# Trouble With Old Pochman/M2 BLD



## cubedude22 (Feb 7, 2015)

So after watching various videos online I've gathered general knowledge on how to solve the cube bld. But I often find myself messing up when matching corners and edges due to not fully understanding new cycles, parity and twisted corners. If someone decides to help with this and share, please consider sharing how you would approach the edges in M2 after the corners of this scramble have been solved.

Orientation is white on top green front.

L D B' R B2 U D B' L2 F2 D2 U2 L F D2 L2 D' B L' F L2 D' U F U'

I use a standard letter memorization, ABCD on top, EFGH on left, I JKL on front, MNOP on right, QRST on back & UVWX on bottom. 

EX: Top upper left would be A, top upper right is B, top bottom right is C, and top bottom left is D.

Let me know if you can help.

Thanks!


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 7, 2015)

Why not just post a scramble


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## cubedude22 (Feb 7, 2015)

JasonDL13 said:


> Why not just post a scramble



Touche

I was just trying to provide a case where I was having trouble, but the original post has been updated


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## Schmidt (Feb 7, 2015)

If you solve corners first and don't have trouble with that you could use cstimer to get edges only scrambles


1. L' B R2 F2 L2 B' D R' L2 F2 R2 F2 U R2 D2 F2 R2 U' D2 F' 
2. B' D' L B U B R U F2 U2 F2 R' U2 D2 R F2 D2 L' U2 D 
3. D L R F2 R2 F2 D2 L B2 F2 R' U B F' R B2 D B2 F2 
4. U D2 B' U2 L2 F D2 R2 U2 F' D2 F2 D' R B L F' D' F' L' 
5. R' F' D2 B U L F U2 F D2 R2 D' F2 B2 D' B2 D2 B2 L2 D'

if you scramble the cube in your orientation, then you could tell what your problems with M2 are

the first scramble has a cycle break after the first 3 edges


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## cubedude22 (Feb 7, 2015)

Do you count the cycle break piece in memorization? For example, say B needs to go to G then G needs to go to Q then Q needs to go to C but the buffer piece is at C. Am I going to memorize C? Or am I going to memorize where C goes?

Also, say in the same situation B to G, G to Q, but this time Q needs to go to A (the buffer), does that mean memorization for corners are done?


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## Cale S (Feb 7, 2015)

cubedude22 said:


> L D B' R B2 U D B' L2 F2 D2 U2 L F D2 L2 D' B L' F L2 D' U F U'


Hopefully this helps:



Spoiler: memo



Corners and edges are memorized separately, so I'll start with corners.

At UBL (your buffer) there is the white sticker of the white-orange-green piece, which belongs in the D position, so your first letter to memorize is D. Then look at the D position and see it's the sticker that belongs at DLF (which is U, so our memo so far is DU). The sticker at U needs to go to Q, which goes to H, which goes to C, which goes to O, which goes to P. The piece at the P position belongs at the buffer, which means we have reached the end of our cycle. Our memo is DU QH CO P, which solves every corner, so our corner memo is finished. In this case we didn't have to twist any corners or break into any new cycles. We have parity because of an odd number of targets.

For edges, our buffer is at DF, which needs to go to T. Then T goes to E, which goes to W, which goes to L, which goes to A, which goes to R. Then R needs to go back to the buffer, so we have reached the end of our cycle and our memo so far is TE WL AR. We have not solved all of our edges yet, which means we need to break into a new cycle. B is on a piece I haven't solved yet, so I will start there, and keep in mind that UR is the piece I started the cycle on. B goes to I, which goes to J, which goes to X, which goes to M. M is on the same piece as B (even though it isn't the same sticker), so after M we have gotten back to where our cycle started, meaning we reached the end of our second cycle. Now our memo is TE WL AR BI JX M. This solves every edge piece except DR, but DR is already solved, so we have finished edge memo.

final memo:
edges - TE WL AR BI JX M
corners - DU QH CO P





Spoiler: execution



memo:
edges - TE WL AR BI JX M
corners - DU QH CO P

Solving edges first makes parity very easy, so I'm starting with edges. I'll be going through execution in pairs.

