The Solve Critique Thread

[AlexMaass]

I have been practicing Pyraminx a lot lately. Any advice?

I use LBL by the way.

 

[Global]

Another average for you guys to criticise.

I'm using the Wittwo v1 and Ortega.

 

[darthminimall]

Hello all,
I used to cube quite a bit, was down to ~32, nothing fabulous, but not bad, that was with CFOP, then I stopped for a while, just wasn't my priority, I knew all of my plls, forgot most of them. Then I decided to start again. I felt like I hit a wall with CFOP though, so I decided, since I was pretty much starting again anyway, I'd use a different method. The natural choice was Roux. I picked it up fairly quickly, but I've once again hit a wall. Except this time it's averaging ~50 seconds, so if I can get some help, I'd greatly appreciate it. I can identify my main problem as recognition. I spend a long time looking for pieces, but I don't know how to fix that. I could also probably use inspection more effectively. Right now I can usually plan a 1x2x2 block, then I have to look for the third corner-edge pair. Of course, i'll take other critiques too.

tl;dr I used to be okay with CFOP, now I'm bad with Roux, please help, especially with recognition/effective use of inspection. Any help is appreciated, however.
video

 

[sneaklyfox]

hello everyone.
im a begginer, and i want to get faster.
i do a video solving cross and f2l.

my video:

on the first seconds is me inspecting.
i take a little more because i was seeing my camera when i was solving it, so it cost me some seconds.
but with that video you can have an idea.
i only solve the cross and f2l on the video.
can someone help me to reduce my times?
my average is about 2 minutes, and i practise 1 month

You've only practiced 1 month. At your speed, just practice some more and you'll naturally get faster. It's a little hard to see what you're doing... next time you make a video I suggest putting the light behind the camera instead of behind the cube. What I can tell is you're not using much fingertricks and you do a lot of cube rotations. (I can't see much else because it's so dark.) Try doing cross on the D face. Get a decent cube... I believe a ShengShou Wind would be fine and doesn't cost much. Learn to use your fingers to manipulate the cube so you can reduce the motions. Try to find your F2L pairs without having to rotate the cube in all directions. Remember cross can be done in 8 moves max and F2L (including cross) can normally be done in less than 40 moves total so try to be efficient with your turns. Don't worry about getting fast as much as getting efficient with your hands/fingers and your cube turns. The rest is just your brain getting accustomed to the task. Happy practicing!

 

[Renslay]

Hi everyone!

Finally, I did my very first avg12 video, with a result of 16.13. My hands were shaken as hell... :fp And I was also unusually sloppy. Most of the time, I can do sub-16 for avg12 and sub-15 for avg5. Still, some good results were born.

Every critique is welcomed.

Spoiler: Individual times

1. (13.40) L' B' L' D2 U' R2 L U' L B' F2 L R' D R' U' D2 L F B' L2 F2 U F U
2. 18.49 R2 F' L2 R' B' L' B' D' B2 R D' L' F L2 D2 R2 U2 F' R2 F D' U2 L2 B2 R'
3. 18.29 F' L B R L2 B2 L U B2 R' U2 F' U' L R' B' U R2 D' B2 U' R D F R2
4. 14.81 F' R2 U F2 R2 B D2 B L' B D F L2 R F2 R' B' L2 F B' U' D' B R2 B
5. (20.52) F' U2 L' D2 R L D2 L' U F' L B' F2 U2 R B U L' B' D B D' U2 B F
6. 15.65 R' L' B F D2 B' D2 U R2 U2 L' F2 B2 D2 U2 B2 U' F2 L2 U' R' L2 D F U2
7. 18.05+ R L F' B' L F' U2 B2 D' L D' F2 L2 R2 F' B R2 U2 D' L D' B F2 D' L'
8. 15.19 F2 D' R2 F' R2 U' B L' F' D' L2 F2 R B' D U' F2 R' L B2 D B D2 B F
9. 14.03 F L D2 B U' F2 U2 F B' R2 L' D' L R2 B2 D U F2 L' D R F D2 U2 F
10. 16.73 D L U' F2 L2 D' F' R D L' U' D L' F2 L' D U' R2 B2 R D' U2 B2 L' R2
11. 14.79 B L F U2 R' F L B' L2 F D' F' B2 R2 B2 F U2 F2 B L D2 B U2 R2 L
12. 15.32 D' B' R' F' U' D2 R' B' D' B F' U D F' L2 U2 R' L' B F2 D B U2 L2 B

Avg5: 15.10
15.19, (14.03), (16.73), 14.79, 15.32

 

[cowabunga]

Nice solves.
You don't use all your inspection time to plan the first block and maybe
experiment with blue and green FB so you have 8 starting blocks instead of 4.
I think some F2B only practise would drop your times.

