Rubiks cubes?

[nick]

So I thought I saw a thread on this before, but I did a search and came up with nothing.

Anyways, how many cubers (cubists?) are around here. I wonder if theres any cororlation between unicycling and cubing.

Right now im between 2 and 3 minutes, My goal is to get below a minute before the end of the semester, dont know if its ganna happen or not though. Im working on memorizing algorithms now, still have a ways to go.

[hell-on-wheel]

I can solve a Rubik's Cube, though I've never thought of myself (or anyone) as a "cubist" (except when refering to the art movement). My record is just under 5 minutes, though I haven't owned a cube in years. I'm not sure if I would draw a personal correlation between my ablity to solve Rubik's cube and my ablity to unicycle, except that I obviously have too much free time. I was actually recently thinking about getting a new one, maybe I'll go today.

[JJuggle]

Originally posted by nick
So I thought I saw a thread on this before, but I did a search and came up with nothing.

Nick,

You probably searched "rubiks". The search engine does not treat that the same as "rubik's". Search without the "s" and you get:

http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=12447&sortby=&sortorder=

Also, I hope you tried various misspellings of Rubik. :D

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

By the way, I have never been able to solve one myself.

[nick]

Yeah, I got the same results from my search but none of the topics are really what im interested in, thanks for pointing out the ' thing though.

Rubik's cubes are tons of fun (probably like .00016 tons of fun actually), and its even more portable than a unicycle. I urge you all to pick one up and you wont be able to put it down untill its solved.

[trsrdr]

When I was in Junior High (a few years ago), I once solved it in 45 seconds and could consistently solve it in under one minute. I think I could still do it, but it'd take a couple of minutes at least.

[Sofa]

I'm into MUbik's cube. That's throwing it in the mud after 10 minutes of infuriation :mad:

[UniBrier]

Solve it? That's news to me.

All this time I thought it was a random color pattern generator!



I ran across http://www.speedcubing.com/ quite by accident during a "unicycle" search.

[Klaas Bil]

There was also a thread in rec.sport.unicycling, here:
<http://groups.google.com/groups?as_q=rubik&ie=ISO-8859-1&as_uauthors=john%20foss&lr=&hl=nl>

Klaas Bil

[john_childs]

Do a forum search on "rubi*" and you'll get more hits. The star "*" is a wildcard and will match all words that start with "rubi" so you'll get hits on "rubik", "rubicks", "rubicon", and anything else that starts with "rubi".

Here is my cube.
<http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jchilds/>
Solving that one while on a unicycle would be a challenge because my computer is not that portable.

Something like 15 years ago I solved my real Rubik's cube while on my unicycle. I never got fast enough to be able to consistently solve it in under 90 seconds. Back then the fast algorithms were more of a secret and were not easy to find so I was not solving it very effieciently. Now the fast algorithms are easy to find on the web but I've lost interest in learning them.

[JonnyD]

I can do it, just not very fast anymore. . .

Once people stopped being impressed by me I had to learn to unicycle intstead.

:) just kidding

[jagur]

i think it was RSU member "cybeross" that is the uni rubik master.i think he said he was able to solve in 13 seconds while idleing.

he hasnt posted in awile.i think i even found him a Rubiks avitar?

[jagur]

yep its cybeross heres his Pro. check out his 1st interest.

http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=1045


hasnt posted since last year,sombody wake him up!

[iunicycle]

I was doing it consistently in around 80-100 sec when I suddenly became interested in unicycling last year. I was probably using the fast algoritms John is talking about. I actually only need to memorize about six complex moves, and all are for solving the last layer. My tiny brain keeps me from memorizing any other shortcuts. I still make improvements in the first two layers, but my interest in doing it fast has gone away. I'm probably up over two minutes today.

One interesting thing about cubing is that those who don't know how to do it think there is some 'trick', so they want to mess it up a little themselves just in case.

[Unimoron]

I used to have a rubiks cube but, hell it was hard to solve. For the longest time, I remember that the challenge was not only getting it into matching colors but first you had to make it a square. It was always like a cube with a big dent in it. I got it into a square when I was about nine and gave up. This was either screwed up cube, Or was it a normal one?

