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5x5

I scrambled and solved the 5x5 for the first time evening before last. I don’t know the parity alg(s) yet, but can solve it without difficulty other than that. I had a little sticky time working out a couple things about centers. I still don’t have exact routines for certain cases, but can manage intuitively and with a little trial and error. Edge pairing is similar, but pretty time consuming. It is fun to solve despite the amount of time searching for each piece.

My friend who cubes said he got to 10 minutes and felt like he could grind it down to 8 but just solves for fun. I timed one solve and it as 17 minutes, but I that was after just one exploratory solve. Now that I feel more confident about centers and edges, it should be 10 minutes or less already unless I get parity, then nvm.

5x5 parity alg for reference (flips ufc edge piece):

Rw U2 x Rw U2 Rw U2' Rw' U2 Lw U2 3Rw' U2' Rw U2 Rw' U2' Rw'

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Comp k’frown

Ok, so I had set a goal to try to get my 4x4 average under 2, but didn’t. I signed up for it anyway. I also put in a bunch of time to learn ortega for 2x2 so I could get my average at least around 10. Failed so miserably on all cubes. Goals were: 10 second average on 2x2. <40 on 3x3. At least one counting solve on 4x4. Nope. Nope. Nope. I did have one better 3x3 solve, but the timer was off. I was very nervous the whole time.

On 2x2, I got lost in first layer most times. I did the wrong pbl alg at least two different times. On the worst solve I had to do a pbl three times at least before I got the right one.

On 3x3, I was also nervous and adrenalized. On one solve I just couldn’t remember the Ga perm and ended up doing corners and edges seperately. I felt stupid.

On 4x4, I messed up parity somehow on the first solve and was already so far over time, that I just stopped. On the second solve, I had chance at a counting solve but misidentified my pll, did edge parity and had to do it again since I’d not needed it.

I also messed up as a judge. I forgot to reset the timer and a guy did a solve that ended up getting tossed and he had to resolve. He didn’t seem bothered.

2x2 50/54. 11.41 17.91 44.59 22.10 17.68 Ao5:19.23 3x3 52/62 33.93 49.12 50.79 55.70 51.10 Ao5:50.34 33.93 4x4 34/35 DNF 2:52.44  -  -  - 2:52.44

Possibly last comp. :/

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Check in

I did practice ao12 on each of the three events I am doing at the comp. Here are my thoughts on those. 2x2 I know the algs. I can get faster with some recognition practice. Just learned a couple tricks for recognition from two sides, but need practice with them. However, I'm ok with where I am and won't be embarrassed unless I bonk somehow, so I'm moving focus off this. Basic goal is sub 10. Another area where I can put effective work is in predicting oll during inspection. 3x3 Still working on faster cross. I feel some benefit from practice there. Also can practice pll recognition. Feel pretty good. Had a couple solves that felt awful it included errors but were still around 40. Want to take apart and lube valk before comp. 4x4 Small pr. One solve was 4 minutes, though. Progress is slow. I back and forth a lot. Forget to look ahead during like every phase. My reduced solve is so much worse than my 3x3. I seem to hit parity every solve. Getting better at placing centers. I think I can get better, but it will be some work.

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Comp

I just registered for 2x2,3x3, an 4x4 at the Kent State Taco comp.

I has previously said, mostly to myself, that I wanted my 4x4 ao5 to be <2m, but that is not at all likely before 5/5. Oh well. My goal at this point is to have all my 4x4 solves under the 2:30 time limit. That will be a reach but hopefully possible. I’ll probably use my Valk 3x3. I want to spend some time tightening up my 2x2, but mostly focus on 4x4.

Side note: I can’t find my GTS2.

Recently found this different beginner method: http://cube.crider.co.uk/ that seems both simpler in that there’s only 2 algs to memorize and those are just 4 moves long and one is the left hand version of the other. When and how to do them are a little bit complicated near the end, but you can get pretty far without too much sweat. 

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1000 Solves

First AO1000 is...57.60. That’s gonna keep falling pretty steady.

