The Rubik’s Cube is one of the most popular puzzles in the world. Solving it for the first time might seem challenging, but with a step-by-step guide and some practice, you can master it. This guide will break down the process in simple, easy-to-understand steps to help you solve the Rubik’s Cube without getting overwhelmed. So, grab your cube, and let’s get started!
Before diving into solving the cube, it’s important to understand the basics:
3×3 Cube: The Rubik’s Cube consists of three layers – the top, middle, and bottom – with 6 faces (each with a solid color: white, yellow, blue, green, orange, and red).
Center Pieces: These are the middle pieces on each face, and they do not move. They define the color of that face.
Edge Pieces: These have two colors and sit between the center pieces on the edge of the cube.
Corner Pieces: These have three colors and sit at the corners of the cube.
The Basics of Rotation
When following this guide, you’ll come across terms that refer to specific moves. Here’s a simple guide to help:
R – Turn the right face of the cube clockwise.
R’ – Turn the right face counterclockwise.
L – Turn the left face clockwise.
L’ – Turn the left face counterclockwise.
U – Turn the upper face clockwise.
U’ – Turn the upper face counterclockwise.
D – Turn the down (bottom) face clockwise.
D’ – Turn the down face counterclockwise.
F – Turn the front face clockwise.
F’ – Turn the front face counterclockwise.
Now, let’s move on to the actual solving process.
Step 1: Solve the White Cross
The first step in solving the Rubik’s Cube is to create a white cross on the top layer.
Find the white edge pieces. These are pieces that have white on one side and another color on the other.
Match the edge pieces with their corresponding center pieces. For example, if you have a white-blue edge piece, align it so that the blue color matches the blue center.
Move the edge pieces into place. Once you have matched the edge color with the center, rotate the white face so the white edges form a cross. The cross should consist of four white edges with matching colors on the sides.
Tip:
Don’t worry about the corners at this stage, just focus on forming the white cross.
Step 2: Solve the White Corners
After solving the white cross, it’s time to complete the white face by solving the white corners.
Locate a white corner piece in the bottom layer (this piece will have three colors: white and two others).
Move the corner piece into place between the matching center colors. For example, if you have a white-blue-red corner piece, it needs to go between the blue, red, and white faces.
Perform the algorithm to move the corner into the correct position:
R’ D’ R D
Repeat this sequence until the white corner piece is in its correct place.
Do this for all four corners until the entire white face is solved, and the first layer of the cube matches the center pieces on each side.
Step 3: Solve the Middle Layer Edges
Now that you have the top white face and the first layer solved, it’s time to solve the middle layer edges.
Look at the top layer and find an edge piece that doesn’t have yellow on it (since yellow will be the opposite of white).
Position the edge piece over the center it matches on the top face. For example, if you have a red-blue edge piece, line it up with the red center.
Determine where the edge needs to go: left or right. Based on this, perform the following algorithms:
If the edge piece needs to go to the right:
U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F
If the edge piece needs to go to the left:
U’ L’ U L U F U’ F’
Repeat this process for all four edges, ensuring that the middle layer is fully solved. more blogs
Step 4: Solve the Yellow Cross
With the first two layers solved, you now need to solve the yellow cross on the top face. There are three possible scenarios on the yellow face:
No yellow edge pieces in place (dot)
A yellow line (straight)
An L-shape
If you have a dot, perform the following algorithm:
F R U R’ U’ F’
Now you should have a yellow L-shape.
If you have an L-shape, perform the algorithm with the yellow L in the top-left corner:
F R U R’ U’ F’
You should now have a yellow line.
If you have a yellow line, perform the algorithm with the line horizontal:
F R U R’ U’ F’
This should give you the yellow cross.
Step 5: Position the Yellow Edges
Now that you have the yellow cross, it’s time to position the yellow edges correctly to match the center pieces of the other faces.
Find two yellow edges that are in the correct place.
If two edges are in the correct place, hold the cube so these are at the front and right.
Perform the following algorithm to position the edges:
R U R’ U R U2 R’ U
Repeat this algorithm until all four yellow edges are in the correct place. You may need to do it multiple times.
Step 6: Position the Yellow Corners
Next, you need to position the yellow corner pieces in the correct spots, although they may not yet be oriented correctly.
Find a yellow corner piece that is already in the right place (even if it’s rotated incorrectly).
Hold the cube so the correct corner is in the front-right position, and perform this algorithm:
U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L
Repeat this process until all the yellow corners are in the correct position. visit
Step 7: Orient the Yellow Corners
Finally, the last step is to rotate the yellow corners so the yellow face is complete.
Hold the cube so that a yellow corner that needs to be rotated is in the front-right position.
Perform the following algorithm until the corner is correctly oriented:
R’ D’ R D
Once the corner is in the correct orientation, rotate only the top face (U) to bring another incorrect corner into the front-right position.
Repeat the algorithm until all four corners are correctly oriented, and the yellow face is fully solved.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully solved the Rubik’s Cube. It may take some practice to get faster, but once you memorize these steps and algorithms, you’ll be able to solve the cube with ease. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon be solving the cube in no time!