slateblog

I wasn’t too enamored with summer cube purchases but last night’s 2x4x6 victory was quite a memorable one. I went back to the face-turning octahedron today and tried Super Antonio Vivaldi’s tutorial. I conquered this one in the past but it wasn’t all too fun. Trying this again…I don’t know if it really is. The eight-faced beast challenges my brain…I guess that’s a good thing. Anyways, algorithms that I keep forgetting…

Years later I’m updating this section to be a bit more clear. I’ve gotten a bit better at things by now (February 2022, to be specific) so let’s hope it’s even easier in the future!!!

Step 1: Get 3 corners
This is intuitive. Get all the corners on one color’s face set up properly. Don’t worry about anything else.

Step 2: Solve remaining corners
Place your first face downwards and scope out the top. You’re going to get the next three corners aligned. We’re going to use the standard algorithm here, but where we begin depends on how things turn.

You should have one corner piece in the proper spot here and aligned properly. (I suppose if you don’t, do this algorithm twice).

Holding the pointy corner towards you, you’ll do the traditional D, D, U, U.

If you start R’, L, R, L’

• Both the front and right corners will swap spots clockwise and they’ll rotate.
• The left corner will slide right but won’t rotate.
• Thus, keep the properly-aligned piece in the left corner and do this algorithm.

If you start L, R’, L’, R

• Both the front and left corners will swap spots counter-clockwise and they’ll rotate.
• The right corner will slide left but won’t rotate.
• Thus, keep the properly-aligned piece in the right corner and do this algorithm.

Step 3: Solve edges
Now we’re going to rotate edge triangles. This 3×3 algorithm is slightly modified and is done with the right and top faces. You’ll hold the puzzle with a tip facing you, but angled downwards so the algorithm can be done using the top layer. (2024 translation: Hold with the V looking at you) This will rotate three edges, either clockwise or counter-clockwise and will require deconstruction/reconstruction to get everything in order. I try to refrain from using two moves-algorithm-undo those two moves b/c my brain isn’t so smart.

Clockwise: R, U, R’, U, R, U, R’, U
Counterclockwise: R’, U’, R, U’, R’, U’, R, U’

Step 3: 3-Cycle centers
This moves the UR center to UL center to LL center (left face, left center)
Use the face with the 1 center and slice down. (a M’, I suppose)
Your LL center should now be in the UR center spot
R down, L down, R up
Move the slice back
R down, L up, R up

Maybe I should just quit cubing entirely. My recent purchases are all giving me a hard time and I feel less and less capable of doing any of this any more! Today, I’ve gotten closer to solving the 2x4x6 cuboid. Closer. I haven’t done it yet. I say this because I purchased it in July. That’s three months ago. It’s stumped me for more than three months.

My woes may soon come to a close, though. I think I might be able finish this. The problem is I never feel like I have time to dedicate to it. I couldn’t even write this post without having a child of mine climb all over me.

However, I hope for success to be in my future. Using Super Antonio Vivaldi’s parity tutorial, I’m working through the last few stragglers. I’ll forego writing about the first steps for now and get into the last parity algorithms.

First, get the orange & red touching white & yellow edge pieces. Then get the middle-center edge pieces (for me, green & blue touching white & yellow). You may encounter parity here. Then get the outer center edge pieces using the same algorithms.

The inner centers are next. Inner 2×2 blocks are done just like doing the last centers on a higher-order standard cube. Line up the centers, down, right, down, left, up, right, up, left. Hope that still makes sense. Outer centers are last and can use the same parity algorithms, though that’s where I’m stuck as I write this. Here’s what you need to know.

Even Layered Parity (4 edge pieces swap)(Same as 3x4x5)
2U 2R 2F 2U 2u 2F 2R 2U

Brick Parity (3 edge pieces swap)(Right side)
2F U 2R U’ 2L U 2R U’ 2L
2F 2r 2F
2L U 2R U’ 2L U 2R U’
2F 2r

Brick Parity (Left Side)
2F U’ 2L U 2R U’ 2L U 2R
2F 2l 2F
2R U’ 2L U 2R U’ 2L U
2F 2l

This works for inner or outer centers. Here’s how these pieces move.

The left side brick parity would rotate 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 1 and our view of the back layer would be (as you flip & look at it):
3 – – –
– – – 1

The front layer would be
2 – – –
– – – –

Right would be opposite. Dunno if this helps.

Floppy Parity (2 Edges – Front-Left piece + Down-Back-left piece)
2R 2B 2U L 2U R’ 2U R 2U 2F R 2F L’ 2B 2R
(Then do 2l and Red Bull 2x more)

Edit: Solved It!!! Three months of frustration! Now…to put it on the shelf proper or to scramble again? Hmmm. :)