Hand up, who could actually solve the Rubiks Cube as a kid?

olafgarten

I learnt when I was 12, it's not difficult if you have nothing else to do. What I am surprised at is that my 12 year old self managed to work out how to solve the first 2 layers at the same time without using the Internet. 

I'm not sure if I could still solve it but I don't see why not. 

Sambostar

I did one side then I set fire to it so it melted and bubbled and was unusable after that.

thermionic

FRockStar said:

Anyone remember the snake? Wasn't by Rubik, I don't think, but was a foldable snake,  made up of triangular pieces, you could make into a ball, or make all kinds of animal and other shapes. 

Yes, it was by Rubik. My sister had one, didn't do much. Difficult second album type of thing.

sev112

Mr Sheen made a huge differnece

we had a group of us at school who could do it under 10s, and none of us were brainy kids !  It's not a maths problem - it was collective wisdom working out new moves and then incorporating them

speed comes from not looking at the cube, you only need to see 3 faces at most,often only 2 and sometimes only one, because there are actually very few places that the colour cell you want can be.  

On each step, there are only 3 or 4 moves at most which are repeated.


the faster solvers didn't do top then middle then bottom because that is not a symmetrical process and requires you to look for the bits you need, which takes time and thought


faster technique was top corners, bottom corners, edges then centres
using this technique the actual solves accelerates - you have a mess of all colours and then 4 moves later it all comes together.
and the key behind that is that you are not moving one cell at a time- in moving one, you are necessarily moving another


couldn't do much of one these days - red wine has dissolved the relevant brain cells 

TonyR

Yes I could do it back in the day and I can still do it now, doing it from time to time to keep my hand in. I even still have the same Rubik's cube!

I had a discussion with a chap at work a few years ago who could also do it, he's far more analytical than I am and he'd worked out how to do it in as few moves as possible, consequently he was able to do it extremely quickly. Made me feel rather inferior...

Guitar_Slinger

sev112 said:

Mr Sheen made a huge differnece
...
speed comes from not looking at the cube, you only need to see 3 faces at most,often only 2 and sometimes only one, because there are actually very few places that the colour cell you want can be.  
...
fastertechnique was top corners, bottom corners, edges then centres
using this technique the actual solves accelerates - you have a mess of all colours and then 4 moves later it all comes together.
and the key behind that is that you are not moving one cell at a time- in moving one, you are necessarily moving another

Wow, that's something to think about. I've always done;

One side with the 1st slice, second slice, bottom cross, put the bottom corner in the right place, rotate bottom corners.

Will think about changing the order and seeing where it goes.

DiscoStu

I didn't know that it had an answer, given that the starting point could be different each time you pick it up.
Which is why I've never understood how people can break records for solving it as each case must be different. To 'solve' it it must be a puzzle. If record attempts are based on a regulation starting point then all that people are doing is learning the sequence and then it's just a speed contest.

Caffeined

Not as a kid, but I can do it now in about 2 minutes.
Learnt after I saw my drunk mate do it in about 14 seconds.

olafgarten

DiscoStu said:

I didn't know that it had an answer, given that the starting point could be different each time you pick it up.
Which is why I've never understood how people can break records for solving it as each case must be different. To 'solve' it it must be a puzzle. If record attempts are based on a regulation starting point then all that people are doing is learning the sequence and then it's just a speed contest.

There are certain sequences of turns that you need to do to move the pieces in a certain way, you just apply those in the right sequence as fast as possible. Professionals can basically work out what they need to do by only looking at the cube once.

WezV

Professionals?

RobDavies

Could do one side but never had the patience to learn how to complete it. 

The snake was my thing..... snake to ball in sub seven seconds.