from Hacker News

Rubik's Cube Solutions, Puzzles, and 8-Balls (2023)

by wonger_ on 3/27/25, 1:40 PM with 4 comments

  • by opan on 3/29/25, 5:58 PM

    For anyone trying to get into speedcubing, I'd recommend YouTube tutorials from channels like J Perm, especially his Beginner Method tutorial, which I found taught me much better than any written resources I was finding. He keeps the alg count lower at a slight cost to efficiency, but this makes memorizing it a lot easier, and you can still get solve time down to a minute or two after enough practice.

    For learning Roux method (my favorite), I found CriticalCubing's videos most helpful, though Kian Mansour is also quite popular, and SpeedCubeReview has some Roux videos as well.

    For the actual cube, check out which cubes under $15 are popular on speedcubeshop or an equivalent online store in your country. I haven't bought one in a few years, but the MoYu RS3M 2020 and 2021 were both quite good. I would recommend picking up the extra magnets to add in, and a bottle of cube lube (as silly as it sounds, it keeps things working well for longer, and you only need a few drops). Generally the Rubik's brand cubes are seen as worse than any modern Chinese cubes (patents expired a while back).

  • by Projectiboga on 3/29/25, 6:24 PM

    I started at the beginning 81 or 82. Sent away for the official Ideal Toys bought a few books too. I had both the ideal and the more popular top, middle bottom solution. I figured out how to reverse the corner flip move and w that one hack I can still do under a minute. The ideal is simple. Top minus one edge, bottom corners place, orient bottom corners. Fill the bottom and top edges, then the middle. Very few paterns. Yes not to most step efficient but way less to memorize. I figured out early to leave to speed cubing to the nerds. Being able to solve under a minute is enough to put you near the top of any social group. https://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/The_Ideal_Soluti...

  • by tempodox on 3/29/25, 7:31 PM

    Great collection. That crazy mouse on Jessica Fridrich's site is especially refreshing.