My Cube Collection

2 Vids of Mine

2x2x2 Solves

Can't do 2x2x2 solves due to learning the Ortega Method.

Pyraminx Explosion

Yeah. Today, my Pyraminx popped. Big deal. Really?

Okay. So, um...I was playing with my Pyraminx this morning and suddenly, it popped. I tried fixing it but no matter what, it fell apart again. I finally found out that the core fractured apart, and now it is unusable.

Good thing I may getting a new one...In August.

Square 1 Pretty Pattern

In this post, I will be showing you a pretty pattern that you can do on the Square 1. It is called the Checkerboard-Cross.

Here is the alg:

1,0/-1,-1/4,-2/-1,-1/3,-2

Comment, Comment, Comment! Update

Bashar is currently in the lead. Hooray!

(My comments didn't count and neither did Anonymous' comment. The anonymous person was me :))

Another QJ Post

QJ 4x4x4s and QJ 5x5x5s are winners, but I'm not allowed to buy them here in America. I think it's because you can get QJs for much, much less in China. I went on a Chinese cube-selling website, and they were only 45 RMB! That's just over 6 bucks, if converted into USD, while at speedcubeshop.com, they are 12 bucks (~82 RMB).

Now I have to wait 'till August to get my QJs. :(

LanLan 2x2x2 vs. Eastsheen 2x2x2

In this post, I will be comparing the LanLan 2x2x2 with the Eastsheen 2x2x2. So let's get to it.

First, I will be talking about the price of the cubes and where you can get it. The LanLan 2x2x2 is rather cheap. You can get them for around 4 bucks on Popbuying. Compare this to the Eastsheen. I got mine for like 8 or 9 bucks on eBay.

Next, I will be talking about the stickers and size. I have had the Eastsheen for about 6 months now, and there are only minor peels on the clear outer layers. From what I've heard as of now, the Eastsheen's stickers are better, but I'll see for myself. The Eastsheen and the LanLan are the same size. They are around 2x2x2 inches (5.08x5.08x5.08 cm.) large. This is a very good size to handle 2x2x2s. Comparing this to the Rubik's Ice Cubes, the LanLan and the Eastsheen are easier to handle with than the Rubik's Ice Cube. Both the LanLan and the Eastsheen 2x2x2 have the correct color scheme, despite magenta (on Eastsheen) and purple (on LanLan) instead of orange.

Now, I will be talking about the internal mechanism. I do not know about the Eastsheen 2x2x2's inner mechanism, so I will only be talking about the LanLan 2x2x2's inner mechanism. The LanLan 2x2x2's inner mechanism is like a 3x3x3, with edge pieces except the core axis is on a corner piece and the edge pieces arent colored. The corners are large and they cover the edge pieces inside the core. There is a screw-spring mechanism, which means it can cut corners really well. The LanLan 2x2x2 is easy to disassemble and reassemble. I have done it like ten times, no problemo.

This part is about the gliding of the two cubes. I just love hoew the Esatsheen glides. With little force, it can glide 180 degrees to 270 degrees, sometimes even 360 degrees or 450 degrees with a little more force. I have nothing to say, the Eastsheen just has perfect gliding. The LanLan is also pretty good at gliding, even though it doesn't beat the Eastsheen. At regular force, the LanLan usually glides about 90-120 degrees. Not bad. Wit more force, it can get up to 180-270 degrees. The LanLan and the Eastsheen are both great gliders, so in that topic, they both get full score.

Then, I will be talking about smoothness and corner cutting. Both the LanLan and the Eastsheen are very smooth on all sides, except the Eastsheen is a little tiny tad-bit sandy. The Eastsheen does not have a modified screw-spring mechanism core, so corner cutting is at most 10 degrees, or about a quarter of a cubie. The LanLan, on the other hand, has a modified core so it can cut corners easily at large angles, like 20 degrees (4/10 of a cubie). And with some force, 30 degrees (6/10 of a cubie) are possible.

Last, I will be talking about pops and lock-ups. Eastsheen 2x2x2 has no pops and no lockups. LanLan 2x2x2 may pop or lock-up if treated badly.

Overall Impression. The LanLan 2x2x2 is a little better than the Eastsheens mainly in the price category and the corner cutting category. Both really good cubes, but I'd have to say that LanLan 2x2x2s are better than Eastsheens.

