Speed nerds unite!

[user4]

He spent some time looking at all sides of the cube before making the moves. They should add that initial analysis period to his time.

Agree ... But I suspect that they have their rules and they are sensible and they are sticking to them.

[gh]

They can have 2 categories: the pre-look one being filed under "rabbited"

[dukehjsteve]

About 30+ years ago, I wrote away to the manufacturer for a printed copy of "the solution." When I got it, about 4 pages of diagrams, I at least could read through it, and wonder of wonders, "solve" the bugger. It's buried in a drawer someplace.

[bambam1729]

Agree ... But I suspect that they have their rules and they are sensible and they are sticking to them.

In competitive cubing, they are all allowed a certain period of analysis before the actual solving gets underway.

[Atticus]

In competitive cubing, they are all allowed a certain period of analysis before the actual solving gets underway.

They can give me IBM's Watson computer and a month of analysis, and I still ain't solving the '%$&#*#@%#' thing.

[lonewolf]

Question: are all cubes identically scrambled before time starts?

bump: does anyone know the answer to this?

[user4]

bump: does anyone know the answer to this?

So far based on what I have read a mere 20 random moves gets the cube about as scrambled as it can be.

[lonewolf]

Family Thanksgiving. Twelve year old fraternal twin grand-nephews. one tall, dark athletic, one shorter, red headed bookish. The bookish one solved a rubic cube in about 3 minutes..said it took him so long because it was a sticky cube. Maybe not ready for the tournament but impressed the heck out of the family.

[26mi235]

So far based on what I have read a mere 20 random moves gets the cube about as scrambled as it can be.

Since there are four rows/columns/levels on the cube, and each can take any of three new positions on a move, that would seem to yield 4x3x3=36 possible moves with each 'twist'. Twenty of them would imply 36^20 possible move sets and yet there are only a few positions, so it must take even fewer than 20 to be pretty randomized.

[user4]

Since there are four rows/columns/levels on the cube, and each can take any of three new positions on a move, that would seem to yield 4x3x3=36 possible moves with each 'twist'. Twenty of them would imply 36^20 possible move sets and yet there are only a few positions, so it must take even fewer than 20 to be pretty randomized.

I think the paper found that 20 was the average distance to the solution. So yes, some could be further some could be closer but the average was 20. I think for higher dimension spaces the average is important because the higher the dimension the great the probability that the solution is relatively close to the average of any random state. This was the "God diameter/number" for the cube in the article cited.

I have not handled a rubix cube in 30 years so take my view with a grain of salt.