Episode 43 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics: 

- Cakes

- Bananas

- "BLD Championship" (AKA Wingspan)

- "I forget what Kit called it, someone let me know on Reddit because I can't be bothered to find it in the episode" (AKA Res Arcana)

- "FMC USA 2018" and "FMC USA 2019" (AKA Splendor and Seven Wonders Duel)

- The new Disc Golf WCA event

- Reg of the Day: Guideline 2i1c+: Electronic Hand Warmers

Episode 41 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Sunday, March 7, 2021

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics: 

- Bananas, and the banana scale: https://spoonuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/149/2016/04/Bananas-759x419.jpg

- Kit's idea for a BLD championship

- New Speedstacks timer design! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qq7wUyZZNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h08w5bVAPyU

- Reg of the Day: 7f1a

- Andrew's first forum post: https://forum.worldcubeassociation.org/t/and-or-consistency-with-7f1a/12834?u=andrew_nathenson

Episode 40 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics:

- Yunhao Lou 3.86 Clock WR average

- Ice Cream Cakes

- ALTERNATIVE TITLE GUESSING CONTEST: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP7PkjtYwguE-b1cAU_Vn8ToU-Rn3dtE8loJgyeCnXhd7Utg/formResponse

- Some Unofficial MultiBLD results - Graham and Rowe 60 point attempts, Graham's huge 200 cube attempt

      - Graham: 62/64 in 59:17 and 189/200, Rowe: 60/60 in 59:53

- There’s a difference between unsolvable cubes and “wrong color scheme”

• cubes_art: https://www.instagram.com/cubes_art/?hl=en
  
• Pic with all opposite colors: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9V0tSpkQ6/

- Is Worlds' 30 second registration cutoff too strict?

- New SEE Events:

Kit: Among Us Cubing: 10 points; Oops all U Moves: 

Average of 5: 1.04

• 1. 0.91   R' R' R2 R R2 R' R2 R R' R2 R R R' R R' R2 R R2 R R R' R' R' R' R2 (solved)
  
• 2. (0.73)   R2 R' R R' R2 R R' R2 R R R R R2 R' R R2 R2 R2 R' R R2 R2 R R R (solved)
  
• 3. 1.24   R2 R2 R2 R R' R' R' R2 R R' R R R R R R2 R' R R' R2 R2 R R2 R R2 (U2)
  
• 4. (3.19)   R2 R' R R R' R' R2 R2 R2 R R2 R R' R R' R R' R R2 R' R R R' R' R2 (U2)
  
• 5. 0.98   R R' R R' R2 R2 R R' R2 R' R2 R' R' R2 R' R R2 R2 R' R2 R' R R R R (U')
• 
  

Andrew: Among Us Cubing: idk like 8?; Oops all U Moves:

Average of 5: 0.80

• 1. (1.22)   R' R2 R' R R' R R R' R R2 R' R2 R R2 R' R' R' R' R R2 R2 R2 R2 R R (solved)
  
• 2. 1.11   R2 R R' R2 R R2 R' R2 R2 R2 R' R' R' R R R2 R2 R' R' R' R R R2 R2 R'
  
• 3. 0.86   R' R2 R' R' R2 R R R' R R R R' R2 R R R2 R' R' R2 R2 R R2 R' R2 R2
  
• 4. (0.34)   R' R R' R' R2 R R R R R R R2 R R2 R2 R R R' R2 R2 R R R' R R'
  
• 5. 0.43   R' R' R R' R2 R2 R' R R R R' R2 R' R2 R2 R2 R R2 R' R2 R R' R2 R2 R'
  
  

Episode 39 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. 

ALTERNATIVE TITLE GUESSING CONTEST: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP7PkjtYwguE-b1cAU_Vn8ToU-Rn3dtE8loJgyeCnXhd7Utg/formResponse

Fun fact, you can hear Andrew's cat a few times in this episode. 

Recorded Monday, October 5, 2020 

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer 

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ 

Topics:  

- Martin Egdal of the Day!  4.59 Square-1 World Record Single! 

- Cakes 

- The Alternative Title Guessing Contest - fill out this form and see how you do!

 - "That's Not ZZ, Though" 

- When is it okay to go outside the parameters of the method?

- Red Bull Competitions, and their terrible country picker. 

- New SEE Events: 

From last episode: 

Mirror Solves:  

- Kit: 1:25 average of 5 

- Andrew: 1:06.24 Average of 5 

Unreal Man Challenge: 

Andrew: 7:58. 86 [https://bit.ly/35cuO8r], 3:26.83[https://bit.ly/3ke6eu4], DNF, DNF, DNF  

Kit: (DNF(1:40.82))   U B2 U' R2 B2 R2 B2 U L2 D2 U' B R' D L' F U R' F D2 L2 

2. 6:03.91[https://bit.ly/3kaL1ky]   D2 R2 B2 L' D2 F2 D2 U2 R' F2 U2 R D' L2 F R2 U B L2 D2 U 

3. 6:04.78[https://bit.ly/3jcnDls]   U' R U' L2 D R2 U B2 D R2 D' R2 U B2 R' B' L B2 F' D' R 

4. 5:32.20[https://bit.ly/3j9dTbN]   L2 D B L U2 D' F B2 D' B2 R2 L2 U' F2 U R2 D2 F' U' L 

5. (4:35.20[https://bit.ly/3lPDHeO])   L2 D2 R2 D2 F2 D2 B' R2 B L2 U2 L2 D' R B2 D U R B' U' L2 

New Events: 

Andrew - Oops, All U Moves 

Kit - Sneaky Among Us Cubing

Episode 38 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Monday, August 31, 2020.

