How are people able to solve a Rubix Cube in only a few seconds?
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I feel alot of explanations on here are a bit misleading. I’m a speedcuber. My best time is 8.22 seconds. I’m not world class but I’m probably decent.
Basically the cube is solved (by most people) in 4 steps. Solving the cross (4 edge pieces), then the first 2 layers (solving 8 pieces around the cross), then the last layer through 2 steps, orienting the last layer pieces then permuting them. This is where I see most people get it wrong. The last 2 steps are done using algorithms. This is probably 1/3 of the solve. The whole solve is NOT algorithms, nor do speedcubers plan out the entire solve in their head beforehand. Even the most skilled speecubers can’t plan out that much, unless it’s an incredibly lucky scramble, which then maybe they can plan out 2/3 of the solve.
I usually plan out 5-10% of my solve in my “inspection time” (15 seconds before I solve where I’m allowed to look at the cube). The rest of the solve is figured out as I go through it. I’ve practiced enough to be able to do turns without looking or thinking about them too much, so I’m able to look at other pieces and plan ahead. This planning ahead is what I do for the entire solve, over and over. This is how speedcubers figure out what to do on the spot, without having many pauses. Tracking pieces while they move around the cube at extreme speeds and making split second decisions comes from practice. Then the last layer is performing the right algorithms fast. I probably average 6-7 turns per second throughout my solve but the fastest people average 10-12. So they’re able to solve it in 4-6 seconds instead of my 8-11 seconds.
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