A step by step approach to solving this 3 dimensional combination
Around 350 million copies of Rubik’s cube has been sold making it one of the greatest selling toys of all time. It has over a million combinations and seems almost impossible to solve until you know the ‘trick’. We are here to help you learn how to solve this puzzle in the easiest way possible.
The first step in solving a Rubik’s cube is knowing the basics of the cube. The cube has 6 sides(Duh!) and all of them have different colors namely: Red, Blue, Green, Orange, White, Yellow. We must remember the orientation of these colors and the best way to do that is to remember the opposites. For reference:
White is on the opposite of Yellow
Red is on the opposite of Orange
Green is on the opposite of Blue
The cube has 26 pieces which include 8 corner pieces, 6 center pieces, 12 edge pieces.
In order to solve the Rubik’s cube using algorithms you must know the basic notations to rotate the cube. The basic notations are
| F (front) | Turn the front layer clockwise |
| F’ (front prime) | Turn the front layer anticlockwise |
| R (Right) | Turn the right layer clockwise |
| R’ (Right prime) | Turn the right layer anticlockwise |
| L (Left) | Turn the left layer clockwise |
| L’ (Left prime) | Turn the left layer anticlockwise |
| U (Up) | Turn the top layer clockwise |
| U’ (Up prime) | Turn the top layer anticlockwise |
| D (Down) | Turn the bottom layer clockwise |
| D’ (Down prime) | Turn the bottom layer anticlockwise |
When the algorithm says “(F)” then you turn the front side clockwise. And in “(F’)” then you turn the front side anti clockwise and so forth for all the notations.
The pictures below will help in your understanding. Consider the blue side to be your front:
Step by step solution:
For solving the cube you need to choose one side as your base and the color opposite to the base will be you top layer. For example, if you choose green as your base then your top would be blue. It doesn’t matter what color you choose as base, it just a matter of convenience. In this tutorial we would be choosing White as base, thus making Yellow as the top.
The step by step solution is going to look something like this:
- Forming the white cross
- Completing the first layer
- Completing the second layer
- Forming the yellow cross
- Orienting the yellow edges
- Permuting the corners of the top layer
- Orienting the corners of the top layer
1. Forming the white cross
This is the easiest step in solving the cube. The goal in this step is to orient the white edge pieces in a cross. The cross must be formed in such a way that the edge pieces align themselves with the side center piece.
For example: A white-green edge piece must align itself with the green center piece as shown below
We recommend you solve this step without the algorithms given below. You don’t have to worry about the rest of the cube getting disordered, just focus on forming the white cross. Below are a few examples of situations you might get stuck in:
You will find a situation where the edge piece is in the right place but has been oriented wrong. Use the following algorithm in such scenario.
Sometimes the edge piece is on the right face but is misaligned. Use the above algorithm in the following scenario.
2. Complete the first layer
In this step we align the white corner pieces. In order to do so first we locate the piece that must be aligned.
Keep the white layer with the cross on the top and twist the bottom layer till you find a white corner piece which fits.
Keep the white layer on top and the white corner piece facing your right.
Then use the following algorithm till the white corner piece orients itself on the top:
R’ D’ R D
It usually takes 3-4 iterations of the above algorithm to orient the piece.
Note: It doesn’t matter which way the white side of the corner piece is facing as long as the corner piece is directly below where it needs to be oriented.
Exception cases:
In case you don’t find any white corner piece in the bottom layer, they will be on the top layer but not properly oriented. In such cases, with white layer at top, keep the corner piece to your right side and use the below algorithm to bring the piece to the bottom layer and continue the above steps to orient it:
R’ D’ R D
3. Completing the second layer
Up until this point it was quite easy to solve the cube without algorithms. From now on we will need a few algorithms which are easy to learn.
For this step we will keep the white layer facing down which will make the yellow layer out top layer.
We will be requiring 2 algorithms for this step : Left and Right
First we twist the top layer(yellow face) to identify a non yellow edge piece. We will match the color of the edge piece facing down to it’s corresponding center. Then we will check if the edge piece needs to go RIGHT or LEFT and use the corresponding algorithm to orient it.
For example: If we find on the top layer, a Blue-Red edge piece in which blue is facing down, then we will twist the top layer till we align the blue edge piece to the blue center. Then we will check if red is on the right side or the left side and use the corresponding algorithm the orient it.
Left algorithm: U’ L’ U L U F U’ F’
Right algorithm: U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F
Exception cases:
In cases there is no non-yellow edge piece on the top layer then they will be in the second layer but oriented in the wrong way. In this case locate that piece and keep it to the right side and use the RIGHT side algorithm to push that piece to the top layer.
Then solve it using the above steps.
4. Forming the yellow cross
In this step we will form the yellow cross on the top layer. Focus only on the yellow edge pieces on the top layer. You might reach on any of the below cases after forming the second layer.
In some cases the yellow cross might form itself. In that case skip this step.
We will use the following algorithm to solve it:
F U R U’ R’ F’
There are 3 cases in this scenario:
Case A: The dot
If no edge pieces are yellow above the top layer then use the above algorithm to reach the “Inverted L” case explained below.
Case B: The inverted L
If the edge pieces form an inverted L then place the inverted L on the top left side and use the above algorithm to reach the “line” case explained below.
Case C: The line
If the edge pieces form a line then place the line in such a way that it is perpendicular to your line of sight and use the above algorithm to reach the “cross”.
5. Orienting the yellow edges
Now that edges have been permuted in their respective positions we need to orient them correctly.
Twist the top layer till you find at least two of the yellow edge pieces match their respective side center pieces.
You will have two cases here
CASE A: The matching edge pieces are side by side
In such a case keep one of the matching edge piece behind you and the adjacent one to your right side. Use the following algorithm:
R U R’ U R U U R’ U
CASE B: The matching edge pieces are opposite sides
For example: if the side edge pieces matching with their center pieces are either ORANGE & RED or GREEN & BLUE
In such cases we keep one of the matching edge piece in front of you and one directly behind you. Use the following algorithm and you will reach CASE A and can solve it further.
R U R’ U R U U R’ U
6. Permuting the corners of the top layer
In this we will permute the yellow corners of the top layer. In order to do this we need to find one corner piece which is permuted correctly.
By that we mean the corner piece is in the right place even if it is not oriented correctly.
For example: If the Yellow-Red-Blue corner piece is between the Yellow-Red-Blue Center then it is permuted correctly.
Once that piece is identified, keep the piece on the right hand side and use the below algorithm to permute the rest of the pieces.
U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L
Note: Keep doing the algorithm till all of the pieces are permuted.
Exception cases:
In case no corner is permuted in its correct position then use the above algorithm on any of the corners till you find a corner that is permuted.
7. Orienting the corners of the top layer
Once all the pieces are permuted, take any piece which is not oriented and place it on the top right side and perform the algorithm till it is oriented:
R’ D’ R D
Once that piece is oriented without changing the side facing you only twist the top layer till you have another yellow corner piece on the top right side. Perform the above algorithm till that piece has yellow on the top.
Again twist only the top layer till you find another yellow corner piece on the top tight side.
Once, all the yellow corner pieces are oriented,
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