you are 100% correct here. I did a similar analysis about 2 years ago, and the highly counterintuitive statistical truth is that a "worse" solver with larger variance has a higher chance of a WR single than an ultra-consistent solver. At least in theory...
Also it's def not just in theory, it's also in practice. Variance just really obviously creates the worst and best situations, which is relevant as long as the median is similar enough
This video is a masterpiece. It's both informative and thought-provoking. Thank you for your consistency (no pun intended) in the quality of your videos !
This is a really interesting point you make. Hadn't really thought about this dynamic before, will be interesting to watch how this CFOP/ZB battle plays out in single and average
If that's the case, from now on we can expect two types of competitors: 1. the ones who can memorize full ZB and go for world titles; 2) the ones that can't go full ZB and will continue with CFOP for the chance of world records.
I don't know why the youtube algorithm recommended this to me as I don't know anything about rubik's cubes. As such I have no idea what you're talking about, but it sounds really important to you, so you have my condolences for whatever you just described that just happened/happened years ago. Have a nice day.
You should learn how to solve a rubik's cube. It's extremely simple to learn. You can learn in 20 minutes. Just watch one of the many good UA-cam videos about it, search for "rubik's cube beginner method" or something to that effect. Because it's extremely fun to play with speedcubes. Even if you're not ever interested in trying to solve them as fast as possible. It's just fun to twist them around and so on. It keeps your fingers busy. It got me to stop biting my fingernails.
This just further proves how much of an anomaly Yiheng is. He is a CFOP, meaning he should have a higher chance for a WR single, but at the same time, he absolutely dominates the WR Ao5 rankings.
This is how things usually happen in speedrunning. One category focuses on consistency, and another on luck. The difference is that in speedcubing, you have to play in both categories at the same time.
6:00 Honestly the cfop/zb situation remind me of the reduction/yau in big cube scene, when most of top 10 use yau but wr holder (max park ofc) use reduction
I don’t know a single thing about speed cubing, but this video was so well structured that I don’t feel lost at all, and the conclusion was killer. Excellent work!
I have not watched a ramble about speedcubing this interesting in a long time (I mean it!), discussions around different metas and their future potential are always a treat. Great stuff man keep it up!
I’m a retired speedcuber but this video popped up in my recommended. Genuinely one of the best cubing videos I’ve ever seen. Ur gonna blow up like crazy soon
The average is what wins competitions, not the single, so it makes sense that competitors care more about being consistent. The average world record is also more respected than the single amongst cubers. The single 3x3 world record is becoming like the single 2x2 world record where it comes down to mainly luck.
Arguably, as Tymon and others have said, we need to move towards longer averages for major competitions. For example, ao12 or even ao25. Less luck is a good thing, it means less randomness and more focus on skill, talent, hard work, etc.
@@kvakq Not for all comps, but for at least some major competitions, especially if your intention is to determine the objectively best cuber. Tymon has mentioned it so I wouldn't scoff at the idea.
I've been a couple of years away from cubing and just cameback now, wow, things look absolutely crazy and this channel is absolutely incredible, great great video
This is one of the best cubing videos I have ever seen. I remember when you only had 600 subscribers, it’s crazy how far you have come, and how much farther you can go!
I wish people paid more attention to Qixian Cao too. That little girl knows most if not all ZB by memory. Sure, that doesn't mean it's the most efficient way to go for a sub-4 time, but with that level of dedication she could easily get a WR either this year or the next. I really would be keeping an eye on her
Extremely well said!! This is something that I've always thought about but could never really understand what I was going at. Thanks for clearing it up a lot haha
I can’t watch this video right now but I have a feeling it’ll be a banger, great title 🤯 edit: oh my god that might be the best stucube video i’ve ever seen, phenomenal writing and editing bro
Bro just casually dropped the hardest quote “Maybe in the pursuit of absolute perfection we miss out on the very imperfections that make the best moments, the best moments, the ones we never saw coming”
interesting video. I'm reminded of the same problem facing video game speed runners. the more consistent methods might be useful for marathon runs (or low averages), but inevitability the records will go to whoever is willing to risk the bigger skips. if it only works 1 percent of the time then it just takes 100 tries to get the skip.
