# Skrouxb: New Skewb Method



## molarmanful (Feb 4, 2015)

I just created a skewb method that is reminiscent of 3x3x3 Roux method. Most of the algs are borrowed from Ranzha and Sarah/Kirjava-Meep skewb methods. I don't know if anyone has done this before, but here are the steps:

1. Make a 2 Corners + 1 Center block on L (I build with DFL and DBL corners, and L center). Usually, you will have this step solved or at least 2/3 solved if you are color-neutral.

2. Make 2 Corners + 1 Center block on R without destroying the previous block. I insert the corners first (sort of like in LBL) before I do the center, but there might be ways to do both at the same time. Note that you may have to use Ranzha's Welder's Mask corner insertions here (I do these algs from a different angle so I can keep building the 2nd block on R). For the center, I use U-perm, and I hold the center to be placed in the back.

3. Solve LL corners without disturbing the previous blocks. I use the algs found here, except that I hold LL on top.

4. Solve L4C. Use algs from Sarah or Kirjava-Meep skewb method.

I think that steps 3 and 4 can be combined with some Sarah Advanced/Kirjava-Meep algs, but I don't know any of these algs.

*PROS*
-The first block is really easy and requires 3 moves at most.
-Most of the algs are familiar, so you don't need to learn too many new algs.

*CONS*
-The second block is rather time-consuming, unless I find new algs to do center and corners at the same time.
-For me, I sometimes get disoriented after doing U-Perm (I use Sledge y2 Hedge) when doing the second block, so it takes some time to find my place.

Overall, I think this method could be fast; I average 20-23 seconds with this method (which is not as good as my 13-second average using Sarah Intermediate). But I just started developing the method a day ago. Comments? Suggestions? Questions?


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## qqwref (Feb 4, 2015)

It's not a terrible concept, but I don't see the value in leaving the D center unsolved - there's really no easy way to put a piece there, unlike the M moves in normal Roux. Maybe it would be better to do like this:
- Solve D center, L center, and DLF/DLB
- Solve the R center and DRF/DRB
- Last 4 corners + last 3 centers - 18 algs?

(And now it's basically Ranzha advanced with a slight change. Oh well.)


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## molarmanful (Feb 4, 2015)

qqwref said:


> It's not a terrible concept, but I don't see the value in leaving the D center unsolved - there's really no easy way to put a piece there, unlike the M moves in normal Roux.



Basically, the unsolved D center becomes solved during L4E (last step).


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## qqwref (Feb 4, 2015)

No, I got that part. I just mean that it's not in a convenient place like the D edges in normal Roux. It's right in the middle of a block of other pieces that you have to take apart later if you want to move it. So you'd use fewer moves solving it early on (if you can) than leaving it for last.


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## molarmanful (Feb 4, 2015)

qqwref said:


> No, I got that part. I just mean that it's not in a convenient place like the D edges in normal Roux. It's right in the middle of a block of other pieces that you have to take apart later if you want to move it. So you'd use fewer moves solving it early on (if you can) than leaving it for last.



Oh, okay, I see. I guess I decided that there was more freedom for building the R block by leaving the D center unsolved (and that it made the method more unique), but perhaps solving the D edge is possible; it's just that it becomes Ranzha.


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## ottozing (Feb 4, 2015)

Leaving D unsolved doesn't make building the right block any easier at all if you know how a skewb actually turns


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## AlphaSheep (Feb 4, 2015)

I tried a few solves... It's not a terrible method, but I have a few concerns.


 Inspection seems tricky. For Sarah's, its usually not difficult to see the entire first layer during inspection. This method, L block is easy to see, but the R block is harder to see. I think with practice and if I was more familiar with the corner insertion algs it would be easier.

 I don't see how to take advantage of those common easy scrambles that have a centre and two diagonal corners solved with this method. For cases like that, it would be a good idea to be method neutral (like some fast pyraminx solvers are).

 LL corner case recognition was confusing. I found myself wanting to recognise by the L and R colours I had just been working with rather than the LL top colour. Would probably get better with practice.

 Move count for the LL corners is higher than in Sarah's intermediate, because you have to preserve the centres in the L and R blocks. This means you need to do 4 sledges for the peanut case or Ranzha's awkward 10 move alg, instead of just 2 sledges...

 I don't think combining step 3 and 4 would be able to use any of Sarah's advanced cases because all of those preserve a layer, but you could probably generate your own algs. (FYI Sarah's advanced algs are just sledge/hedge combos

Advantages of the method that I see:

 Like you say, easy first block

 Very easy to do L4C prediction during step 2


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## Berd (Feb 4, 2015)

Interesting method...


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## PenguinsDontFly (Feb 4, 2015)

I would try it if I had a skewb lol.


