# How to: Cube in Public



## Thorsten (Nov 3, 2011)

- or how to impress people with your cube.

The thoughts of this thread have come to my brain about the last months, so i'm finally going to write them down.

You might ask, what qualifies me for writing this thread.
Here we go:
I have two 15minute rides at the Subway a day (to university and back home).
I'm studying political science, which is related to social science, so i have a big interest in how people think and behave. Over the last few months I enjoyed it to observe people, who are observing me cubing.

One further point is, that I really enjoy cubing in public and enjoy the reactions of people. Their reactions are totally different from other reactions i see in my life. Do you know why?
*If you see someone running 100metres in 10 seconds you are impressed, but you know how to do that: Run really fast. What differs cubing of that is: The people do not know what are you doing there. Cubing is more like street magic than sports (at least from their point of view).*

This is not meant as a 'real guide' but more like a satire about cubing and people untderstanding our hobby.
My text is not final, nor complete, so if you made different experiences, or have different tipps, feel free to comment.

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"Damn, whats he doing there? He's moving that 80's cube really fast. I never was able to solve that thing. WOAH! Wasn't it solved a second ago? Damn, it's messed up again, I'm not sure...."

This is what 90% of people think the first time they see someone cubing in front of them. And for sure most people are impressed of it.
Phrases like "I only could solve one side [or two sides]" want to say "damn i couldn't solve that thing". I've often seen people looking really excited while watching me solving and I think most of the people really have respect and are impressed of what you're doing. Talking to you about this (even if you as cuber know they're talking nonsense) is a way of the people to show you they like what they see (or do you talk to that stinky unshaved guy with the bottle of booze?). Breaking the habit of not talking to strangers or on public transport in general is a big step! Be friendly to those people who are talking to you, the most of them really want to show respect to you.

Even one step further are people asking "How do you do that?". If I see they really want to know it I have a little introduction:
Do not talk about algs oder use some other words only you know! Instead go for something like this:
"There is a system. This system contains several steps and for the last pieces of the cube, there are cases of which I am able to solve."
If you see that the person really is interested just show them what you do and explain it:
Slowly create your cross (or block or whatever your first step is). Tip your finger at the pieces you move. "This Corner belongs right here" Then fill it in.
Same with F2L, and OLL and PLL.
Most of the people will understand what you're doing there.
What usually happens when i explain this so someone is like 15-20 people listening to what I'm explaining.


This was for generel understanding.
Now we go for the second step:
Impress people with cubing skills.

The first step to this is to know what the people see.

You're solving your cube:
solved - scrambling - inspection - solving - solved - and so on

We all know, that it makes no sense to wait after finishing the cube. But the spectator has to know that you're finished. So: After you finished, just give it a second. Take on deep breath, just look at the cube. (This is like 3-5 seconds, i feels awkward at first but really helps the people to see you have finished that thing.)

Second point: Do NOT look at your cube while scrambling. Again: We all know, that traking all the pieces is just not possible. (Or of the spectators view: Reverse the scramble to solve the cube X-)).

Third: Take a break between scrambling and solving. (If you go for the usual 15secs inspection thats fine, if I'm cubing without taking time I often start right away).
Look at the cube, try to look like it's really hard to solve.

Fourth:
(This is the most important point to impress people).
Do NOT stop turning the cube! At the moment the people see you pausing your solve to look for a F2L pair or whatever, they know you have to think about what you're doing.
*What impresses people the most is a very high move count, not the time you need to solve it. They have no idea what the world record is, but its impressing to turn that thing so fast, they can barely see what you're doing.*

If you're going hardcore and just want to impress people, do not use your "normal" method. Go for OldPochman. 
*T-Perm,T-Perm,T-Perm, BAM Solved! That is what impresses people.*
+ using OldPochmann really shows an advance while solving because you're bringing one piece after another in it's position

(I sometimes solve the Cube this way:
Solve all Cornes like a 2x2, Then solve the Edges like Old Pochmann one after another. T-Perm provides a high movecount.)


tl;dr:
1. People talking to you about cubing mostly want to show respect and interest.
2. To impress people part your solving-scrambling-process into good looking parts.
3. Solving impresses people, movecount impresses people even more.
4. Be nice to the people, you know more than they, feel like a represantative of speedcubing while solving.