TE: T is what Noah refers in his tutorial as an 'inside target' because it's on the R/L layer but not on the R/L face, so it starts with a U/U', then a R/R'/R2/L/L'/L2, and then undoing the first U/U' for the setup. In this case (T) it's U R' U'.
E is what Noah refers to as an 'outside target' because it's on the R/L face. These are similar to inside targets but start with B/B' instead of U/U'. In this case the setup is B L' B'.
Execution for the pair TE:
*U R' U' M2 U R U'*
*B L' B' M2 B L B'*
WL: W is an M-slice target, and the alg depends on if it's the first or second target of the pair. Here it's the first, so we just do the normal alg (M U2 M U2). L is just an inside target.
*M U2 M U2*
*U' L' U M2 U' L U*
AR: A is the easiest target because it's already at the target position (UB). All you have to do is M2. R is just an inside target.
*M2*
*U' L U M2 U' L' U*
BI: B is an inside target, but it takes a 4 move setup instead of 3. First you have to do an R', and then you can do U R U' as your 4 move setup to bring it up to the target position. I is another M-slice target where the alg depends on if it's the first or second target of the letter pair. The normal alg is D M' U R2 U' M U R2 U' D' M2, but here it's the second target of the pair, so we do the inverse (M2 D U R2 U' M' U R2 U' M D').
*R' U R U' M2 U R' U' R*
*M2 D U R2 U' M' U R2 U' M D'*
JX: J and X are both inside targets.
*U R U' M2 U R' U'*
*U' L2 U M2 U' L2 U*
M: Now we just have a single letter because we have parity. For parity, just do the normal alg, then do the parity alg (U' F2 U M2 U' F2 U), and then you go on to solve corners. In this case, M is just an outside target.
*B' R B M2 B' R' B*

*U' F2 U M2 U' F2 U*

Now for corners, I'll just write *y perm* for R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R
DU: D can be brought to RFD with F R'. U is on the D face, and D face targets can all be set up in 2 moves or less by first being brought to U with a turn of the D layer, and then brought to RFD with an F'. Here we can skip the D layer turn.
*F R' *y perm* R F'*
*F' *y perm* F*
QH: Q can be brought to RFD with R' F, and H is just a D2.
*R' F *y perm* F' R*
*D2 *y perm* D2*
CO: C just needs a D move to get to RFD, and O is on the R face so it just takes a turn on the R layer.
*F *y perm* F'*
*R *y perm* R'*
P: P is already at RFD, so we don't need a setup move.
P: **y perm**


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## cubedude22 (Feb 7, 2015)

Cale thank you so much for this. It's very VERY helpful. I just finished edges, but I noticed that on the left orange side I have a blue and white cross piece and on the back blue side I have a orange white cross piece and the green red yellow are all correct. I'm not sure where I messed up, because doing the parity algorithm messes everything up, then doing it again brings it back to the same case.

ALSO:

Would it be much of a bother to ask for an example with twisted corners/edges? If possible. Once I grasp that, I should be good after the help from your last post.


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 7, 2015)

M U M U M U2 M' U M' U M' U2 - Flips front and back edge, move the edge that needs to be flipped, and flip it with the buffer.

Considering you're using M2 for edges, and your buffer is DF or FD: Scramble your cube like this, B2 D B D B' D2 B2 D U R D' R' U'.

We have two flipped edges, but you will only know one is flipped. Move the flipped edge (Red-Blue edge) so it's across the green yellow edge. One way to do that is R' U. Then do an X move so the piece are on top. Perform the alg. Then undo the setup moves (x' U' R).

*Note: It is important you do not move the buffer piece whilst performing setup moves*

R U R' U' R U R' U' L' U R U' R' U R U' R' L - Clock wise corner turn, UBL and UFL. (The alg is just sexy, sexy, L', reverse sexy, reverse sexy, L)
U R U' R' U R U' R' L' R U R' U' R U R' U L' - Anti clock wise corner turn, UBL and UFL. (The alg is just reverse sexy, reverse sexy, L' sexy, sexy, L)

To use this, get the corner you want to rotate to UFL (Green, White, Orange) and perform the alg you want.

Considering you're using Old Pochmann for corners, and your buffer is URB. Scramble your cube like this: F L2 F' U R2 U' F L2 F' U R2 U'

The green, red, yellow corner needs to be twisted clockwise. So move it to green, white, orange (F2) do the clockwise alg. Then undo the setup move (F2).

