Anyone got a Rubiks Cube to confirm?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Anyone got a Rubiks Cube to confirm?

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heapsort

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#3072220 4-May-2023 13:00

I learned years ago, and still pick up a 3x3 cube for a few solves once or twice a week. Each solve probably takes a minute, but I go at a casual pace and never bother to time it.

One thing I like about playing with a cube is that it's mind-clearing, because the algorithms I "know" seem to be retained only in my subconscious. Trying to think about the sequences just messes them up. For the final steps (orienting and permuting the last layer) muscle memory takes over.

neb

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#3072494 4-May-2023 23:17

Geektastic: I’ve never solved one in my life other than by dismantling it and assembling it solved!

Same here. The point of a puzzle is to solve it, not to follow the one dumb [*] way that someone wants you to. For example the endless move-a-steel-bal-through-a-maze puzzles, with optional trapdoors so it falls through and you have to start again? Well, steel balls are magnetic, so why would you do it the dumb way? It's like signing up to a contest to see who can push a pea up a mountain with their nose the fastest.

[*] By "dumb" I mean that if there are multiple ways to solve a puzzle, some vastly easier than others, and you consciously choose an extremely suboptimal strategy to do it then, well, it's certainly not the smart way.

Geektastic

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#3073084 6-May-2023 13:46

I watched a child solve one in 3.8 seconds. Gods I feel dumb.

I have bought one to see if I can manage it. Maybe in 3.8 hours…

tweake

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#3073147 6-May-2023 15:17

wow its been a very long time since i've picked one of those up.

by mem you only need to remember two main moves, how to place the corners bits and how to place the middle one between the corners (of course centre of each side cannot move).

i can't remember my fastest, but under 30 sec was normal.

neb

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#3073149 6-May-2023 15:20

Geektastic: I watched a child solve one in 3.8 seconds. Gods I feel dumb.

I have bought one to see if I can manage it. Maybe in 3.8 hours…

Anyone should be able to do it in under a minute, once you've got a corner piece out the rest comes apart fairly easily and then it's just a matter of clicking them together again for which you only need a flat surface to assemble it on.

Rikkitic

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#3073161 6-May-2023 15:46

neb:
Geektastic: I’ve never solved one in my life other than by dismantling it and assembling it solved!
Same here. The point of a puzzle is to solve it, not to follow the one dumb [*] way that someone wants you to. For example the endless move-a-steel-bal-through-a-maze puzzles, with optional trapdoors so it falls through and you have to start again? Well, steel balls are magnetic, so why would you do it the dumb way? It's like signing up to a contest to see who can push a pea up a mountain with their nose the fastest. [*] By "dumb" I mean that if there are multiple ways to solve a puzzle, some vastly easier than others, and you consciously choose an extremely suboptimal strategy to do it then, well, it's certainly not the smart way.

Gordian knot, much? You should solve the world's problems. All it takes is a really big nuclear bomb!

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

tim0001

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#3073166 6-May-2023 16:26

I've never solved one (other than pulling it apart), however I did find the documentary The Speed Cubers interesting. Think it was on Netflix.

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Geektastic

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#3073298 7-May-2023 10:21

I managed to solve two layers by slowly and laboriously watching a number of videos on You Tube.

I found that some videos explained different parts of the process differently and more understandably to me so needed several versions to understand the whole.

I tried to finish it and just messed it up so gave up as it was already midnight and I figured I’d do better if I left it until I wasn’t falling asleep.

heapsort

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#3073364 7-May-2023 13:12

One starting-out hint I'd suggest is to try learning an "intuitive" first two layers (F2L) technique as soon as possible. Most beginner guides break the steps into: cross, first layer, second layer, orient last layer (OLL), permute last layer (PLL). F2L is the same, except that the first and second layer get solved together.

Sequences (or 'algorithms' as many guides call them) for the last layer can be learned over time, and it's possible to solve knowing only a fraction of all cases by doing a sequence you do know and then seeing what progress it has made - so as you learn more, any sequence you've already learned remains useful. Separate sequences for first layer and second layer, however, become fairly useless when replaced by a combined F2L technique.

I found the cube became far more enjoyable when I learned intuitive F2L. It typically cuts the number of turns needed to solve the cube by about half compared to beginner methods, and it just feels more aesthetic somehow.

mdf

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#3073409 7-May-2023 16:24

Little Miss MDF got one for Christmas a few years back. I learned a beginners way of how to do it from Youtube to help her learn (this one - and its helpful cheat sheet is still pinned to our noticeboard). This was has two main moves - the "righty" and "lefty" algorithm. So I assumed the "solve with just two moves" clickbait was referring to this. But as others have already suggested, the method in the clickbait really doesn't work.

Geektastic

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#3073540 7-May-2023 22:26

In your face, Rubik!!

I solved it. All I need to do now is learn the moves off by heart. I can get one layer solved from memory and the second layer usually solved from memory but I have a way to go yet before I can casually pick it up and go "Oh, this? Yeah I can solve this." and amaze my dogs with my skill.

Now I will follow @heapsort and look up this F2L technique.

mattwnz

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#3073592 8-May-2023 00:56

You just had to read the comments on the video to see it was a scam. I learnt how to solve it at school. It is easy once you know the patterns to use. Although forgotten how to do it now. I do have a book that shows you how to solve it, and that also works, but it isn't as easy or quick as the patterns I learnt at school. I also like the Rubiks Magic.

trig42

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#3073633 8-May-2023 09:13

I need to learn the F2L - I've looked at a couple and been bamboozled.

Maybe there are easier methods than what I've seen - any recommendations?

heapsort

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#3073640 8-May-2023 09:35

trig42:

I need to learn the F2L - I've looked at a couple and been bamboozled.

Maybe there are easier methods than what I've seen - any recommendations?

It has been so long since I learned F2L, I cannot remember what resources I used. I don't think it was a video, but with all the guides available on the net these days, I'm confident a video would be best because unlike an orient/permute algorithm that can be learned from printable text/diagrams and applied without understanding what's actually happening, F2L is much more "intuitive" and is best learned by watching and practice.

All I can suggest is try different intuitive F2L videos (I'm sure there are many on youtube and other sites) and hopefully one will be a good "fit" for you.

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