1. 3:59.04 F' U' Lw2 U' Uw' R' Rw Dw' Rw2 B' Fw' D2 Fw2 Uw' Rw' Fw2 Bw2 L Rw R' Uw2 Fw' D2 Dw2 R Uw2 B2 Lw2 L' Dw' D' B' Uw F2 Fw2 R Fw' Lw F' U F' Fw Bw R' U D' L2 B' Lw2 Rw2 U R2 F2 Uw2 F' Lw2 Bw D' L' Bw

Best Mo3
Generated By csTimer on 2022-12-25
mean of 3: 4:16.14

Time List:
1. 4:01.31 D2 F Rw Dw' Fw' Dw F B L2 D' Lw2 Rw2 Bw' Lw2 F2 B' Rw D2 L2 Dw D2 Uw2 F Dw' Bw2 D2 Dw' Lw2 Bw' U B2 D2 Dw Fw2 Lw2 L U B L2 Bw2 Uw' Lw D2 Dw2 Lw Rw Uw' R Dw L' R Rw' Bw2 Dw' Rw' Dw' U' Lw F' Bw2
2. 3:59.04 F' U' Lw2 U' Uw' R' Rw Dw' Rw2 B' Fw' D2 Fw2 Uw' Rw' Fw2 Bw2 L Rw R' Uw2 Fw' D2 Dw2 R Uw2 B2 Lw2 L' Dw' D' B' Uw F2 Fw2 R Fw' Lw F' U F' Fw Bw R' U D' L2 B' Lw2 Rw2 U R2 F2 Uw2 F' Lw2 Bw D' L' Bw
3. 4:48.06 Bw' Rw2 Dw' Bw2 F2 Fw' Rw2 D2 Bw B Dw2 Rw' F' D L2 Fw' Dw2 L D2 U' Bw' U B' Dw2 R' Bw2 R2 F2 Dw' B2 Bw' Fw U' D2 B Uw Lw' Uw2 Dw' R2 F U Rw D' L B' Bw' Rw2 Lw' Bw2 D L B2 Bw U2 R' Fw F2 Dw L

 

[sDLfj]

3x3 pb single, mo3, ao5:

Single: 21.73
1. 21.73 D' B2 F2 U' R2 U' R2 B2 L2 R2 D' B2 R' B2 U B2 F' L' U' R B2

Mean of 3: 23.23
1. 21.73 D' B2 F2 U' R2 U' R2 B2 L2 R2 D' B2 R' B2 U B2 F' L' U' R B2
2. 22.32 B D2 R2 F D2 L2 F R2 F2 L2 D2 F' L' B' F' D R B L B U'
3. 25.65 D' R2 U L' D L2 F' R2 U' F2 R2 B' D2 L2 F L2 B' L2 B D2 B2

Avg of 5: 23.89
1. (30.71) R2 U2 L2 B2 R2 B2 U L2 D' B2 R2 F D L' F D' F R2 B R
2. (21.73) D' B2 F2 U' R2 U' R2 B2 L2 R2 D' B2 R' B2 U B2 F' L' U' R B2
3. 22.32 B D2 R2 F D2 L2 F R2 F2 L2 D2 F' L' B' F' D R B L B U'
4. 25.65 D' R2 U L' D L2 F' R2 U' F2 R2 B' D2 L2 F L2 B' L2 B D2 B2
5. 23.70 L' F2 U2 R B2 R B2 F2 U2 R' B2 R2 U' L' B D F' L B' F2 R2

None of these were super lucky, so with enough practice I know I can get a sub-20 single. I've been averaging under 30 seconds now, so I've finally broken that barrier after months. Most of my improvement came from F2L, so if I keep working on that I can get my average down to under 25s.
I'm also not used to my cube quite yet, I love it overall and it's helped my times, but I lock up a lot on pll just due to my turning style.

 

[sDLfj]

3x3 pb ao100:
Avg of 100: 29.57

2nd 7x7 timed solve (first was 26:33 because I didn't know anything, I just went off 4x4 and 5x5 knowledge):
Single: 16:36.73

1st 6x6 solve (I know I can easily get sub-9 with only a little practice):
Single: 11:08.77

 

[d---]

Have you learned pseudo slotting and keyhole for your F2L?

 

[sDLfj]

Have you learned pseudo slotting and keyhole for your F2L?

I do rarely use them when they are very convenient (maybe 1 in 25-50 solves), but I haven't actually learned the techniques (I've never watched a video or read a tutorial about them).

 

[sDLfj]

3x3 pb ao100:
Avg of 100: 29.32

6x6 pb single:
Single: 9:41.47

The 6x6 solve was the second solve I've done and was actually very good for 95% of the solve. I had 1 pop that took a while to fix (corner center piece, took about a minute to fix), and then I had pll parity, which was the first time I've had that and I didn't know the algorithm, so that took over a minute for me to try a couple things, fix them, and then figure it out. So, I know that with some practice, sub-7 is very reasonable.

 

[sDLfj]

3x3 pb single:
This was in a competition on here. I got a 19.28, which is my first sub-20. It was also full-step and there was nothing extraordinary about it except a very smooth F2L and some good F2L cases.

 

[sDLfj]

Pyraminx pb single:
Time List:
1. 7.35 B L' R' B U' L B' U' b u

This was a 3 move layer and then a 2-edge flip. I locked up and took way too long solving the tips (it was one of my first solves on pyraminx in over a week, I think). I got under 5 seconds re-doing it, but I'm really bad at pyra (I average 15-16).

 

[sDLfj]

3x3 pb ao100: 28.98
Usually every session I set a goal of what I want to do, today it was to get sub-29 ao100 on 3x3. I'm going to try to get sub-28.5 ao100 by today, but I also want to practice big cubes, so I might not put a ton of effort into that.

 

[sDLfj]

2x2 pb single: 2.104
R2 F2 R2 F' R' U2 F2 U2 R'
This was just an H case and no AUF.

 

[sDLfj]

I got my 3x3 ao100 under 28s (27.92).
I also got my first 2x2 bld success. I wasn't actually expecting to get it, so I just hand scrambled it (it was a thorough scramble) and didn't time it. There were no flipped edges twisted corners or new cycles, so I was able to get it.
I've been practicing l4e for pyraminx and it's still slower than lbl, but I'm going to stick with it.

 

[NmeCuber]

3x3 pb ao100:
Avg of 100: 29.57

2nd 7x7 timed solve (first was 26:33 because I didn't know anything, I just went off 4x4 and 5x5 knowledge):
Single: 16:36.73

1st 6x6 solve (I know I can easily get sub-9 with only a little practice):
Single: 11:08.77

That's around my time for 7x7

 

[NmeCuber]

There were no flipped edges

Lol do you mean twisted corners