How to solve a 3x3x3 Rubiks cube - Layer by Layer - Beginners Method Orientation A 3x3 cube consists of several pieces:

A center piece there are 6 of them They have one color per piece, cannot be moved and it sets the color for the side its on The wedges there are 12 of them They have two colors on them and are always on the edges The corners there are 8 of them They have three colors and are always on the corners of the cube (duh) Understanding Algorithms The easiest way to solve any cube is with the use of algorithms. An algorithm is just a big word for a pattern that, if repeated enough times, will make the cube go back to its original position. This doesnt mean doing something over and over will solve the cube. It wont. This just means that it will return the cube to the way that is was when you first started the algorithm. The algorithms Im listing will be in a kind of code describing the face to turn and which way to turn it. Heres the code: U Upper face clockwise D Down face clockwise F Front face clockwise R Right face clockwise L Left face clockwise B Back face clockwise If I want you to turn the faces counter-clockwise, Ill add an i to the end of it. Like this: Ui Upper face counter-clockwise Di Down face counter-clockwise Fi Front face counter-clockwise Ri Right face counter-clockwise Li Left face counter-clockwise Bi Back face counter-clockwise Okay, lets get started!

Step 1: Creating the cross Make a cross on the face of one color, while simultaneously making the first layer. Make sure that all the colors are on the correct sides, because this is just as important as making the cross. For the ease of explanation, Ill make the cross on the white side. If a piece comes where its in the right place, but the colors are switched, use the algorithm Fi U Li Ui If everything is done right, a cross should be stretched across the top face, extending down to the middle pieces of the sides.

Step 2: The first layer With the cross made, the only thing that is left in the first face/layer is the four corners. To do this, find a corner piece that has the same color as the cross, in this case white. Put the piece directly under where is to go on the right hand side of the cube. The colors of the corner piece should correspond to the sides. For example, if the piece were the orange/green/white corner piece, it would be placed where the orange/green/yellow sides intersect and place it on the bottom of the cube, on the right hand side. Use this algorithm until the piece is on the orange/green/white intersection with the white up. Ri Di R D Continue doing this until all four corners are in the correct place. If everything is done right, the first side and the first layer should be completed and the middle pieces on the sides should be extending from the top.

This shows the color of the side that isnt shown

When youre done the cube should look like this...

Step 3: The second layer This is the confusing part. Flip the entire cube over so that the completed (white) side is down. Find a wedge on the top that is NOT the same color as the center of the upper face (in this case, yellow). Turn the top layer so that the wedge is on top of its color that is in the front of the cube. For example, I have a red/blue wedge with the blue on the top, red on the bottom. I turn the top until the piece is directly on top of the red face. Now, the bottom of the piece is lined up. Whatever the color on the top of the wedge is, find that face. It should either be to the left or right of the front face(unless youre cube has an asian color scheme). You will have to use one of these two algorithms, depending on which way the piece needs to go. If it needs to go to the left, use this one Ui Li U L U F Ui Fi But, if the piece needs to go right, use this one. U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F These algorithms are mirrors of each other, so they are the same thing except you do it to the other side. Continue until all pieces in the second layer are in place. Half way there

Ui Li U L U F Ui Fi

U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F

When youre done...

Step 4: The yellow cross / Orienting the yellow wedges Okay, hang in there. Everything gets easier from here, as long as you pay attention to what youre doing and dont make any mistakes (obviously). Okay, from here, you have one of four things on the yellow face. They are A yellow dot in the middle

A yellow L in a corner

A yellow bar across the face

A yellow cross across the face

There are many other situations, but no matter what you have, it is one of these four. Your goal is to get to the yellow cross. If you already have it, dont do anything; just go to the next step. However, if you have anything else, stay here.

If you have the dot, hold it from any side, and use the algorithm F R U Ri Ui Fi. This should give you the yellow L. Now turn the entire cube so that the L is in the upper left hand corner, and do the F R U Ri Ui Fi algorithm again. This will give you the bar across the face. Hold the cube so that the bar is horizontal. Do it again. That will give you the cross.

F R U Ri Ui Fi

When youre done...

Step 5: Permuting the yellow wedges On the top layer on the side, look for any two wedges that match up with the face its on (i.e. green with green, orange with orangeetc). Now, They will either be directly across from each other or theyll be on the adjacent side. If they are across from each other, hold the cube so that one is on the front face, and one on the back face and use this algorithm: R U Ri U R U U Ri. This will give you the wedges on sides adjacent to each other. Now, hold the cube so that one of the two sides is in your right hand, while the other is across from you and do the R U Ri U R U U Ri algorithm again, but do on extra U to line up all the sides. If its done right, the entire cube will be done except the four yellow corners will be flipped the wrong way, in the wrong spots, or both.

R U Ri U R U U Ri

(R U Ri U R U U Ri) U

When youre done...

Step 6: Permuting the yellow corners This is VERY simple if you pay attention to what your doing. Okay. Look around the cube for one of the four yellow corners that are in the right place. Remeber that the yellow wedges are now in the right places, so you cant turn the yellow face or theyll be messed up. Also keep in mind that the corners dont necessarily need to be flipped the right way. There may also be none in the right place, and thats fine. If there are none in the right place, do the algorithm U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L and look again. When you find one that is in the right place without turning the yellow face, hold it so that the piece is in the lower right hand corner of the yellow face, and do the U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L algorithm again. Look for the rest of the corner pieces to be in the right place. If their not, do the algorithm again from the same spot. You shouldnt need to do it more than twice before theyre all in the right places.

U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L Step 7: Orienting the yellow corners / The Solve OKAY! Almost done! Hold one of the corners that is NOT flipped correctly in the lower right hand corner of the yellow face again. Remember the very first algorithm you learned? Well here it is again to finish the job. Use the Ri Di R D algorithm until the corner piece is flipped the correct way. Yes, it looks like your destroying everything that you just did, but bear with me. Itll all come together in the end. After flipping it the right way, make sure that you finish the algorithm. So many times people forget to turn the bottom layer clockwise at the end of the algorithm and make a mistake. If you dont do the whole thing, it wont work. Okay, once the piece is flipped the right way, turn ONLY THE TOP LAYER so that a new unflipped piece is in the bottom right corner. Do the Ri Di R D algorithm again until that one is flipped. Keep doing this until they are all flipped the right way.

Ri Di R D

Until its flipped the right way

Turn ONLY the top layer to the next unsolved corner

Ri Di R D again until the corner is flipped the right way

If you did this right, you should only have to turn the top and bottom layers to finish the puzzle! CONGRATS!