Revisiting the 2x3x4

Like the other puzzles I've been solving recently I wanted to see what I could do "on my own" without looking up notes from the past. Just fiddling around, trying to use some simple algorithms that seemed to make sense at the time, I solved all but 3 corners. Then I looked up other posts here in the blog. In November of 2012 I wrote:

This little puzzle has been much more challenging that anticipated. After some careful experimentation and documentation, I was able to solve it consistently, but did not have a fully developed strategy in place. Instead of patiently working with it longer, I got curious about how others were approaching it, so went to rline's tutorial and the twistypuzzles.com forum. rline has some great ideas about reducing the corners, and Konrad has a way to 3-cycle corners! Now my task is to create a page that documents my initial strategy, and also documents my final strategy. The only problem at this point is that I did not, nor do not, have either one.

Wow. So I looked for said document and found one that says:

My Solution after implementing ideas gleaned from chareaves (rline) and Konrad and interacting with Burgo on the forum

and then goes on to have a strategy that includes reduction. Yuck. That is never my first preference. I found some old notes in a Solution Guide spreadsheet that indicates I did solve it on my own before looking to see how others did it and I did use some reduction! So now the question is should I look for a way to 3-cycle the corners, or should I try to remember the 3-cycle from 2012, or should I just look it up and use it?

I did not consult the old notes. Instead I did a 3x3x2 3-cycle then swapped some pieces and did it again and maybe again and then put things back best I could and... it was solved! Did I slowly and carefully document what I was doing? no. Do I remember exactly what I did? no. So now the question is, should I put the solved puzzle back in the cabinet, or should I scramble it and try again?

I scrambled it and solved it to the point of needing one 3-cycle, but decided to look up Konrad's 3-cycle. I love it, but I'd like to study it and figure out what exactly is happening so it is easier to remember.

Alrighty then. Studied, analyzed, figured out. One more scramble and solve before it goes home and we move on to another puzzle.

Whoa! This solve is crazy! Again I started with the 2 center pieces which was pretty simple. Then I went for the 2x2x3 block by getting the whites on one side and yellows on the other then used a corners first algorithm to get it. Then I got the 4 end edges. So far there are no algorithms needed that are puzzle specific, just relatively simple moves I know from other puzzles like the 2x2x2 and the 2x2x3. But here is where it got weird.

Instead of getting to where I need a 3-cycle to finish the solve by solving the corners, I needed a double swap, and they weren't situated such that I could use 2 3-cycles to do it. After a lot of fiddling around I got the corners solved but now there are 2 end edges that are swapped. Huh?!?

Done! If orange is front: F2 D2 to set up swap. (B2 R2) x 3 to swap the 2 edges along with 2 phantom edges on the white side. D2 F2 to put things back. Done! Fun. No puzzle specific algorithms needed.