[nu_uni]

The best I have ever gotten was one side with only two colours on it. OH YEAH:cool:



Logan

[nick]

Originally posted by Unimoron
I used to have a rubiks cube but, hell it was hard to solve. For the longest time, I remember that the challenge was not only getting it into matching colors but first you had to make it a square. It was always like a cube with a big dent in it. I got it into a square when I was about nine and gave up. This was either screwed up cube, Or was it a normal one?

square one

[James_Potter]

I just searched Rubiks Cube on the search thing, and I got htis. I think this thread is dead, but I'm going to bring it back to life.:p
Trust me, Cybeross could NOT solve it in thirteen seconds. The world record is about 23. I can solve one in 30 seconds normally, and I'm going to learn to solve one while idling. I think I could give Cybeross a run for the title of 'rubiks master'. I can solve it two handed, one handed, with my feet, underwater, while looking at it in a mirror(this is HARD), and while experiencing 2.5 to 3 G's of gravity. My friend solved one on a Pogo Stick.

[JJuggle]

I once solved a rubiks cube in 28 seconds using only my butt checks while idling no-footed during one of my frequent 30 minute orgasms all while doing a public demonstrations of my Level 11 skills.

So there. ;)

No, Harper, there are no pics

Raphael Lasar
Matawan, NJ

[cybeross]

How little faith you have in me! It's true that I can't (yet) solve it in 13 seconds, but I have recently gotten new records on the cube.

www.speedcubing.com

As you can see, I have the unofficial world record of solving while idling on a unicycle with 19.86 seconds. I also AVERAGE now 19.75 seconds to solve ANY scrambled cube without being on a unicycle. Yes, this IS *well* below the official world record of 23 seconds. I can easily break that record on any cube, as can at least 10 other speedcubists. However, the official record can't be broken until the competition this year in Canada, at which point, I hope to set the new world record if all goes well! I am still uni-ing of course, and even just recently solved the cube in 27 seconds while 1 foot idling, just for the fun of it. All my records can be found on speedcubing.com! Anyway, I'm still alive, and I still uni all the time, just been hard with the snow and the 5 million things I have to do! Only 50 days til summer, then I'm free!

Oh, btw James, you are certainly very good. I didn't expect that *anyone* took the cube seriously at all. What is your speedsolving method out of curiosity? My record, is solving 3 cubes underwater, which was near impossible on my lungs. My record for one handed solving was just under a minute. Solving with the feet is my least fun, because it is very time consuming for me! As for the title of rubik's "master," if it would make you feel better, by all means take it! I just solve and unicycle for my enjoyment, not for competition! Well, at least, not until Toronto this year anyway ;).

[gauss]

But can you solve it upside down while people pluck your nose hairs and beat you with shoes (Thanks for that link Sofa. It was hilarious). Can you solve it while skydiving under the condition that you may not pull your chute until it is solved. you know under pressure. Like can you solve it if there is a little kitty waiting to be smashed by a giant piston that can only be stopped by your solving prowess. Could you solve it if you were bound and gagged? Could you solve it blindfolded? How about walking a dog? What if the dog was rabbid? Could you solve it with someone elses hands? What if It was hidden in a park and you had to first find then solve it. What if it was on a ledge just out of your reach. How would you do it then? What if there was an array of seven cubes and moving one caused movements in the others? What if you went to the store and it was for sale and in it's blister pack and cost $5 and you only had $4.88? What would you do? The clock is ticking after all. Do you filch it from the store. Or just tear into it there and consequences be damned. What if the rabbid dog swallows it? could you kick him repeatedly in such a way so as to produce solvage? Of course it would take a day to judge. Does the clock stop when the dog produces the solved cube, or when you stop kicking? Could you yield solvency from a cube with stickers of all the same color? What if the stickers each had a unique color such that the cube was unsolveable? How long would you try? What if the cube was made of poison, or really really hot? What if you went to a museum and found an unsolved cube under guard and bullet proof glass. Would you explain your situation, or return late at night and bust it out of there? Just curious.
-gauss

[James_Potter]

Wow, you are good... Okay, you win. LOL
I hate to break it to you, though, that there will be Rubiks Cuber's obtaining 17 second averages at the championships. You will probably do great, of course. I'm going to get about 100th place. But I can trump you in the coolest ways to solve it! After I learn to do it on a Unicycle, anyway.
By the way, read my last post on the thread called Turning Help in the main forum.

