Category:Pyraminx methods

This pages describes different methods to speedsolve the Pyraminx.

When speedsolving the Pyraminx the method used does not matter as much as it does on other puzzles - an intermediate method is almost always good enough to get fast times. This is a very quick puzzle which isn't hard to solve efficiently, so the most important things to practice are lookahead and turning speed.

For the notation used in this page, see Pyraminx notation.

Beginner Methods

This method is recommended mainly to people who just want to solve the Pyraminx, although the puzzle isn't hard to figure out yourself. You can still go from a total beginner to under 30 seconds in about an hour with this method:

• Step 1: Orient the four corners and their tips. They don't move, so this shouldn't require any thought.
• Step 2: Use R' L R L' and L R' L' R to place the edges. These algorithms will move exactly three edges around, so just keep trying until you are done.

Intermediate Methods

Intermediate methods can easily give you an average of around 10 seconds or even less. Note that you can do the tips at any stage in the solving process; the place they are given here is only a suggestion.

Corner First

• Step 1: Solve two of the three edges next to a corner, and the tip on that corner.
• Step 2: Use the extra edge slot as a keyhole to fix all of the corners and tips of the last layer (the layer opposite that corner). Then put the corner on B.
• Step 3: Solve the last edge of the first tip. Algorithms can be found here.
• Step 4: Finish the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

Layer First

• Step 1: Orient three of the corners. They will share a color; try to simultaneously place as many of the edges of that layer as you can.
• Step 2: Finish the layer by inserting the remaining edges with RUR'-type insertions. Sometimes there are special tricks you can do in this step if you end up with edges that are already in the layer but in the wrong place or misoriented.
• Step 3: Solve the last layer in one step. There are 5 possible algorithms.
• Step 4: Fix the tips.

Advanced Methods

There are a couple of advanced methods for the Pyraminx, and although they are not necessary to get very fast times they could provide a boost to the serious solver. They are more efficient than intermediate methods but require more memorization or have harder recognition, and thus will take much more time to master.

Last 4 Edges

• Step 1: Solve all of the corners and two adjacent edges. With practice this can be done in inspection.
• Step 2: Finish the last 4 edges in one step. There are about 70 algs for this.
• Step 3: Fix the tips.

Petrus

• Step 1: Create a 'block' by matching one edge to the two adjacent corners, and also fixing those two tips.
• Step 2: Orient the remaining edges, Petrus-style, so that they can all be solved using only U and R turns.
• Step 3: Finish all of the edges using only U and R turns, then fix the last two tips on the U and R corners.

Tips and Tricks

Lookahead

Turning speed

A good way to increase your turning speed is to optimise your algoritms so you can execute them using as few grip shifts as possible.

Examples, later...

Another way to increase the speed is to use triggers. (L R') is possibly the easiest trigger you can do: turn L about 30% of the turn and then place your right thumb on top of the edge that now shows its corner sticking out of the F-face. Push the edge using the thumb down to the Face compleating th L turn and from thre keep pushing until also thr R' is done.

To do the four turn 3-cycle LL edges (L R') (L' R) then do the first part as above and the second trigger (L' R) in the same manner but now do 30% L' and then the right thumb under the edge that comes out of the D-face and then push all the way up.