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Layer By Layer

Andrew Nathenson / Kit Clement

This is Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast (ostensibly) about cubing and Rubik's Cubes. Hosted by Kit Clement, a WCA delegate, Twitch streamer (kitstopher), and quiet-event specialist; and Andrew Nathenson, a Youtuber (ColorfulPockets), competition organizer, ZZ-user, and FMC specialist.

Kit and Andrew talk about cube news, organizing competitions, and really whatever they're into at the moment.

You can discuss the show at https://www.reddit.com/r/layerbylayer/

Happy Cubing!

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 7 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • July 5 · 1 hr 12 min

    44: 3x3x3(x3)

    Episode 44 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, June 30, 2026 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: Catching up on life Dual Rounds Clock is dead Face-Turning Octahedron Andrew doesn't believe Orange exists Crayola colors

  • S1 · E43
    May 31, 2023 · 1 hr 15 min

    43: Ear Funnel

    Episode 43 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Cakes - Bananas - "BLD Championship" (AKA Wingspan) - "I forget what Kit called it, someone let me know on Reddit because I can't be bothered to find it in the episode" (AKA Res Arcana) - "FMC USA 2018" and "FMC USA 2019" (AKA Splendor and Seven Wonders Duel) - The new Disc Golf WCA event - Reg of the Day: Guideline 2i1c+: Electronic Hand Warmers

  • S1 · E42
    Apr 26, 2021 · 53 min

    42: The Game Show! Featuring Feliks Zemdegs and Jayden McNeill!

    Episode 42 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. This episode we were joined by Feliks Zemdegs and Jay McNeill for a head-to-head gameshow competition. Recorded Saturday, March 13, 2021 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: IT'S ALL A GAME SHOW! Games: Name that famous solve based on an audio clip Guess the time based on an audio clip Guess the timing of an event in a video Categories Personal Trivia

  • S1 · E41
    Mar 14, 2021 · 59 min

    41: or/and

    Episode 41 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Sunday, March 7, 2021 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Bananas, and the banana scale: https://spoonuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/149/2016/04/Bananas-759x419.jpg - Kit's idea for a BLD championship - New Speedstacks timer design! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qq7wUyZZNA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h08w5bVAPyU - Reg of the Day: 7f1a - Andrew's first forum post: https://forum.worldcubeassociation.org/t/and-or-consistency-with-7f1a/12834?u=andrew_nathenson

  • S1 · E40
    Mar 1, 2021 · 1 hr 6 min

    40: Memo, Then Sleep for a Year

    Episode 40 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, February 10, 2021 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Yunhao Lou 3.86 Clock WR average - Ice Cream Cakes - ALTERNATIVE TITLE GUESSING CONTEST: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP7PkjtYwguE-b1cAU_Vn8ToU-Rn3dtE8loJgyeCnXhd7Utg/formResponse - Some Unofficial MultiBLD results - Graham and Rowe 60 point attempts, Graham's huge 200 cube attempt - Graham: 62/64 in 59:17 and 189/200, Rowe: 60/60 in 59:53 - There’s a difference between unsolvable cubes and “wrong color scheme” cubes_art: https://www.instagram.com/cubes_art/?hl=en Pic with all opposite colors: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9V0tSpkQ6/ - Is Worlds' 30 second registration cutoff too strict? - New SEE Events: Kit: Among Us Cubing: 10 points; Oops all U Moves: Average of 5: 1.04 1. 0.91 R' R' R2 R R2 R' R2 R R' R2 R R R' R R' R2 R R2 R R R' R' R' R' R2 (solved) 2. (0.73) R2 R' R R' R2 R R' R2 R R R R R2 R' R R2 R2 R2 R' R R2 R2 R R R (solved) 3. 1.24 R2 R2 R2 R R' R' R' R2 R R' R R R R R R2 R' R R' R2 R2 R R2 R R2 (U2) 4. (3.19) R2 R' R R R' R' R2 R2 R2 R R2 R R' R R' R R' R R2 R' R R R' R' R2 (U2) 5. 0.98 R R' R R' R2 R2 R R' R2 R' R2 R' R' R2 R' R R2 R2 R' R2 R' R R R R (U') Andrew: Among Us Cubing: idk like 8?; Oops all U Moves: Average of 5: 0.80 1. (1.22) R' R2 R' R R' R R R' R R2 R' R2 R R2 R' R' R' R' R R2 R2 R2 R2 R R (solved) 2. 1.11 R2 R R' R2 R R2 R' R2 R2 R2 R' R' R' R R R2 R2 R' R' R' R R R2 R2 R' 3. 0.86 R' R2 R' R' R2 R R R' R R R R' R2 R R R2 R' R' R2 R2 R R2 R' R2 R2 4. (0.34) R' R R' R' R2 R R R R R R R2 R R2 R2 R R R' R2 R2 R R R' R R' 5. 0.43 R' R' R R' R2 R2 R' R R R R' R2 R' R2 R2 R2 R R2 R' R2 R R' R2 R2 R'

