Rubik's Cube Topic

[Jean Valjean]

Over the summer I decided to learn how to solve a Rubik's Cube before my sister did. It took me about 40 minutes of looking at the solution on their official web site to memorize and perfect the solution. As it turns out, my sister wasn't actually taking her ambitions to solve it seriously. After a few days of practice, I got to solve it at an average time of 1:15. My best time is somewhere around 45 seconds. My next ambition is to learn the Jessica Fridrich method of solving the cube, which is far better. My original cube was stolen, but that was okay since my mind was set on getting a Rubik's Icon anyway. An Icon is a cube set on the gray scale. The reactions I get from messing with it are often priceless. It is far cooler than my old cube and I find it aesthetically pleasing. Instantly upon getting it I was fairly used to the colors, or should I say, the lack thereof. My experiences in art have made me very adept at differentiating between subtle shades of gray. It's still a little stiff, being only a week old, but I've been working on it hard enough that soon it should be as smooth and corner-cutting as my old cube, and then I'll be able to solve as super-speeds again. Once I perfect the Fridrich method, my goal would be to average 30 seconds. I also have a Lanlan 2x2 speedcube. It's obviously nowhere near as hard, but since it moves so fast I still have a lot of fun with it nevertheless. I'm currently practicing solving it with my eyes closed., though I've only practices at it once. Still, I figure that the more I use that area of my brain the better I'll get at it. I have quite a few stories to tell, but I'll let them come out over the course of the topic. Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[Nescent]

I used to be able to solve a standard Rubik's cube within 1-2 minutes. Once you crack the basic steps, you don't really have to think about doing it. It just feels natural. I can't imagine solving a greyscale Rubik's cube http://www.bzpower.com/board/public/style_emoticons/default/confusedw.gif Anyways, I have since forgotten how to solve one. But playing around with it is pretty fun. Can you solve a 4/4 cube?

[Jean Valjean]

I was hoping you would ask. I looked at solving a Professor's Cube (a 5x5x5). All the guides said that they highly recommended knowing how to solve a 3x3x3 and a 4x4x4 first. So, naturally, I went and solved a V-Cube 7. Really, it was fun to defy expectations and laugh at all the guides that said that I should be able to do various things first. I don't work that way: I wanted to go for a big challenge without easing up to it first. It took me about 24 hours of solving time to fix the v-cube 7 when I first mixed it up, but it was worth it. I can now do it in about half an hour. It turns wonderfully. Oh, and I thought that the reactions that I got from solving the gray scale cube were priceless! I'm thinking now of moving on to something different. My eyes are now for sure set on the Mirror Bump Cube, the Crazy Cube, the Pyramorphinx, and the various degrees of Megaminx puzzles. Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh Edited October 21, 2011 by Emperor Kraggh

[Roablin]

I have had rubiks cubes for years, but have never gotten far in my attempts to solve them. I planned to try last summer, but just before I could someone lost the last one. I still have a 4x4 cube, but I don't care to try that. I haven't seen the grey scale cube before, it sounds awesome.

[Mr. Fluffy]

I have never solved one. I probably will never solve one either (at least, not without the internet). I'm no Chris Gardner.

[Shadix]

I can solve it, but it takes me a while and I haven't worried much about it. My brother can solve it fairly fast, down into the 30 seconds and has tried other methods, like blindfold solving and other fun stuff.

[SonicBOOM XS]

I tried to solve it, but a lack of stickers doesn't help. I'm really trying to learn how to. I have a friend who's a total 3D puzzle maniac. Not just Rubik's cubes (standard 3x3), but also 10x10s, tetrahedral puzzles, corner-shifting puzzles, etc. Funny thing is how he's able to afford all those $100+ puzzles. XD

[Jean Valjean]

3d stuff is all fairly easy for me. As far as cubes go, once you get to the 5x5x5, all the cubes are the same. Almost all other puzzles also work on a basic level and it would probably only take me a day now to learn how to solve something as big as a Pentaminx. My real obsession is being able to solve n-dimensional analogues of the Rubik's Cube. If you look up MC4D or MC5D on Google you will get some interesting results. I can get a ways into a 4D simulation of a Rubik's Cube, although I'm still working on actually getting it entirely solves. I figure if I practice it and experiment with it enough, whether or not I solve it (which I will) I will at least get develop some great spacial skills. As far as spacial puzzles go, my life goal is to someday solve a 5⁵ Rubik's Quinteract. Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[SonicBOOM XS]

3d stuff is all fairly easy for me. As far as cubes go, once you get to the 5x5x5, all the cubes are the same. Almost all other puzzles also work on a basic level and it would probably only take me a day now to learn how to solve something as big as a Pentaminx. My real obsession is being able to solve n-dimensional analogues of the Rubik's Cube. If you look up MC4D or MC5D on Google you will get some interesting results. I can get a ways into a 4D simulation of a Rubik's Cube, although I'm still working on actually getting it entirely solves. I figure if I practice it and experiment with it enough, whether or not I solve it (which I will) I will at least get develop some great spacial skills. As far as spacial puzzles go, my life goal is to someday solve a 5⁵ Rubik's Quinteract. Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

Would you kindly help me figure out how to solve freakin' tetrahedral puzzles? I'd be much obliged.

