# Anyone who does BLD should post here.



## darthyody (Nov 24, 2008)

I'm trying to decide if I should learn to do this blindfold cubing or not.
If you do blindfold cubing yourself could you post in a format similar to this:

Name:
Method(s) you use:
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was:
What your avg is now:
How long you have been doing BLD:


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## shafiqdms1 (Nov 24, 2008)

Shafiq Mohammed
M2, old pochmann
around 15-20 minutes at first (I sucked bad)
5-6 minute bld (I don't practice a lot)
since 5 months, but really just started 2 months ago and learned like 5months ago.


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## Sa967St (Nov 24, 2008)

-Sarah Strong
-dunno what its called, but I use one of the J perms for corners, and T perm & both J perms for edges
-a few days after I learned it, I wasn't timing it because the memo took so long 
-I can usually sub-4, but I DNF about 90% of the time 
-I learned it a year ago, but I've never seriously practiced it


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## Jai (Nov 24, 2008)

http://www.worldcubeassociation.org...gionId=&years=&show=All+Persons&single=Single 
How's this? 

Edit: Sarah - you're using old Pochmann.


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## mande (Nov 24, 2008)

Nikhil Mande
3 cycles for edges and corners
I got a bld solve 2 weeks after starting to try it and was doing times like 10-15 minutes.
Current average is 4-6 minutes, 50 % success.
I have been bld cubing for the last 3-4 months.


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## rjohnson_8ball (Nov 24, 2008)

darthyody said:


> I'm trying to decide if I should learn to do this blindfold cubing or not.
> If you do blindfold cubing yourself could you post in a format similar to this:
> 
> Name:
> ...



I don't see how this can affect your decision as to learn BLD or not. There was a recent topic polling why people like to BLD -- that might be more useful. Anyway,

Bob Johnson
I spent a week or 2 practicing each of the 4 phases of 3OP described at cubefreak.net, and also practicing double swaps BLD. Then I started combining phases. I guess maybe a month from when I first started reading about it I had the courage to try a full BLD solve. My 1st successful BLD solve was maybe 20 minutes of memorizing (and reciting several times), then maybe 20 minutes execution (I had some double swaps and parity).
My average is not so good, 10 min memo + 10 min execution = 20 min, but I am still trying to get comfortable with it.
Been doing BLD since Sep 3, 2008 so about 10 weeks. 52 successful solves out of maybe 150 attempts.


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## Ville Seppänen (Nov 24, 2008)

Ville Seppänen
Freestyle
I learned 3OP in a day, the next day I DNF'd my first try, read some things again and got a success. didn't time it though. My next try was about 15 minutes.
45-50s, had an avg of 12 that was 49.95 but I had to be careful not to DNF which slows down a bit.
9-10 months


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## Kian (Nov 24, 2008)

Kian Barry
Classic Pochmann (In the process of switching to M2 for edges)
A day or two. Probably about 15 minutes (wasn't timed)
4:30-5:30 (don't practice too much yet, will start too)
About 3 months.


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## wryyl (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Ben
Method(s) you use: pre-oriented M2 edges, 3OP corners.
How long...: Probably a week or two for my first solve. Around 9 minutes IIRC. (after lots of DNFs)
What your avg is now: I would say around 1:35~1:50
How long you have been doing BLD: About 2 months worth of BLD-ing. I had my first solve about 5 months ago, but then I took a long break after that. 


I'll tell you something - getting decent at BLD isn't hard with practice. On the 2nd of October (that's when I started seriously blindsolving, and logging my successes) I was averaging 4~5 minutes. It took slightly less than a month to get down to a consistent sub-2. 250 solves logged at that time.


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## Jason Baum (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Jason Baum
Method(s) you use: Used to use pure 3OP, now I use 3OP corners and M2 edges
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: I think it was four or five days after I started learning, and it was about 26 minutes
What your avg is now: Probably somewhere around 1:40
How long you have been doing BLD: About 3 1/2 years


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## darthyody (Nov 24, 2008)

Thank you all who have posted so far. I'd like to keep this thread going. I do want to blindfold solve, I'm just not sure where to start so this is helping me to decide which methods are more common/uncommon and about how long I should expect take on my first actual solves. By the way what does DNF stand for?