  • S1 · E39
    Oct 19, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min

    39: Oops, All U Moves

    Episode 39 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. ALTERNATIVE TITLE GUESSING CONTEST: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP7PkjtYwguE-b1cAU_Vn8ToU-Rn3dtE8loJgyeCnXhd7Utg/formResponse Fun fact, you can hear Andrew's cat a few times in this episode. Recorded Monday, October 5, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Martin Egdal of the Day! 4.59 Square-1 World Record Single! - Cakes - The Alternative Title Guessing Contest - fill out this form and see how you do! - "That's Not ZZ, Though" - When is it okay to go outside the parameters of the method? - Red Bull Competitions, and their terrible country picker. - New SEE Events: From last episode: Mirror Solves: - Kit: 1:25 average of 5 - Andrew: 1:06.24 Average of 5 Unreal Man Challenge: Andrew: 7:58. 86 [https://bit.ly/35cuO8r], 3:26.83[https://bit.ly/3ke6eu4], DNF, DNF, DNF Kit: (DNF(1:40.82)) U B2 U' R2 B2 R2 B2 U L2 D2 U' B R' D L' F U R' F D2 L2 2. 6:03.91[https://bit.ly/3kaL1ky] D2 R2 B2 L' D2 F2 D2 U2 R' F2 U2 R D' L2 F R2 U B L2 D2 U 3. 6:04.78[https://bit.ly/3jcnDls] U' R U' L2 D R2 U B2 D R2 D' R2 U B2 R' B' L B2 F' D' R 4. 5:32.20[https://bit.ly/3j9dTbN] L2 D B L U2 D' F B2 D' B2 R2 L2 U' F2 U R2 D2 F' U' L 5. (4:35.20[https://bit.ly/3lPDHeO]) L2 D2 R2 D2 F2 D2 B' R2 B L2 U2 L2 D' R B2 D U R B' U' L2 New Events: Andrew - Oops, All U Moves Kit - Sneaky Among Us Cubing

  • S1 · E38
    Sep 5, 2020 · 49 min

    38: Have You Heard About the Rubik's?

    Episode 38 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Monday, August 31, 2020. Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - IS COLLIN BURNS IN THE TOP 100? (yes) - Kit's final score for Bad Prediction of the Day: 2/10 - Jabari redesigned algdb - speedcubedb.com - the new, better AlgDb? - Cakes - Is 4x4 parity rigged? - Rubik's Connect cube - Cube Mafia, on Twitch and in Real Life - End segment that we totally do every time, and not just because we forgot to do new SEE events this episode: Is a Pop-Tart a Ravioli?

  • S1 · E37
    Aug 16, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min

    37: Null Sets In Their Names

    Episode 37 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, August 5 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Kit is really bad at math - Cakes - More Pyraminx NRs! This time in Norway. - AlgDB is Dead 🦀🦀🦀 - Hollywood weather and Google Search quiz - New SEE Events: Andrew does the Cheapskate 3x3 Relay: Andrew: Cheapskate 3x3 relay avg of 5: 45.202: 47.190, 43.437, (1:01.066), (40.399), 44.979 Kit: pockets.cubing.net/MirrorCube: avg of 5: 1:54.79: 2:07.31, 1:37.09, 1:59.96, (2:42.44), (1:34.96) - New ones: Andrew: True Mirror Cube: Average of 5: 1:06.241: (1:25.129), 1:03.405, (57.669), 1:00.621, 1:14.706 Kit: Unreal Man's Average

  • S1 · E36
    Aug 2, 2020 · 1 hr 13 min

    36: Sweet Bread

    Episode 36 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Thursday, July 23 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Using Axial Turn Metric to determine +2s with Slice Moves - Cakes (?) - Denmark's Competition: -- 1.21 Pyraminx NR - Rasmus Stub Detlefsen (longest standing Danish NR) -- Martin got jinx'd -- Two identical pyraminx scrambles in a row: https://rb.gy/qzrqcf - Kit's Cubing Math Corner: Megaminx Scrambles! Are they representative of random state? - Hollywood, Maryland of the Day: Weather, Hotel Prices, Flights - New SEE Events: -- Andrew does GoCube BLD: avg of 5: 24.311: 29.124, (44.731), 22.456, 21.353, (19.520) -- Kit does GoCube Tutorial Speedrun: 7:14 - Kit's World Record: youtube.com/watch?v=uk448nrg-dw - New Events: Kit - $50 3-cube relay - 51.46 ao5 - Andrew - Mirrored GoCube: https://pockets.cubing.net/MirrorCube/