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## molarmanful (Feb 4, 2015)

ottozing said:


> Leaving D unsolved doesn't make building the right block any easier at all if you know how a skewb actually turns



If I don't have to worry about the D center, then I can use U-perm if the R center is on U instead of a U-Perm conjugate or something similar.


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## molarmanful (Feb 6, 2015)

I made a page for Skrouxb here: http://www.molarmanful.com/skrouxb/.


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## ottozing (Feb 6, 2015)

molarmanful said:


> If I don't have to worry about the D center, then I can use U-perm if the R center is on U instead of a U-Perm conjugate or something similar.



Or you could do a y and then sledge (Which just so happens to preserve the D center).

Really, the only thing you can do with a roux block that you can't do with a petrus block when it comes to solving the right roux block is sometime temporarily break the left block, do some move, and then restore the block with one move. Not very much freedom at all if you ask me. This method really just seems like a few steps slapped together that resemble roux on a 3x3.

One thing that's kinda cool that you can do with this method is solve L4C and CLL at the same time when you have a peanut case using pseudo blocks (as in, doing a set up move, and then a sarah advanced case or a speed optimized sarah advanced alg, and then undoing the set up move).


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## Seanliu (Feb 15, 2015)

So is this method pronounced "Sk-Rouuuuuuuu-B"? Or Skroo?


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## lejitcuber (Feb 16, 2015)

I am interested as layer first methods are dominating the skewb methods. I will try this, and also, I think it should be learnt after some other methods so it can be used like in pyraminx.


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## molarmanful (Feb 17, 2015)

Seanliu said:


> So is this method pronounced "Sk-Rouuuuuuuu-B"? Or Skroo?



"Skroob." Like "skewb" and "Roux" slammed together.


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## molarmanful (Feb 23, 2015)

I made a video for this.

[video=youtube_share;WsOQxnWli7I]http://youtu.be/WsOQxnWli7I[/video]


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## molarmanful (Jun 29, 2015)

*NEW BREAKTHROUGH!* I figured out how to do the second block in one step!!!!!!

Before, the second block had to be solved in two steps: corners then center. But I figured that you could solve one corner, then pair up the center to that solved corner, then solve the other corner. Only problem was, there were certain cases where that second corner was stuck and I couldn't figure out how to solve it. But I just figured out an "algorithm" (by hand, as usual) that does it!

I'm working on writing it up on the Skrouxb webpage and/or making a video about it. But this makes Skrouxb SO much faster!


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## Berd (Jun 29, 2015)

molarmanful said:


> *NEW BREAKTHROUGH!* I figured out how to do the second block in one step!!!!!!
> 
> Before, the second block had to be solved in two steps: corners then center. But I figured that you could solve one corner, then pair up the center to that solved corner, then solve the other corner. Only problem was, there were certain cases where that second corner was stuck and I couldn't figure out how to solve it. But I just figured out an "algorithm" (by hand, as usual) that does it!
> 
> I'm working on writing it up on the Skrouxb webpage and/or making a video about it. But this makes Skrouxb SO much faster!



Looking forward to the video!


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## molarmanful (Sep 7, 2015)

Okay, I've been playing around with this a lot more, and I figured that making a Welder's mask is way better than a first block for several reasons:
1) Not much harder/more moves to build than a first block.
2) 2 second block options instead of only 1.
3) No second block centers getting stuck.
4) L4E reduction to only Uperm.
5) CLL+L4E reduction to 10 Sarah Advanced cases (as much as Sarah Intermediate).
------------------------------------

Redux CLL4E is really easy to recognize. All you have to do is to locate the U center like in Sarah Intermediate, which is awesome! It's actually even easier because you can basically predict where the U center is while doing the second block.

I'll put the redux CLL4E algs here (CLL case + U center location, arranged at the angles put here):

```
PeanutU: SS y’ SS
PeanutFR: S y2 H y SS
PeanutFL: H y2 S y’ SS
PeanutBR: S y2 H y’ SS
PeanutBL: H y2 S y SS
     PiU: SS
     PiF: SS y Uperm
     PiB: SS y’ Uperm
     PiR: H y2 S
     PiL: S y2 H
```


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## Matt11111 (Dec 11, 2015)

I should try this out, even though I'm kind of awful at Roux on 3x3 to begin with.


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## IQubic (Oct 29, 2018)

Alright... At this point what you have is @Ranzha's Method, with Forcing R. It's a good concept, but I don't think it's new. Sorry about that.


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## Ranzha (Nov 11, 2018)

IQubic said:


> Alright... At this point what you have is @Ranzha's Method, with Forcing R. It's a good concept, but I don't think it's new. Sorry about that.


Nice 3-year-old bump.
But yeah, that's what I do (did?) for skewb.


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## SM cubing (Nov 11, 2018)

I average around a minute with 3x3 roux, but I could see this working on skewb


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