March 27th, 2009
I’ve come across wanting something like this for a while. I’ve never liked searching speedsolving.com with the site’s search, because it will never tell you where the word or phrase occurs. Sure I could have done that with Google with a simple “term site: speedsolving.com” but I wanted something more comprehensive. Thus SquareSearch (powered by Google) was created and there is now an easier way you can search algorithms, terms, and people for cubing all at once!
The problem of course is that there needs to be more sites that the engine goes through. Somehow I left out a couple big resources when creating the list. Again that’s where the user comes in, adding to the list is easy (for the user, I have to then slave away for one or two minutes adding the site to the list).
In short I hope it’s used a lot, I’m not going to be around much longer to answer every one’s questions all the time on YouTube and make videos as frequently. So hopefully Square Search will fill in where I leave off, which is actually a lot. But I’m not gone yet, that’s a ways off from now, until then enjoy, keep using, and improving SquareSearch.
Tags: Speedcubing, square search, video, Website
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November 24th, 2008
I admit I’m very hesitant about posting this announcing a new system or method that I am using. Mostly because it is so similar to Petrus, yet at the same time not at all. I’ll mostly let the reader decide what to call it and tripple check with people before naming it after someone (especially me). Soooo here’s the story.
It’s a late thursday night, I’m cubing, after a hideous 23.xx average but with one amazing 16.xx single. This 16.xx was the last solve of the 5 and I had gotten an extended cross on it (the cross with 1 F2L slot finished) so then I realized, “Hey I always get good times where I have an extended cross or some sort of 2x2x2 form, so why don’t I always start with a 2x2x2 block?” It took only a few solves to try this new system out and sure enough my times dropped. A lot.
Just look at the averages drop.
So after a video glitch in an average of 12 with this new system it seemed to work! So what is it all together? I’ll try to elaborate. Before I start, I think it’s safe to say that color neutrality is very advantageous.
1. Get a 2x2x2 block somehow, doesn’t matter how, sure look ahead a bit for the next slot after it, but you really can’t plan all that well.
2. Finish up the next two layers either by adding the two last edges to make an extended cross. Or by making the 2x2x2 into a 2x2x3. From the 2x2x3 you can choose the side the LL will be on.
3. Do LL how ever you want to.
So for those interested and who understood those three consise yet complex steps, call the system what it is, and if it isn’t around then what you want. I’ve misnamed things in the past before so I’m not making any calls here just to be safe.
Tags: Speedcubing
Posted in Speedcubing | 30 Comments »
August 19th, 2008
I’ll make a video of this no doubt, but it should be written. Plenty of people have been asking me to go to some competition somewhere. I have to emphasize to them that I can’t go to every competition that comes around in North America. As much as I’d love to my travel range is rather limited, especially during the school year. The Princeton open in 2008 was different, I was on spring break and I had relatives on the east coast that I hadn’t seen in a while, so the competition was convenient in that sense. Other competitions on the East coast would normally not be open to me.
For the most part you can expect me to attend more competitions in the West. California, constantly has compeitions that are well run and orginized, furthermore it seems Colorado is starting to hold more competitions which would be beneficial to me given that most of Colorado is within a 6-8 hour drive away. For now the only thing I can promise to people is the still unannounced Caltech Winter Competition at the San Francisco Exporatorium, there are always fun competitions.
Tags: competitions, Speedcubing
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March 30th, 2008
There have been three competitions in the last two days one three different continents, included are several new records pushing the competition even further in the world of speedcubing. We’ll go in reverse order.
Chattahoochee Spring: Chris Hardwick (my cubing hero) is back setting the world records for solving big cubes blindfolded again. Now that Mayas Kuti is out of competition for a few years the Blindfolded events are going to see some major competition. Already the contest for the first official (and legal) sub-minute solve is under way, the closest person to it seeming to be Rowe Hessler, claiming an astounding 54.77 Blindfolded average of 12 last week. But until he gets to a competition, the record still stands at 1:00.62 set by Alexander Yu at Princeton last week.
Danish Open: There were no world records set at this competition, again now that Kuti is out, European competitions are going to be a little more saturated, as in a lot more National Records, less World Records. The only other thing which I find more funny about this competition is that former world record holder Erik Akkersdijk won everything except three events. Made me laugh anyway.
Osaka Open: This competition was filled with World Records, most significant being the World Record 3×3 average World Champion Yu Nakajima set at 11.33! His times (16.69) , 12.56, (10.46), 10.72, 10.71 are proof that he is capable of a sub-11 or possibly even a sub-10 average in a competition. Giving the best solvers on all continents a run for their money. Other World Records include Takayuki Ookusa‘s World Record single solve of 1:27.43 and his average of 1:35.04, which coincidently equals my personal best for the 4×4!
So that’s it for this weekend, until next time keep cubing!
Tags: competitions, Speedcubing
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