# Puzzle Solving Effects!



## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

So, I've solved the 3x3x3 numerous times in front of a crowd. This includes family, teachers, friends, students and maybe the people who drive their car along the path I take when I walk home. Some people were really surprised (I guess you can say shocked), for in America the cube is usually assumed to be impossible to solve. I don't know if this is the case for other countries, but maybe you can inform me since we have a lot of diversity at this site. Also, almost immediately after a solve in front of a new crowd, the people automatically assume I am a genius. It's quite the compliment, but anyone can solve the cube if they are given instructions they could understand. (Also, I've tried teaching people how to solve the cube and some people just can't grasp the concept of the faces or the parts after the cross) The best effect I've had is a bunch of girls gasping and asking their friends to watch. Sometimes, even after I've already solved it in front of someone, they stare whenever I solve it. 

Now I'm wondering what kind of effects on the public/strangers you've induced. I can't imagine how astonished people were to see someone solve a 4x4, 5x5, megaminx etc.


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## shoot1510 (Jan 28, 2009)

This happen to me sometime in school to, but it happen last year when I first doing to rubik cube in the hallway. all 8th, 7th and 6th grade were amazed that I can do the rubik cube at school, even teachers.


!!First comment!!


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## byu (Jan 28, 2009)

I did a blindfold solve before school one morning while sitting in class (not really blindfolded, I did it behind my back). As soon as I finished, there were gasps from around the room, and in a few days I had a cube club started. So far, two people have learned to solve the cube, and at least ten have given up after the cross.


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## kickinwing2112 (Jan 28, 2009)

I don't like to show off much, but occasionally when someone is flaunting their Dan Brown method and 10 minute solves, so I show what a full fredrich solve looks like


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## toast (Jan 28, 2009)

I don't usually cube anymore, like during school. I get too many looks and people from my middle school will come up to me and turn my cube a bit, say "You oiled this too much.", then the U layer explodes. It's just that when I cube, people want to see my cube, and they can't handle it. I should just start bringing my storebought. I still cube in public, though. Very fun to mess with people at the malls.


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

byu said:


> I did a blindfold solve before school one morning while sitting in class (not really blindfolded, I did it behind my back). As soon as I finished, there were gasps from around the room, and in a few days I had a cube club started. So far, two people have learned to solve the cube, and at least ten have given up after the cross.



That's kind of cool. I'm a senior in Highschool, so I don't think I could do much for a cube club. But, I believe your last comment!


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## mazei (Jan 28, 2009)

toast said:


> I don't usually cube anymore, like during school. I get too many looks and people from my middle school will come up to me and turn my cube a bit, say "You oiled this too much.", then the U layer explodes. It's just that when I cube, people want to see my cube, and they can't handle it. I should just start bringing my storebought. I still cube in public, though. Very fun to mess with people at the malls.



I get that a lot. They complain mine has a tension that's too loose but in fact they just try to turn the cube while locking up and they start forcing it and thus...POP. But yeah I cube in public but its so that our community here grows larger. It's still quite a small community here in Malaysia.


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## JTW2007 (Jan 28, 2009)

Someone saw me solve it once and then screamed and ran away from me. I think we should start a new thread for weird reactions.


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## EmersonHerrmann (Jan 28, 2009)

People have clapped about it at In-n-Out, people have whispered about it like "Oh my god he did that so fast..." No one at my school is ever amazed except the sixth graders...but they are small and foolish so I don't care about them 

I just solve the cube in public now since I have nothing better to do.



toast said:


> Very fun to mess with people at the malls.



Haha, just do random PLL's and do them backwards so it's solved while you're not looking


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## zippur (Jan 28, 2009)

i solved it once in my global class and this one girl whose not too bright was freaking out and such. it was pretty awesome. another time in band class i had just gotten my megaminx and was solving it for a crowd of people. it was pretty intense


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


> People have clapped about it at In-n-Out, people have whispered about it like "Oh my god he did that so fast..." No one at my school is ever amazed except the sixth graders...but they are small and foolish so I don't care about them
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> I just solve the cube in public now since I have nothing better to do.



I see... you are quite small and rather foolish. Should I care about you?


