From cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Wed Aug 20 21:46:19 1997 Return-Path: Received: from sun30.aic.nrl.navy.mil by mc.lcs.mit.edu (8.8.1/mc) with SMTP id VAA16469; Wed, 20 Aug 1997 21:46:18 -0400 (EDT) Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Mail-from: From tim@mail.htp.com Wed Aug 20 21:13:21 1997 From: tim@mail.htp.com (Tim Mirabile) To: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: 5x5x5 Solution Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 01:09:43 GMT Organization: http://www.webcom.com/timm/ Message-Id: <33fc8852.2330703@mail.htp.com> References: In-Reply-To: The method I use is inefficient I'm sure, but I was able to solve the 5x5x5 right away only learning one specialized move. First I solve the 3x3x3 centers on all six sides using mostly intuitive methods, with an occasional 3x3x3 move (turning the two outer slices together on each twist to simulate a 3x3x3) thrown in. I usually work on the "corner centers" first, then the "edge centers", just like I would on a 3x3x3. Then I solve the "outer" corners (holding the three center slices together), followed by the "center" edge pieces (holding the two outer slices together) also using purely 3x3x3 methods. Then I work on the "off center" edge pieces using moves like r1 U2 r3 U2 or l3 U2 l1 U2. This messes up a row of center pieces but if you do it three times total they are restored, and 5 of the off center edges are permuted. I usually improvise by making a twist or two to get the edges I want to permute in the right place, followed by reversing these afterward. I also work with the slightly messed up centers at times making sure that I restore them later as I permute other sets of edges. Finally I use one 4x4x4 specific move from Mark Longridge's page at http://web.idirect.com/~cubeman/revenge.txt which also explains the extended notation. (http://web.idirect.com/~cubeman/ is his main page of course). The move I use is this: p3: Flip UF edge pair: r2 (D2 l1)^2 D1 l3 r3 d2 l1 r1 D3 l3 r3 d2 B2 r1 B2 l3 B2 l1 B2 r2 On the 5x5x5, this not only flips (and swaps) the edges, but swaps two center pieces. But if you hold the edges you want to flip at UB instead of UF, and do (p3) U2 (p3) U2 (p3), the edges will be flipped and the centers restored. You can also improvise here if you need to flip more than one pair - messing up centers with the first flip and restoring them with the second. Since these edges here are swapped as well as flipped, you can also use these moves to swap a single pair of edges. -- Webmaster, tech support - ICD/Your Move Chess & Games: http://www.icdchess.com/ The opinions of my employers are not necessarily mine, and vice versa.