Bought 20 Warrior W cubes today for $2 each to have on hand to give to kids.

I’m focused on 3x3. I have all the G Perms now. Using cubeskills algs, I think.

Ga: R2 U (R' U R' U') (R U' R2) D U' (R' U R D') Gb: (F' U' F) (R2 u R' U) (R U' R u') R2'   Gc: R2 U' (R U' R U) (R' U R2 D') (U R U' R') D Gd: D' (R U R' U') D (R2 U' R U') (R' U R' U) R2

Working on quick recognition of Gs. I’ve taken a hit as PLL recognition overall is a bit more complicated.

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Megaminx

My son scrambled my megaminx so I started fiddling with it. I can get to PLL using 3x3 algs and intuition then I get pretty stumped. I can’t even figure out how to do 3x3 pll algs on this thing to see what they do. I am planning to take some time to study the algs on 3x3 to see if I can understand what’s happening.  I’m not close to ready to look up solutions. In a way, it feels easier that 3x3 since you can do so much without upsetting other things.

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What am I doing?

I am plateaued pretty hard these days. Still enjoy cubing but I would like to focus.

I’m spending some time just practicing on 3x3. Focusing on cross and f2l. I got my valk3 back and got a small PR right after. 29.03, first sub 30 solve. It’s the right cube for me, it seems. I don’t do many timed solves, though.

Spending some time on pyraminx. I am still sad that I forgot the method I figured out on my own. It was definitely a LBL method, but I forget the last layer algs I made and have struggled to memorize the common ones. I think this will improve once I let go of my own lost ideas.

Also working on 2x2. Trying to learn ortega PL2L or whatever they call it. For “both adjacent” last step case I do z’ x’ F 3(R U R’ U) F’ just because it is simple. I can’t seem to finger trick anything so it all feels slow compared to 3x3. I spent some time trying to plan the whole first side with edges during inspection, but I need to spend more time. 

I still grab a 4x4 now and then but am not really working on anything there. I looked at yau and tried a few solves, but haven’t made the switch yet.

Haven’t started on 5x5 or megaminx yet, though they’re on the shelf.

unofficial PBs:

3x3

Single: 29.03 Ao3:   35.62 Ao5:   38.42 Ao12: 41.41 Ao50: 45.38 Ao100:49.41 Count 687

2x2 Single: 8.01 Ao3: 13.08 Ao5: 13.78 Ao12: 14.66 Ao50: 17.83 Count 79

Pyraminx:

Single: 25.60 3: 47.79 5: 51.67 Count: 7

4x4:

Single:3:17.15 3: 3:38.06 5: 3:59.49 12: 4:05.19 Count 48

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Timing some PLLs

I did some quick timing of all the PLL algs I use. I did four of each in a row and recorded the time. Some of them I had to practice to be able to do four. I can throw one in a solve, but just doing it over and over messed with my flows.  Here are the times:

Ubx4: 13.22 Uax4: 15.71 Zx4: 27.81 Hx4: 22.78 Aax4: 22.21 Abx4: 14.65 Ex4: 18.14 Rax4: 24.49 Rbx4: 20.5 Jax4: 17.48 Jbx4: 17.65 Tx4: 13.86 Fx4: 18.34 Vx4: 20.82 Yx4: 17.07 Nax4: 21.94 Nbx4: 22.09

I noticed today that I don’t have a new 3x3 PB since September. I haven’t been pressing timed solves but I didn’t realize it was that long. Averages still falling.

I am going to say again that I want to start an intentional practice. Today I’m doing some laps through those PLLs.

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Working on 4x4 parity

I’ve decided to get at least two parity algorithms for 4x4 over this holiday break.

I have the easier one, the PLL parity.

u2 r2 U2 2R2 U2 r2 u2

Also, if you get adjacent PLL parity instead of opposite, just do sexy move, then above, then inverse sexy.

The OLL is apparently:

r’ (U2 r U2 r U2) r2 F2 (r’ U2 r’ U2) F2 r2 F2

but I haven’t memorized that.