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## EmersonHerrmann (Jan 28, 2009)

4weeksAndImSub60 said:


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I am not foolish, and I am 5'10", I don't consider that small


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## fanwuq (Jan 28, 2009)

I've cubed for so long in public places that people aren't surprised at all. They all know me as the guy with the cube. Some people who I see often ask me if I broke a PB every time I see them. Many times, strangers do not realize that I solved the cube until I've solved it like 20 times in front of their face. I think it's because I scramble it immediately after I solve it. Also, half of the people cannot tell the difference between a 4x4 and a 3x3. They cannot tell the difference between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. They cannot tell the difference between BLD and scrambling.


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


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Ah, but compared to me, you're still a midget.  So, you're not foolish, huh? Well, usually a wise person, or an intelligent one would retort, "I'm not foolish I (explain why they aren't)" But, you tried foolish one... Maybe next time.


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## mazei (Jan 28, 2009)

fanwuq said:


> I've cubed for so long in public places that people aren't surprised at all. They all know me as the guy with the cube. Some people who I see often ask me if I broke a PB every time I see them. Many times, strangers do not realize that I solved the cube until I've solved it like 20 times in front of their face. I think it's because I scramble it immediately after I solve it. Also, half of the people cannot tell the difference between a 4x4 and a 3x3. They cannot tell the difference between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. They cannot tell the difference between BLD and scrambling.



I get that "do not realize that I solved the cube until I've solved it like 20 times in front of their face" lots of times. The 4x4 and 3x3 not so much but they take some time to realize and the BLD they know.


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## Sa967St (Jan 28, 2009)

bld reactions are the best ^^ 
a few weeks ago I was cubing during lunch in my school caf and some people came by and asked if I could do it blindfolded. I said yes and they asked me to demonstrate. In the middle of the memo some guy yelled "EVERYONE COME WATCH, THIS GIRL CAN SOLVE A RUBIK'S CUBE (^)%^*&#^ WITHOUT LOOKING" XD. Like 50 (not kidding, really about 50) people came crowded around the table and watched me. It wasn't even a good solve for me, I took time on the memo so I wouldn't screw up . After I put the blindfold on all I could hear was "OMFG how the ** does she do that" and stories about sticker peeling or the 'green cross method'. After I was done (not a DNF thank goodness) I started to laugh because everyone had funny expressions on their faces as if they were completely shocked. I didn't expect such a reaction. More people should try bld-ing in school in front of people


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

Once I can get sub-20 I'll learn BLD. I want to see what effect I could have.


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## mazei (Jan 28, 2009)

Sarah, I've been cubing at school for too long so everyone knows me as the cube guy. So whenever I cube at school now they go like "You're still playing with that thing?"


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## EmersonHerrmann (Jan 28, 2009)

4weeksAndImSub60 said:


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Dang you LeBron James -.- xD


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## Zeroknight (Jan 28, 2009)

fanwuq said:


> I've cubed for so long in public places that people aren't surprised at all. They all know me as the guy with the cube. Some people who I see often ask me if I broke a PB every time I see them. Many times, strangers do not realize that I solved the cube until I've solved it like 20 times in front of their face. I think it's because I scramble it immediately after I solve it. Also, half of the people cannot tell the difference between a 4x4 and a 3x3. They cannot tell the difference between 15 seconds and 2 minutes. They cannot tell the difference between BLD and scrambling.



YES, YES, and Yes. This is so true. It's kinda sad because I recently ask myself are we really smart or is it something else? :'-(


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## minsarker (Jan 28, 2009)

Haha, same stuff happens to me. I was like at 2 minutes like 2 months ago and people were amazed. Now I am at 1min and amaze more people. In class we had nothing to do and did this thing called authors chair where you read something your wrote and I went up and did my Rubiks cube hahaha. I got extra credit.

P.S. I am a senior in high school haha.


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## mazei (Jan 28, 2009)

Wow, extra credit for that. I wish I could get stuff like that.


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## Winston (Jan 28, 2009)

I solve the cubes which happen to be in my bag whenever I'm bored while taking public transport. People seem to be amazed with the bigger cubes like 5x5 and 7x7, but I believe BLD (no I can't do it yet) attracts more curious stares. Once I even had someone asking me whether the 2x2 was more difficult to solve than the regular 3x3  However, most of the people around me don't really seem to bother much.


