5 min read · Jan 17, 2023
As a National Record holder in solving the 4x4 Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, I have had to develop strong memorization skills in order to succeed in this challenging puzzle. In this blog post, I want to share with you how learning to solve the 4x4 cube blindfolded helped me to improve my memory and how I used the memory palace method and other memorization techniques to achieve this feat.
For those who may not be familiar, the 4x4 Rubik’s Cube, also known as Rubik’s Revenge is a 4×4×4 version of the Rubik’s Cube. The goal is to match all the sides of the cube to solid color. Solving the 4x4 cube is difficult on its own, but solving it blindfolded, without being able to look at the puzzle, adds an extra level of difficulty and requires even more advanced memory skills. One of the main techniques I used to solve the cube blindfolded was by using the memory palace method.
The memory palace method, also known as the “method of loci,” is a mnemonic technique that involves creating a mental image of a place that you know well, such as your house or a familiar building, and then placing the items you want to remember at specific locations within that place. The idea is that by associating the items you want to remember with a specific location, you will be able to recall them more easily.
To use the memory palace method, you first need to choose a location that you are familiar with and can visualize easily. This could be your childhood home, your school, or any other place that you know well. Once you have chosen a location, you can start placing the items you want to remember at specific locations within that place. For example, if you want to remember a list of five items, you might place the first item in your living room, the second item in your bedroom, the third item in your kitchen, and so on.
As you place each item in your memory palace, it is important to create a strong mental image of it. This means using as many of your senses as possible to visualize the item and its surroundings. For example, if you are placing a chair in your living room, you might visualize its shape, color, and texture, as well as the way it feels to sit in it. The more vividly you can imagine the item, the easier it will be to recall later.
Once you have placed all of the items in your memory palace, you can use the locations as a roadmap to help you recall the items in the correct order. For example, if you are trying to remember a list of grocery items, you can start at the front door of your memory palace and work your way through each room, recalling the items you placed there.
The memory palace method is a powerful tool for improving your memory, and it is especially useful for remembering long lists of items or complex information. It can take some practice to get the hang of it, but with time and repetition, you will find that it becomes easier and more natural.
In order to solve the 4x4 Rubik’s Cube blindfolded, I had to remember the starting configuration of the puzzle. To do this, I used the memory palace method.
For my memory palace, I chose my school, St. Xavier’s School, as it was a place that I knew well and could visualize easily. I started at the gate of the school and placed objects that represented the letter pairs on the way to my class. Since the letter pairs had to be placed in a specific sequence, I made sure to follow the correct path through the school.
For example, if the first letter pair was “CR,” I might visualize a car coming through the front gate of the school. This would help me to remember that the first two letters were “CR.” Then, for the next letter pair “BX,” I might visualize a box next to the garden. And for the letter pair “AP,” I might visualize that the box had apples inside them. By creating strong mental images of each object and its location, I was able to commit the entire sequence of letters to memory.
Using the memory palace method to solve the 4x4 Rubik’s Cube blindfolded was a challenging but rewarding experience. It required me to be precise in my memorization and to use all of my senses to create vivid mental images of the letters and their locations. However, the more I practiced, the easier it became. I found that my memory improved significantly over time, and I was eventually able to remember the entire sequence of letters without much effort. The experience not only taught me how to use the memory palace method effectively, but it also helped me to develop my overall memory skills and become more successful in my studies and daily activities.
Overall, Solving the 4x4 Rubik’s Cube blindfolded was a journey that tested my limits and helped me to grow as a person. The experience taught me the value of hard work and persistence, and it showed me that with determination, anything is possible.