I hope you enjoyed my 'guide'.
I always enjoy observing people observe me ;-)
And feel free to contribute..


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## 5BLD (Nov 3, 2011)

Well I think you should try as much _not_ to attract attention, then just people who care crowd round you and then you should just look like you're not bothered. Otherwise (in my experience) people just say you're a show-off or nerd or whatev. Plus this way you can counter them with "mind your own business".

Also then I know the people who came up to me and said "how did you do this" actually care rather than are just walking past, and will actually listen to my explanation.


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## PandaCuber (Nov 3, 2011)

Another tip, Learn Roux. People love the LSE with M slice going REALLY fast. 
And good point with the T Perms. Thanks.


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## DRAGON_RYU (Nov 3, 2011)

I've seen that people around me don' believe me when I cube and seriously believe when a complete noob cubes.
And the nooooobs have AWFUL lookahead meaning plenty of pauses.
I thought since they SEEM to think more people can believe them better.
But what you say is true too probably....
Hard!!
:d


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## whauk (Nov 3, 2011)

if there are already some people surrounding me i like to enjoy the WTF-effect when you suddenly start doing OH.
inspect the cube, take one hand to do sth else (take out your phone, bit nails, scratch your head), and then just start with your other hand. i am like 3 seconds slower with one hand, so i guess it really freaks out the people. 
however i dont like talking to them because its (like you said) 99% rubbish. i usually listen to music and ignore them.


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## Inusagi (Nov 3, 2011)

I try to avoid cubing in public because I feel like a show-off. Also, people I try to teach stops after learning an easy LBL method when they see how many algorithms Friedrich contains


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## 5BLD (Nov 3, 2011)

PandaCuber said:


> Another tip, Learn Roux. People love the LSE with M slice going REALLY fast.
> And good point with the T Perms. Thanks.


 Yah, it's funny how people are like "you're never gonna do it in 12 seconds as you say. You haven't even got a side ye- wtfyoucantmovecentrescantmovejdjdhneusjs WTF it's done"


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## Thorsten (Nov 3, 2011)

5BLD said:


> Well I think you should try as much _not_ to attract attention, then just people who care crowd round you and then you should just look like you're not bothered. Otherwise (in my experience) people just say you're a show-off or nerd or whatev. Plus this way you can counter them with "mind your own business".



Well i thought i made it clear, that i didn't took this seriously. It's more like a persiflage. ;-)

@Pandacuber: this sounds like a great idea too!
@whauk: i totally suck at OH, but the idea is also very good!


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## Hershey (Nov 3, 2011)

I cube in school (lunch/recess) a lot.
Just solve like a boss and be confident, and of course be fast. One handed especially impresses people .

EDIT: ninja'd by whauk's OH comment.


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## PandaCuber (Nov 3, 2011)

5BLD said:


> Yah, it's funny how people are like "you're never gonna do it in 12 seconds as you say. You haven't even got a side ye- wtfyoucantmovecentrescantmovejdjdhneusjs WTF it's done"


 
Lol well I cant do that  But what I do is just do everything with M'. Ill just go really fast and I even mess up my pairs, but people dont even notice cause I fix with it within a second Lol. 
Then after cmll, people are like, Haha loser you forgot the mid-oh sh it youre done? lmao.


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## Cuberty (Nov 6, 2011)

Also a good tip:

Solve while you are having a pleasant conversation with them.


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## Rubenajax (Nov 6, 2011)

Another tip:
Do not look at your cube while you are doing algoritmes. Just look before a algoritme and do it blind. 
Also on the 2x2, scramble it with R U' R and inspect it and do the inverse scramble. If you do it quick it looks like you do 1 move.


