Message #443

From: Melinda Green <melinda@superliminal.com>
Subject: Re: Noel conquers the 4^5!
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:42:26 -0700

Congratulations indeed!!
This is definitely a tour de force, Noel. Congratulations on setting a
record that can never be taken from you. There is no question that you
are the first human being to perform this feat and for all we know this
may be the first time in the universe!

One thing that I’m confused about is why you say that you won’t face
parity problems in the 5^5. Doesn’t the 5^5 contain the 4^5? I know that
it’s been said that after 5^d there are no more new combinatorial
elements for all dimensions. Can someone please spell out exactly what
the issues are and why this is true?

I can certainly understand why Noel says that he’ll never do the 4^5
again. I can imagine that other people might accomplish that if they
feel that they can turn in a shorter solution, and I’ll also make a
guess that this is the year that someone will solve the 5^5 for the
first time. I’m also on record for predicting that it will be a very
long time before a second person slays that monster if ever! The lure of
the shortest 5^5 may simply not be attractive enough for anyone to
attempt it.

So please tell us, Noel. What was it like to battle this beast and did
it really only take you a week? Any advice for others thinking about
attempting to repeat your achievement? And are you *really* going to
take a break before attempting the 5^5 or are you just trying to make
other would-be solvers *think* that they don’t need to hurry to be the
first? No need to answer that last question, BTW. :-)

-Melinda

jwgibson3 wrote:
> CONGRATS!!!! Fantastic! Although, I must admit, I’m a little
> jealous. I was hoping I could be first ;) And Noel, your solution is
> a great length; it’s shorter than the median solution for the 3^5.
> I’m still pairing up edges and have reached 4000 moves. Roice - the
> finder will be fantastic. It’s pretty mind-rotting looking through
> 1000 pieces with the shift key held down hoping the next one is it.
> Congrats Noel! And thanks for the new features, Roice!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> John
>
> — In 4D_Cubing@yahoogroups.com, "Roice Nelson" <roice@…> wrote:
>
>> Hey guys,
>>
>> I wanted to let you all know the Revenge version of the 5D cube has been
>> solved for the first time! I just uploaded Noel Chalmer’s solution to the Hall of Insanity if you’d like to take a look.
>>
>> *www.gravitation3d.com/magiccube5d/hallofinsanity.html*
>> **
>> This puzzle has 2560 stickers and 1024 cubies and as best I can tell from our emails, I think it only took him about a week! But I’ll let him expound if he’s interested.
>>
>> Since they have so many pieces, Noel requested a new feature (a cubie
>> finder) to help him out with the Revenge and Professor 5D puzzles, and this is part of the install now. It is on the options menu or you can CTRL+F. Also, thought I’d mention redo was added last year as well (that had been requested a lot so I finally did it, but I never mailed out about it).
>>
>> I hope this finds everybody well,
>>
>> Roice
>>
>>
>>
>> ———- Forwarded message ———-
>> From: Noel Chalmers <ltd.dv8r@…>
>> Date: Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 1:43 AM
>> Subject: Re: small thing
>> To: roice3@…
>>
>>
>> Hey Roice,
>>
>> Well, I said I’d do it and it’s done. This thing was HARD. I had a parity error at every step of solving it like a 3x3 and I had to kind of make up a sequence on the fly that would correct it. I’m looking forward to the 5^5 where I won’t have to worry about parity! But I think I’ll take a bit of a break before that.
>> This is by no means a shortest move solution, I gave up on trying to have a low move count when I hit the parities. I suspect that if someone else
>> solves it they’ll have less moves but that’s fine by me, I don’t plan on
>> doing this ever again. Thanks again for the update to the program, I
>> couldn’t have done it without your help!
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Noel