  • S1 · E35
    Jul 2, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min

    35: Happy Little Trees

    Episode 35 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Monday, June 29, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Is Tazzlyn's slower solving a benefit to streaming? - Everybody guessed the Bell - The Pockets Show! Every week on Friday from 4-6 Pacific at twitch.tv/ColorfulPockets - Productivity links from Kevin: https://fortelabs.co/blog/one-touch-to-inbox-zero/ https://fortelabs.co/blog/para/ https://fortelabs.co/blog/the-one-touch-guide-to-doing-a-weekly-review/ - Cakes (??) - Kit's Math Corner: Fibonacci and 3x3 Random Move Scrambles - To what extent is learning algs worth it? - If we had modern hardware many years ago, would a slice turn be a +2? - Hollywood, Maryland of the Day: How Hollywood got its name - New SEE Events: Andrew does 3x3 With Face: 1:20.61 average of 5 Andrew: GoCube App Tutorial Speedrunning (7:12.87) Kit: GoCube BLD (24.71 ao5)

  • S1 · E34
    Jun 18, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min

    34: KUKUKUKUKU

    Episode 34 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded LIVE Wednesday, June 17 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Or on SpeedSolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Generating random state 7x7 scrambles - rolling the die multiple times - xyzzy: CSTimer FMC scramble filtering - Alpha cuber is awesome on SpeedSolving guessed the bell! - cakes (???) - Andrew and Kit doing streaming - Kit's Math/Cubing Corner: Teaching how to solve a cube intuitively in NCTM journal - Hollywood, Maryland of the Day: Volunteer Fire Department - New SEE Events: Further discussion of Fewest Pockets - Best fewest pockets solve on example scramble: 10/46 by xyzzy and 10/49 by bartogian - Kit's attempt: https://rb.gy/riulkb - Updated Rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XjVJxknuwi5HYPCpDak4fxuV0_XTR5f7jwdLhKdL7CI/edit - Andrew's Bash script: https://github.com/ColorfulPockets/FewestRolls/blob/master/fewestRolls.sh

  • S1 · E33
    Jun 9, 2020 · 1 hr 6 min

    33: "Nice," but Stupid

    Episode 33 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Friday, June 5, 2020. Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer or on Speedsolving: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/ Topics: - Final Fantasy, emulation, etc. - layerbylayer.reddit.com - xyzzy's comment: https://www.speedsolving.com/threads/the-layer-by-layer-podcast.76921/page-2#post-1372092 - 5x5 Random State - Using 3BLD scrambles for everything - Online Competitions: Cubing @ Home, Twisty Puzzle Cup, The Monkey League - 15 Puzzle Parity by Numberphile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI1WqYKHi78 - Hollywood, Maryland of the day: Socks the Cat - Kit does Blindfolded 3x3x3: 41.35 average of 5 - Andrew does 3x3x3 with Mask: 15.13 single - New SEE Events: 3x3x3 with Face, and currently-unnamed-but-pretty-cool-event: For those of you who want to try out Andrew's event, here is an example scramble, rules, and rolls: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19YuG1BmWpYQn_2NCsJRE34FZ9rVp_Ign0QN3yByd1Hw/edit?usp=sharing

  • S1 · E32
    Apr 18, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min

    32: Hyperdimensional Supercomputer

    Episode 32 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded LIVE Friday, April 10, 2020. Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - The Wandering Tuttminx Meme: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cubers/comments/fw0j21/when_listening_to_layerbylayer_last_night/ - Cubing at Home - Andrew Reveals the Bell - Shoutout to Hollywood, Maryland - Andrew invented a new OH M2 fingertrick - Delegate fistfights - Thought experiment: what if 3x3 scramble generators could only generate half of all states, but It’s an arbitrary half - Megaminx is alg-resistant - Livestream Q/A - SEE Events of the Day: 3x3 with Mask, and Blindfolded 3x3

  • S1 · E31
    Apr 4, 2020 · 1 hr 7 min

    31: Tip Parity

    LBL LIVESTREAM: FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 3 PM PST - we forgot to say the date in the episode itself. Episode 31 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Friday, March 27 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - Magic: The Gathering update - Topppits' Great Comment - Dobeye's Flow Chart: https://i.redd.it/4txrtk5504p41.png - Cubing At Home competitions - New SEE Events - the challenge Results: Andrew w/o oven mitts: 59.79; Kit: 2:15.77

  • S1 · E30
    Mar 24, 2020 · 1 hr 23 min

    30: Haha Sans (Featuring Mark Boyanowski and Graham Siggins)

