"Can you teach me how to solve it?"...

UGH! I am so tired of hearing this question that I have taken a shirt and wrote "NO! I cannot teach you how to solve a Rubik's Cube" on it, to keep away all of the idiots to stupid to use google. I mean it...

Just type them up some easy to read instructions. When they ask, just give them the instructions.

He he, or I could fit it all on a shirt

Lol, but then you'd have people following you and looking at your shirt all day!

Yeah, that is a draw back, but then I could be like the guy from the verison commercial

So I'm actually working on something really awesome [IMO]... so in http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1000304/make_a_book_16_pages_just_one_piece_of_paper_100_origami_w/ that video, it shows you how to make a 16 page booklet... I'm working on a guide that when in PDF format, and printed, you can cut, and fold and it will have a full 3x3 guide on the 16 pages... I'm still working on it, but I should have it done by the end of next week. [I have to work my my research paper a ton!]

So I don't know if you guys find it useful, but I really like the idea. If it works out, you can simple print it out keep one with you, leave it places, hope someone finds it and wants to learn. Its a really simple solution to anyone who wants to learn to solve the cube when you don't have time to teach them.

Everytime I hear that question I say: "Yes, for sure!"

I dislike it, when they ask for the trick.
But why should it be annoying to be asked for help?



Q

I don't like you attitude. Just because you know how to solve the cube doesn't make you elite genius. Don't be so arrogant. If people ask me, I give them a quick explanation and demo of LBL. True, they don't know the algorithms by that point, but they know what they would have to learn.

I hope that when you ask someone for help, they tell you to use Google. If you go to a competition, don't ask anyone anything, because most of it has been put on the Internet already.

No one ever asks me to actually teach them how to solve it. If they did, and they really wanted to learn, I would have no problem teaching them. Instead they ask me to show them the trick, thinking that it's a simple thing that I can show them really quick. I explain to them that it is more of a process, a method to solving it and not a trick and they quickly lose interest as they don't want to actually spend the time to learn.

I don't think he's being arrogant. I think he's just annoyed at how often people ask him and how most people that ask aren't seriously considering solving the cube. Most people who ask me that just do it out of astonishment not an actual query to learn the cube. Only one or two people ever have been actually serious when they've asked me how do I do it, then I do try to explain it to them but 99% of people in my experiences are only trying to learn the special trick or think they want to learn but have no idea the amount of dedication for even the beginners method.

Once again, I'll reiterate that he has probably done something similar when he sees someone else with a unique talent. The question "Can you teach me how to do that?" can always receive a answer. The person is wondering if the skill is able to be taught. For example, if someones sees someone juggling, they might ask "Can you teach my how to do that?" And the answer would be "Yes. It takes practice, but anyone can learn if they try hard. You won't be able to learn overnight tough." The same kind of answer can be given for cubing. But they're probably curious as to the amount of work it would take.

Now, if someone sees someone who is able to shoot milk out of their eye, they might ask, "Can you teach me how to do that?" And the answer would be, "No. I have a weird nasal cavity that allows me to do this."

If people cube in public, they'll probably get questions about it. I don't buy the line, "I just want to cube, leave me alone." If you saw someone juggling in public, you might stop and watch him. If that person wore a t-shirt that said, "No, I cannot teach you to juggle" and said that they just want to juggle and be left alone, what would you think of them?

I've actually seen someone shoot milk out of their eye

Guys, we really don't need this thread every week.

I taught myself in 30 minutes.

What about juggling while on your unicycle?

It's got a flat!

i tell people to check the website where i first got instructions and help out anyone who just wants to learn the first couple of layers

my girlfriend just figured out the first two layers on her own, she has refused all of my help with anything puzzle related.

That is an awesome girlfriend! I do wish mine showed any interest in puzzles, much more, enough to try and figure it out on her own!

I wish someone around me thought it was cool enough to learn. No one has ever asked me to teach them, I'd be happy to do it.

I hear this question alot, everyone around here wants to learn.I tell them GOOGLE or YOUTUBE.I have showed a few but just dont that much time.lol

I always show people when I get asked this question, if I have time. Most people lose interest in about 2 seconds, but about 2 people have actually gone on to learn a complete method.
Quinblz, your girlfriend is way better than mine was. She broke up with me because of cubes.

Same here, my girl friend is the only person who isn't impressed that I can solve the 5x5, and other odd puzzles like the void Gigaminx (or whatever it is).

Its not like I run someone into the ground about it when they ask me to teach them. Some days I am feeling nice, and I simply ( and unintentionally ) scare them off by starting of by saying "ok, now the first thing you need to understand is algorithms..."




As said above, I usually am open to teaching passers by, but they just think its like moving two things over and over again for a couple minutes... then when I try to teach them things like R U R' U'... they run off, disappointed in actually being confronted with challenge. I guess I just came across a little harsh... But in truth, I love to teach people to solve a cube, but they just kinda loose interest, when I bring up things like, "its not a 10 minute thing" or "I can get you going, but you will need to do some research" or "sure, but it may take a few days"




Again, I would love to teach people (which I have actually taught 3 people in total) but the problem is, they only see me solving the last layer (I use fridrich). So they think it is like 10 moves of something over and over again to solve it.

Ok, so guys I think I came across a bit harsh on what I really meant, but I just think I need to find a more efficient way to teach large mobs of people, because, the instructions on the shirt did make sleeping a bit weird, especially when you have a few hundred people outside of your house (not really, but could you imagine?). I like the idea of little booklets or brochures to hand out, Politely Owned, when you finish that instruction booklet, please post a link to it I think every cubist should have a few on hand where ever we go!

Thanks all you guys for helping resolve my anger problem!

Will do! Its good to know someone else likes the idea. A couple people have shown interest.... one random off topic question, does anyone know if there is a default minimal margin on household printers? I have a feeling its about a quarter inch but I'm not sure. if you guys have a printer, can you print something out and tell me the farthest out you can print to the edges [ top margins and side margins] and just PM me what your end up with? Thanks loads!

It's based on what your printer is. Some printers can go right up to the edge on the sides, but can't go as far on the top or bottom depending on how it holds the paper. My color laserjet can do as small as .16" on all sides. Normally, if you try to exceed it, Windows will warn you when you try printing.

Okay.... well I wanted to know because if I wanted to make this into a PDF, I'd have to find a decently universal printing margin. Which will be a problem!

Lol, when I first got started, she almost did. Well, not really but it did drive her insane and I got yelled at alot.
Since then though, I got her entire family cubes for christmas, some of them were custom puzzles too, and made a custom magic as a congratulations present for her getting into her first choice school. A cube hating girlfriend just wouldnt do at all.

There are a few ways to answer this, but why get annoyed? Generally my first response is "sure!" I like it when people like my hobby.

But don't expect people to care as much as you do. Start by giving them an unsolved cube and have them work on a side. Why try to explain an algorithm? That is no fun. Let them play around, and if they really have interest you'll see, and you can guide them further from there. Perhaps they'll have the interest to solve the whole thing, perhaps not.

The same applies on this forum, as it happens. How many times recently have you read a request to expain how to make a Gigaminx or 2x2x3? A rude answer might be to just shout "Google!", but the more generous answer is to explain that they might want to start smaller. I mean really, how many people have actually built a Gigiminx or 2x2x3? Just because you aren't going to accomplish it yourself (and let's face it, less than 1% of this list will make these puzzles) doesn't mean it is wrong to want to know how.

Dave