I don't know how cubing tournaments work, but in strategy games you often see that players with the lower chances of winning go for higher variance strategies to try to capture an upset, whereas players with high chance of winning go for consistency. Over time, part of the skill becomes understanding when youre supposed to go for a high/low variance option. Idk if this is possible in cubing, but it does mean that top ranked cubers could also become the world record holders by being put into spots where they know they have to use the higher variance strategy to have a chance at winning
Back when I cubed, I'm pretty sure there had been more than 1 WR single that used OLLCP -> PLL skip (but atm i can only remember collin burns' 5.25), and despite being obvious that OLLCPs helped with WR singles, somehow it never occurred to me that it may have been intentional
Kids that learn ZB that early will become incredibly good at look ahead and recognizing these patterns so much faster. And eventually someone will hit a lucky skip on ZB
The video is super interesting. Now imagine all those WR single theories repeated 5 times in a row on an ao5. I think there will always be a way to improve the ao5 WR with a bit of luck, so rare are the probabilities
Last Layer skip 🗿 Also most top cubers can predict a potential last layer skip around the third or fourth pair, if their look ahead is good enough, they still maintain their control like you said
This has got to be one of the most thought-provoking cubing videos I've watched in a while
SAME
Indeed
Definitely
Hi JJ, haven't seen you in while
factssss
you are 100% correct here. I did a similar analysis about 2 years ago, and the highly counterintuitive statistical truth is that a "worse" solver with larger variance has a higher chance of a WR single than an ultra-consistent solver. At least in theory...
It's really not counterintuitive...
Also it's def not just in theory, it's also in practice. Variance just really obviously creates the worst and best situations, which is relevant as long as the median is similar enough
I don’t think that applies very well here because the distribution of times is not normally distributed
Like, hello Yusheng Du
This video is a masterpiece. It's both informative and thought-provoking.
Thank you for your consistency (no pun intended) in the quality of your videos !
Indeed
@@RandyDaGamer fr tho the insight in this was just mindblowing.
also (as a non-cuber) very accessible for a broader audience!
This is a really interesting point you make. Hadn't really thought about this dynamic before, will be interesting to watch how this CFOP/ZB battle plays out in single and average
If that's the case, from now on we can expect two types of competitors: 1. the ones who can memorize full ZB and go for world titles; 2) the ones that can't go full ZB and will continue with CFOP for the chance of world records.
everyone CAN learn full zb
@@Aladdindoescubes i don't think
I don't know why the youtube algorithm recommended this to me as I don't know anything about rubik's cubes. As such I have no idea what you're talking about, but it sounds really important to you, so you have my condolences for whatever you just described that just happened/happened years ago. Have a nice day.
That is so funny😂😂😂
I guess in the big picture, it‘s not that big of a deal, but rather a really interesting situation.
You have a nice day to!
:)
Same
You should learn how to solve a rubik's cube. It's extremely simple to learn. You can learn in 20 minutes. Just watch one of the many good UA-cam videos about it, search for "rubik's cube beginner method" or something to that effect.
Because it's extremely fun to play with speedcubes. Even if you're not ever interested in trying to solve them as fast as possible. It's just fun to twist them around and so on. It keeps your fingers busy. It got me to stop biting my fingernails.
Loved your technical/historical/philosophical take on this. Yours is high on the list of best cubing channels!
This just further proves how much of an anomaly Yiheng is. He is a CFOP, meaning he should have a higher chance for a WR single, but at the same time, he absolutely dominates the WR Ao5 rankings.
This is how things usually happen in speedrunning. One category focuses on consistency, and another on luck. The difference is that in speedcubing, you have to play in both categories at the same time.
42 likes, answer to the universe.
Your ending statement was profound. It relates to life so much. Maybe when you are too in control, the magic stops.
"It's actually over"
But seriously these vids keep getting better. You deserve at least 100k. Worlds is gonna be very interesting
I struggle to decide which is better; your editing or your cubing knowledge. Excellent video Stu
Thanks trose! U the goat 🙏
Your videos are getting better and better, I'm loving every single one. Keep up the good work!