[Pinkie Pie]

I have a 3x3 Daiyan Zhanchi, Cuts corners and it's really smooth. My best time is like 15.99 seconds, and I average around 26ish seconds. I know Fridrich kinda, my f2l is just terrible (more than half my solve sometimes). I know full PLL, and have been putting off OLL for a couple years now, although I know enough of the cases to get by. If you want to get faster, practice your look ahead for sure. If you get good at that, F2L, and LL will be reallllly easy once your recognition is pretty good.

[Jean Valjean]

I envy you. It's a pity that my Icon isn't so well lubricated. If I practiced doing cubes with my eyes clothes i suppose it would exercise the same skills required for recognizing various cases. I do think that I will attempt to learn the Fridrich method as soon as possible, although I don't know if I want to learn it while practicing on my V-cube 7 or my Icon, both of which would mess with me a little sensually. Although I think I'll choose to practice with the v-cube. The shapes of the edges may be off, but perhaps it will actually make the cases a bit more obvious for me. @ sonicBOOM: Assuming that you're talking about a basic pyramorphinx, the first thing you must realize is that the edge pieces will always be connected to the same triangular pieces (The ones that point downward if you let the pyramid stand on its base. You can also think of them as the inner pieces because they aren't on the edge.). All you have to do is to flip the edges into their right orientation with respect to these pieces, and then flip these diamond shapes into their proper orientation with respect to each other and you're already half-solved with the puzzle. Not that this part doesn't require that you to use any algorithms because you don't really have to save your process. Once you have completed this, focus on solving one side. I would suggest that you choose a side that already has at least one edge piece in the right position. You're strategy is to get one of the edge pieces that you're looking for in so that it's line with with its corresponding position on the face facing you (let's say it's the red face). What you do is move it into position (let's say that the position is the left edge triangle) then you move that corner of the triangle downward (that is to say, you would move the left corner of the pyramid so that the red piece you just placed is on the bottom). After this you move the top counterclockwise (assuming that you moves it clockwise to get the edge piece in its proper position on the left of the red face), and you move the left corner back up. Repeat this pattern until you have completed two sides. The remaining two sides will have two misplaced pieces each. There is a very simple algorithm for solving this. I suggest that you look it up and memorize it. Unfortunately, I don't quite know how to explain it in words. I hope that the encouragement helps! Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[Roablin]

On second thought, I've solved the 3x3 cube many times By pulling out the pieces and sticking them back in. ~Roablin

[Pinkie Pie]

On second thought, I've solved the 3x3 cube many times By pulling out the pieces and sticking them back in. ~Roablin

Better than taking the stickers off. That ruins the stickers. And to Kraggh, I would highly suggest getting a normal 3x3. The colors are more distinct and it would be easier to differentiate colors; However, I don't own an Icon, so I can't say much about mixing up colors. And it's easier to turn a 3x3 than a V-cube. And if money is not a big issue (20-30 dollars?), a cheap speed cube with the removable center caps would be good. And a protip for everyone: Do not ever, ever, ever use WD40 to lube your cube. I think it ruins the plastic or something.

[Jean Valjean]

Someday I will get a normal 3x3x3 again, probably purely for speedcubing. That may be a while down the road from now because as it happens money is an issue, so in the meantime I will make do with solving an Icon as fast as I can, which isn't so bad since I'm pretty comfortable with gray scale. I don't know how much experience you have, but what's the best speedcube out there? What's the best lubricant? Your Honor,Emperor Kraggh

[Pinkie Pie]

People have varying thoughts. It's usually a Type-A V or Daiyan ZhanChi. The best all around lube is Lubix lube. I bought mine (Daiyan) from there and they lube it and "tune" it for you. (They sanded down the edges or corners to make less noise or something, and adjusted the centers just right.) And this cube has weird looking pieces. The corners are all the way into the core like a V-cube, and there's these torpedo things that prevent the corners from popping out, and the edges are prevented by the corners. The A V is part of a series. There's the type-A's and Type-C's and all kinds of stuff. Each one has different looking pieces. I don't personally own one so I can't say much. Although, when I was buying a new cube a couple months ago this was my other choice. And then there's generic speed cubes. There's a popular Chinese shop, but I don't know if I can mention it, since I believe there are forums. They sell a lot of stuff, like stickers and weird puzzles. Only downside is shipping takes forever, and it's sort of pricy. I've heard some people never get their stuff, luckily I haven't been that unlucky. But they sell DIY cubes that comes in a bag, and you can choose the color and everything. You get to have the joy of putting it together and setting the tension on your cube to your pleasure. If it's too light, it'll explode (pieces pop off ). They come with stickers, too; so that's convenient.

[~Xemnas~]

I solved my cube using the cheat-sheet. Pretty quickly, too.