Re: 3x3 twisty puzzle talk

On 10/17/2024 11:20 AM, Daniel wrote:

"Carl G." <carlgnews@microprizes.com> writes:
 

On 10/6/2024 7:32 PM, Daniel wrote:

Hey folks -
Just subbed this NG hoping to get advice on 3x3 twisty cube
technique.
Currently, I'm learning Roux technique and strugling on the four
final
edges - the online wiki's seem to be written for a different sort of
reader because I simply don't understand. The online puzzle solvers
don't utilize predefined techniques.
Is this a good NG for this? Any cubers in here?
I tried a big cubing forum, but the people on there aren't friendly.
Thanks,
Daniel

>
Coincidentally, I was just reading a couple of chapters about cubes in
Douglas Hofstadter's book "Metamagical Themas".  These chapters were
originally printed in Hofstadter's column in Scientific American in
March 1981 ("Magic Cubology") and July 1982 ("On Crossing the
Rubicon").   The first chapter in particular (March 1981) discusses
the step-by-step thought processes involved in figuring out a solving
technique.  You also learn a bit about how group theory relates to
cube solving.

 I will look at my library for this book, thanks for the heads up. I'm
actually fascinated by the group theory aspect, as I saw some archived
early usenet discussions on it at the university level where math
scholars were excited about it.
 Available on gopher if you use it, search for rubik's cube and the
archive should appear near the top of the results page.

If you subscribe to the online version of Scientific American, you can download *.PDF versions of the original articles.  I recently subscribed because I wanted copies of the old Mathematical Games and Amateur Scientist columns, plus some 1980s articles written about optical illusions.  I paid $39 for one year, but there are supposed to be discounts for up to 70% off the regular cost (e.g., a 50% student discount).
--
Carl G.
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