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Is it faster to cube with the cross on the bottom or on the left/right?I don't have an answer. There are top cubers many cubers doing cross on D and also many doing cross on L. I don't know that there's an advantage to using either one. I do find that F2L can be done with less awkward regrips with cross on left (mainly using double layer turns Lw), but I'm not a fully left-cross cuber so I don't quite know how they really compare. It should p...
What is 2-step OLL?step OLL is orienting the last layer pieces in two steps. The more popular of the two possible methods is to orient the edges in the first step and then orient the corners. Leyan's guide follows this approach.
I've been cubing for one month, and I average about 35 seconds. Is that good progress?By my standard, yes, but I learned from Jessica Fridrich's site without all the help that you have now from optimized algorithms. People definitely learn a lot faster these days. min average, there is absolutely no need to start on OLL. Takahito Domon easily averages under 20 sec without OLL and without F2L. The key is to look ahead during F2L. Try to go as slowly as possi...
How long does it take you to memorize new algorithms?It will take a several weeks before you can use those algs without stopping to think. Just try and practice little by little (you don't want to get too addicted), and the algs should come to you naturally. It took me 2 months to master two step F2L & OLL and average sub-40, 3 more months to memorize full Fridrich and sub-30, and another 3 more months to be able to "see ahe...
Why don't you do 5x5?It takes too much time to make a good 5x5! It also takes pretty long to solve and so is harder to practice. I might start if rubik's drastically improves the design, but then I really don't have the time right now.
The question I have is: How to you gain your focus or "deep concentration" during a competition?Florida approachs I have been preparing my self for the pressure. I would really like to hit a good time that is easy to hit at my house. I fear that I won't be able to hit it in competition. However I noticed you are able to hit very similar times to what you would hit at home. For example hitting 12.XX times. I was wondering if you had any preperation strategies:
Is there any other advice that I should know for going into my first competition?I try to get as much rest as possible in between solves. Just find a silent spot in the venue and close my eyes for a bit. You'll need to warm up a bit, but there's not much you can do to change things on the morning of the competition. I expect Saturday to be a long day, so the first priority should be to get a lot of rest. Looking ahead automatically forces you to concen...
Where can I find a 5x5x5? A good 2x2x2? Other puzzles?You can buy a Professor Cube and many other twisty puzzles at Meffert's Puzzle. For a good 2x2x2, get an Eastsheen Junior Cube there.
How do I assemble a Rubik's 2x2x2?No, there's no need to have a cube with the standard color scheme. I use Japanese color scheme, which has blue and yellow switched, because I first learned to solve with this orientation. Being familiar with the orientation certainly helps, but it is not necessary as one can always determine the colors by refering to the center pieces, which do not move.
Did you get any money at World Championship 2003?No, only first place got the prize money, 1000 Canadian dollars (except for the winners of 3x3 speedsolve), but I did get a Toronto Winner Cube, a picture Professor Rubik, and a shield, all signed by Professor Rubik. i waz wondering of building my on 3x3x4 or 3x3x5, i think u haf a 3x3x5? so will you give me a set of instructionz 2 build one? kuz imma get one of those chea...
Do you think it is possible that someone gets like 8 sec average in the future?Not very likely. It's impossible with any method known. Someone needs to develop a method that allows one to find a near-optimal solution in the 15 sec of pre-inspection, that doesn't seem possible.
How long do you practice cubing everyday?In middle school, I used practiced at least 30 minutes a day and played around with it whenever I was bored, so maybe about two hours every day. I cube about 10 min a day now.
What do you think is faster? Traditional cross or Extended cross?Extended cross definately takes fewer moves, but should not be done unless you can completely see what to do.... The most important thing in cross and F2L is to not stop. After i memorized all f2l, oll, and pll, my avg was about 40 sec. And then in a month it was sub-30 and then after 2 more months, sub-20. I think you just get used to it gradually. In the meantime, there'...
I can do F2L intuitively all right, should I still learn the algs?Once you seem to hit the "wall," yeah, I would say it might be a good idea to go through the algs. If you can do it intuitively though, it shouldn't be much problem. Learning the algorithms is same as doing it intuitively, except you dont have to think while your fixing one thing, so you can use this time to look for the next pair more easily (or at least that's the theory...
How far you can see in 15 seconds?I own a studio cube, but I haven't tuned it. I don't think I'll ever use it for speedcubing. Oddzon cubes (25th anniversary ones) usually turn out well after lubrication.
Why weren't you at Toronto?I was. My best average was 18.9 back then, and my fastest time in the competition was 20.30. I went into second round 6th or 7th place, but couldn't get into the final. My overall ranking was 14th place.
So then what happened between Toronto and Caltech Winter?I don't really remember, but I believe I did. I had probably already paired up the first corner-edge pair when the edge piece of the pair popped. All I had to do was to put the piece back to recreate the pair (which is really obvious). Otherwise, I think I would have called it a POP and asked for another solve.
Do you get money for this?I won a total of $2500 at the 2005 World Championship, but that's about how much I've spent so far on airfare to dozen or so competitions I've been to. There's no monetary prize for most competitions, so currently it's hard to make money off of Rubik's Cube. Menu Cubefreak Home About Webmaster Records Cube Glossary Speedcubing Notation Cross F2L OLL PLL Misc. Techniques Sp...
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Cubefreak - Rubik's Cube, Speedcubing, Blindfold Cubing...