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## Ellis (Nov 24, 2008)

darthyody said:


> By the way what does DNF stand for?


Did not finish

john hallmark
I use old pochmann for edges and corners because it was the easiest for me to learn. At some point I'll make the switch to M2 for edges. 
I learned the method in a day with a successful solve the following day in about 8 or 9 minutes. 
on successful solves (50%ish) I still average 6-7 min. Although I dont practice very much.
been doing bld on and off for about 2 months.

Edit: Actually 8-9 minutes was just my first timed solved. I didn't time my first few solves but they were probably closer to 10-15 minutes


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## KJiptner (Nov 24, 2008)

Kai Jiptner
I started with 3OP (or just "3-cycle" back then) and got my first success (30 min) months later (March 07 I think, Didn't try often) 
Later M2 came up so I learned that. I used M2+3OP corners with my own CO approach (but i only re-invented what other people had already invented before me), and all CP algs to avoid setups besides U/D moves. Combined with my sillable edge memo I improved a lot espeacially August/September 07. I've had quite some success (ranked 7th in the world for BLD officially and 2nd in the UWR list) I avged about 1:15 I think.
That method however didn't guarantee high accuracy. That's why I swiched to Letterpair-Memo plus Turbo-Corners. Later I added Mackys M2 Suggestions. Developing and Memorizing the stuff took me the first half of this year. Now, I'm in the middle of practicing to get fast with this system. (My accuracy has already improved a LOT!) Avg is around 2:00 with a PB of 1:19 though.
oooops. too much Information.


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## cookingfat (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Peter Harpham
Method(s) you use: Classic Pochmann 
How long it took: less than 24 hours using paper then about a week to lose the paper. First success was about 25 minutes. 
What your avg is now: between 8 and 10 minutes. (best time 7:54)
How long you have been doing BLD: 15 weeks (but not been practicing much lately)


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## Sebastien (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Sébastien Auroux
Method(s) you use: I started with Macky's 3-cycle (but i would never recommend that to anyone) and switched to M2-Edges/Pochmans-Corners later.
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: Lol, my first successful BLD solve was my first try ever, it started 30 minutes after i had started learning it and was finished 30 minutes Later. 3-cycle is very easy but very slow. I just had to learn how to orient pieces in place, to see when pieces are misoriented (which is very easy too) and to try if I can perform my 3-cycles blindfolded (what I was able to).
What your avg is now: My average is around 2:30 now I guess, I'm not doing enough BLD to be more precise here.
How long you have been doing BLD: I learned BLD that February and learned the other system in July.


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## aegius1r (Nov 24, 2008)

Method(s) you use: 3OP (and other algs)
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: 9 months ago ; 381.36
What your avg is now: got 2 sub70 avg of 3 (but i think the real avg is 70~75)
How long you have been doing BLD:[/QUOTE]started to practice since about 5/15


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## Fusty (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Alex Sterling
Method: Classic Pochmann
How long it took to first success: It took 4 weeks and 3 days till i reached complete success. Took me 12 minutes and 26 seconds.
Average Now: It still takes me over 8 minutes every time. I'm working on it though...
How Long have you been doing it: 2 months.

My advice would be that you absolutely should dive into blindfolding. Before blindfolding making sense of algorithms and how they actually worked was very difficult. Even though it still takes endless repetition to "get it" I feel like I've unlocked an entire world of intuitive cubing. Blindfolding has impacted my view of cube theory more heavily than anything else. 

Hope this helps you decide to go for it.


