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Siamese Mirror Blocks Algorithms

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing on March 8, 2014 by slateman

siamese-mirror-blocksI got this one a few months back and was entirely stumped. It’s only the second cube to leave me without a solution completely. (The other is WitEden’s Camouflage 3x3x4 – and I think I broke that one!) Anyways, thanks to MartyWolfman’s marvelous tutorial; I can now solve it! I love cubing but I’m not the most brilliant at coming up with my own algorithms and solutions. For this one, he used a lot of beginner’s method algorithms: something I’d forgotten entirely! For purposes of going back to this puzzle, here are some algorithms and methods of solving. I might need this entry someday!

Inserting Middle Layer

Right + Back
R / U / R / U / R / U’ / R’ / U’ / R’

Right + Front
R’ / U’ / R’ / U’ / R’ / U / R / U / R

Last-Layer Situations

  • If Dot (Algorithm 2x)
  • If L (Place L in F & R)
  • If Bar (Place on L & R)

Turn top 2 layers to the R face = Y
Y’ / R / Y / R / U / R’ / U’ / Y’ / R’ / Y

Then fix BR bottom corner
R’ / U2 / R (to orient)
R’ / U’ / R

Then re-fix middle layer

Orient Last Layer

One top piece last layer facing you on left
R / U / R’ / U / R / U2 / R’

Put proper piece on BR
R / U2 / R’ / U’ / R / U’ / R’

Final Layer Edge-Piece 3-Cycle (correct piece in back)
R / U’ / R / U / R / U / R / U’ / R’ / U’/ R2

4×4 Edge Parity Algorithm

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing on February 21, 2014 by slateman

4x4I hate this algorithm and I always forget it. Having just purchased a 4x4x6 cuboid, I found the first time I got close to solving it, I ran into this familiar parity. So…for the purposes of ease (i.e. I can look it up on my site whenever!) here’s the algorithm!!!

r2, B2, U2, l, U2, r’, U2, r, U2, F2, r, F2, l’, B2, r2

3x4x5 Get! Solved…Finally!

Posted in Algorithms, Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing on April 28, 2013 by slateman

3x4x5 CuboidI received my Tom Z’s 3x4x5 Cuboid last Monday and took the time to tension, lubricate and sticker it. Later that night it exploded, with several internal pieces coming out. Since i didn’t know how to fix that, I took the whole thing apart and 90 minutes later it was in usable form. There is one inner-layer piece that will bandage one layer if placed improperly. Ah, what a nightmare.

In any event, after getting it done, I mixed it up again and started to solve it. However, I messed up on one of the layers which caused parity and I was stuck. Fortunately, solving this was a lot like a 3x3x2 and a 3x3x5 (or 7) and getting it back to cuboid state while avoiding massive parity was not difficult. Once I figured that out, I was able to solve the rest with just that one parity algorithm (modified for even/odd configurations). On Thursday, I solved it!!! No cube has ever stumped me for a full week before. Now that I’ve done it, I still get caught on some situations, but it’s not altogether too difficult once you grasp it all. Solving this was pretty cool. I’ll post that one algorithm in case I ever forget it!

All in all, it’s a very cool puzzle. I’d like to get the 4x4x6 as well. Not an every-day solve, but definitely impressive and fun to work through!

Even Parity
Uu2 R2 F2 Uu2 U2 F2 R2 Uu2

Odd Parity
Uu2 R2 F2 Uu2 F2 R2 Uu2

Mega/Gigaminx Algorithms

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing with tags , on April 20, 2013 by slateman

megaminxI find both the Megaminx and Gigaminx to be fun puzzles to solve but I always get stuck on the last layer. The last two steps get me every time. Then, I take a little break from the puzzles and forget the algorithms again the next time! In fact, my Gigaminx has sat unsolved (last-layer corner orientation and permutation) for well over a week. The puzzle is quite impressive when solved. With the last layers unsolved…not so much. SO, let’s do it!

Last-Layer Orientation: Clockwise (Turn cube so top is L)
R’ U’ R U

Last-Layer: Counter-Clockwise
U’ R’ U R

(Tip: Prime/Regular – If Counter, U first)

Last-Layer Permutation
R’ D R…R’ D’ R

Not so bad! These are all from LanceTheBlueKnight’s Megaminx Tutorial. :D

3x3x5 Step-By-Step

Posted in Algorithms, Cubing with tags on December 1, 2012 by slateman

The 3x3x5 is definitely an interesting cube. I want to solve it like a standard 3x3x3 but there’s definitely more to it. I’ve used stevenarducci’s guides (#2 and #3) as they are quite helpful. Using his beginner method, I figured I’d break it down so it’s easier to follow…at least until I memorize it! There are only a few new algorithms. So, let’s see. Here are the steps and algorithms.