2x2x2 Average of 12 PB Achieved Today

Using my new LanLan 2x2x2, I achieved my PB Average of 12 at 8.1 seconds. The times were:

1. 11.5 secs.
2. 5.3 secs.
3. 9.0 secs.
4. 10.0 secs.
5. 7.9 secs.
6. 9.2 secs.
7. (12.0 secs.) worst time
8. 7.5 secs.
9. 4.3 secs.
10. 6.1 secs.
11. 10.2 secs.
12. (4.2 secs.) best time

I also have recently achieved 2x2x2 personal best. I also used my LanLan 2x2x2 on that. I got 2.68 seconds. Big thanks to my uncle, who got me the LanLan 2x2x2.

Cubes I Got In Michigan-Review Of All Cubes Part 3-LanLan Void Cube

I got a LanLan Void Cube in Michigan, so now I have 2--1 white and 1 black.

Now, my the black LanLan Void Cube isn't exactly the same as the white one. The black one's a little smoother than the white one. The white one is lubed with that unknown oil. Those are the 2 highly noticeable differences. Both LanLan Void Cubes have a weird color scheme. Gray is opposite black; green opposite blue; and yellow opposite red. Gray, red and blue are cycled counterclockwise.

I'm not surprised that my new LanLan Void Cube can't cut corners. There is no axis-like core mechanism, so it is unable to cut corners, but I'm not surprised.

Overall impression: I'm going to give the Void Cube a 89 out of 100, as it is not super smooth and can't cut corners. Apparently, these aren't used for speedcubing.

Cubes I Got In Michigan-Review Of All Cubes Part 1-LanLan 2x2x2

The LanLan 2x2x2 is basically a Eastsheen 2x2x2 with a screw-spring mechanism. It is manufactured by the LanLan company in China. These cubes are very smooth and can cut corners very well. I did the R U R' U' x6 thing on the Eastsheen, then on the LanLan. My times improved up to 30%. I also have broken my 2x2x2 record just twp days after I got my LanLan. I really like the LanLan 2x2x2. You can get them from popbuying.com, I think, for 4 bucks. They're even less if you get these in China. I mean, you could by lunch for $4 or more.

Overall, I am highly impressed with this cube. I'd rate it a 98 out of 100. For my Eastsheen 2x2x2, I'd rate it 91 out of 100 because it cannot cut corners.

The LanLan 2x2x2 does not have 100/100 because the LanLan company uses this unknown lubricant to lube cubes, but that isn't a big issue so it got 2 points off.

The Eastsheen is 9 points away from full score because it cannot cut corners really well.

Cubes I Got In Michigan

• 1 LanLan 2x2
• 1 LanLan 7x7
• 1 LanLan Void Cube
• 1 Chinese Square 1
• 1 Chinese Rubik's Twist
• 1 Wooden Mind Puzzle

I won't be talking about the

• 1 Chinese Rubik's Twist
• 1 Wooden Mind Puzzle.

The Chinese Rubik's Twist is my brother's and the wooden mind puzzle is not a twisty puzzle of any kind.

LanLan 2x2

I fixed my LanLan 2x2

2-Look OLL Algorithms

Step 1: Orient Edges

Alg 1: F R U R' U' F'

Alg 2: f R U R' U' f'

Alg 3: F R U R' U' F' f R U R' U' f'






Step 2: Orient Corners

Alg 1: R U R' U R U2 R'

Alg 2: R' U' R U' R' U2 R

Alg 3: F R U R' U' R U R' U' R U R' U' F'

Alg 4: f R U R' U' f' F R U R' U' F

Alg 5: R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'

Alg 6: r U R' U' r' F R F'

Alg 7: F' r U R' U' r' F R

Awesome Rubik's Win

As you can see at the bottom of this page, I listed a website. Go there and press Shape Variations. You should see these choices:

• Arxon Barrel
• Arxon Diamond Cube
• Arxon Cubeoctahedron

If you don't see these, try checking what you did wrong.

So, once you see the choices above, click Arxon Diamond Cube. You should see a "twistable Rubik's Twist" in ball form. WIN!!!

Square 1

The photo above shows Square 1, an awesome shapeshifting puzzle. The picture above shows it in scrambled form (left) and solved form (right). I ordered one on March 21, 2010 and (as of right now) it still hasn't come. The seller guy said that would come in 2-9 days. Today is day 9 and the mailman already came. I checked the mailbox and it still wasn't there. When I get it, I will post a post, telling you my first impressions of the puzzle. I'll also (try to) keep you updated on the shipping process. I'm sorry, Matt that I told you that "I was getting it in the mail" like 4 days ago. It really hasn't come, as you can see.

BTW, Matt, when I get it, I'll show you how awesome the Square 1 is.

