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Average Of 5: 41.60!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on January 22, 2013 by slateman

dayan-zhanchiI’ve done a few average of 5 runs in the past few months but I’ve never posted the results. Today is nice and quiet, as all the kids are in school and I haven’t had time to speedcube in a while. So, I tossed the awesome SpeedCube Timer on my phone and went to it. The results were satisfying, particularly because I haven’t gone for speed in weeks. The numbers don’t lie…let’s see how they were!

41.05 / 44.46 / 39.21 / 39.84 / 43.44

Back-to-back sub 40s! That’s pretty solid if I might say so! And after five runs, I averaged 41.6 seconds. I’m unsure what my old record was but I’m fairly certain I never had such a low average of 5. Not bad! Guess it’s worthy of my Cube Records Page!

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

New Cubes Get! Dayan Zhanchi & C4U 3x3x5

Posted in Cubing on November 30, 2012 by slateman

It’s always so awesome to get new cubes and today’s arrival was no exception. Let’s see what I got!!!

The Dayan Zhanchi is the best cube I’ve ever laid my hands on. I really don’t know why I made the choice to get a stickerless Zhanchi but damn it’s smooth!!! It’ll need a bit of lube and definitely needs tensioning but, like my first Zhanchi, this thing is as smooth as butter. Man, I love cubing!

However, I also picked up a Cube4U 3x3x5. Now, this is a different one, with some curious algorithms but it looks pretty cool. I look forward to solving this one a few times but today was rather hectic (go figure).

All in all, this was a cool new cube purchase and both are exciting additions to Cube Collection. Rock and roll!!!

Two New Cubes On The Way!

Posted in Cubing on November 28, 2012 by slateman

As with my coin collection, the new things I want are starting to get expensive. A gigaminx, an 8×8 or a 9×9, etc…In any event, I’m waiting to get a pair of new cubes in the mail. The first is a 3x3x5, which should prove to be pretty interesting. The other is another Dayan Zhanchi, but this time a stickerless one. I never was too fond of the stickerless design but I figured I’d test it out. These should arrive by Saturday. While the latter is merely another 3×3, I’m excited about the 3x3x5. Just after purchasing it, I saw that Cube 4 U also makes a shape-shifting 3x3x5. Wish I’d known that before!!!

New Cubing Record: 3×3 – 31.98!!!

Posted in Cubing, Cubing Records on November 19, 2012 by slateman

I’ve been doing well lately. I’ve had average-of-5 runs in the low 40s. Today, another generic 42-second solve and I thought to myself, “This is it…”

The cross was a lucky shot and my second layer just flowed perfectly. My last-layer solve was better-than-average but skipping my last step probably helped me achieve this mind-blowing 31.98 second solve!!! *ahem* HOLY SHIT! Oh Yeah! So psyched right now!!!

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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UPDATES…..

Posted in Blog, Borderlands, Cubing, DoDon Pachi, Games, Godflesh, Personal, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, The Walking Dead, Yankees on November 2, 2012 by slateman

It’s been a long time and a lot has happened. I’ve had some ups and downs these past few weeks but the good has been rather good. Let’s see…

First off, I’ll be getting a new cube any day now and I’m pretty psyched. It’s a cool one, it’s the curvy copter, and it’s a jumbling puzzle. It should be spectacular.

My Godflesh site turned 17 years old a few weeks ago. That’s insanely old.

Resident Evil 6 and Borderlands 2 – Making progress. Taking forever. Well worth the cashola.

I also picked up Street Fighter X Tekken as well for cheap. I’d played it several months ago and look forward to having it in my library!

The Yankees – I couldn’t even write about this. I still can’t.

The Walking Dead – both the game (episode 4) and show (episode 3) were solid. The game may have been a filler/connector episode and the show an introducer, but both were strong and make me yearn for more. Sadly the game’s sequel must wait quite a while.

Hurricane Sandy – :( So much destruction. :( :(

EPISODE VII!?!?!? I’ll post some thoughts on this soon. It may actually have a chance of being good. Four words – Pirates Of The Caribbean.

DoDonPachi: Maximum came out on the iPad and was on sale so I snatched that up. It’s kinda fun. It’s cool seeing the returning characters/stages/music and it is a pretty good challenge on later levels. I may pick up ESP Galuda II as well.

Enough for now?

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New Cubing Record: 5×5 – 5:02.54! WOW!

Posted in Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records on October 11, 2012 by slateman

Wow. WOW! As I got to my last layer in under 4:50, I couldn’t believe my eyes. My record stood at over 6 minutes for almost a year. One solve last week bested it by 25 seconds; yesterday’s solve shaved another 6 seconds off. Did I just beat that record by 42 seconds?! OH YEAH! ShengShou 5×5 is a beast. My edge pairing must’ve been solid to do that much better! I wrote yesterday that a sub-5:30 solve was a lofty goal. Even that was destroyed! So psyched!

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New Cubing Record: 5×5 – 5:44.76

Posted in Blog, Cubing, Cubing Records with tags on October 10, 2012 by slateman

With the bright lights at my desk at work, the quiet hum of the heater (it was 28 yesterday when I left for work) and the first real solitude in almost a month, I went at my former 5×5 record and managed to top it by 6 seconds! My ShengShou is now an awesome cube now that it’s broken in and I’d have to say it’s even better than my ShengShou 4×4. In any event, it’s another record which shows I’m improving. Centers were solved in 1:20 and the edges were done by just over 4 minutes. As I finished my cross and started F2L, I realized one set of edges was incomplete. That delayed me, meaning my record could’ve been another 10 seconds faster. I guess my new goal is 5:30. Awesome!

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