Also, apparently if you get the minimal parity of the just two flipped edges, you can do F(R U R ’U’)F to get to a whole bad bar and make things easier after.

Also, I made a little took to help memorize color orientations:

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/188025115/#player

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Update

I never did start the regular practice. I went through the cases I know today and I do know them, but some are pretty clunky. I also started working a bit more on cross using this trainer: http://net13.net/Cube/Cross/ . I has already helped me see things I’ve been overlooking. There’s a few specific goals I have identified to focus on next for 3x3.

A. Identify and learn easy OLL cases. Here are a few: #51: Line with no bars: f [R U R' U'] [R U R' U'] f' #48: Little “L” with headlights and no bar.  F [R U R' U'] [R U R' U'] F' #47: Mirror of #48: [F' L' U' L U] [L' U' L U] F #44: “P” rotated 180 with bar:  f [R U R' U'] f' #43: Mirror of #44: f ' (L' U' L U) f #45: “T” with headlights: F [R U R' U'] F' #28: Big fish: M' U M U2 M' U M

2. Identify and learn unintuitive F2L cases 3. G perms.

I still fiddle with 2x2 and 4x4 but haven’t learned any specific algs for either. I will probably look at 2x2 first.

V. at school has learned both sune and A perm so she can solve 2x2 consistently. She still struggles with oddly placed pieces when she’s doing the first layer. She’s started timing and her PR is about 30.

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“Practice” + First Timed 4x4

I am going to have to start scheduled review and practice of PLL algs. I lost Y again, but have got it back. I did look at N, which looks so long and so rare that I was not planning to even learn it, and realized you can just do half of R twice basically, so I figure I’ve mostly got N now.

4x4 work is still in play stage. I am getting pretty quick with centers, but need to improve my technique for edges. For some reason I’m dreading learning color orientation so I just find a corner I like, follow it, then do opposites. I have only looked at one article about how to do centers and it suggests doing opposites. I haven’t figured out why I might do that. It seems easier to solve the final two centers next to each other. I did a timed solve. 9:41. That didn’t have parity. I need to take some time and commit to learning the parity algorithms. The online resources are not as good as the ones for 3x3 so I don’t even quite understand what possible parity cases exist. Seems like there may be two kinds and you can get one, both, or neither. It also seems like there might be more kinds. It isn’t clear and I haven’t taken the time yet to investigate.

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4x4 and Ao100<60

So, I’ve been holding off on picking up a 4x4 until I had the 3x3 under a minute. I have my Ao100 at 59.68 so that counts even though I’m very inconsistent. I still solve over a minute about one of 3 solves.

I took out my 4x4 and let my kids scramble it. It is pretty amazing how different it is. The centers move, which is amazing. They also can turn without affecting anything at all if you solve them first.  I was able to solve the centers without much struggle. I was able to solve all the edges except two. From what I hear, the last two are tough. I’m hoping to solve it without looking things up, but I’m not beating myself up about it if I end up doing that.

Learned V perm. I only have G and N left. I don’t know the reverse version of any perms. I just flip the Rs to Ls and reverse everything, but it’s still pretty fast.

I started timing a few 2x2 solves. I just use 3x3 algs and don’t know any specific 2x2 alg. I’ve timed 13 solves. Best: 15.69 Ao12: 24.66 worst:52.96.

Started going through recommened f2l perms looking for standouts. Most are intuitive, but I need to think more about moving the slot away and trying to keep the mess up front and solved part in back.

Oh, I bugged an old friend who I suspected might be vulnerable to cubing. He said he used to solve and was down to 90 seconds. I ordered an MF3RS2 sent to his house. My other local cube friend is mostly focusing on 4x4 but he’s still going at it. I’ll be interested to see if I can catch his 4x4 time soon after I start working. 

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Mental Leakage

I wrote before that I had Y and F but they got mixed up with each other and with R and I lost the ability to use them reliaby. I’ve been working on getting them back without the cross contamination but I still get stuck very easily if I slow down or let my brain in at all instead of just riding muscle memory. I’m anxious about it since there are going to be a lot more to learn, but I’m trying to be ok with reality and not get angry or down on myself as I work through it. Not timing many solves in the meantime.