  • Solve mid-level ‘cross’
  • Solve 3x3x3 Grid
  • Slot Corners – use opposite
    • R2 U R2 U’ R2
  • Solve Top-Mid layer Corners
    • Headlights on left – R2 U R2 U’ R2 (U’ D) R2 U’ R2 U R2
  • Top-Mid Edge Adjacent Swap
    • R2 U R2 U / R2 U2 R2 U2 / R2 U R2 U’ R2
  • Top-Mid Edge Opposite Swap
    • R2 U2 R2 U2 R2
  • Parity
    • Pieces on L & R – Uu2 R2 F2 (Uu2 U2) F2 R2 Uu2 F2
  • Solve top-mid-level ‘cross’
  • Top Slot Corners
  • Top Corners
  • Top Edges

Curvy Copter Jumbling Algorithms

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing on November 5, 2012 by slateman

I solved the Curvy Copter with jumbling today and it just about destroyed my brain. I was so confused. I was swapping pieces everywhere. It was a mess. But, I finished. And I guess I’ll go down that path again sometime soon. When I do, I’d like to have some idea of what to do and where to go. Here are the jumbling algorithms from RedKB’s tutorial. Let’s see if these make any sense when I look back upon them!

Flip LL Middle Edges
JR JL F

Swap FL & RB (Change Top Back triangles)
R L JR F R L

Top Front Right triangle & RB triangle (top back triangles-same color)
R L JR F R L // F R F R (to cycle 3 triangles (FL/TFR/RB)

Top Left & Front Left triangles
L R J(up-right / back-left) (B?) R L

Thanks to qqwref for the last alg!

Curvy Copter Get!

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing on November 3, 2012 by slateman

When shopping for my newest cube purchase, I had a few things in mind. The first was the Rex Flower Cube, but upon inspection, it really just looked like a pretty Skewb. I like the colors and the patterns but the solution looked just like a Skewb and I never solve that puzzle. It’s pretty boring and not very challenging.

So, while I am also looking to get a 3x3x5 and start going down that path, I decided to forego those desires and grab the Curvy Copter. I checked out RedKB’s non-jumbling tutorial (jumbling here) and placed my order. Today it arrived and it’s a rather solid, fun puzzle. Like some other puzzles before it, this one took me a little bit to wrap my head around. It was hard to conceptualize what I wanted to do initially. However, once I started understanding it, the puzzle became quite fun, albeit somewhat easy.

Now, I need to graduate to jumbling to really start challenging myself. However, for now it’s a pretty cool new addition to the collection and I look forward to getting better. Some algorithms to help…

Edge switcher for weird cases: R L JR F R L
Easy edge 3 cycle: F R F R

Permute Corners CCW (FL=correct) R L B L B R B L B L
Permute Corners CW (FR=correct) L R B R B L B R B R

Orient Corners CCW (FL) F R B L x6
Orient Corners CW (FL) L B R F x6

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Fisher Cube Parity

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing with tags on June 24, 2012 by slateman

Fisher Parity

The first time I tried solving the Fisher Cube, I encountered an interesting problem on the last layer. This was something I never came across on the Windmill Cube and in retrospect, I have no clue how I fixed it. I think I messed up the whole lot and didn’t have it the second time through. In searching online for parity fixes, most people find themselves in a very different position. This suggests their solution is very different from mine. The good news is that I don’t get the other parity error using my method. This should be the only parity alg I need to worry about. I’ve tossed it here as I’m going to forget this. Anyways, here it is…I found it on a German YouTube video.

(R U’2 R’ U)*2 (z) L’ U’ L

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New Cubes Get!

Posted in Algorithms, Blog, Cubing on March 28, 2012 by slateman

New Cubes Get!

I ordered these cubes on Saturday and they arrived on Tuesday. Now THAT is service! I’m super thrilled as these are three interesting new additions to the collection. Now, I must say that I’m having a tough time with the Megaminx and am completely bewildered by the Windmill Cube. The Void Cube just has that one parity issue, but it’s rather fun. The others…I’m so confused. I don’t care though! I’ve got new cubes!

The Megaminx is solved largely like a standard 3×3, but wrapping my mind around that concept isn’t working too well. I’m just…so confused. The Windmill Cube (YJ Wheel Puzzle) is just too strange for me to grasp. I’m having such an hard time understanding how the entire thing works.

Void Cube Parity Algorithms
Swap UF with UR
R F’ L2 F2 U’ D R’ F B’ D’ F2 D F’
U2 R2 D R’ L B’ R2 F2 U D’ R’ F’ B U

Swap UF with UB
U F’ L’ B U’ R’ L2 D L’ D’ B R L2 U
F L R’ B U2 D’ F U L’ U’ L R’ D’ F’ R’

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