The FMC thread

[Duncan Bannon]

R' U' F D2 B F2 R2 B2 U2 B U2 F2 L2 U L' U F2 D L2 U2 B2 L' B' D2 R' U' F

Inverse- F' U R D2 B L B2 U2 L2 D' F2 U' L U' L2 F2 U2 B' U2 B2 R2 F2 B' D2 F' U R

R F' D' L B'-2X2X2 5/5
(R2 U2 R' U R) 2X2X3 5/10
(F U2 F2) F2L-1 3/10
(U2 R' F R F' U' R' F R F') F2L 10/20
( F U F' U F U2 F') EP/AB3C 7/27

I couldn't get IF to work, must have entered it in wrong. But probably end up with 32 ish

 

[theos]

R' U' F D2 B F2 R2 B2 U2 B U2 F2 L2 U L' U F2 D L2 U2 B2 L' B' D2 R' U' F

Inverse- F' U R D2 B L B2 U2 L2 D' F2 U' L U' L2 F2 U2 B' U2 B2 R2 F2 B' D2 F' U R

R F' D' L B'-2X2X2 5/5
(R2 U2 R' U R) 2X2X3 5/10
(F U2 F2) F2L-1 3/10
(U2 R' F R F' U' R' F R F') F2L 10/20
( F U F' U F U2 F') EP/AB3C 7/27

I couldn't get IF to work, must have entered it in wrong. But probably end up with 32 ish

You've done the Sune that happens to orient all the corners, but it isn't actually permuting the edges into their correct (relative) positions. A Sune will permute the edges: the standard Sune permutes UB->UL->UR->UB, so you can look to see if there's an orientation that will benefit from that. As it turns out the standard Sune in the standard orientation is what we need here: R U R' U R U2 R'. All the edges end up positioned correctly relative to one another and as a bonus one corner is correct. We just need a U2 to AUF.

Scramble: R' U' F D2 B F2 R2 B2 U2 B U2 F2 L2 U L' U F2 D L2 U2 B2 L' B' D2 R' U' F
R F' D' L B' // 2X2X2 given [5/5]
(R2 U2 R' U R) // 2X2X3 given [5/10]
(F U2 F2) // F2L-1 given [3/13] (you left these moves out of your count)
(U2 R' F R F' U' R' F R F') // F2L given [10/23]
(R U R' U R U2 R' U2) // Solve edges to AB3C [8/31]
Skeleton: R F' D' L B' U2 R U2 R' U' R U' R' F * R' F' R U F R' F' R U2 F2 U2 F' R' U' R U2 R2
Insert corners at *: F L2 F' R' F L2 F' R [4/35] (source: IF)
Solution: R F' D' L B' U2 R U2 R' U' R U' R' F2 L2 F' R' F L2 F2 R U F R' F' R U2 F2 U2 F' R' U' R U2 R2 (35 moves)

 

[Duncan Bannon]

I meant for the F U F' U F U2 F' sune case to be an antisune. F U2 etc. But I realize now that normal solves corner and other doesn't, just a mistake in writing it. I did find that case (that had corner solved) Just entered it wrong while typing. Thanks.

 

[asacuber]

what even

https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~dadams/fmc/221/

thoughts????

 

[porkynator]

what even

https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~dadams/fmc/221/

thoughts????

Someone tried to be funny and submitted a Cube Explorer solution using the name of the guy who got world record with a solve that looks like a Cube Explorer solution.

 

[asacuber]

Someone tried to be funny and submitted a Cube Explorer solution using the name of the guy who got world record with a solve that looks like a Cube Explorer solution.

yeah
their breakdown didn't even make complete sense to me


Also just got a 36 move solution for the weekly FMC, my 2nd(i think) time using insertions. IF says it could've been 32 but whatever, still happy.

 

[cubeshepherd]

Quick question: When you scramble the cube with either the regular or inverse scramble, and you end up doing the reverse of the last move in the scramble, in your solution, can you cancel that move in your final solution move count?

To make it a bit more clearer, lets say that the last move in the scramble is a B2, and for your first move in the solution it is a B2, do you still count that as 1 move or can that be washed out from your solution?