*Note: It is important you do not move the buffer piece whilst performing setup moves*

I hope you enjoyed my presentation.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 7, 2015)

Thank you Jason! That was very helpful. I now understand how to fix twisted edges. But the biggest problem is recognizing these cycle break/twisted edges in a solve, during memo. Any guidance or knowledge on that?


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 8, 2015)

You're welcome cubedude! I'm glad it was helpful.

How to recognize cycle breaks: As you're memorizing, put your fingers on the pieces (you don't really need to do this for corners but #yolo do it anyway). When you finish memorizing see if your fingers are not on any pieces. If they are not, then break into a cycle on one of the piece that your fingers are not on.

Assuming you have 10 fingers in total, there are 12 edges on a cube. 1 piece is buffer, and 1 piece is the last one so you don't really need to put your finger on it since you'll start solving or reviewing or whatever.

Twisted edges: I don't know. I used to DNF in multiblind a lot because of that. I guess using the finger thing above. As your checking for another cycle you might see a flipped edge. At the end of memo you could scan the cube quickly to check for a flipped edge too.

How the good blindfolded guys do it: They just see them during memo, an memo them visually. But that doesn't always work.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 8, 2015)

Yeah the twisted edges part seems rather tricky. The hardest part for me is to recognize a twisted edge, where to put it in my memo & knowing when to execute the algorithm for it.


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 8, 2015)

To memo a flipped edge: Just memorize it visually. Just go, "this piece needs to be flipped." It's not super difficult.

To execute the alg: Do it after your done edges. If you do edges first and you have parity. Do it before parity.

Ex.
Corners first: Corners, Flip Corners, Parity(If needed), Edges, Flip edges.
Edges first: Edges, Flip Edges, Parity (If needed), corners, flip corners.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 8, 2015)

When doing edges first, is the parity algorithm the same after edges and after corners? You're supposed to do the parity algorithm twice, correct?

And also...

Here's an example of where I get lost

B2 F2 R U2 F R U2 R' L2 D2 U' B D2 U B' F2 U2 B' D U F U L D F2

I believe the corners to be
KJ-WI-US-Q

And then when I went for edges I got

AD- VN- CW- (cycle change?)


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 8, 2015)

I don't know all of M2 and I've never used it. But I believe it is. You're not supposed to do parity alg twice, only once.

Are you trying to figure this out yourself at all? You could have just done a solve with your eyes open using M2/OP, edges first and corners first with the same parity alg and see it for yourself.

Please post your memorization as the locations of the cubies (ex, UBL, RD ect.) because I don't use your letting scheme.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 8, 2015)

Yeah I've figured a lot of it out on my own. There are just a few trouble spots I'm asking advice on. 

Corners 
FDR - FUR - DBR - FUL - DFL - BDL - BUR

Edges 
UB - UL - DR - RB - UF - DB


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## JasonDL13 (Feb 8, 2015)

Corners are correct.

Edges: (I might be doing this wrong because I don't solve using M2, but I don't think I'm doing any mistakes)

It was right so far. However, FL, BL, DL, FR are all unsolved. So shoot to one of those spots and continue solving until you reach the point where you have found your buffer (Yellow Green).

Then you must flip UR.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 8, 2015)

Yes, I stopped after DB just to see if I was correct with the new cycle. I gotta work on all this a bit still, but all the info is helping & appreciated.

Thanks again.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

Sorry for the double post. But thanks again to cale & jason for helping out.

Been stuck on this scramble for a few hours if anyone can help

Scramble: F2 R B L2 D2 L B2 R' D2 U2 B' U L2 U' R' L F' B2 D B' R' F' B R D


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## JemFish (Feb 9, 2015)

cubedude22 said:


> Sorry for the double post. But thanks again to cale & jason for helping out.
> 
> Been stuck on this scramble for a few hours if anyone can help
> 
> Scramble: F2 R B L2 D2 L B2 R' D2 U2 B' U L2 U' R' L F' B2 D B' R' F' B R D



I'll be glad to help. Where are you having problems with this scramble?


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

Not sure if my memo is correct

Edges: WC-JB-HA-TD-YJ
Corners: OV-SI-QJ-MG-UL

Edges first. White on top Green front. A is UB B is UR C is UF D is UL etc

Not sure how to explain it, but when I finish there are 5 pieces incorrect.


