crunchatize.me

I recognize PLL with a combination of “Blocks” and “Bars” A block is two or three connected pieces, like so:

A bar is a set of connected corners. I’ve put bars in red wherever possible. The term “bar” is taken from 2×2 PBL recognition, so a bar may or may not include the edge in between the corners. (If it does, it’s also a 1×3 block):

You can tell the permutation of a layer (and its parity) by comparing blocks and bars in most cases. I’ve included some lookahead information for square-1 permutation, but the recognition part applies equally to 4×4 PLL. Listed is which EP case each permutation goes to with a proper Vandenbergh solution, and then information on 1-look permutation if it applies.
The E/X/Q cases are difficult to recognize with this technique, so I’ve added some notes to the end of the page detailing how I recognize these cases.

No parity:

U: Solved CP, goes to U, J 1 J to solve

Z: Solved CP, goes to Z

H: Solved CP, goes to H, N 1 N to solve

A: Adj CP, goes to U, J 2 J to solve

T: Adj CP, goes to U, J 4 J to solve

Ga: Adj CP, goes to U, NJ to solve

Gb: Adj CP, goes to U, JN to solve

J: Adj CP, goes to solved, J or JJ or NJ or JN to solve

R: Adj CP, goes to U

Ph: Adj CP, goes to U

Y: Opp CP, goes to U, J 5 J to solve

V: Opp CP, goes to U

N: Opp CP, goes to solved, J 6 J or N to solve

E: Opp CP, goes to Z

Parity:

Opp Edges: Solved CP, goes to opp

Adj Edges: Solved CP, goes to adj

O: Solved CP, goes to O

W: Solved CP, goes to W

Opp corners: opp CP, goes to opp

Adj corners: Adj CP, goes to Adj

K: Adj CP, goes to adj

P: Adj CP, goes to opp or adj

B: Adj CP, goes to adj

D: Adj CP, goes to opp

C: Adj CP, goes to W or O

M: Adj CP, goes to W

S: Opp CP, goes to adj

X: Opp CP, goes to O

Q: Opp CP, goes to O

Notes on E/X/Q:
These are definitely the hardest to recognize between. The trick is to look at two edges, and the corner between them, and apply the 3-color rule. If there are 3 colors, that means EP is correct, so you have an E-perm. If there are 2 colors, you have an X, and if there are 4 colors, you have a Q.

E

X

Q

No explanation, just a new notation and the minimal alg list needed to learn square-1.

Notation:
R = Move the right half of the puzzle 180 degrees (clockwise)
u = move the U slice clockwise one “notch” Could be either (1,0) or (2,0) by old notation depending on what piece is to the right of the U notch.
u2 = move the U slice clockwise 2 “notches” Only used if there are 2 edges to he right of the U notch.
U = move the U slice clockwise 90 degrees. (3,0) in old notation
u4 = (4,0) in old notation
u5 = (5,0) in old notation
U2 = 180 degrees, (6,0)

Cubeshape: R u d’ R’ U’ d4′ R u2′ D R u’ d’ R U’ R
M2: u R u’ d’ R’
single EO: d’ R U’ R’ u4 d R u4′ d’ R’ U R
J/J: R U’ R’ U D R D’ R’
N/J: R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ R
Adj/adj: d R U’ R’ u d R u d’ R’
Opp/opp: u R u’ d’ R’ U2 R u d R’
Pure parity: R U’ R’ D R D’ R’ D R u R’ d R u’ R’ u4 R d2′ R’ d2 R u4′ d R U R’
Flip E Slice: R U2′ R U2′ R

This section discusses a few new cases for cubeshape, EO, and EP, as well as some advanced techniques for CP and the E slice.

Check it out here: http://crunchatize.me/stage-2/

I’ve started my square-1 tutorial. For now all I have is the beginner’s stage, but expect more soon.

Square-1 Solution

So, apparently I actually have a web site now. Hopefully I’ll add, like, content and shit. Eventually.