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## JAYperm (Nov 6, 2011)

I dont cube in public anymore cause they always wanna scramble my cube -.- and it always pops cuz they grab it like they need to force it like storboughts....it happened to me like 2 days ago :3 but its was a girl.so its all good.oh and i think if u actually look at it like stopoing to think for a second is more impressive cause when people see u do it without thinking they always think theres a "trick"


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## JAYperm (Nov 6, 2011)

Stopoing* stupid touchscreen making me look stupider than i am xD


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## JAYperm (Nov 6, 2011)

Not again  ugggh STOPPING YOU DAMN KEYBOARD!!


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## RNewms27 (Nov 6, 2011)

JAYperm said:


> Not again  ugggh STOPPING YOU DAMN KEYBOARD!!


 
There is an EDIT button.

I hide it in public because attention is annoying.


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## Olji (Nov 6, 2011)

Going fast and choppy somehow impresses non-cubers more, since you're fast and it seems like you stops to think.

And hypocritical as I am, I don't like attention but 3 days ago I solved my 7x7 on the train >_>


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## Hovair (Nov 6, 2011)

Even though i am quite bad compared to a lot of other cubers its kinda funny when people just crowd around and start telling me that i just got a world record. its also really funny when i do one hand. i am twice as bad at one hand but it amazes them so much. and then i get out the 2x2 and there like "thats to easy i can solve that with my eyes closed "then i bet them 5 dollars if they can solve it without looking and of course they cant. then i let them solve it with looking and they still cant. lol.


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## JAYperm (Nov 8, 2011)

Oh i see it now :0


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## Penguino138 (Nov 8, 2011)

I think people start to get old of it after about a month of them seeing you solve it. They just think "Oh theres that rubiks cube kid again". I'm thinking about learning BLD to try and impress them, although I'm not sure if they'd have enough patience to watch it.


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## FlyingFingers (Nov 9, 2011)

Is the M slice when you move the middle layer up then U'?


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## Hershey (Nov 9, 2011)

Penguino138 said:


> I think people start to get old of it after about a month of them seeing you solve it. They just think "Oh theres that rubiks cube kid again". I'm thinking about learning BLD to try and impress them, although I'm not sure if they'd have enough patience to watch it.


 
Don't bring it as frequently to school then. 

The funny thing though is that I brought my Zhanchi to school every day of last week (they didn't get tired of me cubing since OH is sexy) and when I didn't bring the cube yesterday or today, they seemed to be disappointed that I didn't bring it to school!


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## MovingOnUp (Nov 9, 2011)

Funny/Good thread  Most of this seems like common knowledge for the "cubing world" if you do it a lot. Anyone else feel like they could totally relate to this because theyve done the entire thing before?


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## qwertycube (Nov 9, 2011)

or solve the cube, i always do that.


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## Penguino138 (Nov 9, 2011)

Hershey said:


> Don't bring it as frequently to school then.
> 
> The funny thing though is that I brought my Zhanchi to school every day of last week (they didn't get tired of me cubing since OH is sexy) and when I didn't bring the cube yesterday or today, they seemed to be disappointed that I didn't bring it to school!


yeah I found out in this class a lot of people watch me behind the camera....


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## Pegy (Nov 9, 2011)

I don't mind people being interested in cubing, but it just gets annoying when all people want to do it scramble the cube, then pretend they know what they are doing, and spending a minute or so messing with it.


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## Sarahjdes (Nov 9, 2011)

I haven't been cubing for very long (about 2 weeks or so), but I use it to get rid of my anxiety. Works like a charm! So obviously, I cube every time I take the bus or the subway, which is everyday. Right now, I have an old storebought that is about 20 years old (and I'm not even kidding, my dad got it when I was a toddler) so I don't mind people scrambling it. Whenever I feel like a child is looking at me or sits next to me pointing my cube to their parents, I ask them to be my scrambler  I hate scrambling the cube, so having someone doing it for me is great. I just ordered an F-II, so depending how it goes, I might let people scramble it for me. We'll see!


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## kirtpro (Nov 9, 2011)

when im in the food court, i have a drink with a straw.
i take a sip at the end of a solve (an alternative to taking a breath)
(with the straw, you dont need to pick up the drink possibly making your hands stickyish lol)
people go up to me every now and then and sometimes want to video me cube. it's fun

also, i cube at school all the time. my principal asked me to make an article about world championships for the school newsletter.
finished it and it's gonna be published sometime soon lol.