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Cubing $ spent so far...

-First thing I bought, in May, from Amazon was

Cyclone Boys 3 x 3 FeiWu Stickerless from   5.79

-In July from SpeedCubeShop, I bought:

Valk 3 stickerless:  +19.95 5cc weight 3 lube:  +3.95 MoFang JiaoShi MF2S stickerless 2x2: +4.95 Less a discount came to 25.97

-In August from Wish

Yongjun 2x2 stickerless  +1.90 +1.50 shipping. Total 3.40

-Also in August from CubeDepot

MoYu WeiLong GTS2 - Black 14.25

-In October, now, from TheCubicle.us

2 x MoFang JiaoShi MF2S 2x2 - Black +9.98 QiYi WuQue 4x4 stickerless +17.99 Less a discount came to 26.57

-Somewhere mixed in there, I’ve bought two cubes from Five Below:

2 x YJ GuanLong stickerless - 6.42

Random 3x3 column shape cube from Dollar Tree 1.07

Grand Total to date: $83.47

That’s since May, so five months. Running cost about $16.50/month. 

This could also be a collection post if I mention two little things. First, I have a 3x3 mirror cube that was a gift. I don’t know which one it is. Second, I gave my MoFang JiaoShi MF2S to my daughter. Oh, and third, I left my Valk 3 at my brother’s house in another state, so I won’t have that until I get back there.

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Quick update

I have F now, I think, though yesterday I had lost it again. I rely on muscle memory, so I get in my own way.

Maybe I should slow down on algs, but it is tempting to finish PLL.

Miss Valk3. It is much more stable than GTS2. When I tension the GTS2 as tight as I can manage, it deforms during solves.

I’ll do a collection post once I get Valk3 back.

I want to do a running total of money spent on here. Maybe tonight.

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Status 2017.10.04

I have R perm R’ U2 R U2 R’ F R U R’ U’ R’ F’ R2 U’ and mirror on the left. Spotted as checkerboard 5 wide. Start perm on the side with two parts of the checkers.

I have T perm R U R’ U’ R’ F R2 U’ R’ U’ R U R’ F’ No mirror.

Working on F. Mostly have it. Using: (R' U' F')(R U R' U')(R' F R2 U')(R' U' R U)(R' U R) (triggers in parens from cubeskills.) It feels a lot like T near the end.

That’s 45/72 possible cases known. Plus 1 for skip.

Bought a cylinder puzzle from dollar store. It is solvable using 3x3 algs that I know, though probably some of them are overkill.

Also just ordered from thecubicle.us: 1 x QiYi WuQue 4x4 (stickerless) 2 x MoFang JiaoShi MF2S 2x2  (black) Why 2? I don’t know! Carelessness. :(

I managed two <60 solves in front of a witness who was actually impressed. First time that happened. The student then stuck with me while I walked them through beginner’s method. They could do the cross and corners and followed the 2L edges alg ok. Just copied me on the last three algs, though. I bet she could memorize them if she gets interested. That makes 5 students who have solved or tried to solve, or about 1/4th.

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Status 2017.09.26

Did some terrible timed solves this weekend. Average of 100 keeps falling, though, as old solves fall off.

Learned Jperm.  I do R’ U L’ U2 R U’ R’ U2 R L and opposite on the left as needed. L U’ R U2 L’ U L U2 L’ R’ It took me a little while to figure out that the solved half goes in the front. Algdb picture doesn’t match orientation.

I still am struggling to learn x(turn whole cube as if an R turn), y(U turn), and z(F turn), also M(Turn middle slice as L turn) E(equator turn as D) and S(Side to side turn as F). How did this get decided? It’s awful. Probably intractible, but awful.

x=R     M=L y=U     E=D z=F     S=F

I need to write this a hundred more times because it doesn’t make sense. They should match or be opposite or something. This mess, though is hard to learn.

Still would like a custom stickered cube with ROYGBP lgbtq flag colors.