If you don't know what a "cuber" is, then you aren't one. This will not be for you, but that's OK.
If you don't know what a "cuber" is, then you aren't one. This will not be for you, but that's OK.
Discover them myself? God, no! Great minds have been working on this problem for decades and have come up with a huge variety of "algorithms". There's even a database of algorithms that lists many different ways of solving each of the little patterns. You can pick whichever ones feel most comfortable for you.
You start with a "beginner's guide" (or two), learn about 9 algorithms through repetition and then you'll always be able to solve the puzzle—just not particularly quickly, as you'll have to repeat some algorithms a few times to solve some patterns. The more algorithms you learn, the fewer of those repetitions you'll need, so the faster you'll solve the puzzle (on average).
As I mentioned below, my other tip is to buy a "speed cube". They are cheaper than the household-name brand and much, much, much nicer to use.
Give it a go. It's like fidget stimming with extra dopamine! Easily worth the investment of £5–£10 and a bit of your down time.
I can do a 3x3x3 and a 1x1x1 (
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My uncle can do all sort of fancy ones though. He’s the one who taught me
The basics are quite simple: you learn that when you see a particular pattern, you perform a particular "algorithm" (a sequence of moves). Keep doing that and you'll solve it. There's no magic involved.
The patterns are just simple arrangements, like two corner pieces on the same layer having the same colour, and things like that. You learn the algorithms off by heart and repeat them often enough that you don't have to think about them to do them (like touch typing). About 9 algorithms of about 6–10 moves each are enough to solve the puzzle. However, you can learn more if you want to solve it faster.
Where I mentioned about being able to solve some parts "by eye", I was referring to a more advanced technique used when trying to solve it quickly. Learning that takes a bit more time and attention to detail, but it's not rocket science.
I tried when they first came out. I've never been able to understand them. Whatever it is you need to see, I don't see it. I expect it is a bit like sudoku or logic puzzles, once you see the patterns it is not so hard.
Ye I've tried. I cannot see it at all.
There are patterns of moves that repeat across several algorithms, they're just reflected or rotated. If you can see them (which I don't think is too difficult if you slow down and watch what's happening), you start to just "know" how to pair up two pieces and slot them home.
With the beginners method I just use muscle memory which is why I can do it. It took me a long time to learn but now it's easy.
I cannot see visually with the FTL technique, that is my issue. I just can't tell where it's meant to go to be able to use only a few of the algorithms.
When you learn the FTL (first two layers) technique, there are loads of algorithms. However, the trick is to learn it more by eye and only rely on two or three of the algorithms that don't make much sense visually (but are really quick to do). It's really nice to just look and see in your mind how all the bits will move about.
For the other stages in solving, I don't rely on visuals at all, just on muscle memory in my fingers.
I wouldn't call myself a cuber but I can solve a Rubik's cube. However, I can only do the beginners method which isn't that fast. I tried to teach myself to speed solve but I can't see it intuitively and there was far too many algorithms to remember.
It's not that hard to solve. It just takes plenty of repetition, so that your fingers learn to do the moves by themselves, a bit like playing a musical instrument, or touch typing.
I learned it all from the guides on https://www.kungfoomanchu.com/. Once you can read the notation (which is pretty simple and is explained there), you just need to learn a couple of dozen "algorithms" and you'll be a cuber in no time.
The main thing is not to use the well-known (eponymous) brand of cube—they are expensive rubbish. Get yourself a nice speed cube from one of those big Chinese shopping sites for about a fiver and you're good to go. (Or fall down the rabbit hole.)
My two kids caught the bug when they were around 7–10 and they could both do it in under 40 seconds.
It's sort of a combination of pattern recognition, fidget stimming and dopamine mining, so I find it very relaxing and engaging. I never got fast, though. My fingers just don't have that kind of dexterity.
I would love to be a cuber if only I could work out how to solve one. I have tried reading and watching videos but it does not make sense. I did have a lesson from a cuber but only got halfway. I hope you have fun cubing.
