Bagua Cube Tutorial Part 3: Dealing with Parity

Here we deal with the dreaded parity. There will be some damage control, but it will be worth it.

Algorithms:
Adjacent corner swap: R2 U R2 Ui R2 Ui D R2 Ui R2 U R2
Parity algorithm: U+ B2 D' U- R2 U+ followed by L2 Ri U2 R U2 U+ L2 U

Part 1: Return to the unbandaged cubic shape:

Part 2: Reducing the Centers and edges to the last layer:

Part 4: Finishing the final layer:

Evaluation index based on the top 10 videos on the hardest, most complex, and favorites:

Complexity score:
(a) Multiplicity -- High based on the sequential nature of the solve
(b) Transformation --Moderate as is not a cubic transformation, but has an 8 axis system inside a 6 axis puzzle
(c) Over the top -- low as is not a high order puzzle

Difficulty:
(a) Bandanging -- Moderate as present while shapeshifted only
(b) Ghosting -- not applicable
(c) Hybrids -- moderate as has an 8 axis system in a 6 axis puzzle

Favorites:
(a) Playability --Very smooth when lubricated, and portable
(b) Variability -- Moderate, as although different algorithms can be used, it's basically solved the same way
(c) Unpredictability -- High due to the presence of parity and many different configurations of the last layer.

[danavipuzzles]

I just completed my second solve on the MF8 Sun Cube by using your Bagua tutorial. Getting it back into cubic shape is mostly intuitive, along with swapping corners with edges through Ri, Di, R, D. Unbandadging the edges works with the same exact algorithm you use, and the same goes for putting in the center triangles. Reducing the edges works with the same method you use as well, though I think it's even easier since you have less edge pieces to reduce (i.e. no thin strips). The last 2-3 edges is simply strategic, where you swap and flip them around until you solve them, sometimes having to involve another reduced edge in the mix. During my first solve I didn't get any parity, but I did get it during my second one.

The parity I got was where the entire cube was solved but two corners were swapped, which is technically impossible on a 3x3, aside from situations where you'd have false equivocation with identical pieces (like with the YJ Heart). Here, I simply used the first algorithm you showed (U+, 2B, Di, U-, 2R, U+), though I prefer doing it as U+, 2R, Di, U-, 2F, U+, which is exactly the same, but utilizes the front face instead of the back face. I did that algorithm on the top layer (with the two swapped corners) without any regard to which edges and corners will be reconfigured. After that, once I had the situation with the edge and corner swapped, I simply swapped them with each other by putting one on the top layer and on on the bottom layer, and doing Ri, Di, R, D.

After that, I had three edges with internal bandaging, which I easily fixed with your algorithm that I used in the beginning of the solve (2R, U+, 2R, D-, 2R, U+, 2R, U-, 2R, U-, D+, 2R, and then swapping the edge and corner with Ri, Di, R, D). My center triangles weren't taken out of place, not sure if I got lucky on that or it just works that way on the Sun Cube. I only had two or three edges that were broken up (maybe I also got lucky with so few of them being broken up) and I simply re-reduced them, and then upon doing the 3x3 solve the cube was fully solved.

Not sure if there are any other kind of parities or false equivocations that might pop up on the Sun Cube, but I'm guessing probably not (since center orientation is irrelevant in order to get two swapped edges / a 90-degree rotated center, and I figure that the central pieces of the edges function as standard 3x3 edges, and thus there shouldn't be a situation of one flipped edge on the last layer).

Thanks for the tutorial!

[nguyenquynhkhanh]

I wonder if there is any cube that you can't solve?

[manurubiks]

Could you do the curvy starminx tutorial?

[richardlehuynh]

There's one edge, one edge that has one kite backwards. Can you show me that example because I'm having trouble understanding this