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## somerandomkidmike (Nov 10, 2011)

Good cubes to cube in public with: Dayan Guhong (must be modded like crazy), Type FII with shock oil, and Ghost Hand 1. If people see you cubing, just give them a death stare. They turn away pretty quickly. If all else fails, scream, "STOP STARING AT ME!"


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## zmikecuber (Nov 10, 2011)

I really liked the guide. I should try this sometime, since I live within walking distance of a bunch of stores... though maybe I need to tighten my cube to prevent popping?


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## Penguino138 (Nov 14, 2011)

The newest thing people have been annoying we with at school is when im using CCT to do some times at school. They say: "Do you need me to start the timer for you?" Haha! It gets old, but is pretty funny. I'm thinking about making a video about cubing at school based on this thread. Sounds like something that would be fun to do.


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## drewsopchak (Nov 14, 2011)

Penguino138 said:


> The newest thing people have been annoying we with at school is when im using CCT to do some times at school. They say: "Do you need me to start the timer for you?" Haha! It gets old, but is pretty funny. I'm thinking about making a video about cubing at school based on this thread. Sounds like something that would be fun to do.


 
Lol I just feel off the stickers.


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## BillyRain (Oct 10, 2012)

Think this thread should be revived 

I cube on the bus alot. But I tend to take my ghosthand as it is alot quieter.. I hate it when everyone else is silent and its just me clicking away. 

Also sometimes the bus is a newer bus and is alot quieter inside.. but sometimes I get the old busses and they are great cus I can go full pelt with my zhanchi and you cant really hear it 

My ex girlfriend used to take my cube to parties without me knowing and just whip it out halfway through... note to anyone: Drunk people LOVE speedcubing. I usually ended up with a huge crowd and everyone cheering when I Finished. 

Used to do all the classics: PLL without looking/behind back.. Counting down when doing last layer is always fun.. its hard to get right but its awesome when you are like 5....4.....3... DONE... gets the extra shock factor


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## WBCube (Oct 24, 2012)

I get so shaky sometimes when people watch me, I'm not sure what it is exactly. Back when I cubed 4 years ago my times were far, far worse and I wasn't nervous at all in front of people. I should work on that


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## BenVdd (Oct 24, 2012)

The only reason I got from 'never solved before' to my current average in 6weeks or so is because I cube in public.. ALOT. Every moment that there is nothing for me to do i'll whip out my cube and cube away. 

I might have another tip tho: When you notice some people are watching you for a couple of minutes and you have been going like half your speed , solve it at full speed once and their jaws will drop 

They are impressed to begin with even if yr time is around a minute because most ppl don't know anything about it and if they then see you do it twice as fast their minds are blown


(Also is it me or do chicks love fast fingers lol, most of the time it's groups of girls come watch me , hardly ever guys.. but i don't complain )


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## 5BLD (Oct 24, 2012)

*How to: Cube in Public -*

Now this is weird. In the UK when I get on the bus and do really slow turning (30s) solves, people look at me and then _avoid_ sitting near or next to me. In spain I get applause on the train and at a cafe i get people attempting to video me on my last solve before I put it away because they are doing so. In the UK at bus stops people just turn away and put the headphones in.


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## CarlBrannen (Oct 26, 2012)

One of my favorite lines is "I'm not sure I can solve this quickly in front of a pretty girl".


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## bgdgyfer (Oct 26, 2012)

Since I am not that old everybody thinks I can`t solve the 2x2 but, when I finish they make a akward silence in the room.


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## tps (Jan 19, 2015)

I'm really new to cubing, so my turning speed is comparatively slow and thus doesn't impress anyone. But people are impressed when I solve it, even if it takes a few minutes. One strategy I've used is NOT to stop turning after I complete the solve. but to start the scramble immediately. Most folks will never notice that it was ever solved, they think I'm just fooling around so long as I don't sit it down in the solved state. If I instead sit it down solved, people definitely notice. At some point, I'll probably meet another cuber who will immediately understand exactly what I'm doing. That would be nice, because I'm sure I could learn a lot.


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