How to solve a Rubik's Cube
Solve the top layer
Make the white cross
- Find a white edge piece that you want to place.
- Note the non-white color on that piece.
- Connect the non-white color to the center of the same color.
- Rotate the non-white face until the white edge is connected to the
white center.
- Repeat until you have all four white cross pieces in place.
Place the white corners
- Hold the cube with the white face pointing up.
- Find a white corner on the bottom level.
- Note the two other non-white colors on the white corner.
- Rotate the bottom level until the white corner is between the
two centers of the two other colors on the white corner.
- Hold the cube with the white center on top and
the white corner you want to place has the white side facing you.
If the white corner is on the lower right of the cube
- Rotate the bottom level to the left
(away from where the white corner is)
- Bring the right column down
(same side where the white corner started at)
- Rotate the bottom level back to the right
- Bring the right column back up
(same side where the white corner started at)
If the white corner is on the lower left of the cube
- Rotate the bottom level to the right
(away from where the white corner is)
- Bring the left column down
(same side where the white corner started at)
- Rotate the bottom level back to the left
- Bring the left column back up
(same side where the white corner started at)
If the white corner is on the side with the yellow center
- In this case hold the cube and keep the white center on top.
- Turn the whole cube until the white corner you want to place
is on the lower left.
Repeat the same steps TRHEE TIMES as if the white
corner to be placed is in the lower left
(1st time)
- Rotate the bottom level to the left
(away from where the white corner is)
- Bring the right column down
(same side where the white corner started at)
- Rotate the bottom level back to the right
- Bring the right column back up
(same side where the white corner started at)
(2nd time)
- Rotate the bottom level to the left
(away from where the white corner is)
- Bring the right column down
(same side where the white corner started at)
- Rotate the bottom level back to the right
- Bring the right column back up
(same side where the white corner started at)
(3rd time)
- Rotate the bottom level to the left
(away from where the white corner is)
- Bring the right column down
(same side where the white corner started at)
- Rotate the bottom level back to the right
- Bring the right column back up
(same side where the white corner started at)
If you need to replace a white corner from the top layer
- Simpley place the corner on the bottom row that is directly
below to corner you want to remove from the top row.
- Then replace the corner as usual
Solve the middle layer
place non-yellow edges from the bottom layer
- Find a edge piece on the bottom level that does not have yellow.
- Note the color of the edge piece facing you.
- Turn the bottom layer to connect the color facing you to its center.
- Hold the cube with the white face on top, and the colored face
you just connected facing you.
- Note the color of the edge piece on its bottom.
- Note if the center with the same color it to the left or right.
If the same colored center is to the left
- Turn the bottom level to the right (away from that side).
- Bring down the left (the opposite side of the direction you
turned the bottom in the previous step).
- Turn the bottom level back to the left.
- Turn the whites on the left back up.
- Then replace the white corner in the top layer using the
same steps as solving the white layer.
If the same colored center is to the right
- Turn the bottom level to the left (away from that side).
- Bring down the right (the opposite side of the direction you
turned the bottom in the previous step).
- Turn the bottom level back to the right.
- Turn the whites on the right back up.
- Then replace the white corner in the top layer using the
same steps as solving the white layer.
Solve the bottom layer
Make the yellow cross
- Hold the cube with the yellow center facing up. Turn the entire
cube as follows:
- If you just have the yellow center then hold the cube any way.
- If you have a yellow "L" going through the yellow center, then turn
the cube so that one leg of the "L" points to you and one leg
points to your right.
- If you have a yellow line through the yellow center, then turn
the cube so that the yellow line goes from your left to right.
- If you have a yellow cross, skip to the next section to align it.
Do the following 5 steps:
- Turn the front face (the side facing you) clockwise.
- Turn up the right side.
- Turn the top clockwise.
- Turn the right back down.
- Turn the top back counter-clockwise.
- Turn the front face back, counter clockwise.
- Look at the pattern of the yellow face, turn the cube as above
and repeat.
Align the yellow cross
- Turn the top (yellow) layer to align the edge pieces of the yellow
cross with the correct colored center.
- If all four edge pieces of the yellow cross line up then skip to
the next step (placing the yellow corners).
If the correct sides of the yellow cross are opposite of
each other then
Turn the cube so the the line in the yellow cross with correct
edge pieces is vertical with correct colered edge facing you,
and the other correct colored edge opposite of you.
If the correct sides of the yellow cross are NOT opposite
of each other then
Turn the cube so the the "L" in the yellow cross with correct
edge pieces has one leg facing left, and one leg facing away
from you.
Do the following steps:
- Turn the right side up.
- Turn the top clockwise twice.
- Turn the right side back down.
- Turn the top back (counter clockwise) once.
- Turn the right side back up again.
- Turn the top back (counter clockwise) once more.
- Turn the right side back down again.
- Repeat the "Align the yellow cross" steps.
Placing the yellow corners
NOTE: A corner is placed correctly if the three colors on the
corner are the same as the colors of the three centers it is
between. It doesn't matter which way it is facing.
- If all four yellow corners are in the right place then
skip to the next step (orienting the yellow corners)
- If one corner is correct, then turn the whole cube so that
the yellow center is pointing up, and the correct corner is
in the bottom right side of the yellow face.
- If no corner is correct, then just hold the cube with the
yellow center pointing up.
Do the following steps:
- Turn the left up.
- Turn the top clockwise.
- Turn up the right.
- Turn the top back (counter clockwise).
- Turn the left back down.
- Turn the top clockwise.
- Turn the right back down.
- Realign the yellow cross.
- Repeat the "Placing the yellow corners" steps.
Orienting the yellow corners
- Hold the cube with the yellow center facing up.
- Check to see which corners have yellow facing up.
If no corners have yellow facing up then
Hold the the cube with two yellow corners on the right side
facing as follows in order of preference:
- With two yellow corners on the right side with their
yellow side both facing to the right.
- With two yellow corners on the right side with their
yellow side facing toward and away from you.
- With any other configuration.
If one corner has yellow facing up then
Hold the cube with the correct corner in the lower left.
If two oppsite corners have yellow facing up then
Hold the cube with one of the correct corners in the lower
left.
If possible, perfer holding the cube with the lower right
corner with the yellow side facing to the right.
If two same side yellow corners have yellow facing up
then
Hold the cube with the two correct corners on the left.
If all four yellow corners have yellow facing up
then
congradulations on solving the Rubik's cube.
Do the following steps:
- Turn the right side up.
- Turn the top clockwise twice.
- Turn the right side back down.
- Turn the top back counter clockwise once.
- Turn the righ side up again.
- Turn the top counter clockwise again.
- Turn the right side back down again.
- Turn up the left side.
- Turn the top clockwise twice.
- Turn down the left side.
- Turn the top clockwise once more.
- Turn the left side up again.
- Turn the top clockwise another time.
- Turn the left side back down again.