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## JemFish (Feb 9, 2015)

(Assuming your Y replaces X in normal Speffz.)

Your memo for edges: WC-JB-HA-TD-YJ (even number of targets)
Correct memo for edges: WC-JB-HA-TD-YL-J (odd number of targets)

Comments: I think you confused L and J.

Your memo for corners: OV-SI-QJ-MG-UL (even number of targets)
Correct memo for corners: OV-SI-Q; flip M; flip G (odd number of targets)

Comments: the two pieces C/M/J and V/K/P should not be part of memo - they are flipped corners

Hope that helped.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

Finished the edges and white center is yellow/ yellow center is white & my white/blue & white/green edges are opposite. I did the parity algorithm after edges D' L2 D M2 D' L2 D and that didn't work. I also tried U' F2 U M2 U' F2 U and that didn't work either.

EDIT: 

Second attempt after edges, parity alg, D' L2 D M2 D' L2 D then corners. I now have 3 flipped edges yellow/green on top, blue/yellow is in the buffer and white green/ is directly opposite of the buffer.


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## JemFish (Feb 9, 2015)

cubedude22 said:


> Finished the edges and white center is yellow/ yellow center is white & my white/blue & white/green edges are opposite. I did the parity algorithm after edges D' L2 D M2 D' L2 D and that didn't work. I also tried U' F2 U M2 U' F2 U and that didn't work either.



I (surprisingly) found your error. By pure luck I executed wrongly, and my scramble ended up like what you described. The memo I provided was entirely correct, but (y)our execution was wrong. I think what you did wrong was your set-up move for W. It's [B2], right? Wrong. You're supposed to go [M U2 M U2] and then for C you should do [U2 M' U2 M'] but because it's the second letter of the pair you do [M U2 M U2] again. So start with [M U2 M U2 M U2 M U2] and you should be fine from there.

It's good to make silly mistakes; you'll probably never make them again.

Hope I helped!


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

I'm confused as to why WC isn't M U2 M U2 than U2 M' U2 M'. What does being the second letter of the pair have to do with the algorithms changing? And what do you mean by W being B2?

Thanks for the help so far!


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## JemFish (Feb 9, 2015)

cubedude22 said:


> I'm confused as to why WC isn't M U2 M U2 than U2 M' U2 M'. What does being the second letter of the pair have to do with the algorithms changing? And what do you mean by W being B2?
> 
> Thanks for the help so far!



[M U2 M U2] and [U2 M' U2 M'] are exact opposites of each other. If you perform one after the other (in any order) nothing's going to happen. You do the opposite alg for a sticker when it's the second letter of a pair because every time you do M2 or an algorithm, the entire M layer is being rotated by 180 degrees. Because of that you're changing the shooting position if the sticker is in the M layer.

For example, perform [M U2 M U2] on a solved cube. Where does the buffer need to go? To C. Take into consideration that yellow is (temporarily) on top, not white.

Now perform [U2 M' U2 M'] on a solved cube. Where does the buffer need to go? To W.

About 'W being B2': if you perform [B2], W will end up in A, the shooting position. You can't do that because you can't disturb the M layer during set-ups, which is why you do [M U2 M U2] instead.

Again, I hope I helped.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

Ah that does make sense. Confusing though. How would this be recognized when memorizing? And yes, you've been very helpful. Thank you again!


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## JemFish (Feb 9, 2015)

cubedude22 said:


> Ah that does make sense. Confusing though. How would this be recognized when memorizing? And yes, you've been very helpful. Thank you again!



You're welcome. My examples weren't very accurate though, but I guess they work. You need to have a little play around with M2 (eyes open) to get a good feel for it.

*EDIT*: You don't need to recognise that while memorising; if a sticker in the M2 layer is the first letter in a letter pair, you just perform the normal algorithm. If it's the second letter of a letter pair, you perform the opposite algorithm.


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## cubedude22 (Feb 9, 2015)

I didn't mean your examples were confusing by the way haha. I just meant that the second letter m layer part is a little confusing.


