This is a beginner's guide to solving the rubik's cube layer by layer. It is relatively easy to understand concepts and minimizes the need to remember long sequences of movements. The advantage of the layer method is that it provides a smooth transition to Fridrich's fast Rubik's method, which consistently delivers under 20 seconds in competition. With patience and strong will, you too can beat Erno Rubik's annoying puzzle.
Step
Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the terms used in this article
Take a look at the coding section. It is important to understand these terms so that you can follow the next steps.
Step 2. Create a cross (+) shape:
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Rotate the rubik so that the white center is on the U face, and will continue like this until step 5. The goal is to place the white side around the center white, forming a "plus symbol" on the white face. There are so many ways to shuffle the rubik that it's almost impossible to write detailed instructions. Here are some pointers:
- Look for the white corners first, and find a way to make them go up. Don't play around with your Rubik's Cube and expect it to happen on its own.
- The white corners in the middle layer can be brought up in one 90 degree turn. Make sure your spin doesn't take up space from the white corners that are already in place.
- The white corner in front of the D can be brought up in one 180 degree turn. Rotate the D face until the corner is directly in the blank in front of the U.
- Keep the white on the U face. This is the most common mistake in this step and the next.
Step 3. Extend the cross in the middle of the center layer:
- Rotate the U face until two of the white corners (the two arms of the cross) are completely lined up with the color at the center in the middle layer. Two must be true, two must be false. If everything is correct, go to step 4.
- Rotate the entire rubik until the wrong part is in front of the face, then do F2. One white corner should be in front of D (look at it). Look at the other colors of the white corner; this color is X (it could be red, green, orange, yellow, or blue). Now rotate the D face until the X in the corner is under the center X; then rotate the face X 180 degrees.
- Now the white/X edge should be back on the U face and the other corner should be on the D face (look). The corners should have white at the bottom, and the associated color is a Y color. Now rotate the D face until the Y edge is directly under the middle Y, then rotate the Y face 180 degrees.
- Now you have a white plus sign on top, and all the corners are above the center of the same color. Don't forget to keep the white in front of the U.
Step 4. Finish the top layer:
- Look for the side of the undercoat that is white. See the three colors on the sides. That color should be white, and the other two colors are X and Y colors. Now rotate the D face so that the white/X/Y edge is between the X and Y of the middle layer (remember that we moved it between the X and Y center because the color from the layers are X and Y). Turn the rubik's cube so that the white/X/Y side is in the DFR position.
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There are now three possibilities for the edges:
- The white box is in the FRD position, do F D F'.
- The white box is in the RFD position, do R' D' R.
- The white box is in the DFR position, do F D2 F' D' F D F'.
- Repeat up to 4x.
- If the white edge is on the U face, turn the Rubik's cube so that the edge is in the UFR position, then do F D F'. Now the white border is on the face of D so you can do the above combination.
- Once you've laid out the four edges, the first layer of rubik's should be finished and the color should match the center of the middle layer.
Step 5. Finish the middle layer:
- Look for the corner on the face of D where there is "no" yellow. Look at the box in this corner on the face of D; this is the color X. Remember the other color in the corners and name it color Y. Rotate the entire rubik on its vertical axis (like the rotation of a globe) so that your center X appears in front of the face. Now rotate the D face until the X/Y corner is in the DB position.
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Now there are two possibilities:
- If the color Y matches the center of the face of R, do F D F' D' R' D' R.
- If the color Y matches the center of the face of L, do F' D' F D L D L'.
- If a corner is in the right place but upside down, rotate the Rubik's cube so that the corner is in the FR position keeping the white part on top; do F D F' D' R' D' R (same as in the first possibility above). Now you can do the above combination.
- Repeat this step until the top two coats look completely correct.
Step 6. Make a plus sign on the yellow face:
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First, turn the rubik up so that the yellow is above the U face; will continue like this until the rubik is solved. Remember the number of yellows on the U face. Now there are four possibilities:
- Two opposite corners. Rotate the U face until the two corners are in the UL and UR positions, creating a horizontal line. Do B L U L' U' B'.
- Two adjacent corners. Rotate the U face until the two corners are in the UR and UF positions, making a backward-left-pointing direction. Do B U L U' L' B'.
- No corner. Do one of the combinations above to raise the two corners up, then use another combination to put the two corners in place.
- Four corners. You're done. Continue to the next step.
- At the end of this step, you should have a yellow plus sign, like the white color created in the first step.
