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Michiel van der BlonkPage 1/96/14/2007
Rubik's cube solution for beginners, a basic tutorial
Rubik's cube solution for beginners, a basic tutorial..........................................................1Introduction.....................................................................................................................2The Method.....................................................................................................................2Notation...........................................................................................................................3Higher Cube Math...........................................................................................................4Step 1: the cross..............................................................................................................4Step 2: the top layer........................................................................................................4Step 3: the middle layer..................................................................................................5Step 4: the Last Layer cross............................................................................................6Step 5: Rotate (orient) corners........................................................................................6Step 6: Swap (permute) corners......................................................................................7Step 7: Carrousel (cycle) edges.......................................................................................7Step 8: rotate body..........................................................................................................8Algorithms......................................................................................................................8Cube Lingo......................................................................................................................8Contact............................................................................................................................9Some interesting links.....................................................................................................9
Michiel van der BlonkPage 2/96/14/2007
Introduction
So, you own a Rubik's cube. You probably already tried twisting and turning, you hadlots of fun, and then you thought: now I am really going to try and solve this thing. Noproblem, right? Yeah, right. See you in 50 years.Solving a rubiks cube can be a burden. When you are twisting, trying to solve one side,the other side gets messed up. So, here is the solution: I think this is the simplest methoddescribed up to now on the internet.Primarily, the cube can be solved in a layer by layer approach using only 4 algorithms.An algorithm is a sequence of moves (a turn of one of the six sides).When you have memorized the four algorithms and the situations in which to performthem, you will be able to solve a rubiks cube within one minute. This is not a joke! (youdo need to practice a little and of course you will need a reasonable cube for this).Learning the algorithms is the hardest part, and I encourage you to start learning themone at a time, and to practice every algorithm separately, and thoroughly. Also, try tolearn the mirrors: If you know the right hand side, try the same moves on the left handside. If you can perform the moves starting at the front, try starting at the back. Visualizethe moves in your head, you will soon learn what actually happens there.Though there are a lot of equivalent algorithms I chose to use the simplest, mostsymmetrical ones, that are easiest to learn. The longest algorithm is 10 moves and thatone is repetitive, so it is just a matter of doing the same thing a couple of times.
The Method
The YY Method consists of seven steps1.Make a cross on the top layer2.Insert the corners to make the top layer complete3.Insert the middle layer edges4.Make a cross on the bottom layer5.Rotate the corners to make the bottom color complete6.Swap corners to fix the bottom corners7.Swap (or caroussel) edges to fix the bottom edgesIn cubespeak this is called a layer by layer, 4 look last layer (LL) method. This means thelast four steps all work on the last layer. Speedcubists have methods that solve the lastlayer in 3, 2 or even 1 step!
Michiel van der BlonkPage 3/96/14/2007
Notation
The notation used in these lessons is very widespread and accepted. Speedcubers willusually use an extended notation, which also includes movements of two layers at thesame time or rotations of the whole cube.The symbols in the standard notation are the first letters from the names of the sides. Sowe haveR - Right L - Left U - UpD- Down B - Back F - FrontA very important aspect of the cube is that the center pieces are fixed. They cannot move.To see why it's best to take you cube apart and put it back together again. If you turn aface 1/4th move then you can take out the edge piece. If you have a new cube you mightneed a screwdriver for this. Don't worry, you're not going to break it, and it's a goodexercise to get to know the cube.Colors, or the side of the cube your looking at are actually not relevant for the effect of analgorithm. Now, 1 move, e.g. R is made as follows: first, look at the R(ight) side of thecube. Then, turn the face your looking at clockwise 1/4. As you can see, if you do that 4times, the cube will be restored to its original state (scrambled, right?).Additionaly there are three other important symbols, that are used to describe rotations of the complete cube. They are named after the mathematical X, Y and Z axes, and thereforreally hard to remember (if your bad at math, that is)... That's why I give you analternative that is easier to read.X - rotate cube looking at Right face (also [r])Y - rotate cube looking at Up face (also [u])Z - rotate cube looking at Front face (also [f])
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