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## schaek (Mar 9, 2015)

This topic is very useful. I'm having a hard time too knowing in what order I have to execute. I can use a list how to setup a letter to switch, but couldn't find a written guide to follow step by step.
Are there websites where they hold your hands in what order you should execute (like TE WL AR BI JX M)?

When I understand that part I can try them myself in PPT. I already tried some edge-scrambles in it but I'm always stuck and can never find the correct order.


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## cubing247 (Oct 12, 2016)

Bringing this thread back to life.

The concept behind Pochmann corners and M2 is not all that difficult IMO. I've had moments from reading posts on here/watching videos where I say to myself "well shizz, this finally makes sense", but often times I find myself scratching my head like "lol wut? NVM" and my memo always takes FOREVER. Cycle breaks still confuse me. There are times where I'll be trying to memo and my memo will end up like (just using random letters here, it's not meant to make sense)

AS-DT-RF-GF-DT-SD-HT-NI-UY-RF-TG-DS-CD-HF..etc

I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't wrap there head around this silly, (very easy) concept. It just hasn't clicked for me well enough to not mess it up almost every time.

Here is a scramble that has had me working for a quite a while.

Scramble:

D2 F R2 B' U2 F D2 L2 F' L2 B D' B L R D R B2 R U2

White on top green front. Noahs letters.

Edges: JD-V then a cycle break (and I've come up with about 4 different memos and none work)

Corners
MD-S cycle break I shot to P-WX-V (but I don't think it's right).

Any advice/help is appreciated very much.


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## mark49152 (Oct 12, 2016)

Edges JD V/A HC MA/ LX F/T WN

Corners MD S/P WV/ & UBR twist, DFL solved

Slash means break. Of course you could start new cycles on different stickers than I chose.


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## cubing247 (Oct 12, 2016)

Wow, well that is incredibly helpful.

Thank you mark

Any advice on keeping track of what pieces aren't solved, so I know where to shoot if I encounter multiple cycle breaks, like this?


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## sqAree (Oct 12, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> Wow, well that is incredibly helpful.
> 
> Thank you mark
> 
> Any advice on keeping track of what pieces aren't solved, so I know where to shoot if I encounter multiple cycle breaks, like this?



Put your fingers on the pieces that are already memorized. Also, I personally have a standard order of letters I shoot to in case of a cycle break (first it's B, and if B is not available I shoot to I, but it's arbitrary).


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## mark49152 (Oct 12, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> Any advice on keeping track of what pieces aren't solved, so I know where to shoot if I encounter multiple cycle breaks, like this?


Rather than try to track all the pieces solved or unsolved, I keep a shortlist of stickers I like to start new cycles on. For edges, those are ALJRT in that order. So when tracing, I mentally "tick off" each of those if it's already seen, then pick one that's left if I need to start a new cycle. In the above memo, after the third break, I know I've ticked off A, J, L and R (H) but T is still left.

Occasionally I get a break after all those have already been seen, but that's just bad luck


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## cubing247 (Oct 12, 2016)

Thanks for the advice fellas. There is some real good information here.

Having prepared spots to shoot to seems very effective and I will try practicing that!

I used csTimer and did a few edge only scrambles and got 2/3. This was the 3rd.

L2 U' B2 D L2 U2 R2 U F2 U' L F2 D' R D2 F' U' B' R' F'

After executing the memo I'm left with an M2, which leaves my target and buffer pieces in the wrong spot. Not sure how to fix this.

Memo:
JT-WE-GP-CV-FR-MC

Is there a limit to how many letter pairs you can have in a memo?


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## mark49152 (Oct 13, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> Memo:
> JT-WE-GP-CV-FR-MC
> 
> Is there a limit to how many letter pairs you can have in a memo?


Yes. Pieces solved = letters minus breaks. Your memo above has 12 letters and 2 breaks so solves 10 pieces. As there are 11 edges to solve, there is one missing. That is UB, which is flipped.

The limit would be 5 cycles, so 11+5 = 16 letters, assuming you don't memo flipped edges as cycles.

You should not have M2 displaced on this scramble, but in other scrambles you may have parity, which means you cannot solve your edges without also swapping two corners.


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## cubing247 (Oct 13, 2016)

I've run into parity and have a pretty good understanding on when and how to do it.. but I'm not entirely sure how to solve flipped edges. I didn't even realize it during memo. 

Again, I appreciate the help.


