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Waterman Speedsolving method tutorial - Full text explanation

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Hello! There aren't many waterman tutorials out there, so I'd like to explain it here.

The Waterman Method
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Step 1: The First Layer-1 Edge

First, you solve a Full layer minus one edge on the left.
The FL-1E can be broken down into 2 steps:
1. A Roux First Block
2. The remaining corners

The basic idea for the roux first block is too make a pair, extend it to a square, then add on a pair. To see some examples, go in the example solve section, here I'll just link a basic tutorial, and an advanced tutorial

Solving the corners should be pretty simple. Anyone with some basic cubing knowledge should be able to easily do it.

1.
Scramble: U2 R' F2 L2 D' L2 B2 U F2 D2 B2 U B F L' B' U' L' B' D
x u2 r U' r' b U' B' U r' B // FB
U R' U // Corners
13 STM

2.
Scramble: R' L2 F R2 U2 R2 U2 B' F' U2 F2 L D R B R2 D2 L2 F'
y F u' r U' r' E' f R B' R' B z' // FB
U2 R' U R U' // Corners


Step 2: WCLL
Here, you solve all the R corners in one of 42 algorithms.
Here is a WIP document by @WarriorCatCuber and @Username: Username:. A lot of these algs don't work, so for now, you should probably just do z' + CxLL + z

Step 3: The Last 9 Edges
Step 3a: Solve three R edges and the last L edge
Using the "keyhole" at LU, you'll want to solve 2 R edges, then simultaneously, a third R edge and the last L edge. This step is intuitive.
Example solve:
Scramble: R' L2 F R2 U2 R2 U2 B' F' U2 F2 L D R B R2 D2 L2 F'y F u' r U' r' E' f R B' R' B z' U2 R' U R U' z' y' F R' F' r U R U' r' z x
R' S R2 S' // one R edge
R U' M2 U // Another R edge
r2 M U M' U2 M2 U R // A third R edge and the last L edge

Step 3b: EO and the last R edge
Here, using one of 36 LREO algs, you'll solve the last R edge, as well as edge orientation. Here are the algs by @WarriorCatCuber as well as a 2-look version

Step 3c: The last 4 edges

Now you'll want to finish the cube. Here's a tutorial about how to do this (skip to 11:40)

That's it! you've solved the cube with the waterman method! Now here's a link full explained example solve:
Scramble: R' L2 F R2 U2 R2 U2 B' F' U2 F2 L D R B R2 D2 L2 F'
Solve:
y F// Pair
u' r U' r' E'//extension to a square
f R B' R' B z'// extension to a roux first block
U2 R' U R U' // Finishing the first layer corners
z' y' F R' F' r U R U' r' z x // WCLL algorithm
R' S R2 S' // one R edge
R U' M2 U // Another R edge
r2 M U M' U2 M2 U R // A third R edge and the last L edge
M U' M' U' M U' M' U' // LREO algorithm
M' U2 M U2 // L4E
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
1,542
Honestly, it was great. However, I am surprised there were no Rick Rolls in there (in the links).
Great tutorial
I hope you continue to write tutorials such as this.
Thanks!
Good job! It explains very well I think, but doesn’t offer much of how to get faster and such (although I don’t think you intended it as such)
Well, I had several people in my Waterman discord server that didn't really understand, and I was talking with my friend @RiceMan_ , and he also wanted to learn it. So I made this up pretty quickly. I'll definitely add some more tips and example solves.
 

Athefre

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2006
Messages
1,252
Clear images will go a long way toward helping people stay interested.

- Have a main Waterman image at the beginning. Maybe a layer minus one edge and the four right side corners solved.
- Several images for each step showing the substeps. An image of a 1x2x2 with the rest of the cube greyed out. Then an image of a 1x2x3. Then the layer minus an edge. Do the same for each step of the entire method so that it is clear what the user should be replicating.

Also, you may not even need the spoiler tags in this case. You don't have a massive amount written, so it may look good without the tags. You can instead have big titles be your separators. Titles like "Layer-1" or "WCLL". Look at my recent post in the "new method" thread for an example.

You can also add more details to the steps. Instead of saying "using the keyhole, solve edges", go into a little more detail how this is done. And instead of linking to another tutorial for a step, such as the last one, maybe you can find a way to describe it within your guide.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 10, 2019
Messages
1,542
Clear images will go a long way toward helping people stay interested.

- Have a main Waterman image at the beginning. Maybe a layer minus one edge and the four right side corners solved.
- Several images for each step showing the substeps. An image of a 1x2x2 with the rest of the cube greyed out. Then an image of a 1x2x3. Then the layer minus an edge. Do the same for each step of the entire method so that it is clear what the user should be replicating.

Also, you may not even need the spoiler tags in this case. You don't have a massive amount written, so it may look good without the tags. You can instead have big titles be your separators. Titles like "Layer-1" or "WCLL". Look at my recent post in the "new method" thread for an example.

You can also add more details to the steps. Instead of saying "using the keyhole, solve edges", go into a little more detail how this is done. And instead of linking to another tutorial for a step, such as the last one, maybe you can find a way to describe it within your guide.
Thanks! I'll take you advice in mind.
EDIT: I've done all the easy stuff you said, I'll do the rest later.
 
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