How To Solve a Rubik's Cube
by Jason Kinner
1) Notation
a. The sides we use are: Front (F), Right (R), Left (L), Up or top (U), and Down or bottom (D)
b. To turn the front one quarter turn clockwise, the notation would be: F
c. To turn the front one quarter turn counter-clockwise, the notation would be: Fi (F inverted)
d. Each regular turn should be made clockwise as if you were looking at that side. Likewise, each inverted turn should be made counter-clockwise as if you were looking at that side.
i. So, for "R" you would turn the right side top away from you. For "L" you would turn the left side top toward you. "Ri" would be right side top toward you. "Li" is left side top away from you.
2) Get a "+" or "cross" on top.
a. You need to pick one center color to be the top
b. The points of the cross must line up with their corresponding sides
i. In other words, if green is our top color, the green & red cube must line up between the green and red center pieces. The same goes for the other three parts of the cross; they must each match to the top and to their corresponding side.
c. To get a piece into place on the top, first line it up on the bottom, directly underneath of where it needs to be.
i. For example, to get the green/red cube onto the top, first line it up on the bottom under the red side.
ii. Then, rotate that side two turns. If it's in the front, the notation would be: F F
d. If a piece is in the right place but is upside down, we need to flip it with this algorithm. Put the flipped piece in the front.
i. For example, if the red/green cube is lined up between the red and green center pieces, but the red side is next to the green center piece and the green side is next to the red center piece, it should be flipped. Make sure it is in the front center on top.
ii. The algorithm is: Fi U Li Ui (front counter-clockwise, top clockwise, left top away from you, top counter-clockwise).
iii. The piece should now be in the right place and oriented properly.
e. After doing this for all four sides of the cross, we should have the four parts in the right place.
3) Get the top corners into the right place.
a. Each corner piece on the top has 3 sides, one of which will match the top color. The other two sides will match two adjacent sides.
b. For example, if green is our top color, one of the corner pieces will be green/red/white. This piece needs to end up in the corner that is between those three colors.
c. First, identify one of the pieces that needs to be in one of the top corners.
d. Like the previous step, we need to first get the piece directly underneath of where it needs to be.
i. We get it underneath of where it needs to be by only turning the bottom row (D).
ii. Once it's underneath of the corner it needs to be in, hold the Rubik's cube so that piece is in the front bottom right then do this algorithm to put the piece on top. You may need to do this algorithm up to 5 times in a row to get the piece in the right place and oriented properly.
iii. The algorithm is: Ri Di R D (right top toward you, bottom front to the left, right top away from you, bottom front to the right).
e. After doing this for all four top corner pieces, the entire top layer should be solved.
f. Now turn the Rubik's cube UPSIDE DOWN, so the solved side is on the bottom.
4) Get the middle layer outside pieces into place.
a. There are four of these, one on each middle of the outside edges.
b. Start by looking at the top center piece. This is the color of the top.
c. Imagine a cross on the top (just like in the first step).
d. Check each piece of the cross to see if it contains the top color.
i. Each cube of the cross has two colors on it. If one of them isn't the top color, that piece belongs in the middle outside edge.
e. First, line it up in the front top middle over its corresponding side.
i. For example, if the top color is blue and you find a yellow/red piece with the red on top, line it up over the yellow side (in front).
ii. You now need one of two algorithms depending on where the piece needs to go.
1. If it has to go to the left (yellow/red cube lined up over yellow and red is on left) use:
Ui Li U L U F Ui Fi
2. If it has to go to the right use:
U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F
f. That piece should now be in the right place.
g. Repeat for the other three pieces that don't contain the top color.
i. If you get stuck because all the cross pieces contain the top color but not all the middle layer edges are in the right place, use one of the two above algorithms to pull out a piece and then it will be on top.
h. You should now have the two bottom layers solved.
5) Get a cross on top
a. Just like the first step, we need to get a cross on top. But the steps are different this time.
b. We aren't worried about the pieces being over top of their corresponding sides (yet).
c. Use this algorithm to first get an "L" shape. Then hold the Rubik's cube so the "L" is on top in the back left. Do the algorithm once or twice more until you get a "line" running across the top from left to right. Finally, do the algorithm one last time to get a cross on top.
d. The algorithm is: F R U Ri Ui Fi
e. Once you do that several times you should have a cross on top.
6) Get the pieces of the cross on top into the right place, over top of their corresponding sides.
a. Now we need to move the pieces of the top cross around until they are all in the right place. This will take a few steps usually.
b. First, rotate the top layer 4 times clockwise (a complete 360 degree turn) BUT stop after each ¼ rotation and check all the outside edges to see if any line up.
c. The goal is to get two adjacent centers of the cross (on the outside) to line up over their corresponding sides.
i. If that isn't the case, line up just one side and do this algorithm until two adjacent sides line up.
ii. Once two adjacent sides are lined up over their corresponding colors, turn the Rubik's cube so those two sides are in the back and on the right then do this algorithm once more.
iii. The algorithm is: R U Ri U R U U Ri
iv. You might have to turn the top layer once more to see that all the sides are lined up.
d. You should now have a cross on top and all the sides of the cross should line up to their corresponding sides on the Rubik's cube.
7) Get the four corners of the top into their correct positions, but not necessarily oriented properly.
a. To do this, we need to compare the 3 colors of each corner cube to the colors of the top and four sides.
b. If none of the pieces is in the right place, you will need to do this algorithm once or twice until one of the corners is in the correct position (but remember it may not be oriented properly).
c. Once a corner cube is in the correct location, hold the Rubik's cube so that the correct corner cube is on top in the front right.
d. You will then need to do this algorithm up to three times. But remember that we aren't worried about orientation. We just need the three colors of each corner to be between the same three colors of the Rubik's cube.
i. The algorithm is: U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L
ii. Check after each time to see if the corners are correct.
e. We should now have all the corners in the right place. But one or more may not be oriented properly.
8) Get all four corners oriented properly.
a. Rotate the Rubik's cube so that one of the incorrect corners is on top in the front right.
b. This step can be tricky and it will seem like you are messing up the entire thing. But, pay attention to the moves and make sure you do them carefully.
c. The algorithm here is one we used for the second step and it will need to be repeated several times.
d. Here is the algorithm, but read all the steps below first: Ri Di R D
i. Repeat this algorithm until the top front right cube is oriented properly. The rest of the cube may appear to be completely ruined but don't worry about that.
ii. Once the top front right cube is correct, rotate the entire top layer one quarter turn counter-clockwise (Ui) until the next incorrect corner cube is in the top front right position.
iii. Now, repeat the algorithm again until that piece is oriented properly.
iv. Do this until each corner is correct and then you should only need one last turn of the top layer and the whole cube should be solved!