If I had to take a guess I would say that it is still 1 move, but I am not certain on that. Thank you very much in advance for your help

 

[Duncan Bannon]

Quick question: When you scramble the cube with either the regular or inverse scramble, and you end up doing the reverse of the last move in the scramble, in your solution, can you cancel that move in your final solution move count?

To make it a bit more clearer, lets say that the last move in the scramble is a B2, and for your first move in the solution it is a B2, do you still count that as 1 move or can that be washed out from your solution?

If I had to take a guess I would say that it is still 1 move, but I am not certain on that. Thank you very much in advance for your help

I'm 99.999% sure it still counts.

 

[theos]

Quick question: When you scramble the cube with either the regular or inverse scramble, and you end up doing the reverse of the last move in the scramble, in your solution, can you cancel that move in your final solution move count?

To make it a bit more clearer, lets say that the last move in the scramble is a B2, and for your first move in the solution it is a B2, do you still count that as 1 move or can that be washed out from your solution?

If I had to take a guess I would say that it is still 1 move, but I am not certain on that. Thank you very much in advance for your help

Not only does it definitely count towards the move count, but if you have a few moves at the start of your solution that are the inverse of the end of the scramble, it's likely to be very suspicious for anyone judging the solution.

What does work though is cancelling moves from the end of your solution to the normal (forward) scramble with the start of your solution to the inverse scramble.

Spoiler: Example

Scramble: L D2 F' L2 U2 F' R2 F' D2 B2 F R' U' L' B' F' D2 B2
F L B2 U2 // pseudo-2x2x2 [4/4]
Switch to inverse
(U') // 2x2x2 [1/5]
(F' D2 L' D' F' L2) // 2x2x3 [6/11]
(L' F2 L) // EO [2/13]
(F D2) // pseudo-F2L-1 [2/15]
Switch to normal
D2 F' D F' D' F' D F2 D2 // AB3C [9/24] ... except the F2 D2 at the end of the normal solve will cancel 3 moves with the (F D2) at the end of the inverse solve.
Skeleton: F L B2 U2 D2 F' * D F' D' F' D F L' F2 L' F D L D2 F U (21 moves)
Insert at *: R' D L D' R D L' D' [6/27]
Solution: F L B2 U2 D2 F' R' D L D' R D L' F' D' F' D F L' F2 L' F D L D2 F U (27 moves)

 

[Daniel Lin]

random fmc attempt, things got kinda CFOPy near the end xd

scramble: R' U' F R' F U2 F2 U2 L2 U2 B' D2 B L2 F' L' B' U R' B2 D F2 R' U2 R' U' F

R F2 U2 F // pairs (4/4)
U2 L2 U2 * U // 2x2x2 (4/8)

* = D L2 D' // 2x2x3 (3/11)
(L F2 L F2 L2) // F2L - 1 (5/16)
(F2 L' F L F L' F' L) // F2L (7/24)
(U L F L' F' U' F') // LL (7/31)

solution: R F2 U2 F U2 L2 U2 D L2 D' F U F L F' L' U' L' F L F' L' F' L F2 L2 F2 L' F2 L' U (31)

 

[BQ]

Here are the solutions from Yiwei Liu in More Than One Cube 2018 first round.
All 3 attempts are 26 moves.


scramble 1:
R' U' F U2 B D2 B2 R2 F R2 U2 F2 R2 F' R U' L R D2 B L' B F2 U2 R' U' F
final solution:
F U' F' U B' U2 R' U' L2 U R U' L2 B U2 F' D F' D' B' D2 B U' R' F R2

Spoiler

solution:
EO: NISS R2 F' R
222+122: U B' D2 B
l3c: D F D' F U2 B' U' B U' F U F'

skeleton:
F U' F' U B' U * B U2 F' D F' D' B' D2 B U' R' F R2
*: U R' U' L2 U R U' L2

scramble #2:
R' U' F U2 R' D2 F2 L' B2 U2 L' U2 L F L F2 D L F R2 B' D' F U R' U' F
final solution:
F L' F2 L2 F' U2 F D F' U2 D' L F' L' B' L2 B D' R U R' D R L B D'

