Rubik's Cube Newb

[dragon890x]

Hey FFR~!

I've always been curious to try out the Rubik's cube and other similar puzzle games. However, I have no idea where to start. I don't own any puzzles as of right now, and I'm not really sure where to get them. The only thing I remember are the stickers peeling off of my friend's puzzles. If at all possible, I'd like to avoid getting any with stickers, or ones that peel off easily.

Do you guys have any advice as to where I should purchase these puzzles and where I could go to learn starter algorithms?

Thanks in advance!

[Kibblre]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

I'm not sure about where to buy them since when I started up I had an old one lying around the house that turned extremely easily. To start learning algorithms, you can either learn them by text or watch some videos on youtube which I started off doing. It's pretty much all memorizing various algorithms and when to use them so here's hoping you got a good memory .

[funmonkey54]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

I've been an intense puzzle collector for several years now, and I specialize in Twisty puzzles. I think I may be able to help.

If you are looking for a non-stickered Rubik's cube, a lot of people like the colored Dayan Guhong. You can find it on eBay very easily. It will be very nice, especially if well lubed. It is my choice for speed cubing.

As for various types of puzzles, I suggest you try Mefferts. It is a twisty puzzle hop online run by a fan of puzzles named Uwe Meffert. He's great friends with Roxanne Wong, a collector in Hong Kong that I am personal friends with. His website is well respected and his customer service is impeccable.

Additionally, you may try hknowstore, which has a lot of good deals and free shipping. It will give you solid access to many of the latest MF8, Mefferts, and C4U products, as well as a handful of other individual puzzle runs done by avid puzzle fans.

If you want a real monster of a twisty puzzle verypuzzle sells the tuttminx, which has recently been perfected to correct previous errors.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I'm very passionate about puzzling and it is unlikely that I wouldn't be able to answer any questions you have.

[The_Toymaker]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

--Stickerless Rubik's Cube--

http://speedcubeshop.com/Puzzles/3x3...ored-Speedcube

--Rubik's Cube guides--

**Credit goes towards Flaming_Dingleberry/TheFD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOgN7d1D-3s

http://cubewhiz.com/cfop.php

[rushyrulz]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

I made 3 threads on FFR.
http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...d.php?t=107039
http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...d.php?t=116126
http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/...d.php?t=126357

Also, I made a web page for an assignment here.

[UserNameGoesHere]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

I seem to remember some program that I believe was more than a 3x3x3 or maybe you could choose the dimensions on it (I forget). Also don't remember if it was a program you download or if it was Flash-based as this was quite a while ago. Sorry this isn't much help other than to say "Something like this exists somewhere out there".

As for Rubik's cubes themselves, I don't know about stickerless, but seems you can find them in drug stores in toy aisles, and occasionally in gift shops random places. If all else fails I'm sure you could find one in a Toys R Us if you're willing to step foot in there, lol.

[axith]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

If you want a stickerless cube to learn on I suggest the Dayan GuHong. The thing turns well, and doesn't have the edge locking thing the ZhanChi has so it' will be easier to take the thing apart and pop it back together if you get frustrated with it. link

As for method to solve it. I like to teach people an edge first method where you solve the edges w/o messing with the corners, then moving around the corners with R U R' U'. The edges arn't hard to solve by brainpower and doing so will give you a better idea how to solve twisty puzzles in general. In the end you just need that one sequence for the corners (rather than the 4-6 algs you'd learn as the most basic layer by layer method). If a more detailed description of the method is needed, let me know.

Edit: Gabbasoft Cube Demo is free and will simulate cubes from 2 layers to 20 layers (won't work for mac).

[igotrhythm]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

Some smart-ass with a 3D printer apparently made something called an X-Cube. Demo here:

Interesting in that you can solve everything BUT the centers.

[funmonkey54]

Re: Rubik's Cube Newb

The original X-Cube is significantly more interesting. The X-Cube, or Super X, was designed in 2006 by Adam Cowan.

http://twistypuzzles.com/cgi-bin/puzzle.cgi?pkey=1910