    Episode 30 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Friday, March 6, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer The video for this episode: Coming soon on ColorfulPockets! Topics: - Special Guests Mark Boyanowski and Graham Siggins! - Follow-up: Why the Reddit link thing happened - Why people underestimate how large gaps are at the upper end of MBLD skill - THE GAME OF FOUR - The first WCA shirt - "Corner Twist Kid" is back! And doing well! - Outdated thoughts about Coronavirus - Sitting at competition stations - People don't understand what parity is - Cubeography is not a thing - Karate Chop Stops Scores: - Mark: 9/30, + 17 Bells = -1 points - Graham: 25/41, + 21 Bells = 30 points

  • S1 · E29
    Feb 8, 2020 · 1 hr 15 min

    29: Head (NOT Shoulders) Above the Field

    Episode 29 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Monday, February 3, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: TRY THESE LINKS! - http://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer/posts/?=3 - https://www.reddit.com/r/tf2/comments/posts/tf2_trading_guide/?=3 - World Records: Max Park 5x5, 6x6, 7x7; Cale Schoon Fewest Moves - Graham Siggins' dedication - Feet is Gone 🦀🦀🦀 - Unofficial events and restructuring the WCA - Speedcubing Extra Events (SEE) - What can Andrew do with a 3D printer for cubing? - Bad cubing memes - A GREAT cubing meme

  • S1 · E28
    Jan 20, 2020 · 1 hr 16 min

    28: The Elbies 2019

    Episode 28 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Friday January 3, 2020 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - The Elbies 2019! Spoilers for the winners below: - Best New 3x3: Welong WR M - Best New Non-3x3 Puzzle: Valk 5 M - Best Episode of Layer By Layer: 16 - I Put It In A Vending Machine - Best World Record: Graham Siggins 59/60 MBLD - Luckiest Official Solve: Andrew Huang - Skewb U-Perm - LBL Subreddit Comment of the Year: Issun_x: "I'd like to see Kit comment on how the WCA regulations views folding your FMC scramble sheet into a paper aeroplane and throwing it to the delegate to finish, in order for increased efficiency in submission of solutions." - LBL Subreddit User with a Gandalf-related Username: YueXiaoNotPass - Cuber of the Year: Sean Patrick Villanueva - Andrew's Bad Prediction: Rowe Hessler will have one of the next 4 solves above the current world record or solve above the other solve that was above the world record/below the time of the world record from previously in the same day, or by the end of the year

  • S1 · E27
    Dec 6, 2019 · 59 min

    27: Congratulations, You've Won an Elbow

    Episode 27 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE ELBIES: https://forms.gle/S69CHxQaJMa5uaui7 Recorded Friday November 22 Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - Kaijun Lin 5BLD WR - Andrew Doesn't Forget the Bell this time - Red Bull World Cup 2019 - FMC Americas 2019 - Domino Reduction - The Elbies 2019 - MEOTD: Food - Bad Prediction of the Day: A GAN cube will not win the Elbies listener's choice

  • S1 · E26
    Nov 16, 2019 · 1 hr 8 min

    26: Sure, We Can Dunk on Clock Too

    Episode 26 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, November 13. Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - THE NEW MOYU CLOCK IS HERE!!! - A bunch of World Records: Yunhao Lou 4.38 Clock, Graham Siggins 59/60 MBLD, Stanley Chapel 1:06.23 4BLD, and of course, Feliks Zemdegs 5.53 3x3 - Sean Patrick Villanueva and Leo Borromeo - When will we stop finding new Algorithms? - Kit is good (but actually bad) at FMC, and bad insertions are demotivating - Martin Egdal of the Day: Nordic Championship 2019 overview, 17.61 3bld - Bad Prediction of the Day: Whoever wins FMC Americas 2019 will have a 26.67 mean of 3 or worse

  • S1 · E25
    Oct 25, 2019 · 58 min

    25: The Salmon-Savage Rivalry

    Episode 25 of Layer by Layer: a Cubing Podcast, the show (ostensibly) about Rubik's Cubes, speedcubing, and only occasionally/often about other things. Recorded Wednesday, October 16. Discuss the show on Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/layerbylayer Topics: - Congrats to Gundolf for actually guessing the last bell! - Max Park OH single (finally) - 49 point MBLD WR by Graham - The Awards Show: Send us your ideas! - Linus Frész's 24.00 FMC Mean - Andrew is off Facebook; but where can he find cubing news? - Andrew's only cubing goals - Kit Clement of the Day: Best counting 2x2 single - Bad prediction of the day: The second place 3x3 average at UK Championship 2019 will be sub-6.2

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