转自blindfoldsolving-rubiks-cube@yahoogroups.com I use a three cycle approach, and I don't use algs at all for the 4x4 or 5x5 centers, I use the following intuitive process to come up with commutators:
Setup: ------ 1) You must have two pieces on the same slice, and one piece off that slice. These are the "slice pieces", and they are on the "main slice."
1a) The two pieces on the main slice must be "interchangeable" (as per Doug Li), meaning that one piece can be placed into the position of the other with just a turn of that slice.
2) The piece not on the main slice is called the "lone" piece. This piece must easily be able to replace one of the slice pieces without affecting any other pieces on the main slice.
The Commutator: --------------- Step 1) Place the lone piece into the main slice such that it replaces one of the slice pieces. The location in the main slice where you just replaced that piece is now called the "action" spot. It is literally where you will do all the work for this commutator.
Step 2) Interchange the other slice piece "the one you have not affected yet" into the action spot by turning the main slice.
Step 3) Undo the move you did in step 1
Step 4) Undo the main slice turn you did in step 2
And that's it.
Ok here's an example.
The cycle is dfL->frU->blU->dfL and is just a three cycle.
I literally think through all of the steps I listed above each time I encounter a three cycle.
Setup: ------ 1) My "main slice" is the U layer. My "slice pieces" are frU and blU.
1a) I can interchange blU to the frU spot by doing the slice turn U2. I can interchange frU to the blU spot by doing U2.
2) The dfL piece is the "lone" center. This is because it is not on the U slice. I can place the dfL piece, the lone center, into the blU spot by doing l' d' l. I can place the dfL piece into the frU spot by doing r' d r. Either move does not affect any other piece in the U layer, so it is my choice as to which to use during the solve.
The Commutator: --------------- Step 1) I have to place the lone center into the main slice, such that I replace one of the slice centers without affecting any other piece in the U layer. I can do this in one of two ways. I can replace blU with the move l' d' l or I can replace frU with the move r' d r. I choose r' d r. The reason is because the dfL center is supposed to go to the frU center in this cycle.
At this step I perform the moves r' d r.
Step 2) I have now replaced the frU center with the lone center. Now the frU location on the cube becomes the "action" spot. I now have to place the other main slice center into the action spot. I can do this with the move U2. This moves the blU center to frU, and into the action spot.
Step 3) I now undo the move I did in step 1. This moves the piece that was originally in the frU location back into the action spot. (Step 1 sort of moves it into limbo, and Step 3 brings it back). So at this step do r' d' r.
Step 4) I now undo the main slice turn I did, the U2, with its inverse of U2.
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Final result: I performed the algorithm r' d r U2 r' d' r U2 for the three cycle dfL->frU->blU->dfL.
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I do not have any algs memorized for either of the centers or edges step for either of the 4x4x4 or 5x5x5. I actually go through this process every time. Some types of commutators come up more frequently though, so in a sense I do have them memorized, but not as algs. I still think of them in terms of the steps above, I just sort of group many steps together if it is a very common case.
If your current three cycle on your centers is not setup correctly, then you will need to do a setup turn, or maybe even two.
Here is an example.
Harder three cycle: ------------------- dfL->drF->dbR->dfL
This is a three cycle, but let's look at the setup.
Setup: ------ 1) My main slice is the inner d layer. However all three pieces are now "slice" pieces, and I have no "lone" piece.
1a) Any of the three pieces can be interchanged with any other with a d turn, so this part is ok.
2) I have no lone piece, this is a problem.
Setup Fix: ---------- I have to fix the current state before I can go on, because I haven't even satisfied the setup part. There's no way I can do a "freestyle" commutator from this point. By freestyle commutator I mean the steps I have been describing here.
To fix this situation I need to look at my current setup. The only thing wrong is that I have no lone piece. Everything else is ready to start. In that case I just need to turn one of my three d layer centers off the d layer. I choose to do this with the move f.
Move performed at this step: f
I have now placed the dfL piece on the U layer, at lfU. So my cycle is now lfU->drF->dbR->lfU.
In this new three cycle I have to look at my setup:
New setup: ---------- 1) My main slice is the inner d layer. My slice centers are the drF and dbR centers.
1a) I can interchange the slice centers with either a d or d' move.
2) My lone center is at flU
The Commutator: --------------- 1) I need to place the flU piece into the d layer such that I replace one of the slice centers, and also such that I don't affect any other piece on the d slice. I can do this with either r U' r' or b U2 b'. I choose to do this via r U' r'. This is because the lfU piece is supposed to go to the drF spot in this cycle.
Move performed at this step: r U' r'
2) I have replaced the drF spot, so it becomes my action spot. I now need to move the other slice center into the action spot. I do this with the turn d'.
Move performed at this step: d'
3) I now undo the alg I did in step 1 with r U r'. This brings the original piece that was at drF and places it in the action spot. It brings it back from being in limbo so to speak.
4) I now undo the main slice turn with d.
Don't forgot to undo the setup turn you did once you finish the commutator. My setup turn was f, so I now undo with f'
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Final result:
I performed the alg f r U' r' d' r U r' d f' to solve the harder three cycle dfL->drF->dbR->dfL.
This isn't really an alg though, notice how it was all very intuitive. You can understand the reasoning and the purpose behind every move. In fact you are literally coming up with this entire commutator on the fly. This does not require memorizing anything more than the process I've listed with each step and what you need to do at each one.
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I hope this helps. I know it's a lot to read, but that is exactly what I do for both the centers and edges. The only "algs" you have to learn are how to insert the lone edge into the main slice without affecting any other piece on that slice. That's the only "alg" part, and all those algs are 100% intuitive and all only 3 moves long.
If you want to solve using a three cycle approach I give this one my highest recommendation. My record solving phase on a successful 4x4x4 blindfolded solve is about 3 minutes 22 seconds. My average is probably 3:55-4:05 right now, and I am still improving. I think I can get my average sub-4 all the time with more practice and more experience with these commutators.
Let me know if this helps, but that's exactly how I approach the centers and edges of both the 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 cubes.
Chris
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