Tech-savvy time-saver: The 1% - Thanks to Prof. Rubik

An easy one - but not sure if it'll lead to any broad transfer (that is, will this facility lead to better performance in other areas?). It did work out my mnemonic creation ability though.. Next, need to get into speed cubing. I'm a laugh - I can do the thing walking to the grocery store, but I'm taking 10 minutes :)

Here are the mnemonics (add a comment to suggest better ones!)

ri di rd for putting white corner pieces correctly
(Duolinguist has a good one - Ride the Dirty Red Dragon) (that doc is ood, but, this one, if a bit long w, works)

Then, for a top to right re-positioning of a middle layer edge piece, it's

ur i(ur) i(uf) uf -- probably better remembered as UR i(UR UF) UF -- so you basically only need UR, UF at the tip of your tongue.

For a top to left re-positioning of a middle layer edge piece, it's

Wiley Uluf used WiFi (UiLi UL UF UiFi)

Then, if you have just one yellow center piece or the rev-L, then it's

The FURry doc said URF : FUR i(URF)

If it's a horizontally oriented straight yellow line, it's

Beat a straight path to the FRUit tree to find the it's rough :

FRU i(RUF)

Now you have your cross.

If you have no corner pieces correct, you orient one of the side yellows at 8 o'clock

If you have one correct, in addition to the cross, put that (top edge of course) at
7 o'clock. Note that 7 o'clock top-edge is different from 7 o'clock vertical faces..
Vertical faces go from 12 o'clock to 11 o'clock. The top edges are 12, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10

If you have 2 corners correct, then you need to orient one vertical yellow facing you
at 7 o'clock

Do : Are you Rui's sister? are you Uri? RU RiU RU URi
(Riu is Rui's sister - I actually know somoene called Rui)

Do this till you get the top face completely jaundiced.

Then, see how many corner pieces are correct. If it's none, do the below move once.

If it's one, same gun. If it's 2, then if it's
AB
CD

for the corner pieces, you need to position so that AB are correct, or AD are correct.
Then do the move :

Rif and Ribb Arfie, Ribb Ararui (yes, I know. If you have a better one, do share)

This is : RiF RiBB RFi RiBB RRUi

You may have to do this more than once. Once done, you'll only have the center pieces to
work on. For that, you have to see whether you want them to move clock wise or counter.

For clockwise :

Inside FF and F (Father Franklin is Famous)

Uluf split himself watching a rif of FLIR. (Uluf becomes UL something UF)
Something is RiF FLiR

So : FF UL RiF FLiR UF F

May have to do it more than once.

For counter clockwise, you just invert the U's in Uluf --> UiLUiF

Now, what if you wanted to get into speed cubing? Where should you start?

🧩 Drill #1 — Cross Mastery (White Cross on Bottom)

Goal:
Solve the white cross on the bottom layer blindly and consistently under 10 seconds.

Why this first:
Every speedcubing method (CFOP, Roux, ZZ, etc.) depends on quick and intuitive cross building. The cross is the foundation for every solve, and getting it efficient and instinctive will make all other progress easier.

Scramble normally (random scramble).
Before turning, look for how to solve the white cross in your head. Don’t start turning until you can see the full 4-edge solution.
Execute the cross on the bottom, not top. This trains your spatial awareness for full inspection planning.
Time yourself only for the cross stage. Aim for 15 s → 10 s → 7 s.

📈 Focus Points

Keep the white center on bottom from the start — no cube rotations mid-solve.
Minimize move count: optimal crosses are often 6–8 moves.
Learn to plan ahead during the 15-second WCA inspection.

⏱️ Drill Routine

10 scrambles × 3 rounds daily.
After each round, review your cross solutions — can you do it in fewer moves?
Use tools like csTimer or CubeSkills cross trainer to visualize optimal crosses.

Once you can reliably execute a white cross under 10 s with < 8 moves average, we’ll move to the F2L pair-insertion drill — that’s the next natural step.

Does it matter what cube you use?

You bet! Speed cubes are:

🧩 1. Mechanically Optimized for Speed

Speed cubes are designed to turn fast and smoothly without locking up. They have:

Corner-cutting: pieces can twist up to ~45° out of alignment and still complete a turn.
Anti-pop design: pieces lock into a central mechanism so the cube doesn’t explode during fast moves.
Adjustable tensioning: you can tighten or loosen the springs under the center caps for your preference.

⚙️ 2. Magnetic Stabilization

Most modern speed cubes have small magnets inside the edges and corners that gently snap the faces into place.
→ This gives precision and stability at high speed — like auto-centering for your fingers.

🪶 3. Lightweight and Smooth Materials

They use engineered plastics and advanced lubricants (like silicone-based lubes) to reduce friction.
Traditional Rubik’s cubes can feel “gritty” or stiff in comparison.

🎛️ 4. Customization

High-end models (like GAN, Moyu, or QiYi) include:

Adjustable spring or tension systems.
Swappable magnet strengths.
Lubrication kits.
These let you tune the cube exactly to your turning style.

So, what to choose?

MoYu RS3 M V5 — Widely praised for offering modern features (magnetic, adjustability) at a budget-friendly price. Often called one of the best value options.
MoYu RS3 M 2020 Magnetic — A classic “starter speed cube” that many people use as their first upgrade from plain cubes.
QiYi Warrior M — Very affordable and good performance for the price. Great if you want to test speedcubing without a big investment.
Rubik’s Magnetic Speed Cube (official) — For people who like the official brand but want something built for speed.
MeiLong 3×3 M — Ultra-budget magnetic cube. You get very good performance relative to cost.
SCS Speed Cube Pro 3×3 Magnetic — Mid-tier; good stepping stone toward stronger cubes.
GAN 356 M — Excellent “stepping stone to flagship” cube. Very polished, reliable.
GAN 11 M Pro — A full-fledged flagship cube with a lot of customization. Might be overkill for a beginner, but it's great if you want a cube you’ll grow into.

💡 Tips When Choosing and Using a Beginner Cube

Start modest: Don’t feel pressured to jump straight to top-tier flagship cubes. A $10–$25 good speed cube will let you learn mechanics, algorithms, and finger tricks without frustrating stiffness.
Adjust it: Use the tensioning or spring system to find a feel you like. Looser is easier to turn fast; tighter gives more control.
Lubricate carefully: A little silicone-based cube lube (a drop or two) can greatly improve smoothness.
Practice maintenance: Occasionally take it apart, clean, re-lube, and reassemble. This keeps performance high as you get more use.
Try different feels: As you improve, you’ll learn whether you like a “fast and loose” cube or something more stable and controlled.

Tech-savvy time-saver

Sunday, November 08, 2015

The 1% - Thanks to Prof. Rubik