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## Zava (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Balázs Bernát
Method: Started with Pochmann, switched to M2, and corners freestyle-ish, since then I switch methods in every 2-3 months, currently using freestyle for edges and OP for corners.
How long it took to first success: I succeeded after 1 week practice of edges, time was 4:44.89
Average Now: sub1:20 on good days (sometimes very sub1:20 ), sub1:30 on bad days - varies a lot.
How Long have you been doing it: 1 year maybe.


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## Lt-UnReaL (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: John-Michael Clay
Method: M2 with 3OP corners
How long it took to first success: Around a week? About a 15 minute solve
Average Now: ~3:00
How Long have you been doing it: Couple months (around 40ish BLD solves ever done)


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## KConny (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Daniel Lundwall
Method: M2 Old P-corners. 
How long: From when? From when I was born, started cubing, heard of BLD, started looking at a method, knew a method, tried my first time? The answers are: Years, 2 months, 2 months, 2months, 1.8 months, 15 mins.
Avg: 1:45
How long: 18 months. With a lot of diffrent methods. 300-400 solves with my current method or 6 months.


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## nitrocan (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Can Çetin
Method: M2 for edges, Orient Permute for Corners
How long it took.. : It was after a month or so because I gave up learning BLD 3 times before actually learning it. It was 15 minutes or something.
Average: Somewhere in between 3 and 5 minutes.
How long: 3 months

I don't practice BLD though... (I really should)


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## ooveehoo (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Otto von Hellens
Method(s) you use: Old Pochmann
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: A few weeks, with my own method. It was the only successful solve I ever did with it. Memo was around 30 min. and execution 7. My first Pochmann-solve was I think 10:24.XX.
What your avg is now: Maybe 6 mins.
How long you have been doing BLD: Four months.


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## cmhardw (Nov 24, 2008)

Name: Chris Hardwick

Method(s) you use: BH (Beyer-Hardwick)

How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and 
how long of a solve it was: It took me about a month to learn BLD, but I was stubborn and trying to discover a method on my own with minimal input/hints from Richard Carr. My first solve took between 1.5 and 2 hours. I was using a method where I memorized the state of the cube, and updated that memorized state after each algorithm. It was only in 2003 when I shared a cab ride with Dror Vomberg that I learned about cycle methods, including 3OP.

What your avg is now: 3x3x3 is probably 1:30 when I'm in practice. My average right now is around 1:45 with minimal practice.

How long you have been doing BLD: 5.5 years


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## ShadenSmith (Nov 24, 2008)

Shaden Smith
M2 edges + 3OP corners

First solve was about 20 minutes. It took me a month or so to get my first success.

I average 2:45.

I've been BLD'ing for about a year.


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## rjohnson_8ball (Nov 24, 2008)

darthyody said:


> By the way what does DNF stand for?



Not only can it indicate a failed solve, but apparently it can also mean Did Not Finish *within the 10 minute time limit imposed the Stackmat Timer* at a competition, unless the use of a stopwatch has been approved. See the WCA rules. (In my opinion, this is a design flaw with Stackmat. I cannot use it for training until my BLD is under 10 minutes. I cannot use it to time my 7x7 either.) One reason I decided not to go to the Westchester Tournament a couple days ago is because I can't BLD under 10 minutes yet, and I didn't want to seem wimpy asking for someone to time me with a stopwatch.


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## waffle=ijm (Nov 24, 2008)

Jules Manalang
Classic Pochmann corners with M2 edges. Sometimes 3OP with multi
About a week after learning 3OP i tried to do it. Memo was about 15 minutes and execution another 10
Avg now is about 6-8 minutes. Used to be sub-4 but i don't like to practice for BLD so it went down a lot.
I've been doing BLD for about 1 year.


