I purchased a pair of new cubes this past week on eBay. The first is a pretty standard 2x2x3. Now, the box said it was a Z-Cubes cube, but I’m thinking it’s a Lan-Lan due to the color scheme. It’s identical to that of my Lan-Lan Void Cube. As a puzzle, it’s pretty straight forward and standard and more of a filler piece than anything else. The other cube is a DianSheng Diamond Tank (listed as Crystal Skewb online). This one (shown to the left) is actually a very cool. It’s a 3x3x3 shape mod to make a 14-sided puzzle, adding grey as the last two colors. This can have parity but is otherwise an identical solve to a standard 3x3x3. However, it’s a very neat spin on the classic and I’m pretty happy to have added it to the collection.
Archive for the Cubing Category
New Cubes Get: Cheap Ones!!!
Posted in Blog, Cubing on September 1, 2013 by slatemanNew Cubes: Thoughts (Camouflage 3x3x4 & FF 3x3x5)
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing on August 16, 2013 by slateman
I sold The Last Of Us (remarkable game) and got myself a pair of cubes for less than $2. I was psyched to add to the collection, like always, but this first one is more of a replacement/upgrade. After my surgery and hospital visit, I returned to work to find my Cube4U 3x3x5 gone. I haven’t located it in the seven months prior so I figured why not get a fully-functional 3x3x5 this time. The cube is identical in solving methods; it just adds a shape-shifting element to its first step. However, I find it just to be OK. The cube is great, though a little lube wouldn’t hurt, but I guess after a 3x3x5 and 3x3x7, the simple method of solving isn’t so exciting. There’s nothing wrong w/ the cube…and it’s certainly worth the money. It’s just not my favorite.
Now to a completely different puzzle. The WitEden Camouflage 3x3x4. This holds a special place in the collection because I have absolutely no clue how to solve it. It baffles me and even comprehending its existence proves elusive. I just mean that it’s an entirely different beast. Turning on the axis that it does gives it an element I’ve never seen before (unlike the familiarity of the FF 3x3x5 and I suspect once I figure out WTF is going on, it could be fun. However, for now, it’s in a solved state and may remain that way for a while. This is the first cube to completely beat me (tho the 3x4x5 had me going for a good week). I suppose that’s a good thing…but I can’t say I like it!!!
New Cubes On The Way!
Posted in Blog, Cubing on June 16, 2013 by slateman
Last year, I replaced my Windmill Cube with a new one and that puzzle remains one of my favorites to solve. It’s a lot of fun and while it’s relatively easy, it looks impressive. Now, a year later, the same student who wanted my original puzzle (I ordered one and gave her mine) wanted another one. So, I’m finally getting a Windmill Cube in black and I opted to get a Case Cube as well. This appears to be an extended Windmill Cube, really, and I don’t expect much out of it. However, it only cost me a few bucks in the deal and it should be a cool addition to the ever-growing collection. I’ll post my thoughts when it arrives, likely in a few weeks.
3x4x5 Get! Solved…Finally!
Posted in Algorithms, Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing on April 28, 2013 by slateman
I 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 Gigaminx, Megaminx on April 20, 2013 by slateman
I 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
New Cube Order Placed! 3x4x5 Cuboid!
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing on April 17, 2013 by slatemanI haven’t posted anything in a bit…feeling a bit uninspired to do a lot of stuff, sadly. However, it’s been a while since my last cube order (OK, just 2 months) and I opted to pick up a 3x4x5 cuboid. It’s a different puzzle but looks like it should be pretty cool. I’m excited about it and will now be checking the mailbox daily for a rather impressive addition to the puzzle collection. I’m psyched!!! The shape-shifting element is one of the biggest draws. Can’t wait!!!
New Average-Of-5 Record: 36.32!
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on March 21, 2013 by slateman
33.39, huh? That’s a pretty good time. What would’ve been an incredible record just a few months ago is merely a ‘pretty good time’ now. Well, I have a few minutes to spare, why not another run or two? 38, 37, 34, 37 seconds…WOW. That was five runs in a row of not only under 40, but well under 40! My average-of-five record stood at 39.31. It’s now three seconds better! Wow!
Pretty psyched. That was fun.
New Cubing Record: 3×3 – 31.50!
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on March 19, 2013 by slateman
The scramble left me with a very fortuitous cross and so I had the bottom layer done in less than 10 seconds. The rest of the run was good enough to break my record but I have to admit that in my head, I was hoping for a sub-30. It didn’t happen, but a quarter of a second faster than my fastest ever is still reason to be psyched. I had done a run on my stickerless Zhanchi but returned to the good ol’ black cube for the victory. I love the stickerless, but maybe it needs some tensioning. Who cares! New Record!!!
New Cubing Record: 4×4 – 2:40.67
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on March 19, 2013 by slateman
I still time myself doing 3×3 solves here and there but I’ve mostly abandoned speed cubing other cubes. After breaking both my 2×2 and 3×3 records recently, in the same day, I took a peek at the larger cubes. Until I get a new 6×6 I’m not even going to try and my 5×5 attempts were far from my record (I solved in 6:11, record is just over 5:00). The 4×4 sat there, the spectacular ShengShou cube, and so I tried it. Centers were solved quickly, maybe 30 seconds. It’s that middle edge matching that kills me! Well, ultimately I finished the cube in 2:40.67, less than a second faster than my prior record. While that’s not really a huge deal, breaking my 2×2, 3×3 and 4×4 personal bests all within the same month is pretty cool.
New Cubing Record: 2×2 – 9.66!!!
Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on March 5, 2013 by slatemanWait…what? TWO records on the same day? I haven’t done the 2×2 for speed since…September of 2011! So, since I had such a great 3×3 run (still psyched about that!) I grabbed my old white LanLan (which isn’t nearly as good as the QJ I have at home) and the first run I did came out at 9.66 seconds! WOW. Seriously…two records on the same day! I think this 9.66-second run is certainly a breakable record. Maybe I’ll try a few more runs!