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics: 

- IS COLLIN BURNS IN THE TOP 100? (yes)

- Kit's final score for Bad Prediction of the Day: 2/10

- Jabari redesigned algdb

- speedcubedb.com - the new, better AlgDb?

- Cakes

- Is 4x4 parity rigged?

- Rubik's Connect cube

- Cube Mafia, on Twitch and in Real Life

- End segment that we totally do every time, and not just because we forgot to do new SEE events this episode: Is a Pop-Tart a Ravioli?

Episode 37 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Wednesday, August 5

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics: 

- Kit is really bad at math
- Cakes

- More Pyraminx NRs! This time in Norway.

- AlgDB is Dead 🦀🦀🦀

- Hollywood weather and Google Search quiz

- New SEE Events:
Andrew does the Cheapskate 3x3 Relay: 

Andrew: Cheapskate 3x3 relay

avg of 5: 45.202:  47.190, 43.437, (1:01.066), (40.399), 44.979 

Kit: pockets.cubing.net/MirrorCube: avg of 5: 1:54.79: 2:07.31, 1:37.09, 1:59.96, (2:42.44), (1:34.96)

- New ones: 

Andrew: True Mirror Cube: Average of 5: 1:06.241: (1:25.129), 1:03.405, (57.669), 1:00.621, 1:14.706

Kit: Unreal Man's Average

Episode 36 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Thursday, July 23
Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer
Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics:
- Using Axial Turn Metric to determine +2s with Slice Moves

- Cakes (?)

- Denmark's Competition: 

-- 1.21 Pyraminx NR - Rasmus Stub Detlefsen (longest standing Danish NR)
-- Martin got jinx'd

-- Two identical pyraminx scrambles in a row: https://rb.gy/qzrqcf

- Kit's Cubing Math Corner: Megaminx Scrambles!  Are they representative of random state?

- Hollywood, Maryland of the Day: Weather, Hotel Prices, Flights

- New SEE Events:

-- Andrew does GoCube BLD: avg of 5: 24.311:  29.124, (44.731), 22.456, 21.353, (19.520)
-- Kit does GoCube Tutorial Speedrun: 7:14

- Kit's World Record: youtube.com/watch?v=uk448nrg-dw

- New Events: Kit - $50 3-cube relay - 51.46 ao5

- Andrew - Mirrored GoCube: https://pockets.cubing.net/MirrorCube/

Episode 35 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Monday, June 29, 2020

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics: 

- Is Tazzlyn's slower solving a benefit to streaming?

- Everybody guessed the Bell

- The Pockets Show! Every week on Friday from 4-6 Pacific at twitch.tv/ColorfulPockets

- Productivity links from Kevin:

https://fortelabs.co/blog/one-touch-to-inbox-zero/

https://fortelabs.co/blog/para/

https://fortelabs.co/blog/the-one-touch-guide-to-doing-a-weekly-review/

- Cakes (??)

- Kit's Math Corner: Fibonacci and 3x3 Random Move Scrambles

- To what extent is learning algs worth it?

- If we had modern hardware many years ago, would a slice turn be a +2?

- Hollywood, Maryland of the Day: How Hollywood got its name

- New SEE Events:
Andrew does 3x3 With Face: 1:20.61 average of 5

Andrew: GoCube App Tutorial Speedrunning (7:12.87)

Kit: GoCube BLD (24.71 ao5)

Episode 33 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Friday, June 5, 2020.

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

or on Speedsolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/

Topics:

- Final Fantasy, emulation, etc.

- layerbylayer.reddit.com

- xyzzy's comment: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/page-2#post-1372092

- 5x5 Random State

- Using 3BLD scrambles for everything

- Online Competitions: Cubing @ Home, Twisty Puzzle Cup, The Monkey League

- 15 Puzzle Parity by Numberphile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI1WqYKHi78

- Hollywood, Maryland of the day: Socks the Cat

- Kit does Blindfolded 3x3x3: 41.35 average of 5

- Andrew does 3x3x3 with Mask: 15.13 single

- New SEE Events: 3x3x3 with Face, and currently-unnamed-but-pretty-cool-event:

For those of you who want to try out Andrew's event, here is an example scramble, rules, and rolls: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19YuG1BmWpYQn_2NCsJRE34FZ9rVp_Ign0QN3yByd1Hw/edit?usp=sharing

Episode 32 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded LIVE Friday, April 10, 2020.