6:00 Honestly the cfop/zb situation remind me of the reduction/yau in big cube scene, when most of top 10 use yau but wr holder (max park ofc) use reduction
Dude I swear each video you make is better than the last. Keep up the good work!
a 6 year old is faster than me but a 7 year old is faster than tymon so good enough for me
Actually you have just destroyed the sting of knowing a 6 year old is faster than me for me 🤣
Love this
What a coincidence, a 6-year-old is also faster than me. Guess I'm actually pretty good at this.
I don’t know a single thing about speed cubing, but this video was so well structured that I don’t feel lost at all, and the conclusion was killer. Excellent work!
Thanks for making this video. I think this is a really interesting dynmaic that a lot of people, including me, didnt think of
I have not watched a ramble about speedcubing this interesting in a long time (I mean it!), discussions around different metas and their future potential are always a treat.
Great stuff man keep it up!
I was waiting for a stucube video over break and it was so worth it
Tree method tutorial coming soon 🗣️🗣️🗣️💯💯💯
I’m a retired speedcuber but this video popped up in my recommended. Genuinely one of the best cubing videos I’ve ever seen. Ur gonna blow up like crazy soon
Ok bro your getting insane with these videos now. I've watched u since ur first video and each video is just better than the last. Keep it up!
The average is what wins competitions, not the single, so it makes sense that competitors care more about being consistent. The average world record is also more respected than the single amongst cubers. The single 3x3 world record is becoming like the single 2x2 world record where it comes down to mainly luck.
Arguably, as Tymon and others have said, we need to move towards longer averages for major competitions. For example, ao12 or even ao25. Less luck is a good thing, it means less randomness and more focus on skill, talent, hard work, etc.
yet this video discusses the single wr…
ao25 would make comps waaaay too long.
@@kvakq Not for all comps, but for at least some major competitions, especially if your intention is to determine the objectively best cuber. Tymon has mentioned it so I wouldn't scoff at the idea.
@rax1899 Oh, so because the video mentions single WR, nobody can mention anything else?
@@Gretchaninov it feels out of place, especially since you say “arguably” even though there is no argument, since this isn’t about average.
I've been a couple of years away from cubing and just cameback now, wow, things look absolutely crazy and this channel is absolutely incredible, great great video
This has got to be the best cubing theory videos I've seen. Its really mind bending and well thought out. Love your vids
This was incredibly fascinating. Well done STUCUBE!
your videos are really fun and intriguing t watch as you bring out these statistical facts please keep posting tings like these
This is one of the best cubing videos I have ever seen. I remember when you only had 600 subscribers, it’s crazy how far you have come, and how much farther you can go!
Thanks. You’ve definitely been here a long time
Happy new year STU!
Thanks for always reminding us that we're slower than six year olds. Hope to see more than 10 vids come out this year 🙏
Absaloutly BRILLIANT VID!! I have been subbed since you were at 1k, you have grown so much, CONGRATS!! You totally deserve it!!
Stucube I can’t Explain How good this video was!🤯 (Always good, but i liked the thinking behind this one a lot)
Absolutely brilliant video! No one else can present information as cleanly as you do! 🔥
Awesome video! I love that almost all the legends are here! Feliks, Mats Valk, Max Park, Tymon, and the next generation.
Im back again for that monthly cubing video!!!
My bad dawg I gotta get some employees in the Stucube production process
@@STUCUBE uhhh I didn't mean for it to be like that lol. Btw your dc invite invalid. :)
Lol, just after reading this I was like "that was an unintentional dis"
best video yet
they keep getting better it's crazy
Good video.. Effort has been put in this.
I wish people paid more attention to Qixian Cao too. That little girl knows most if not all ZB by memory. Sure, that doesn't mean it's the most efficient way to go for a sub-4 time, but with that level of dedication she could easily get a WR either this year or the next.
I really would be keeping an eye on her
This video is really, really good and it has a great point!
Extremely well said!! This is something that I've always thought about but could never really understand what I was going at. Thanks for clearing it up a lot haha
production quality is mad inspiring, great vid as always
What a banger video to start 2025! Happy New Year, Owen, philosopher and video creator extraordinaire.
This is so profoundly beautiful.
