3×3

First Timed F2L Attempt

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I’ve been learning more and more about F2L, as I explained in the tutorials I prepared. This video records my first timed solves using F2L. They come in at an average of 2:06 (2:12, 2:09, and 1:58).

At that speed, these are about a full minute slower than my fastest recorded beginner’s method solves. That slow-down from a new method is common, I understand. As I practice more, my guess it that I can get that down pretty quickly — and, if theory holds, below the 1:09 at which I’ve plateaued with the beginner’s method.

REVISIONIST HISTORY: Although I posted this after my inaugural post, I’ve pre-dated it to keep things chronological.

Tutorial: Intuitive F2L

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Having read a bunch of tutorials online and watched a couple dozen on youtube, I decided to throw one together myself. I had just started the transition from the Beginner’s Method to F2L (First 2 Layers). Under the former, after forming the bottom face cross, you fill in the bottom layer corners with R U R’ and L’ U’ L. Then, you attack the middle layer edge pieces with a slightly more complicated algorithm. Both steps are relatively easy and require little memorization or concentration. But they are also inefficient. F2L, by contrast, solves both the bottom layer corners and middle layer edges simultaneously. It does so by forming pairs in the top layer and then placing those pairs into the 4 slots comprised of the bottom layer corners and middle edges. It takes a little more concentration and thought, but is far more efficient in the end.

As I struggled to learn the technique (mostly through Badmephisto’s cheat sheet and videos), it occurred to me that there is no better way to master something than being forced to teach it yourself. Continue reading →

Two 1:09 Solves

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So, I just recorded two 1:09 solves in a row using a GoPro HelmetCam that I borrowed from my company. These are among my fastest solves (I got a 1:03 the other day), and definitely my fastest recorded ones.

Apologies for the jarring difference in the soundtrack, with String Cheese Incident covering Weather Report’s “Birdland” on 9.5.03 for the first solve and Skrillex’ “Scary Monsters & Nice Sprites” for the second. I probably ought to have chosen from less extreme poles of my music collection when trying to find fast/anthemic/inspiration tunes.

REVISIONIST HISTORY: Although I posted this after my inaugural post, I’ve pre-dated it to keep things chronological.

Out-Cubing the Bieber

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Peruse YouTube for a couple minutes, and you’ll find hundreds of videos showcasing sub-20-second speedsolving.  You may even stumble onto Feliks setting his 5.66 second world record.  Crazy impressive on all sorts of differents levels.  Good for him.  Not the least bit of enmity or jealousy on my end.

But dig a little deeper and you’ll find, as I did, something more sinister: a clip of Justin Bieber on Spanish TV solving a cube in 1:26.  While I find his music beyond abhorrent, I can at least appreciate that the kid has some singing and dancing talent.  Good for you, Justin.  But I simply could not allow myself to be out-cubed by the pretty-boy.  Not competitive by nature, I succumbed to an unusual, embarrasing, almost preternatural drive to beat him.  Then, after two weeks of further practice, I did:

(White Dayan Zhanchi, with tunes by Bassnectar.)

Take that, Biebs.

REVISIONIST HISTORY: Although I posted this after my inaugural post, I’ve pre-dated it to keep things chronological.

steady progress

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Having never solved a cube before, I was STOKED to get an on-camera, cheat-sheet-free solve last week [link].  While I remain convinced that, on a percentage basis, only a small sliver of the population can even solve a cube — and an even smaller population learned well after their brain atrophied and petrified post-adolescence — the competitive part of me can’t help but want to improve my solve time.  There are more advanced and more efficient techniques out there, and I hope to tackle them at some point.  And certainly my mechanics can use some work.

The number one tip on every speed-solving site and tutorial is…PRACTICE!  And so I have practiced.  A lot.  Lo and behold, I’ve made remarkable progress.  Indeed, today’s 1:46 (my personal best) means that I’ve shaved 71% off that 6-minute first timed solve!

Here are videos capturing my progress:

2:30 (Dec 1)

1:58 (Dec 3)

1:46 (Dec 4)

While I take credit for most of the progress, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that migrating from a Rubik’s-branded cube to a more advanced speed cube made a difference.  These solves are on a white Dayan Zhanchi, which moves effortlessly, corners well, and does not lock-up.  No wonder it was Feliks’ cube of choice for that fateful, world record setting 5.66 second solve.

REVISIONIST HISTORY: Although I posted this after my inaugural post, I’ve pre-dated it to keep things chronological.