MINDHow to plan the cross during inspection
How many moves a cross takes
We calculated the optimal cross for all 190,080 possible positions of the 4 cross edges, counting each face turn as one (R, R' or R2 = 1). No cross needs more than 8 moves, and only 102 positions take 8. The average is 5.81 moves.
How they're distributed
- 6 moves: 51.2% of crosses. The most common case.
- 5 moves: 24.4%.
- 7 moves: 18.4%. Almost one in five.
- 4 moves or fewer: 6.0%.
- 8 moves: 0.05%. Very rare, but it exists.
What you gain by choosing a colour
If you always solve the cross on the same colour, that distribution is yours. If you choose, it changes a lot. Over 10,000 random scrambles: with a single colour the average was 5.82 moves; choosing the best of white and yellow, 5.38; and choosing the best of all 6 colours, 4.81. 7-move crosses drop from almost one in five to just 3.6% with two colours, and practically disappear with six. That's why many fast cubers are "colour neutral": it doesn't win a single solve, but it wins the average.
Show the data as a table
| Moves | One colour | White or yellow | Any of the 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤3 | 0.82 % | 1.7 % | 4.7 % |
| 4 | 5.16 % | 9.6 % | 24.5 % |
| 5 | 24.4 % | 40.7 % | 55.6 % |
| 6 | 51.16 % | 44.4 % | 15.2 % |
| 7 | 18.4 % | 3.6 % | 0 % |
| 8 | 0.05 % | 0 % | 0 % |
How to plan it in 15 seconds
- Find the 4 edges of your cross and note where each one is relative to its centre.
- Start with the one closest to its slot, or with two that can be placed together with a single turn.
- Plan the order of the others. If one is oriented correctly but in the wrong slot, sometimes turning the bottom layer at the end is enough.
- Run through the whole sequence in your head without turning anything: you can't apply moves during inspection (A3c1).
- If there's time left, find the first F2L pair so you can start without a pause.
Common mistakes
- Planning only 2 or 3 edges and improvising the rest: a pause halfway through the cross costs more than an extra move.
- Solving the cross on top and then turning the cube: most cubers build it directly on the bottom, to see the F2L from the start.
- Running over time: at 15 seconds it's a +2 and at 17 a DNF. The inspection rules guide explains it with the Regulations.
How to train it on Kruxmind
- The Cross Trainer gives you cross-only scrambles, from 1 to 18 moves, and lets you practise with several colours.
- In the Timer, solves recorded with a smart cube show your cross next to the optimal one in the analysis, with the optimal one step by step on a 3D cube seen from below.
- Practise with WCA inspection on: the Timer calls 8 and 12 seconds, like a judge.
- For a quick refresher, the Cross entry in the dictionary.
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