Spoiler

solution:
222：NISS D B' L' U' R'
223：B' L2 B
l4c：L F L' D F D' L2 F2 L F'

skeleton:
F L' F2 L2 * D F' D' L F' L' B' L2 B # R U L B D'
*: F' U2 F D F' U2 F D'
#: D' R U R' D R U' R'

scramble3:
R' U' F L2 R2 U L2 R2 U2 F2 D U2 B2 F' U L U' L2 D B' R' B' U2 F' R' U' F
final solution:
B' L' F R F' U' F2 U' B' U F' U' B U2 R B U' L' U' L B' L' D2 L' F B

Spoiler

solution:
blocks: B' NISS B' F' L D2
???: NISS L' F R2
233: NISS L B L' U L U B'
l3c: R' U' F' U F R

skeleton:
B' L' F R F' U' F * U R B U' L' U' L B' L' D2 L' F B
*: F U' B' U F' U' B U

 

[cubeshepherd]

I came up with this solution a few days ago and although it is not the best I am still pretty happy with since it is under 40 moves. If anyone has some tips to practice and keep in mind for future solves, I would be very appreciative of that.
The parts that I have been having the most trouble with is anything after the 2x2x3 blocks/F2L-1. Would my lack of insertions be part or most of the reasons for that? Thank you very much in advance for your tips and help.

Scramble: F2 U2 L' U B' R U B2 L F D2 L2 U2 L' D U' L' B' R D'.

Solution:
R2 D2 R' U L' U2 - 2x2x2
(F2 D' R F' R D2 F) - 2ND F2L Pair
(B' D B) - F2L-1
L D2 L' D' L D2 L' F' D F L D' L' - AB3C
B2 L2 B' R2 B L2 B' R2 B' - L3C

Final Solution: R2 D2 R' U L' U2 L D2 L' D' L D2 L' F' D F L D' L' B2 L2 B' R2 B L2 B' R2 B2 D' B F' D2 R' F R' D F2 (37 moves).

 

[asacuber]

so i had this ridiculously easy scramble and tied my pb(34) for the 3rd time:

R' U' F B2 U2 F2 D2 L2 D2 L2 R F2 D2 B2 D' L' B2 F U2 L' R B' D2 R' U' F
My solution was:
R B2 U' F' U' F' L' U2 L R U2 R'///2X2X3, pair
switch
R B' R' B U R L' B' R' U' B' U B L R2 U F B' R2 F' B U R2// CFOPish, LS+LE,LL
derived in 20 minutes(didn't feel like finding insertions for L3E)

But then I decided to explore stuff and found:
inverse:
L2 B R' D'//2X2X2 :O
SWITCH
L2 U2 L U' L'//2X2X3 in only 9 moves wut

a good looking continuation here seems like:
F' U L F' L'
OR switching to the inverse and finding a bunch of pairs.(I remember somewhere I had a 3 or 4 mover setting up two pairs but the continuations weren't great)
however I couldn't find anything and had to stick to my original solution
Can anyone find a continuation here? I'm sure I tried almost everything

BTW I believe I found a 20-22 mover to L5E, but I don't like finding insertions for edges cuz I don't know many swaps and also I thought that it wouldn't be better than 34 :/

 

[guysensei1]

All my solutions for Medan April Fools Open 2018, tied NR mean (27.33) 1.5 times and got NR single (24)

1st round: "27.33" (DNF) mean

Spoiler

1) R' U' F U2 R2 D' R2 U F2 L2 U R2 D B R U' B2 U' L B2 U B' F' U' R' U' F, "28" (DNF)

Spoiler

(D R D')//EO (3/3)
(B' F2 D2 R)//2x2x1 (4/7)
(F2 B' R B2) D2//2x2x3 (5/12)
L F2 L F2 L' F2 L2 F'//4C (8/20)

Skeleton: * D2 L F2 L ** F2 L' F2 L2 F' B2 R' B F2 R' D2 F2 B D R' D'
*=L U2 L' D2 L U2 L' D2 (8-4/24)
**= L' F R F' L F R' F' (8-4/28)

Final= L U2 L' D2 L U2 F' R F' L F R' F L' F2 L2 F' B2 R' B F2 R' D2 F2 B D R' D (DNF)

Found the skeleton late, wrote the solution down and didn't manage to spot the error somehow, oh well. Insertion was optimal so that's nice.