Such a thought provoking video! I think we'll see the wr single go down this year 🤷♂️
Amazing video stucube. Hope to see you get 1,000,000 subscribers by the end of this year
I can’t watch this video right now but I have a feeling it’ll be a banger, great title 🤯
edit: oh my god that might be the best stucube video i’ve ever seen, phenomenal writing and editing bro
Great video! Keep up the good content🎉
Its a good day when Stucube posts
THIS IS THE SHIT I SUBSCRIBED FOR 🗣🗣🗣
As someone who's never been able to get even close to solving a rubic cube, these 3-5 sec solves are mind-blowing!
clicked for the Lemmino thumbnail, stayed for the informative presentation of rubiks cubes 🎉
not a cube guy here, but this video was actually pretty interesting and well edited good job
Your writing is brilliant. Enthralling video.
Bro just casually dropped the hardest quote “Maybe in the pursuit of absolute perfection we miss out on the very imperfections that make the best moments, the best moments, the ones we never saw coming”
Amazing video, thank you.
every vid is a masterpiece holy
Its been 35 years and ive still never solved my Rubik's cube... These people are wizards
great vid Stu-Shuang Cubert
This is amazing analysis, bravo!
This feels like many speedrun stories of a lot of videogames
I started cubing after reading Dan Harris’ 2007 book. Nice to see that ZB is finally becoming the Mets like the book said.
interesting video. I'm reminded of the same problem facing video game speed runners. the more consistent methods might be useful for marathon runs (or low averages), but inevitability the records will go to whoever is willing to risk the bigger skips. if it only works 1 percent of the time then it just takes 100 tries to get the skip.
This video has made me want to pick up my cube and start solving again
Love this comp theory and prediction! ++
Such an underrated vid
When I learned about ZZ over 15 years ago, I knew something like this would eventually happen.
This was one of my favourite videos of yours
I have almost never solved a rubix cube but this was very interesting i love this so much
Truly interesting and I expected some stagnation to happen ever since last year.
I don't know what's crazier, those guys setting Tetris records or this. Someone should play Tetris while solving cubes.
YES!! A NEW STUCUBE VIDEO!
1:44 unluckiest camera angle of all time
“And an even more unhinged reaction” 😭
I don't know how cubing tournaments work, but in strategy games you often see that players with the lower chances of winning go for higher variance strategies to try to capture an upset, whereas players with high chance of winning go for consistency. Over time, part of the skill becomes understanding when youre supposed to go for a high/low variance option. Idk if this is possible in cubing, but it does mean that top ranked cubers could also become the world record holders by being put into spots where they know they have to use the higher variance strategy to have a chance at winning
Great video!
You deserve a whole lot more subscribers!
Very high quality video, congrats
You were right. I did press the subscribe button! 😮
enjoyed every second of this video
In every competitive field there are always consistent professionals but there is also always an anomaly player
Phenomenal video.
1:43 Felix had a “excited” reaction
The Ope Ope no mi, was described as “the Ultimate Devil Fruit”, just like how ZB stands as the ultimate Method in 3x3.
i'm not sure i understand 100%, but i think this is an amazing video
Back when I cubed, I'm pretty sure there had been more than 1 WR single that used OLLCP -> PLL skip (but atm i can only remember collin burns' 5.25), and despite being obvious that OLLCPs helped with WR singles, somehow it never occurred to me that it may have been intentional
Why is this video so scary 😂
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, but maybe by preparing too much we've taken away from that opportunity." Put this on a bumper sticker!!
The real combination is the friends we made along the way
Great video Dr. Wilson
This is what I thought as soon as I saw Tymons first official ZB average
Great vid!
What a time to be alive 😊
Kids that learn ZB that early will become incredibly good at look ahead and recognizing these patterns so much faster.
And eventually someone will hit a lucky skip on ZB
Great video!!
This video makes you really rethink LL entirely
The video is super interesting. Now imagine all those WR single theories repeated 5 times in a row on an ao5. I think there will always be a way to improve the ao5 WR with a bit of luck, so rare are the probabilities
Yo how did you know I was gonna press the sub button, that's crazy.
Last
Layer skip 🗿
Also most top cubers can predict a potential last layer skip around the third or fourth pair, if their look ahead is good enough, they still maintain their control like you said
Unexpectedly good video
Nah this brother underated af.
This is so interesting!!
why this vid so good