[cybeross]

...

My answer to your question is:

...
yes.


Thanks for your comments! (coughs sarcastically)

[James_Potter]

Originally posted by gauss
But can you solve it upside down while people pluck your nose hairs and beat you with shoes (Thanks for that link Sofa. It was hilarious).
I have done it upside down, actually.

Can you solve it while skydiving under the condition that you may not pull your chute until it is solved. you know under pressure.
I could probably do this, but I've never sky dived.

Like can you solve it if there is a little kitty waiting to be smashed by a giant piston that can only be stopped by your solving prowess.
Depends on how fast the piston was going

Could you solve it if you were bound and gagged? Could you solve it blindfolded?
I'm actually learning to solve it blindfolded. I can currently do it with looking only 3 times.

What if you went to the store and it was for sale and in it's blister pack and cost $5 and you only had $4.88? What would you do? The clock is ticking after all. Do you filch it from the store.
I would filch 22 cents from someone instead. I know how to steal someones watch with magic, like David Blaine does. I'm sure I coudl take 22 cents.

What if you went to a museum and found an unsolved cube under guard and bullet proof glass. Would you explain your situation, or return late at night and bust it out of there? Just curious.

I canNOT stand the sight of an unsolved cube, or a cube solved, but not by me. I would explain the situation to them, and if they didn't let me solve it, I would break in.
-gauss

[cybeross]

That last one wasn't to you James! Yes, I am well aware of Ron von Bruchem and the 10 others ahead of me. Ron deserves to win the most. He knows more about the cube than anybody I have ever talked with. We talk about every weekend in rubik's club chat on yahoo. You might want to drop by for the fun of it, his id is "ilovemycube".

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/speedsolvingrubikscube

[James_Potter]

I KNEW that I had seen your name somewhere before! Yeah, I also post on that forum under the name speed_cuber. Ron deserves to win the most, Jessica Fridrich deserves to win second, Chris Hardwick should get third, Lars Petrus should get fourth, and Dan Knights should get fifth. And I should get 100th.
By the way, what method do you use to solve it? I use Lar's method.

[cybeross]

An advanced version of the fridrich method. I do disagree however! I am quite convinced that I am better than both chris hardwick, AND lars petrus. Dan knights is certainly faster than the 2 of them as well. Anyway, since we are both on, i think we should im eachother.

aim: cybeross
yahoo: kyubeman
msn: unicuber@hotmail.com

[James_Potter]

Sorry, I don't have any messenger service.
Actually, I think my computer has MSN, so I'll check. If it does, then I'll quickly get a username.
And I guess Dan Knights should do better than Lars or Chris. And I would say that you, Lars, and Chris get about the same times.

Yep, I do have MSN and I just added you to my contact list. My name is speed_cuber@yahoo.co.uk
I wonder how I got a non-msn e-mail on MSN messenger.

[cybeross]

They seem close. But half a second is huge when you get closer and closer to the theoretical practical limit. If it werent, why then I would be soon very close to averaging 17 seconds myself, which, is only a measly 3 seconds away, right? ;)

[James_Potter]

Dang, now my parents are making me get off the computer. Oh well, see you next time I'm on, I suppose.

[Rockey]

Wow! This is an eerie coincidence that you rubiks cube masters are also unicyclists and post on this board, because I'm also a unicyclist and rubiks cube master. Well, not exactly super master like cybeross, but I can solve one in under 10 minutes every time, and my record is 3.5. I solve it the basic way layer by layer. I haven't looked into learning the other faster method. This is such a strange coincidence because I just started solving my cube again a week or two ago for the first time in a few years. And I looked it up online and saw the info about the competition this year. Very cool!

[James_Potter]

You would be considered a master by people who can't solve the cube(I like to refer to them as 'mere mortals').
what method do you solve it with?

[tron]

I canNOT stand the sight of an unsolved cube, or a cube solved, but not by me. I would explain the situation to them, and if they didn't let me solve it, I would break in.
So, so, so, true. I can also solve the cube, though my record is something like 3 minutes, and I have no desire to improve that. I may get up on the unicycle sometime, perhaps even the giraffe.

