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How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the

the how to manual that you can edit

How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the Layer Method

This is a beginners' guide to solving the Rubik's cube layer-by-layer. It is relatively easy to understand conceptually and it minimizes the need to memorize long sequences of moves. A benefit of the layer method is that it provides a smooth transition to the Fridrich speed cubing method, which consistently produces times under 20 seconds in competition. With enough patience and determination, you too can conquer Erno Rubik's infuriating puzzle.

Steps

Become familiar with the te rms used in this article. Look at the coding section. It's critical to understand these terms so that the following steps can be followed.

Form a cross (+): Turn the cube so the white center is on the U face, it will stay this way until Step 5. The goal is to put the white edge pieces around the white center, so it forms a 'plus sign' on the white face. There are so many ways for the cube to be scrambled that it's nearly impossible to write detailed instructions. Here are some hints instead: Find a white edge first, then find a way to get it to the top. Don't just rotate faces randomly and hope for it to happen. White edges in the middle layer can be brought to the top in one 90-degree rotation. Just make sure it doesn't take the place of a white edge already in place. White edges on the D face can be brought to the top in one 180-degree rotation. Rotate the D face until the edge piece is directly under an empty edge slot in the U face. Keep white on the U face. This is the most common mistake on this and subsequent steps.

Exte nd the cross into the middle laye r centers:

Extend the cross into the middle layer centers: .

Rotate the U face until exactly two of the white edge pieces (two arms of the cross) line up with the colors of the centers in the middle layer. Two should be correct, two should be incorrect. If they are all correct, move on to Step 4. Turn the whole cube so one of the incorrect edges is on the front face, then apply

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How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the

F2. One white edge should now be on the D face (look at it). Note the other color of that white edge; this color is X (it could be red, green, orange, or blue). Now rotate the D face until the X part of the edge piece is directly beneath the X center; then rotate the X face 180 degrees. Now the white/X edge should have returned to the U face and another edge piece should be on the D face (look at it). The edge piece should have white on the bottom, then the color connected to it is called color Y. Now rotate the D face until the Y edge piece is directly beneath the Y center, then rotate the Y face 180 degrees. You should now have a white plus sign on the top, and all the edge pieces are above centers of the same color. Don't forget to keep white on the U face.

Comple te the top laye r:

Complete the top layer: .

Find a corner piece on the bottom layer that has white in it. Note the three colors of the corner piece. They should be white, then two other colors, colors X and Y. Now rotate the D face until the white/X/Y corner piece is between the X and Y center pieces (note that we move it between the X and Y centers because the colors of the piece are X and Y). Turn the cube so the white/X/Y corner piece is in the DFR position. From here there are three possibilities for the corner piece:

The white square is in the FRD position, apply F D F'. The white square is in the RFD position, apply R' D' R. The white square is in the DFR position, apply F D2 F' D' F D F'. Repeat 4x. If a white corner happens to be in the U face, turn the cube so the corner is in the UFR position, then apply F D F'. Now it is in the D face so you can put it in using the combinations above. After you have put in all four corners, the first layer of the cube should be complete and the colors should match up with the middle layer centers.

Comple te the middle layer: Find an edge piece in the D face that does NOT have yellow in it. Look at the square on this edge piece that is on the D face; this is color X. Note the other color of the edge piece and label it color Y. Turn the whole cube on its vertical axis (like a globe spins) so your color X center comes to the front face. Now rotate the D face until the X/Y edge piece is in the DB position. From here there are two possibilities:

If color Y matches the center of the R face, apply F D F' D' R' D' R. If color Y matches the center of the L face, apply F' D' F D L D L'. If an edge is in the right place but flip-flopped, turn the cube so the edge piece is in the FR position while still keeping the white face on top; apply F D F' D' R' D' R (this is the same as the first possibility above). Now you can put it in using the above combinations. Repeat this step until the top two layers look completely restored.

M ake a plus sign on the yellow face :

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How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the

Make a plus sign on the yellow face: .