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Topics:

- The Wandering Tuttminx Meme: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cubers/comments/fw0j21/when_listening_to_layerbylayer_last_night/

- Cubing at Home

- Andrew Reveals the Bell

- Shoutout to Hollywood, Maryland

- Andrew invented a new OH M2 fingertrick

- Delegate fistfights

- Thought experiment: what if 3x3 scramble generators could only generate half of all states, but It’s an arbitrary half

- Megaminx is alg-resistant

- Livestream Q/A

- SEE Events of the Day: 3x3 with Mask, and Blindfolded 3x3

Episode 30 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Friday, March 6, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer The video for this episode: Coming soon on ColorfulPockets! Topics:  - Special Guests Mark Boyanowski and Graham Siggins! - Follow-up: Why the Reddit link thing happened - Why people underestimate how large gaps are at the upper end of MBLD skill - THE GAME OF FOUR - The first WCA shirt - "Corner Twist Kid" is back! And doing well! - Outdated thoughts about Coronavirus - Sitting at competition stations - People don't understand what parity is - Cubeography is not a thing - Karate Chop Stops Scores: - Mark: 9/30, + 17 Bells =  -1 points - Graham: 25/41, + 21 Bells = 30 points

Episode 29 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Monday, February 3, 2020

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Topics:
TRY THESE LINKS!

- http://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer/posts/?=3

- https://www.reddit.com/r/tf2/comments/posts/tf2_trading_guide/?=3

- World Records: Max Park 5x5, 6x6, 7x7; Cale Schoon Fewest Moves

- Graham Siggins' dedication

- Feet is Gone 🦀🦀🦀

- Unofficial events and restructuring the WCA

- Speedcubing Extra Events (SEE)

- What can Andrew do with a 3D printer for cubing?

- Bad cubing memes

- A GREAT cubing meme

Episode 28 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Friday January 3, 2020
Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer
Topics:

- The Elbies 2019! Spoilers for the winners below:

- Best New 3x3: Welong WR M

- Best New Non-3x3 Puzzle: Valk 5 M

- Best Episode of Layer By Layer: 16 - I Put It In A Vending Machine

- Best World Record: Graham Siggins 59/60 MBLD

- Luckiest Official Solve: Andrew Huang - Skewb U-Perm

- LBL Subreddit Comment of the Year: Issun_x: "I'd like to see Kit comment on how the WCA regulations views folding your FMC scramble sheet into a paper aeroplane and throwing it to the delegate to finish, in order for increased efficiency in submission of solutions."

- LBL Subreddit User with a Gandalf-related Username: YueXiaoNotPass

- Cuber of the Year: Sean Patrick Villanueva

- Andrew's Bad Prediction: Rowe Hessler will have one of the next 4 solves above the current world record or solve above the other solve that was above the world record/below the time of the world record from previously in the same day, or by the end of the year

Episode 27 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE ELBIES: https://forms.gle/S69CHxQaJMa5uaui7

Recorded Friday November 22

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Topics:

- Kaijun Lin 5BLD WR

- Andrew Doesn't Forget the Bell this time

- Red Bull World Cup 2019

- FMC Americas 2019

- Domino Reduction

- The Elbies 2019

- MEOTD: Food

- Bad Prediction of the Day: A GAN cube will not win the Elbies listener's choice

Episode 26 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Wednesday, November 13.

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Topics: 

- THE NEW MOYU CLOCK IS HERE!!!

- A bunch of World Records: Yunhao Lou 4.38 Clock, Graham Siggins 59/60 MBLD, Stanley Chapel 1:06.23 4BLD, and of course, Feliks Zemdegs 5.53 3x3

- Sean Patrick Villanueva and Leo Borromeo 

- When will we stop finding new Algorithms?

- Kit is good (but actually bad) at FMC, and bad insertions are demotivating

- Martin Egdal of the Day: Nordic Championship 2019 overview, 17.61 3bld

- Bad Prediction of the Day: Whoever wins FMC Americas 2019 will have a 26.67 mean of 3 or worse

Episode 25 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Wednesday, October 16.

Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer

Topics:
- Congrats to Gundolf for actually guessing the last bell!
- Max Park OH single (finally)
- 49 point MBLD WR by Graham

- The Awards Show: Send us your ideas!
- Linus Frész's 24.00 FMC Mean

- Andrew is off Facebook; but where can he find cubing news?

- Andrew's only cubing goals
- Kit Clement of the Day: Best counting 2x2 single

- Bad prediction of the day: The second place 3x3 average at UK Championship 2019 will be sub-6.2

Episode 24 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things.

Recorded Tuesday, October 1.
Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer
Topics:

- Baba is Cube

- Last names that break statistics

- FMC North America West 2019: Bad scrambles, or just being tired?

- World Records: 4x4 by Sebastian Weyer again, 4x4 BLD by Stanley Chapel again

- Kit guesses for whom the bell tolls

- Groupifier

- WCA's growth slowdown

- Rob's Challenge Pen Capping WB: https://youtu.be/X3gQvCoD4W0

- Fresh Moyu Clock rumors