[James_Potter]

Solving a Rubiks Cube on a giraffe would be quite impressive. More impressive if it was a REAL giraffe.

[tron]

For me, playing "You are my sunshine" on the accordion while riding a camelopard (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=8&q=camelopard) would be more impressive and exhilirating, but solving the cube does have its merits.

[Klaas Bil]

In 1982 I have cubed quite a bit and solved it in 50 seconds once and consistently within 1:20 using the layer by layer approach. Then I didn't touch it for years.

Around 1995 I found one of mine back. I could solve the first two layers but was struggling to solve the last layer. While I was fiddling and thinking to do the last bit, suddenly my hands started moving all by themselves and while I was just looking and trying not to interfere with the process my motor memory solved it for me. A most amazing experience.

Klaas Bil

[James_Potter]

That's exactly what I do, Klaas. When I don't think about it, I tend to get better times. That will be helpful when I learn how to do one on a unicycle, so I can concentrate completely on balancing.

[foolish]

What's so difficult? Don't you just have to rip all the little stickers off and put them back in the right order??

Ok, I'll ask (being a mere mortal) how do I find out how to do it? The layer by layer method sounds easiest. Any links to a no nonsense site without all this "permutating the edges" stuff?

thanks

[nb]

You don't rip the stickers off. You turn one layer by 45 degrees (1/8th turn for the americans) then turn another layer. The whole cube 'pings' apart and you can rebuild it completed.

I'm not sure if this is the layer method. You should be able to find out here:

http://www.speedcubing.com/

[nick]

learn on your own, its much more rewarding.

[cybeross]

Originally posted by James_Potter
That's exactly what I do, Klaas. When I don't think about it, I tend to get better times. That will be helpful when I learn how to do one on a unicycle, so I can concentrate completely on balancing.

It should be the exact opposite. Idling should become second nature enough that you can focus completely on looking ahead on the cube. Otherwise, I don't think sub-20 would ever be possible if you had to think about balancing at any time.

[James_Potter]

Cool, if idling becomes easy as doing the cube, then I can do the cube on a unicycle while not paying attention to anything! LOL but I'll probably pay attention to the cube.

And to Foolish, the layer by layer is actually not the easiest. It's the simplest, but the solution requiring the least number of sequences to be memorized is Lars Petrus' solution. That requires a minimum of 3 sequences to be memorized. And the layer by layer way is slowww.

[nick]

"And the layer by layer way is slowww."

Warning, rubiks theory to follow:

not using fridrich's method. Although it does take more memorization than most people are willing to do, its one of, if not the, fastest methods. Im slowling learning all the algorithms, hopefully Ill know all the Last Layer permutations by the end of the summer. all of them by the end of next school year.

[john_childs]

Lars' method is described here
<http://lar5.com/cube/>

I have made it through his solution once by using the instructions on his web site. Kind of cool to actually solve the cube efficiently for once.

I know two methods to solve the cube. A top layer, middle layer, and bottom layer approach. And a top layer, bottom layer, middle layer approach. Both are very inefficient. But I figured out the top, middle, bottom method on my own with no cheat sheet or solution book so I am rather fond of it even though it is probably the worlds least efficient method for actually solving the cube (my solution is worse than any published solution that I've seen).

[James_Potter]

I know 4 ways to solve it: layer by layer, corners first, top layer-bottom layer-middle layer, and Lars Petrus' solution.
And yes, if you memorize all the algorithms, then the Fridrich method is super-fast. But most people don't want to learn 200+ algs. I'm having trouble learning 30. LOL I have a bad memory, though.

[iunicycle]

The Lars Petrus method is the only one I know. I have a small brain, and my working memory is smaller still. With Lars method, you only need to know 5 or 6, can't remember, algorithms. All are just for the top layer, once you have the other two finished. Getting to two layers is real simple and doesn't require much thought.

[James_Potter]

Yeah, most people can get two layers rather easily, after working on it for a while. The last layer is what stumps them, though.

[cybeross]

My knee surgery inspired me to learn the many fridrich algs. It is only difficult to do in THEORY, once you actually start sitting down and learning, the whole process is pretty fast. I think it's worth it, but that's only if you care about being REALLY fast.