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## mark49152 (Oct 13, 2016)

You can either flip an edge by executing both stickers, so JP for the front right edge, etc. Or, use an alg to flip 2 or 4 at a time, which can include the buffer. Try ((M' U)3 M U)2 which should flip UR and buffer.


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## cubing247 (Oct 13, 2016)

I like the idea of executing both stickers. I kind of had a feeling it was like doing twisted corners, I should have really tried intuitively.

My last csTimer scramble had a flipped edge in it and your tips helped me solve it.

I appreciate all the help!


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## cubing247 (Oct 16, 2016)

I'm trying my very hardest not to ask for too much help with this since learning/figuring it out on my own is better in the long run, but I just spent the last few days doing nothing but BLD and still get so mixed up over stuff.

I have my corner and edge set up moves 90% down, my execution is good.. but my memo is so sluggish. And I still get confused over cycle breaks, spotting flipped edges, keeping my fingers on the edges as I'm memorizing. A lot of the time I drop the cube or one of the layers will turn and I'll mess up haha.

Edges only SCRAMBLE:
R F' D F U2 R2 U L R2 F' R2 B R2 B L2 F R2 U2 B' D

I've been stuck on this one for 30 minutes now.

IF anyone cares to keep helping, It's always appreciated. So much.

Thanks!


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## SweetSolver (Oct 16, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> I'm trying my very hardest not to ask for too much help with this since learning/figuring it out on my own is better in the long run, but I just spent the last few days doing nothing but BLD and still get so mixed up over stuff.
> 
> I have my corner and edge set up moves 90% down, my execution is good.. but my memo is so sluggish. And I still get confused over cycle breaks, spotting flipped edges, keeping my fingers on the edges as I'm memorizing. A lot of the time I drop the cube or one of the layers will turn and I'll mess up haha.
> 
> ...


Edge memo: RPSE IBGV T/AFQ

The slash represents a cycle break. After memorising the first 9 letters there are two remaining pieces that need to be solved (the UB and LF edges). I chose to shoot to A first as it's one of my default ones, but it doesn't matter which sticker you shoot to on either piece.


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## mark49152 (Oct 16, 2016)

My #1 tip for learning BLD is to get comfortable with your method with eyes open first. Doing it blindfolded is challenging enough, so why take that on while you're still struggling with the method itself? M2/OP is just a method for solving the cube. Nobody says you have to learn it with a blindfold on.


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## Jacck (Oct 16, 2016)

You will have less problems, when you are more used to it. Trying things sighted is a good idea for the sart.

I'm a slowcucber (the goal is to get it at all with not too much effort, and speed isn't that important) and I examine the cube before the memo for solved or flipped edges. After that, I can calculate the number of expected letters (11 - solved + flipped) - this all can be done in a few seconds. I keep that number in mind and if a new cycle appears afterwards while memoing, I just have to add 1.
Advantage: I can memo quite fluently and don't have to search for missing edges after half of the memo (which I would forget quite soon). And I know, what is still to come and I don't need to put the fingers onto the stickers (which I do only for the centers in bigblind).
Maybe that can help you at the start, 10 seconds more in the beginning, but a much more easier memo.

Another tip: if my buffer-piece is flipped, then I lift a foot, so at the end of the memo, I know, whether I got the orientations right (or at least an even number of errors  ). Keep in mind: if you start a new cycle with a flipped piece, the buffer piece is flipped, too.

Three ideas, which may help to unterstand cycles and flipped edges:
1. You start a new cycle, when your buffer-piece is solved. So at the start of the new cycle, the buffer-piece goes to the piece, with which you start the new cycle. So at the end of the cycle, this piece must be solved (again) to put the buffer-piece back.
2. The new-cycle-piece is involved twice and so you have an additional "tour" and you have to add 1 to the number of letters.
3. If you have a flipped edge (ie front-right) and you solve it like JP, then the J starts a new cycle and the P ends this new cycle.

(To 1: a really fast method could be, to take a new buffer and new target with the new cycle. I.e. if J isn't solved, you could take J as new target and R as new buffer - perhaps easiest done with cube-rotations. This would decrease the number of moves (J would be solved with an E2 or M2 after cuberotations), but is surely no thing for a beginner - but maybe it helps a bit to understand, why new cycles have to be like they are.) 