First, turn the cube over so yellow is on the U face; it will stay this way until the cube is solved. Note the number of yellow edges on the U face. From here there are four possibilities:

Two opposite edges. Rotate the U face until the two edges are in the UL and UR positions, making a horizontal line. Apply B L U L' U' B'. Two adjacent edges. Rotate the U face until the two edges are in the UR and UF positions, making an arrow that points to the back-left. Apply B U L U' L' B'. No edges. Apply one of the above combinations to kick two edges to the top, then use the other combination to put the other two edges in place. Four edges. You're done. Go to the next step. At the end of this step, you should have a yellow plus sign, just like the white one made in the first step.

Comple te the yellow face: For this step, blue is going to be your front face. A finished corner is one with yellow already on the U face; unfinished is one without yellow on the U face. Rotate the U face until an unfinished corner comes to the UFR position. There are two possibilities for the corner:

It needs to be rotated clockwise (yellow is on the F face), apply F D F' D' F D F' D'. It needs to be rotated counter-clockwise (yellow is on the right side), apply D F D' F' D F D' F'. After you've corrected one corner, the cube is going to look screwed up. Don't worry. It will fix itself later. Keeping blue as your front face, rotate the U face to bring another unfinished corner to the UFR position, then repeat as many times as necessary. After this step is over, the entire yellow face will be finished.

Position the remaining e dge piece s: Rotate the U face until exactly one edge piece matches the color of the center it touches. (If this is not possible, apply R2 D' R' L F2 L' R U2 D R2 and try again. Note that this is the same combination as below.) If you can line up all four edge pieces with their respective centers, do so and skip to step 9 Turn the cube so this matching edge is on the left face. Now make sure the front edge matches the right center. If it doesn't, then apply U2 and turn the whole cube counter-clockwise 90 degrees. Double check that the left edge matches the left center, and the front edge matches the right center. Apply R2 D' R' L F2 L' R U2 D R2. At this point, the cube should be finished except for the corners.

Comple te the cube: Usually there is already one corner in the correct spot. If there are no correct corners, apply the below combination randomly. Then you should have one correct corner. Turn the cube so this correct corner is in the FUR position. Apply L2 B2 L' F' L B2 L' F L' . This combination may need to be applied twice. Great you're done! Scramble it and start over!

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How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the

Coding

There are thre e types of pieces on the Rubik's cube : Ce nte r pieces are located in the center of each face, surrounded by eight other pieces. They have only one visible face. Corner pieces have three visible faces and are located at the corners of the cube. Edge pieces have two visible faces and are located between the corner pieces.

There are six faces on the cube. They are defined by the color of their centers. For example, the face with the red center is called the 'red face.' The faces also have names based on how you hold the cube: F (Front) faces you B (Back) is the only side not visible when held U (Upper) faces up D (Down) faces down R (Right) faces to your right L (Left) faces to your left

An apostrophe (') me ans turn the face counter-clockwise . If there is no apostrophe, turn it clockwise. Note that you turn the B face as if you were looking directly at it, not as you see it from the front. A number 2 after the face name (e.g. D2) will mean that you will have to turn the face 180 degrees. Turning the face clockwise or counter-clockwise will do the same thing. F = Front face clockwise, 90 degrees B' = Back face counter-clockwise, 90 degrees(or clockwise, 270 degrees) D2 = Down face, 180 degrees

Some times the instructions will re fe r to a specific piece or square on the cube. The notation is the same, so whether we are talking about a piece or a square needs to be taken from context. Some examples of pie ce positions: UFR = the corner piece between the Upper, Front, and Right faces BD = the edge piece that lies between the Back and Down faces

Some examples of square positions: LFD = the square on the Left Face that is also part of the Front and Down faces DB = the square on the Down Face that is also part of the Back face

Tips
A fast time using this method is 45-60 seconds. After you can do it in about 1:30 you'll want to start looking into the Fridrich method. But beware, it is harder than the above method. Petrus, Roux, and Waterman are alternatives. ZB is the ideal, but way too hard. Your times will drop as you stop thinking about the memorized sequences in terms of letters and numbers and start moving them to your muscle memory. You can make your cube go faster by taking it apart and putting a lubricant on the inner parts and/or sanding down the inner edges of the cube. Silicon oil works the best. Cooking oil is

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good too but it doesn't last as long.

How to Solve a Rubik's Cube with the

Warnings
Repetitive use may cause musculoskeletal disorders (i.e. rubik's wrist, cube thumb, both of which are documented disorders).

Things You'll Need

Rubik's Cube, with the white face opposite yellow (some older cubes have white opposite blue)

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