[James_Potter]

I just thought of something... If there's something like 1200 algs for the bottom layer, and only a few hundred if the edges are correctly oriented(using the Petrus method), then maybe /I/ ought to break my knee to start learning them! LOL
But I find that the best way to get really good at the cube is to have an entire summer completely void of social life. That gives you a long time to learn stuff.

[puttfreeuni]

it is odd the amount of unicyclist that can solve a rubiks cube...o well. anyways my best time is 1min and 30 secs. i wanna get under 1 min...but idk if that will happen especially with my cube that is mega sticky i was using my friends when i got my record.

[timtimtimmy]

Rubiks cubes should burn in hell

[James_Potter]

Hurrah for Hell!

[vuniw]

i can do it!

[iridemymuni]

i just stumbled upon this thread.

my current 5x5 record for me still stands at 9:27 still.

how bout you guys

[abarnhart]

I used to be really into speedcubing...I had it consistently around 40 seconds.

I kind of stopped...I could do it reasonably fast, and I had no desire to compete in any competitions. If I wanted to get any faster I'd have had to memorize dozens of algorithms, and I didn't really want to. I can still do it fast enough to impress non-cubers, and I guess that's kind of the point.

I built up quite a collection though...tons of 3x3x3s, a couple 2x2x2s, two 4x4x4s, and a 5x5x5. I also have a Square-One, and a Megaminx. Megaminx's are really cool...and they're actually not very hard to solve at all, they just take a long time. I think my Megaminx is still my favorite puzzle.

Then I got really into juggling, and now I'm getting really into unicycling. But with unicycling, my interest in juggling hasn't really gone away. These two seemed to be much more linked, despite being physically totally unrelated.

[snowblader]

Yes I do it! can do a rubix barell in just uder a minuit when im good! (havent got a 3x3 cube) and can do a 4x4 in about 5.30!!

[maestro8]

it is odd the amount of unicyclist that can solve a rubiks cube
That must be a typo. You're missing an 'a'... let me correct that:

"...the amount of a unicyclist that can solve a rubik's cube..."

I'd think it'd take 100% of a unicyclist, but then, all one needs is a brain, eyes and two hands... so what percentage is that? It may be odd or even, depending on how you slice it...

[Naomi]

I just thought of something... If there's something like 1200 algs for the bottom layer, and only a few hundred if the edges are correctly oriented(using the Petrus method), then maybe /I/ ought to break my knee to start learning them! LOL
But I find that the best way to get really good at the cube is to have an entire summer completely void of social life. That gives you a long time to learn stuff.



Doesn't anybody else think it is cheating to learn and use somebody else's method to solve these things?
Rather like seeing how quickly you can copy the answers from today's paper into yesterday's crossword. Or remembering the sequence for solitaire.

I am making progress, slow progress, on working out how to solve a 20 colour dogic. No clues please....DON'T tell me!!

Nao

[James_Potter]

Doesn't anybody else think it is cheating to learn and use somebody else's method to solve these things?
Rather like seeing how quickly you can copy the answers from today's paper into yesterday's crossword. Or remembering the sequence for solitaire.

I am making progress, slow progress, on working out how to solve a 20 colour dogic. No clues please....DON'T tell me!!

Nao
Except that the cube is different every time. So basically you can compare it to studying your vocabulary or whatever, in order to be more likely to know the answer to a crossword puzzle.

[bob1993]

i can solve them in about a minute and a half

[PKHodgie]

my record was 2.15 for 3by3 rubiks cube with the layer by layer method. then i tried speed cubing and the cube literally exploded on me so i gave up and havnt touched a cube since

[Tomahawk]

My record is 1:58 blind

[snowblader]

Ye, there definately is a connection. and for those of you who are learning, i learnt off this guy, changes it a bit, but his vids are amazing, and he teaches 4x4 and 5x5 as well.
www.youtube.com/thrawst

[jaco_flans]

I can solve a Rubik's cube 3x3x3 51.17 sec.(my personnal record).
I can solve 2x2x2,3x3x3,4x4x4 and i dont try the 5x5x5 but I think a can solve it... i know algorithm:confused: only for the 3x3x3 for the rest I find it myself...:D

excuse me for my english...