Message #575

From: mshaw@math.utexas.edu
Subject: [MC4D] A new record for the 5^4 checkerboard! Sorry Remi!
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:36:35 -0500

Hello all of my 4D friends :)

It’s about time I got back to this crazy obsession of mine! I was
devastated by Remi’s improvement on my 3^4 checkerboard solution. After
reducing the 2+ year record from 40 to 36 to 32 and then 28, I just knew
it would stick. I spent so much time with this cube (I’m sure you’re well
aware :) trying to fully understand it and explaining its mathematical
construction and projection to numerous people (poor calculus students).
The realization that most people in the world could never give two shits
about it was hard for me to stomach. I had a really rough time when my
mom not only expressed how much she didn’t get it, but warned me of
explaining it to those close to me, as if it was a freakin’ waste of time
:( and I’d only bore people with all of the math details.

So 8 months later, here we are. I have to give Remi the majority of the
credit for this solution. After discovering my 32 twist solution to the
3^4 checkerboard, I viewed Remi’s solutions. I then adapted an algorithm
directly from his 5^4 solution in order to reduce the 3^4 record further
to 28. I was shocked that during the 2 years the records held, Remi
didn’t notice that he essentially had already discovered the necessary
algorithm. So I took advantage of it and BAMM! I was so stoked! Well,
when he found out about it he had to one up me and removed a few more
twists. He had the incite to leave the subgroup I was using (only 180
degree twists using, say, the purple/* 2-color cubies where * is one of
the colors "glued" to purple).

So I’ve used the exact same trick which HE discovered on the 3^4 to reduce
HIS 5^4 solution. But I feel only slightly guilty for taking away his
record with such a minor incite, as Remi had 8 months to realize that
this. And I challenge him and anyone else to try to reduce it further.
Not that I want my record to be broken again. But if it is, I’ll be
satisfied knowing that I was a part of it’s history.

Thank you all for your interest in this group, for all of your messages
which I’ve enjoyed reading, and your inspiration to continue puzzling. A
special thanks to Roice for his continued work in making these puzzles
possible and easier to solve. I hope to soon invest the time to solve the
4^4 and 5^4 cubes, and maybe the hyperminx!

Congratulations on all of your achievements! Good luck on your future ones!

Peace and Love,
Mark Shaw