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## McWizzle94 (Nov 24, 2008)

mande said:


> Nikhil Mande
> 3 cycles for edges and corners
> I got a bld solve 2 weeks after starting to try it and was doing times like 10-15 minutes.
> Current average is 4-6 minutes, 50 % success.
> I have been bld cubing for the last 3-4 months.



lol my name is Nikhil too 

anyway...
Nikhil
I started with 3-cycle and then I switched to M2 with 3OP corners, and now I am in the process of switching to pure freestyle.
I didn't time my first solve but I think it was around 10 minutes. Before that, I used to practice just the edges or just the corners, so my first solve was easier.
I haven't taken an average but I usually get around 1:30, + or - 15 seconds.
I don't really know how long I've been doing BLD but I'm pretty sure it was a while.


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## fanwuq (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Frank Morris
Method(s) you use: 3OP, Classic Pochmann Corners, M2 edges, commutator corners.
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: I understood the first day. Took maybe 15 tries to get it a few weeks later. About 10 minutes
What your avg is now: 4-8 minutes, mostly DNF. I can 2x2 BLD sub-40 seconds
How long you have been doing BLD: maybe 30-50 trials in total. I rarely practice. About 8 months.


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## MistArts (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Baian Liu
Method(s) you use: M2 + Commutator corners/freestyle
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: About three months (I suck...) and it was ~7:30
What your avg is now: DNF if you ask me... Otherwise, about 6:30.
How long you have been doing BLD: I don't know...


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## McWizzle94 (Nov 25, 2008)

MistArts said:


> Name: Wuqiong Fan
> Method(s) you use: M2 + Commutator corners/freestyle
> How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: About three months (I suck...) and it was ~7:30
> What your avg is now: DNF if you ask me... Otherwise, about 6:30.
> How long you have been doing BLD: I don't know...



Somehow I don't think your name is Wuqiong Fan.....


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## joey (Nov 25, 2008)

You two both have the same name? :|


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## MistArts (Nov 25, 2008)

McWizzle94 said:


> MistArts said:
> 
> 
> > Name: Baian Liu
> ...



Erhm... yes it is...


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## cuBerBruce (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Bruce Norskog
Method(s) you use: orient first, M-layer 3-cycles for edges (DF buffer), 3-cycles for corners (any U-layer corners for buffer). For parity, I do a 2-cycle of edges with 4-cycle of centers, and same for corners).
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: I didn't try to do the whole cube at once. I worked on various phases EO, CO, EP, CP separately; then a couple phases at a time before trying to do the whole cube. I probably took something like 2-3 weeks. But once I started attempting complete solves, it was probably only a day or 2 until success. My first successful unofficial solve was: 23:52.98
What your avg is now: about 8-9 minutes, average successful official solve time is 9:59.43.
How long you have been doing BLD: about 2 years, 3 months


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## Faz (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Feliks Zemdegs
Method: Classic pochmann corners and M2 edges.
How long.... yadayadayada: Umm, about 10 tries, and it was 5 minutes  - my first solve that is :0
Average: Umm, about 2:50 i guess, but i can only get 1/3 solves. i have been bld'ing for about 2 months.


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## mande (Nov 25, 2008)

McWizzle94 said:


> lol my name is Nikhil too
> 
> anyway...
> Nikhil
> ...



Nice to know there are more Nikhils into cubing.


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## Swordsman Kirby (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Timothy Sun
Method(s) you use: 3OP (switching to freestyle)
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: Six attempts, first timed one of 4min31 or something.
What your avg is now: 1:20
How long you have been doing BLD: Since May 2007.


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## VirKill (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: *Arif Julian*
Method: m2/old pochmman
How long it took before my first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: One and a half month. Start with learning macky's 3OP, I understand the point, but it's hard to execute, especially learning some new algorithm and confusing setup move. Then move to M2/R2, understand the concept, but hard to memorize new alg as well. Then move to classic pochmman, got the problem of breaking to new cycle....finally, badmephisto save the day with his video. My first attempt was a DNF, second attempt solved. It's 16 minutes. 
What your avg is now: 2 minutes something...
How long you have been doing BLD: 2 months


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## Aub227 (Nov 25, 2008)

Name: Auburn Manlangit
Method(s) you use: freestyle.
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: got my first successful solve on my second day of learning old Pochmann. It was about an 8 minute solve.
What your avg is now: when practicing: 1:45, not practicing: 2:20. only 60% success rate.
How long you have been doing BLD: on and off since early 2006.