EDIT:

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
Still not here?!?! Now, today is day 10 and I just checked the mail. There was mail in the mailbox, but there was no Square 1. Hmph. Note that the seller said that it would come in 2-9 days. I mentioned that yesterday.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
I have contacted the seller. Yay.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
The brand of the Square 1 I will get is MF8, for those curious peeps.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
The seller has responded to my question! He said that if the Square 1 doesn't come before this Saturday, April 3, he will re-ship my order. Oh, yeah and today is day 12. The mailman hasn't come yet.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
Great. Day 12 and still not here. The order must of been lost in its shipping process. If not here on day 13, re-shipment, here we come.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
Here comes the mailman...is it here...we'll find out in a few moments. Oh yeah, and unfortunately, USPS might not mail on Saturdays anymore. I hope I'm wrong and yes I am. YAY!

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
Let us check day 13 off...MY SQUARE 1 STILL NOT HERE? Okay, so what I have did, I told him to ship me a replacement because

• It's the end of the week
• And he said so in that last message I got

So, yeah, reshipment, here we come.

SQUARE 1 UPDATE
IT'S HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!!! And when we went to Michigan, my uncle brought me another one. And another void cube, so now I have 4 2x2s because of my lanlan, 2 void cubes and uh... yeah 2 Square 1s!! YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Surprise Pretty Design on a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube

Hey, everyone, I'm back from the piano business! In this post, I'll be showing you a pretty design for those of you that know the SiGN algorithm notation (or the algorithm notation they show you in the 3x3x3 instrucion manual). This design is for a 3x3x3 and listed below is the algorithm:

U F' D R F' U2 F2 U F U' F2 B' D B R2 D2 F

It may look like you're scrambling it at first, but when you're done, you should have a pretty design.

If the algorithm doesn't work, try solving your cube then trying it again. If it still doesn't work, comment and I'll check for any mistakes in the algorithm.

3x3x3 Solves

I won't be offering to solve anyone's Rubik's Cube anymore because I am learning a faster way to solve a Rubik's Cube. If I keep on practicing the slow way, I'll learn slower, so again I won't be offering to solve anyone's Rubik's Cube. When I can do the faster method, then I will post a post.

Rubik's 4x4x4 and Rubik's 5x5x5

After the Ice Cube, I got my Rubik's 4x4x4 and my Rubik's 5x5x5, also known as the Rubik's Revenge (4x4x4) and the Rubik's Professor (5x5x5). These cubes were stiff at first, but after some lubrication to the 4x4x4, it turned much better. I average around 7 minutes for the 4x4x4 and my PB is 6:02.98. I've solved my 5x5x5 around four times. I don't know how fast I can solve one because I've never timed myself on it.

The 4x4x4's core is this type of "ball" core. The center pieces slide along a slim bar-like thing attached to the core. I don't know much about the 5x5x5's core, but I've heard it was kind of like the core of a 3x3x3 and has additional center and edge piece "slots".

The 4x4x4 is very stiff before lubrication but turns okay after lubrication. It does tend to "pop" when you cut corners or start really speed cubing with it. The 5x5x5 is also quite stiff out of the box. I have not lubed this, though. The 5x5x5 has this really weird turning. The outer layers are really stiff while the inner layers are looser. The 5x5x5 that I have has the ability to turn one separate inner layer without the outer layer turning, even when you don't hold on to the outer layer. Try this on your 3x3x3. It doesn't work, right? I really have no idea why this happens.

Overall, the Rubik's 4x4x4 and Rubik's 5x5x5 are pretty good after breaking in and lubing.

V-Cube 6

Hey, it's Monkeys again. A week ago, my V-Cube 6 came! It's a really awesome cube, despite how expensive it is. I really recommend you get one. Even though it's around 60 dollars on eBay, it's still worth it. I found out that it could do some unique things like turning a middle slice with out turning any outer ones. I also found out that it had a "clicking" mechanism. It kind of snapped once while in the middle of turning. Every 90 degree turn had about 4 snaps. All products that are made by V-Cubes are awesome, so sooner or later, I'm getting a V-Cube 7 and a V-Cube 5.

Also, I've heard that the V-Cube 5 and the V-Cube 7 are even better than the V-Cube 6 because even number cubes seem to have an issue about the core. V-Cubes are planning to make a V-Cube 6b, which basically is a "pillowed" V-Cube. They're also planning to make the V-Cube 2, V-Cube 3, V-Cube 4, V-Cube 8, V-Cube 9, V-Cube 10 and a V-Cube 11.