Have you ever tried to solve a Rubik’s Cube? There is a group of people who call themselves SpeedCubers. They attempt to beat each other by solving the Rubik’s Cube faster than anyone else. There are several videos on YouTube of people doing just that. It’s completely insane how fast they can solve one of these babies. I can only solve them by taking the stickers off and rearranging them.
Connor is a SpeedCuber, and sent in the following tips to help you solve a Rubik’s Cube in a short amount of time.

• Learn to solve a cube. Perhaps the hardest sounding step you’ve heard, but it really is simple once you watch a tutorial and memorize the algorithms (algorithms being a sequence of moves that you use to move pieces around ) There are many tutorials out on the net some are videos some are text based, the one I learned is the first result on YouTube when I searched.
• Prepare a cube for speed. If you watch videos on YouTube, you will see people moving the cube extraordinarily fast. There are two reasons for this, they learn to push the layers with their fingers and the other reason, is the reason they can push the layers with their fingers, they have a good cube. There are two ways of having a good cube. You can order a cube online, or make a store-bought cube (no knockoffs, Rubik’s brand) fast. If you want a cube that is instantly good, you can order a type of cube called a “DIY Cube” on eBay. The reason it’s called a DIY cube, is because you have to assemble it yourself. It is really easy and there are tutorials on how to assemble these. Another thing to make a cube fast (DIY cube or store-bought) is to use silicone lubricant. Most cubers use either Jig-A-Loo or CRC Heavy duty Silicone.
• Learn fingertricks. Fingertricks are when you push the layers with your fingers. Doing this can achieve great turning speeds. I have calculated doing about 600 moves in one minute, and people have done 900 in a minute. Fingertricks to come natural to a lot of cubers. Some people, however, need guidance. A simple way to do this is by practicing pushing the bottom face with your ring fingers, as well as the back face, use your index fingers to turn the top face and for the left and right just turn as you normally would. For the front face, depending on how you are holding the cube, it can be easily turned with your index fingers or your thumbs.
• Learn an advanced method. Most likely, the first method you learn is pretty easy, but slow. Once you get your times down to somewhere between 1 minute and 30 seconds to a minute, you should move to a new method. The reason you learn a slow method first is so that you understand the cube more and then its easier to understand a new method. The “best” (and by best, I mean most popular and fastest) are the Petrus method, and the Fridrich method. Both were created by Lars Petrus and Jessica Fridrich.
• Practice, Practice, Practice. I know a lot of people might now want to hear this, but this is the most important thing to gain speed. Without loads of practice and determination, you wont get too far. I practice daily. I have been speedsolving Rubik’s Cubes and variations for about seven months, and I currently average about 20 seconds. The reason for that is lots of practice. Once you learn to solve the cube, it’s addicting, and you want to keep solving and solving and solving….. so this isn’t bad at all if you enjoy speedcubing.

Can you solve a Rubik’s Cube? How fast are you? Show us your YouTube videos, and let’s compare!

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