For new cycles take the pieces, which can be solved fast (fastest is A because it's only an M2). 
Or: if I have to start a new cycle, I try to get an middle-slice-edge oriented right (as the second piece in that new cycle). I don't like them flipped, because I don't like the algs for them - but this is maybe a bit too slowcubing


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## cubing247 (Oct 16, 2016)

SweetSolver said:


> Edge memo: RPSE IBGV T/AFQ
> 
> The slash represents a cycle break. After memorising the first 9 letters there are two remaining pieces that need to be solved (the UB and LF edges). I chose to shoot to A first as it's one of my default ones, but it doesn't matter which sticker you shoot to on either piece.



Hey thanks for the reply!

It looks like I goofed somewhere though. My white face has a yellow center, green has a blue center and my blue and yellow have green and white centers. Red and Orange are solved.

EDIT:
Nevermind. Seems I forgot to do F after A!



mark49152 said:


> My #1 tip for learning BLD is to get comfortable with your method with eyes open first. Doing it blindfolded is challenging enough, so why take that on while you're still struggling with the method itself? M2/OP is just a method for solving the cube. Nobody says you have to learn it with a blindfold on.



I mostly do the solves with eyes open a few times, then try BLD. I agree with you fully.



Jacck said:


> You will have less problems, when you are more used to it. Trying things sighted is a good idea for the sart.
> 
> I'm a slowcucber (the goal is to get it at all with not too much effort, and speed isn't that important) and I examine the cube before the memo for solved or flipped edges. After that, I can calculate the number of expected letters (11 - solved + flipped) - this all can be done in a few seconds. I keep that number in mind and if a new cycle appears afterwards while memoing, I just have to add 1.
> Advantage: I can memo quite fluently and don't have to search for missing edges after half of the memo (which I would forget quite soon). And I know, what is still to come and I don't need to put the fingers onto the stickers (which I do only for the centers in bigblind).
> ...



Thanks for the long reply! Really good tips! I don't think I've ever run into a case where my buffer was flipped though. And If I did, I probably didn't realize that was the reason for me to continue messing it up.


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## newtonbase (Oct 16, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> It looks like I goofed somewhere though. My white face has a yellow center, green has a blue center and my blue and yellow have green and white centers. Red and Orange are solved.



I think that your cube was probably in the wrong orientation when you did your memo. I've done the same myself.


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## cubing247 (Oct 17, 2016)

Perfect example! 

Edge scramble:
D' L2 U2 F2 R' D2 U2 R U2 F2 R2 B F U L R' F' U'

THIS is my weak spot right now. I know pieces are solved/edges are flipped. I can see that, but when it comes to memorizing them, I don't see it all that quickly and it takes way too long. 

My memo started out like this, but I feel like I'm not doing it right

Memo:
d/j-b/j-ox-/o...?

It just seems like everything is going back to where I'm starting. And it's hard to keep track of things/ all the while I'm thinking I'm wrong.


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## mark49152 (Oct 17, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> D' L2 U2 F2 R' D2 U2 R U2 F2 R2 B F U L R' F' U'


Yes that's a nasty scramble but your memo is right.

D/J BJ /OX O/L SL. 10 targets with 3 breaks solves 7 pieces so there must be 4 left. Two of those are flipped, two solved.

Keeping track is sometimes hard especially on a nasty scramble. It just takes practice.


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## cubing247 (Oct 17, 2016)

mark49152 said:


> Yes that's a nasty scramble but your memo is right.
> 
> D/J BJ /OX O/L SL. 10 targets with 3 breaks solves 7 pieces so there must be 4 left. Two of those are flipped, two solved.
> 
> Keeping track is sometimes hard especially on a nasty scramble. It just takes practice.



D/J BJ /OX O/L SL CI AQ ?


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## mark49152 (Oct 17, 2016)

cubing247 said:


> D/J BJ /OX O/L SL CI AQ ?


Yes if that's how you prefer to memo flips.


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## biscuit (Oct 17, 2016)

I memo flips as where the white/yellow stickers are (or what ever is the top/bottom colors in your orientation) following the word flip. So if my memo is ABCD and then I have to flip the W edge, My memo would be ABCD flip W. It's worked well for me. It also works for corners.


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