When we finally get some solutions in the solutions section of the site, I suggest that for each puzzle there's also a HINT category of sorts, where it has hints that don't really spoil solving the puzzle.

I know sometimes I just need a little hint at something I'm doing in a game (recently, PHOENIX WRIGHT), not the answer. It makes me feel a little better when I can get a hint instead of the solution.

I don't know exactly how this section would work, but I propose that there's just a separate solution page, so for the helicopter cube there could be:

Helicopter cube SOLUTION HINTS
Skewb SOLUTION HINTS

(although for the subject, I could equally say solutions on solution page. I think I'll put together a pyraminx crystal one if I can find someone willing to re-write it. I'm terrible at that part.)

Yep, good idea. If anyone is inspired to write a hints/solution article, forward it to me when it's done, and I'll make sure it get online.

Sandy

The hints that would help me a lot for new puzzles are things like "Try getting the top edges first, then fill in the rest of the corners on the face. Then continue layer by layer." (for the 3x3, which we have established that we mostly all know how to solve).

In other words, my favorite hints are about the order of solving, or the types of algorithms that help, like "try working with three edges," or "try a jumbling move here" for the helicopter cube.

-π (Eitan)

I agree. Some times just knowing how to start is the only thing needed. I spent a couple days trying to solve my 5x5x5 before learning from a friend to solve the centers first.

Hints are nice. They give you enough to go on without feeling like you cheated (or maybe that's just me). When I first got my FTO, I tried a couple of different approaches until I figured out what order solve the different pieces in. Little hints one what order to do a puzzle can be a huge help to people stuck on a new puzzle.

*edit* I also tried a few failed methods on the helicopter cube before I settled on what I do now.

I also like the idea of this suggestion. But an observation I made recently, is that there's a lot of good hints in the Gelatin Brain's Applet Solution Discussion Thread. My point being, that all of it might not need to be written again, as someone could just copy the hints from there, and maybe edit it slightly to make it more fitting. I would love to help, but I'm not sure I can be considered that good at puzzle solving, and English is obviously not my mother language, so I might misspell some.

I do plan on going through that WHOLE THREAD and taking the solutions out, editing them up however they may need, and putting together articles for the Solutions page. After I do whole solutions, I'll look through for hints.

...

I'm an addict, what can I say?

That would be great!

Sandy

I'm sure you could ask some of the more experienced solvers to help you out with that.

I would be willing to the the skewb solution\hints, as well as the different notations for it.