2) R' U' F R B2 R2 U2 L' D2 U2 R' B2 U F D' R' B2 R D' L' U' B U R' U' F, 28

Spoiler

R2 D' B D2 B'//2x2x2 (5/5)
U' F' L (L2)//2x2x3 (4/9)
R U' R'//EO+pairs (3/12)
U F2 U2 F U2//5C (5/17)

Skeleton: R2 D' B D2 B' U' F' * L R U' ** R' U F2 U2 F U2 L2
*=F R F' L F R' F' L' (8-4/21)
**=U' R2 U L' U' R2 U L (8-1/28)

Final: R2 D' B D2 B' U' R F' L F R' F' R U2 R2 U L' U' R2 U L R' U F2 U2 F U2 L2 (28)

A bit disappointed it didn't cancel more, but otherwise good attempt. Insertions were optimal.

3) R' U' F U2 B' L2 F D2 R2 F' U2 F' D' B2 U' F2 D' L B2 D' F D2 R' U' F, 26

Spoiler

F' L2 F' L2//2x2x2 (4/4)
(B R D B D' R' U2)//F2L-1 (7/11)
(R U' B' R' B R2 U R2)//cool F2L insert leaves 3C (8/19)

Skeleton: F' * L2 F' L2 R2 U' R2 B' R B U R' U2 R D B' D' R' B'
*=B2 L F2 L' B2 L F2 L' (8-1/26)

Final: F' B2 L F2 L' B2 L F2 L F' L2 R2 U' R2 B' R B U R' U2 R D B' D' R' B' (26)

Again disappointed about that it didn't cancel more, but satisfied. Optimal insertion.

Overall I was annoyed at the DNF mean but it would only have tied NR mean, so it's not a big deal.

2nd round: 27.33 tied NR mean

Spoiler

1) R' U' F R2 F2 R2 U B2 U2 B2 L2 D2 B' D L2 D' R' D2 L' B L D2 U' R' U' F, 30

Spoiler

D' R2 B' L B//2x2x2 (5/5)
F' U' F2 U' (U')//2x2x3 (5/10)
D F' D'//EO (3/13)
(F' L2)//2 pairs (2/15)
(F' L F2 L' F2 L F L2)//3C (8/23)

Skeleton: D' R2 B' L F' * B U' F2 U' D F' D' L2 F' L' F2 L F2 L' F L2 F U'
*=F' L F R F' L' F R' (8-1/30)

Final: D' R2 B' L F2 L F R F' L' F R' B U' F2 U' D F' D' L2 F' L' F2 L F2 L' F L2 F U' (30)

Ran out of time and missed optimal. Would have been a 29, oh well.

2) R' U' F U2 L F2 U2 F2 R' B2 R2 U2 F2 R D R' B2 U F L2 D B2 R' F' R' U' F, 28

Spoiler

F B' L//2x2x1 (3/3)
F' U R B2//2x2x2+preserve some blocks (4/7)
D'//2x2x1 (1/8)
* L F' D' B D' B'//add a 1x2x3 (6/14)
L2 D F' D'//miracle 4C (4/18)

*=D ** L U2 L' D' L U2 L' (8-4/22)
**= B R2 B' L2 B R2 B' L2 (8-2/28)

Final: F B' L F' U R B' R2 B' L2 B R2 B' L' U2 L' D' L U2 F' D' B D' B' L2 D F' D' (28)

Optimal was 27 with a 4 cancel nested within a 3 cancel. I found the 3 cancel insertion but only checked the 4 cancel first insertion due to lack of time. Oh well.

