Rubik's CUBES and Rubik's PUZZLES!

D4RK ONION

Not that I expect much activity here, but you can discuss your puzzles, tips, tricks and the times you've got right here!

I use the Rubik's cube 3x3x3 and the 4x4x4(revenge). I can't speedcube the revenge but I can do the 3x3x3 at an average of about 1.30 and my best is 1.01.87

amazingemmet

At the moment I normally use petrus for the f2l then use fredrich for the last layer,

On qa side note one of my teachers just whipped out a 7x7x7 v-cube this morning

D4RK ONION

Ah nice... You're a helluva lot faster than me so, I'd wager

A v cube?? No way?! What teacher is this?

amazingemmet

One of my juggling coaches had the v-cube.

I'm not that fast I've done a few sub 45 but that was on easy cubes my normal is about 1:30ish

I reccomend looking into petrus method I found it to be very easy and it doesn;t have any algorithims to learn til the last side

random08

any idea where to buy a 4x4 (or 5x5) rubik's cube? i've tried toy stores etc but they only have 3x3

amazingemmet

I get my ones off this guy in china, sells all the main good ones and is always on msn so can deal with any problems straight away http://www.cube4you.com/

larryone

I'm miles behind =0)
First solved it about a year ago with a little help. Myself and my brother were doing stuff with one layer when we were kids, a couple of years ago we returned to it to tackle layer 2, and I was shown 2 sequences of turns by a guy in work that got me to the third layer.
Since then I was determined to solve it by figuring out my own moves, and came up with some quicker methods and some slower ones, but got there.
These days it's about 3 or 4 minutes for me to complete a solution. Slow, but I'd say the moves I'm using are probably really inefficient.
I've just now started looking at solutions and methods that have been published.
I'd love to get some of the higher order cubes, but right now I really want to get a 2x2x2 pocket cube. Prices on ebay seem a little high right for them tho.

amazingemmet

I think 2x2x2 are kinda pointless as you only need two algorithims to solve them if you think about its just the four corner pieces of a 3x3x3 so you solve the first layer using fd or f'd' then permute the top and tada its done

larryone

That's a good point, it is just the corners - I could just as easily put black tape over the centre and edge pieces of my 3x3x3.
I suppose the novelty factor is all that's left so. Not sure if it's strong enough a factor for me to actually buy one.

D4RK ONION

I got 2 2x2x2s recently, one for me and one for my friend. Mines sitting here now. They're fun, in that, if you leave one on the coffee table, visitors see it and think, oh that must be easy. The you sit back and watch them fail. They're cool, I'd recommend one, if even just to say you have one.

Next target for me- pyraminx. Also,

larryone wrote: »

These days it's about 3 or 4 minutes for me to complete a solution. Slow, but I'd say the moves I'm using are probably really inefficient.

I assume you use the layer by layer method. Using the basic layer by layer method that everyone knows and a lot of practice you should be able to get at least 2 minutes. Fingertricks are important. Look 'em up on youtube.

Finally, LUBE THAT CUBE! Take your solved cube (IMPORTANT THAT IS IT SOLVED!) and turn the top layer half way. Wedge your finger under a middle cublet and pop it out. Take a decent amount of vasoline and pop it into the centre of the cube. Replace cublet. Give your cube a GOOD even turning. And your cube is lubed! This will help it to turn much smoother and fingertricks just slide along. Mine's in dire need of a fresh lubrication actually.

amazingemmet

There's a better way to lube the cube, turn the cube so the faces are at 45 degrees to each other then try twist the cube so the gaps between the cubelets open up then use some silicon spray, only needs a tiny amount.

D4RK ONION

That is a better way, but people tend to have vasoline lying around more than silicon spray.

Jay P

Paul, do you still use the layer by layer method, or have you moved on to bigger and better things?

For the record, my best is around 1:45, I might have gotten lucky though...

D4RK ONION

Yup still at Layer by layer, record is at 1.01 which is about as fast as I'm going to get. I might start to learn some F2L (?) algorithms.

rubiks360

Hey just wondering if any of ye had a chance to try the new rubiks 360 been messing around with it myself and am finding it incredibly challenging , came across this video of a limerick girl doing both in under 3 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXxxUcFb4c4

Jay P

Ooh, I got a 4x4x4 in Berlin. It's fun but I can't do the silly thing. It's very tricky....

D4RK ONION

Arrange the centres, then group the edge pieces into correct pairs. Then you essentially have a 3X3x3 which you solve as normal... Until you come across parity.... Ugh...

Jay P

I had tried to solve on side á la the layer method, but I got very stuck after I got the first layer done... I'll give that way a go. I decided earlier on today to try it that way. I'll get it out tomory.