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## d4m4s74 (Jan 28, 2009)

I was solving on the train and some guy offered me a job

also: winston, I actually think 2x2 is more difficult then 3x3
not to solve, I just use the same alg as 3x3 and don't do edges, but because of parity it's difficult to explain to people who only know the dan brown method

I sometimes just walk around town, randomly scrambling my cube OH

people are even amazed I move that fast (wile I am incredibly slow)


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## Pr3miuM (Jan 28, 2009)

I've also expierenced multiple funny reactions in lot's of places. One time I in the train I was bored and started cubing and solving it very casually while also looking out of the window during long algoritms. After a relaxing solve I looked up and saw about 7 people with frozen faces looking at me. I just smiled and scrambled...

Later sometime I had an old lady in the bus that started talking about how it was in the 80's and asked if mine was that old (it was pretty much a brand new DIY). My classmates are mostly used to it now but I had to show my "trick" to a bunch of teachers and even a full waiting class on the hallway. 

And sometimes I just do a couple of random PLL's while looking the other way which also gives funny reactions. "He can solve it blind even!" Or "I saw on the TV a guy who solved it with his feet too". Which was in fact Erik on Dutch television.


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## abr71310 (Jan 28, 2009)

Here's a funny story, sort of:

I was volunteering in my school library, running the circulation desk with one hand (mouse) and practicing OH PLL algs in the other hand (left, hehe).

Some kids came over and are like "woah, can you solve that?" (I just set it up for a U-Perm before I was gunna scan some books out to a student), and I was like, "Um, yeah?" and they're like "DO IT!" so I finished the U-perm (half done when they asked) and they were like "WOAAAH!!!"...

anyway, they scrambled it up and I told them (since they were taking like 5 minutes) that no matter how long they scrambled I'd still solve it in sub-45 (pfft...), so they gave it back and I did it right there in 36.xx seconds (they had an iPod timer!!!).

They walked off somewhere and I went back to shelving/storing books, when 5 min later they came back and asked me to do it again for one of their friends... I did it (obv) this time in 43.xx seconds, commenting on what I was doing (since my hands were shaking HORRIBLY)...

But eh, being the fastest in my school doesn't mean much, since I'm the only one using partial (ANY!!!) Fridrich; my brother uses the Dan Brown method and everyone else at my school uses another form of LBL, Petrus or Corners First (Waterman??)...

I also find it funny how they scramble it to "funny positions" (like centers off, crosses everywhere) and they say "SOLVE THAT!!!" xD.

When I do OH cubing they're like "Woah, how does it move that fast?!!?" (and mine sucks, like 1:06.xx is my fastest)


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 28, 2009)

I love it when people try to mix it as much as they can for a long ass time thinking it will increase the difficulty of the solve.


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## Sir E Brum (Jan 28, 2009)

I take my cube everywhere. It is good for killing time. I even do it at red lights and one time someone next to me at a red light was cheering me on. I solved it and they were surprised.

People seem to be amazed at how I can turn so quickly too. But explaining how mine is not a store bought cube can be a bit boring.

Oddest thing ever: I was solving at the Tae Kwon Do place I attend and some lady said, "If I had a daughter, I would have her marry you." Quite a stretch even for solving a rubik's cube.


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## Speedcuber023 (Jan 28, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


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In Emerson's defense, you should settle this with a race. Emerson will use one hand and let's see who wins between the two of you.


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 29, 2009)

Speedcuber023 said:


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I have a better idea! And a lot less based on the amount of time you've put into a rubiks cube. We each write an essay about subject, which would be suggested by someone from the forum. The one with the best english and most creativity would win? Wait! What do we win if we do either of these things?


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## Musturd (Jan 29, 2009)

4weeksAndImSub60 said:


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This much recursion hurts my eyes


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## 4ZN_5H4D0W (Jan 29, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


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You're 5'10"? I'm pretty sure I'm taller than you, or the same height, and I'm 5'9". (I was the Asian kid at the SF Open with Cameron, Chris, and Mat, Wilson.)


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## EmersonHerrmann (Jan 29, 2009)

4ZN_5H4D0W said:


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I thought so, I guess I was off by an inch (and a half?) xD I'm sure many people here are taller than me, I'm like 5'8" or 5'9"  I think it would be a waste of time for the both of us.