 

[ianliu64]

Hi!
So, I've been using intuitive F2L and 2-Look OLL/PLL and I basically always get sub-40 (Average: 37 Best: 30) I have a somewhat okay lookahead but I occasionally have trouble finding an F2L pair. (F2L average is about 19 sec) I'm also not very good at making a cross (takes me about 5 seconds in about 9 moves) and sometimes I start getting shaky. I really want to get sub-30 averages, and I don't really have time to memorize all the OLL/PLLs. How can I improve?

Thanks!

 

[ottozing]

I would really like some tips on how to get faster. This is a very average average for me and it's pretty consistent so it's a good indicator of my actual solving style.

 

[sneaklyfox]

Hi!
So, I've been using intuitive F2L and 2-Look OLL/PLL and I basically always get sub-40 (Average: 37 Best: 30) I have a somewhat okay lookahead but I occasionally have trouble finding an F2L pair. (F2L average is about 19 sec) I'm also not very good at making a cross (takes me about 5 seconds in about 9 moves) and sometimes I start getting shaky. I really want to get sub-30 averages, and I don't really have time to memorize all the OLL/PLLs. How can I improve?

Thanks!

Well, the good thing is you don't need full OLL and PLL for sub-30 averages. For cross, try to plan the whole thing during inspection time and practice doing them blind. All crosses can be done in 8 moves or less (only one case needs 8 moves). For F2L, just practice and you'll get used to seeing the pairs. You've only been cubing for a little more than a month apparently so this should be enough.

 

[ianliu64]

Well, the good thing is you don't need full OLL and PLL for sub-30 averages. For cross, try to plan the whole thing during inspection time and practice doing them blind. All crosses can be done in 8 moves or less (only one case needs 8 moves). For F2L, just practice and you'll get used to seeing the pairs. You've only been cubing for a little more than a month apparently so this should be enough.

Okay, thanks!

 

[kcl]

Okay, thanks!

More on what sneaklyfox said, I was sub 25 at least with 4LLL. I only learned full PLL around 21 seconds. Like she said, do the cross as efficiently as possible. Memorize it, and then look for the first pair. With F2l turn as slow as you have to to eliminate pauses completely. It will get faster with time. Good luck!

 

[ianliu64]

More on what sneaklyfox said, I was sub 25 at least with 4LLL. I only learned full PLL around 21 seconds. Like she said, do the cross as efficiently as possible. Memorize it, and then look for the first pair. With F2l turn as slow as you have to to eliminate pauses completely. It will get faster with time. Good luck!

Okay, Thanks!!

 

[Antikrister]

http://youtu.be/ftxkjKystS4

Edit: damn video!

Hi. I have just recently gotten sub-20. And would like to get some feedback on what I could be doing better.
I have decided to work in pll recognition but maybe I should focus more on look ahead and cross -> F2L transition?

All critique is welcome.

 

[lcsbiffi]

Help on getting sub-20 consistently pleease

 

[kcl]

Help on getting sub-20 consistently pleease

1. Look to your first pair while making the cross. C-f2l transition is slow.
2. Look to next pair in f2l. After you begin to pair up two pieces, find the next two.
3. Slow down your turning to accommodate this if needed
4. Just practice. I'm sub 17 with nothing more than consistent practice and full PLL.

 

[Antikrister]

Help on getting sub-20 consistently pleease

Use the inspection time more. Even if you cant figure out the first pair or even the whole cross. Try every time! : )

Also try to do untimed solves where you practice look ahead. Just try to relax and just focus on look ahead, that helped me a lot.

 

[lcsbiffi]

1. Look to your first pair while making the cross. C-f2l transition is slow.
2. Look to next pair in f2l. After you begin to pair up two pieces, find the next two.
3. Slow down your turning to accommodate this if needed
4. Just practice. I'm sub 17 with nothing more than consistent practice and full PLL.

Use the inspection time more. Even if you cant figure out the first pair or even the whole cross. Try every time! : )

Also try to do untimed solves where you practice look ahead. Just try to relax and just focus on look ahead, that helped me a lot.

Thank you guys. I'll focus on these things from now on.

 

[kcl]

Hey everyone, looking for some 2x2 tips. I average a mid 4, (high 4 on ao100) and I use ortega. Sorry about the webcam quality, but I was too lazy to set up my camera.. It is Saturday, after all.. So yeah here's an ao5 I just did. Any help is welcome. Thanks!

[youtube]QJB_8oLh-DU&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

4.30, 4.48, 3.67, 4.80, 1.95
best time: 1.95
worst time: 4.80

current avg5: 4.15 (σ = 0.43)
session mean: 3.84 (WOO SUB 4 MEAN)

EDIT: Just did a 15.19 3x3 ao5. Tips? Thanks!

[youtube]IxhoY6DN2TE&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

I'm bumping my post cause Im still kind of stuck..

 

[ottozing]

I would really like some tips on how to get faster. This is a very average average for me and it's pretty consistent so it's a good indicator of my actual solving style.

BUMP

 

[cubingawsumness]

13.91 3x3 Average of 5:

Tips? I would critique someone but all the posts are either faster than me or from a long time ago :/
ZZ btw.