Category:Pyraminx methods

Category:Pyraminx methods

This page 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.

Some of the descriptions here use an extended notation, see Pyraminx notation for an explanation of the system.

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 less than 10 seconds. It doesn't matter when the tips are solved, so they are not included in the listed steps.

Keyhole

• Step 1: Solve two edges around a center.
• Step 2: Use the extra edge slot, the "keyhole", to solve the centers of the last layer (the layer opposite that center).
• Step 3: Solve the edge that belongs in the keyhole. Algorithms can be found here.
• Step 4: Solves the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

Layer By Layer

• Step 1: Sove three of the centers. 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 which can be found here.

Johan's method

• Step 1: Solve the center pieces.
• Step 2: Solve 2 opposite edges.
• Step 3: Use commutators to permute the last 4 edges.
• Step 4: Orient last edges.

Advanced Methods

There are some 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. Also, just like in the beginner and intermediate methods, it doesn't matter when you solve the tips, so they are not included in the listed steps. Unlike in 3x3, it is worth it to know several methods to be able to solve the Pyraminx efficiently with each scramble. For example, most top-first solvers know 1-flip, WO and Nutella.

L4E

L4E stands for Last 4 Edges. It is named after the alg set used in the final step, which is also called L4E.

• Step 1: Solve all of the centers and two adjacent edges. With practice this can be 1-looked in inspection.
• Step 2: Finish the last 4 edges in one step. There are 95 algs for this, but this step can also be done intuitively.

FP

FP stands for Fan's Pyraminx Method or Face-Permute. The idea is similar to Ortega/Varasano for the 2x2x2 cube.

• Step 1: Make one face. Nothing has to be permuted properly. This can be done in about 3-7 moves usually. It should be possible to easily see this from inspection. The EP of the bottom layer can be determined, making the recognition of the 2nd step extremely easy.
• Step 2: Permute everything. This can be done in about 6-8 moves usually. There are 20 algorithms for this step.

FFL

FFL stands for Flipped First Layer, and is an type of Layer-by-Layer Pyraminx method. It can be considered a sort-of "opposite" to the FP method, as you focus only on the permutation of the edges rather than the orientation of them. There are 3 subsets of the FFL method: 1FFL, 2FFL, and 3FFL; where one, two, or all edges are disoriented respectively.

• Step 1: Solve one layer ignoring orientation of the edges. They must be permuted correctly, however.
• Step 2: Orient the first layer and solve the last 3 edges in one algorithm. There are about 18 algorithms total.

Petrus

• Step 1: Create a 'block' by matching one edge to the two adjacent corners.
• Step 2: Orient the remaining edges, Petrus-style, so that they can all be solved using only U and R (or L and R) turns.
• Step 3: Finish all of the edges using only U and R (or L and R) turns.

Backbone

This method combines the first two steps of Petrus in one.

• Step 1: Create a 'block' by matching one edge to the two adjacent corners and orient the remaining edges.
• Step 2: Finish all of the edges using only U and R (or L and R) turns.

1-Flip

• Step 1: Solve two edges around a center, and put the third one in backwards.
• Step 2: Solve the centers and the flipped edge in one step.
• Step 3: Solve the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

WO

WO stands for Wedel-Odder, which was named after the creators of the method.

• Step 1: Solve all the three edges around a single center, forming a "top".
• Step 2: Use one algorithm to solve the centers while preserving the top.
• Step 3: Solve the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

Nutella

• Step 1: Solve one edge around a center, and insert the two others in their opposite positions and orientatation.
• Step 2: Solve the centers and those two edges with one algorithm.
• Step 3: Solve the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

Oka

• Step 1: Solve one edge around a center, and insert another edge oriented correctly, but in the wrong spot.
• Step 2: Use the extra edge slot, just like in Keyhole, to solve the centers.
• Step 3: Solve the incorrectly flipped edge and the keyhole in one step.
• Step 4: Solve the edges of the last layer. Algorithms can be found here.

Tips and Tricks

Lookahead

Turning speed

Re-grips: A good way to increase your turning speed is to optimise your algorithms so you can execute them using as few re-grips as possible,

Example: Take the two-edge flip alg, a common case for most methods, normally it is notated something like R' L R L' U L' U' L but using the extended notation that allows face twists as well as tip turns it can be notated and executed like R' L R r' R L' R' r and it gives only one re-grip and no rotations.

Triggers: 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 there keep pushing until also the R' is done. After some practice you can actually do the whole trigger witout pre-turning the L tip, just place you thumb at the proper place on the edge and go away, two turns in one!

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.

Alternative style: An alternative style is to hold the whole pyraminx in one hand (left) and only use that hand for U layer triggers. Do everything else with the other hand as you would with a 3x3x3 cube.

External links

• Speedsolving.com: Pyraminx method names
• YouTube: How to solve a Pyraminx (Corners First Method)
• YouTube: How to Solve a Tetraminx or Pyraminx (Beginners Method)
• Bob Burton Method (Beginners Method)
• Last 4 Edges Algorithms: Solution to the Pyraminx
• FFL Algorithms: FFL Pyraminx Algs
• FP algoorithms: [1]