P.S. - I have too much schoolwork to write an essay outside of school


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## KevinK (Jan 29, 2009)

Because most people know me as a magician instead of a cuber, people often ask me if it's a magic trick. When they see me pull out a cube later (not when I'm performing magic tricks), they ask me to "Do a different one; you showed me this before." To the non-cuber, each solve is the same. They aren't solving it, so they don't see how it's always different. Also, I've never gotten a successful BLD at school; the best that I've gotten is having two edges flipped wrong. 

At a jazz band party tomorrow, I'm probably going to "perform" cubing stuff. after a solve, I'm going to give a 2x2 (scrambled) to someone and try to solve a 3x3 OH faster than he does the 2x2, which he probably won't complete. I'll then do the 2x2 behind my back. I will post how this goes.


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 29, 2009)

EmersonHerrmann said:


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Your in 8th grade!


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## byu (Jan 29, 2009)

I find it funny how everyone thinks that a 2x2x2 is so easy. They say things like "oh, there's only four squares on a side, I can solve that.". And every time that happens I do five moves and hand it to them, and twenty minutes later they have made no progress.

EDIT - Then I take it back and solve it in less than 10 seconds.


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## Absolome (Jan 30, 2009)

I did a crappy 3 second magic solve in school and now kids think im a genius or something

also i can solve th 3x3x3 in like 1:30 but people still freak out


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## Lewis (Jan 30, 2009)

The best reactions are when people scramble the cube for about 20 minutes, trying to make it impossible to solve, and expecting me to be on for ages trying to figure it out.
They mix it up for half an hour, then I solve it in half a minute.


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## jcuber (Jan 31, 2009)

When I bring my v-7 or v-6 to school, most kids are like "how big is that thing?" or "can you even solve that? I can't do the regular one!. I never bother explaining to people that as cubes get larger, it doesn't affect the diffuculty of the solve, just the amount of time it takes. When I finish a solve on my 6x6 or 7x7, people are amazed and shocked. I have yet to attempt trying BLD, even at home, though I think I should keep it a secret until I get good enough to do it in front of a crowd.


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## Vulosity (Jan 31, 2009)

fanwuq said:


> They cannot tell the difference between BLD and scrambling.



I agree. I'm just scrambling the cube without looking right after I solve it and the six graders at my school say, " Are you doing it without looking?"


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## slncuber21 (Jan 31, 2009)

last year i brought my cube to school like 3 times or so because we were doing this project and i had finished early so my teacher said i could bring it and show the class (and she wanted to see it also =P )

so i ask if anyone wants to scramble it....and i practically get jumped. everyone wants to "i'll mess it up so well that you will never solve it!" so i solve it a few times at about 45-50 seconds or whatever. and theres this one really odd kid and he just stares at me. i just walk away before he can say anything =P

so a few weeks ago the same 'staring kid' comes up to me in the hall way with a messed up storebought. he goes " HEY SARAH! CAN YOU STILL SOLVE THESE!?!?!?!?" it was really creepy that he remembers i can solve it after a year. it was also creepy that he knew my name and i had never talked to him before? :confused:


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## Deleted member 2864 (Jan 31, 2009)

yeah... I solve in public. Impressed my whole school with it. But now people are bringing their cubes up to me and asking me to solve it and it gets quite annoying. Pretty fun at the malls though =)


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## Pietersmieters (Jan 31, 2009)

I was at a restaurant, just solving a bit with the beginners method. When I solved it ( I guess it was close to 1 minute ) like 2 families (with 2 parents, 2 children) were freeaking out and started photographing me :confused:


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## 4weeksAndImSub60 (Jan 31, 2009)

slncuber21 said:


> last year i brought my cube to school like 3 times or so because we were doing this project and i had finished early so my teacher said i could bring it and show the class (and she wanted to see it also =P )
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> so i ask if anyone wants to scramble it....and i practically get jumped. everyone wants to "i'll mess it up so well that you will never solve it!" so i solve it a few times at about 45-50 seconds or whatever. and theres this one really odd kid and he just stares at me. i just walk away before he can say anything =P
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> so a few weeks ago the same 'staring kid' comes up to me in the hall way with a messed up storebought. he goes " HEY SARAH! CAN YOU STILL SOLVE THESE!?!?!?!?" it was really creepy that he remembers i can solve it after a year. it was also creepy that he knew my name and i had never talked to him before? :confused:


He likes you.


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