This week I continued to work on the beginning stage of my solves. I continued using the pdf from last week found here to work on solving certain cases during the beginning stage. However, the main thing I worked on this week was improving my cross. The cross is the very first thing you solve with method I use. It is the shortest part of the solve which is why I have waited until the end to tackle it. It is still important to ensure you are making the cross efficiently and quickly, so I decided to learn some new techniques to do so. I used the following video to help.

I did know some of the methods presented in the video, but I did learn some that I didn’t know before. I like the video as everything is well explained and shown. I also like the example crosses at the end as it gives a good indication as to how someone who is way better than me solves the cross. I was able to take away some good techniques to use during my solves, which I found very useful for bad cross cases where there aren’t any easy solution. It is good to have these tricks up my sleeve to help shave off a few seconds from my solves.

My best average this week was as follows: (22.28), (19.94), 21.46, 22.01, 21.11 = 21.53 seconds. The solves can be found below.

This isn’t my fastest average, but it is my most consistent average with the best and worst time differing by less than 3 seconds. I am very proud of this average and it feels especially good after a lack luster week last week. My solves this week were overall pretty good as I continued to implement the new techniques I am learning. I am not quite averaging under 23 seconds as I wanted to, but I am close with consistent averages under 25 seconds and many under 24 seconds. Overall, I am pretty happy with my solves and my learning for this week.