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## McWizzle94 (Nov 26, 2008)

MistArts said:


> McWizzle94 said:
> 
> 
> > MistArts said:
> ...



Ummmm......you kinda changed my quote......

And joey, we do have the same name =]


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## Rubixcubematt (Nov 27, 2008)

name: Matt Wanstall
method(s) you use: started with pure 3op, but now use M2 edges, thinking about trying freestyle corners.
how long .......: It took me about 1 week to get a successful 3x3 BLD solve (coz i started with 2x2 BLD) the time was about 10 mins.
av: i would say something like 2:50 or mabye + or - 15 secs. 
how long: not sure, 2 maybe 3 months.


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## jackolanternsoup (Dec 4, 2008)

Name: Jack Jacobs
Method(s) you use: Currently classic Pochmann, will be moving to full commutators
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: about on the 4th try. sub-12 mins. but more than eleven.
What your avg is now: about sub-7 mins but I don't BLD much.
How long you have been doing BLD: dang I dunno... maybe total time I could say is about a month. I take a load of breaks between. Only really do it when I'm in the mood.


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## KevinK (Dec 19, 2008)

Name: Kevin Kapinos
Method(s) you use: Now, I use old Pochmann for corners and M2 for edges. I started out with a variation of old Pochmann where you orient everything first.
What your average is now: I'm not consistent, but I normally get about 6 minutes.
How long you have been doing BLD: I just started practicing about a month or two ago, but my first successful blindsolve was in spring this year.


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## Micael (Dec 19, 2008)

Name: Micael Boulet
Method(s) you use: 3 cycle then switch to M2/R2
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: 4-5 days for 3 cycle, my first ever BLD. about 20 min.
What your avg is now: 4 min
How long you have been doing BLD: 4-5 months


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## byu (Dec 23, 2008)

Brian
No idea what it's called, I use Bill McGaugh's solution at http://home.earthlink.net/~bmcgaugh/
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: I haven't done a BLD solve completely yet, but I've worked on it for at least 15 minutes per solve.
What your avg is now: DNF (I've never finished)
How long you have been doing BLD: Under a month, probably around 20 days.


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## Micael (Dec 31, 2008)

byu said:


> Brian
> No idea what it's called, I use Bill McGaugh's solution at http://home.earthlink.net/~bmcgaugh/
> How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: I haven't done a BLD solve completely yet, but I've worked on it for at least 15 minutes per solve.
> What your avg is now: DNF (I've never finished)
> How long you have been doing BLD: Under a month, probably around 20 days.



I take a fast look at the Bill McGaugh's solution and it look exactly like the classic (old) pochmann.


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## Stefan (Dec 31, 2008)

Micael said:


> I take a fast look at the Bill McGaugh's solution and it look exactly like the classic (old) pochmann.


It kind of is, except that he *adds* a task (orientation) and somehow thinks that makes it easier.


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## vloc15 (Dec 31, 2008)

Name: Vicente Lorenzo O. Cabahug
Method(s) you use: Currently classic Pochmann, will be learning Turbo perhaps
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was: about on the 5th try. 19 mins. 
What your avg is now: i guess DNF? i have only done 3 successful BLD solves so far as i just recently leaned how to do it..my PB was 8 minutes
How long you have been doing BLD: probably november but i dont do BLD that much as i usually practice solving the cube normally without the blindfold


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## EmersonHerrmann (Dec 31, 2008)

Name: Emerson Herrmann
Method(s) you use: 3 Cycle/ some pochmann for corners, and cycles for edges 
How long it took before you did your first BLD solve and how long of a solve it was:Took me 2 days...the solve was about 10 minutes 
What your avg is now: about 4:30...I'm gonna start practicing BLD more
How long you have been doing BLD: approximately 6 months, give or take a few months :\


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