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Complete the yellow face:
Image - For this step, blue will be your front face. The finished edge is the edge with the yellow on the U face; the unfinished edge is the unfinished edge on the U face. Rotate the U face until the unfinished edge comes to the UFR position.
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There are two possibilities for the edge:
- Need to turn clockwise (yellow is above face F), do F D F' D' F D F' D'.
- Need to turn non-clockwise (yellow is on the right side), do D F D' F' D F D' F'.
- Once you've adjusted one edge, the Rubik's Cube will look messy. Do not worry. The Rubik's Cube will correct itself later.
- Keeping the blue as your front face, rotate the U face to bring the unfinished edge into the UFR position, then repeat as necessary.
- Once this step is complete, the entire yellow face will be finished.
Step 7. Position the remaining corners:
- Rotate the U face until one corner actually has a color that matches the touching center color. (If this is not possible do R2 D' R' L F2 L' R U2 D R2 and try again. Remember that this is the same combination as below.) If you can line up all four corners with the same center color, do so and skip to step 9
- Rotate the Rubik's Cube until the matching corner is on the left face. Now make sure the front corner matches the center right. If not, do U2 and rotate the entire Rubik's cube counterclockwise 90 degrees.
- Double-check that the left corner matches the center left, and the front corner matches the center right.
- Do R2 D' R' L F2 L' R U2 D R2.
- At this point, the Rubik's Cube should be complete except for the edges.
Step 8. Solve the rubik's cube:
- Usually there is one edge already in the correct place. If none of the edges are correct, do the combinations below randomly. Then you will get one correct edge.
- Rotate the Rubik's Cube so that the correct height is in the FUR position. Do L2 B2 L' F' L B2 L' F L'. This combination may need to be done twice.
- Great, you're done! Shuffle back and repeat again!
Method 1 of 1: Coding
Step 1. There are three “part types” in the rubik:
- The '"center'" section is located in the center of each face, surrounded by 8 other sections. Only one face is visible, and it doesn't move.
- The "edge" has three visible faces and is located on the edge of the Rubik's Cube.
- The '"edge'" has two visible faces and lies between the edges.
Step 2. There are six faces in the Rubik's Cube
Distinguished by color at the center. For example, a face with a red center is called a 'red face.' Faces also have names based on how you hold the rubik:
- ‘”F’” (Front) is facing you
- ‘”B’” (Back) is the side that is not visible when held
- ‘”U’” (Top) facing up
- ‘”D’” (Bottom) facing down
- ‘”R’” (Right) facing right
- ‘”L’” (left) facing left
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A comma above '”(')'” means that the face is turned counterclockwise. If there is no comma above, turn it clockwise. Remember that you're turning B's face as if you're really looking at it, not like you're looking at it from the front. The number '”2'” after your first name (e.g. '”D2'”) means you have to turn your face 180 degrees. Turning the face clockwise or counterclockwise will have the same result.
Image - ‘”F’” = Front clockwise, 90 degrees
- ‘”B’” = Back face counterclockwise, 90 degrees (or clockwise, 270 degrees)
- ‘”D2’”= Face down, 180 degrees.
Step 3. Sometimes these instructions refer to “a specific section or box”” in the rubik's cube
The meaning is the same, so whether we are talking about one part or one box must be taken based on the context.
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Some examples of '"section'" positions:
- '"UFR'" = the edge between the top, front, and right faces
- '"BD'" = the corner that lies between the back and bottom faces
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Some examples of “box” positions:
- '"LFD'" = box on the left face which is also part of the front and bottom faces
- '"DB'" = box on the bottom face which is also part of the back face
Tips
- You can make your Rubik's Rubik move faster by removing it and applying a lubricant to the inside and/or sanding the inside of the edge of the Rubik's. Silicone oil is the best lubricant to use. Oil for cooking is also good but doesn't last long.
- Your timer will drop when you've stopped thinking about memorized patterns based on letters and numbers, and start moving the rubik's cube based on your finger muscle memory.
- It's good to use tar oil. Remove some of the rubik's cubes at the top and rub the tar oil in the center where the rubik's rubric is attached. Too much will make the rubik too oily. Too little won't do much. Be careful about the amount you use.
- Fast time to use this method is 45 – 60 seconds. Once you can do it in 1 minute 30 seconds, you need to read Fridrich's method. But be careful, Fridrich's method is more difficult than the above method. The Petrus, Roux, and Waterman methods are alternative methods. ZB is the ideal, but too difficult.
