Pensuke Trainer

Pensuke Method (Bars Reduction)

Search Leave Slice from HTR with BR and FR track labels

Introduction

The Pensuke method (Bars Reduction) works from HTR by reading bar/pair/headlight patterns on the two side face pairs to bound half-turn counts toward Leave Slice.

Core concepts

1.After HTR only half-turns (U2 D2 R2 L2 F2 B2) are allowed. Each axis pair (e.g. F/B, R/L) has 1×3 column groups that can only be changed by that axis's face turns.
2.By reading bar (full column), pair (partial match) and headlight (matching corners) patterns on each axis, you can directly read out the minimum half-turn count (slice count) needed to solve that axis.
3.Reduce both axes' slice counts simultaneously until both reach 4B0 (four bars) — that is Leave Slice.
4.When a route is blocked (e.g. center-mismatched 2×2 block), backtrack a few moves and try another path. About 40% of HTR states require temporarily increasing the slice count.

BR shapes

Eleven BR labels shown for U/D LS axis and F/B faces; the last digit is a lower bound on required face half-turns.

0 slice

4B0

Four bars: edge and both adjacent corners match on side and U/D stickers. Solved.

1 slice

4P1

Four pair sides in good pair positions.

2 slice

2P2

Two pair sides in good positions.

HL2

Four headlights; ignoring one face yields 4 or 0 bars.

3 slice

2B3

Two bars; the other two sides are headlights.

2P3

Two pair sides in bad positions (matching corners on opposite sides, N-perm-like).

HL3

Four headlights; ignoring one face yields 2 bars.

0P3

No bar/pair/HL on sides, but 4 good pairs when ignoring one face.

4 slice

1B4

One bar; three headlights.

4P4

Four pair sides in bad pair positions.

0P4

No bar/pair/HL on sides, but 4 bad pairs when ignoring one face.

Tutorial

Full Pensuke walkthrough (WCAID 2022MIYA01):

Open tutorial

Pensuke method references pensuke blog and FMC community writeups. See FR trainer for FR shapes.