3) R' U' F R2 U' F2 U R2 D L2 B2 R2 B2 D2 F D2 B' R' D' L' B' L' U2 F' R' U' F, 24

Spoiler

(R2 B' D) D' R//2x2x2 (5/5)
F2 U R U' R' U//2x2x3 (6/11)
U' F2 U L'//F2L-1 (4-2/15-2)
F L F2 L'//3C (4/17)

Skeleton: D' R F2 U R U' R' * F2 U L' F L F2 L' D' B R2
*=L2 F R' F' L2 F R F' (8-1/24)

Final: D' R F2 U R U' R' L2 F R' F' L2 F R F U L' F L F2 L' D' B R2 (24)

Finally sub-25 single! I actually missed the cancellation and wrote down a 25. In the last 5 minutes I randomly decided to check that exact point for insertions and found the cancellation. What a save

30, 28, 24= 27.33 mean. If I had found optimal for everything it would have been a 26.66 mean. I'm still satisfied though.

 

[kbrune]

Scramble: L D2 F' L2 U2 F' R2 F' D2 B2 F R' U' L' B' F' D2 B2
F L B2 U2 // pseudo-2x2x2 [4/4]

I'm intermediate at best for FMC. I've been looking at other solutions in the hopes of picking up more knowledge when I came across this example you gave.

I'm curious of why, in this opening set of moves you decided to make a pseudo 2x2x2 with the B2 U2 (third and fourth moves) instead of making a real 2x2x2 by doing R2 U' instead. It would have been the same amount of moves.

What was your thought process?

Edit: this is from an example you gave on this page about canceling moves between inverse and normal solutions.

 

[guysensei1]

I'm intermediate at best for FMC. I've been looking at other solutions in the hopes of picking up more knowledge when I came across this example you gave.

I'm curious of why, in this opening set of moves you decided to make a pseudo 2x2x2 with the B2 U2 (third and fourth moves) instead of making a real 2x2x2 by doing R2 U' instead. It would have been the same amount of moves.

What was your thought process?

Edit: this is from an example you gave on this page about canceling moves between inverse and normal solutions.

Often times the answer to "why didn't you do () this way" is simply that the way he did it gave a better continuation than the more efficient way to solve the block.

 

[kbrune]

Often times the answer to "why didn't you do () this way" is simply that the way he did it gave a better continuation than the more efficient way to solve the block.

So the odds are that he did try the "real block" at first. then saw the pseudo after and turns out it gave better solution going forward?

 

[guysensei1]

So the odds are that he did try the "real block" at first. then saw the pseudo after and turns out it gave better solution going forward?

Probably, yeah

 

[theos]

I'm intermediate at best for FMC. I've been looking at other solutions in the hopes of picking up more knowledge when I came across this example you gave.

I'm curious of why, in this opening set of moves you decided to make a pseudo 2x2x2 with the B2 U2 (third and fourth moves) instead of making a real 2x2x2 by doing R2 U' instead. It would have been the same amount of moves.

What was your thought process?

Edit: this is from an example you gave on this page about canceling moves between inverse and normal solutions.

I'd love to say it's because I found that it gave a better continuation, but in this case I honestly don't know. I keep the final annotated solutions to all my sub-30 solutions and I just pulled one out that worked as an example. And this one's pretty old (no R' U' F wrapper around the scramble is evidence of that). It's quite possible that I simply missed the obvious block and got lucky with a good solve anyway. If I had to take a guess it would be that I'd just learned how to do pseudo-blocks and was forcing all my 2x2x2s that way

 

[Theo Leinad]

Have you ever heard about the "Free insertion club"?
Scramble: R' U' F L2 R2 U F2 R2 B2 L2 U' R2 U' F L D2 L2 R' D2 F' L U2 F R' U' F
26:
U2 F // 2P (2)
(L' B) // EO (4)
(R2 U L' D2 R2) // 222+221 (9)
(L' U L U') // 221+223 (13)
(L R B2 L R' U2 B2) // Edge Permutation to L4C (20)

Skeleton:
U2 F B2 U2 L' R B2 L' + R' / U L' U' L R2 D2 L U' R2 B' L

Insert at:
/ R2 U L' U' R2 U L U' (Cancels 9) Epic Insertion!! (19)
+ D2 R' U' R D2 R' U R (Cancels 1) (26)

Final Solution (26):
U2 F B2 U2 L' R B2 L' D2 R' U' R D2 R' U R2 U L' U' L D2 L U' R2 B' L