RUBIK'S CUBE
SOLUTION GUIDE
The Rubik's Cube was invented by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik in 1974, and became a global phenomenon in the early 1980s. With 43 quintillion possible scrambled states, it appears impossibly complex — yet every single one can be solved in 20 moves or fewer.
This guide teaches the classic Layer-by-Layer (LBL) beginner's method: solve the white face first, then the middle layer, and finally the yellow top layer using a small set of memorisable algorithms. Follow each step in order and you will solve the cube every time.
Each face of the cube is identified by a single letter. A letter alone means a clockwise 90° turn of that face. An apostrophe (') means counter-clockwise. The number 2 means a 180° turn (two quarter-turns).
Hold the cube with the white centre facing up. Your goal is to form a white cross on the top face, with each white edge piece's side colour matching the centre of the adjacent face.
This step is largely intuitive — there is no single algorithm. Locate the four white edge pieces and manoeuvre them into position one at a time. Remember: the centre pieces never move, so the white centre always defines the white face, the red centre always defines the red face, and so on.
A useful trick: if a white edge is in the bottom layer with white facing down, spin the D layer to align it below its target slot, then do F2 to flip it up. If white is facing sideways, align it and use R U R' or similar to insert it correctly.
Now place the four white corner pieces to complete the first layer. Each corner belongs in the spot where its three colours match the three adjacent face centres. Locate a white corner in the bottom layer and spin the D layer to place it directly below its target corner slot.
Then apply one of the three algorithms below depending on which direction the white sticker is facing:
Flip the cube upside down so the white face is now on the bottom. The yellow face is now on top. Look in the top (yellow) layer for edge pieces that do not contain yellow — these belong in the middle layer.
Rotate the top layer until one of these edge pieces forms an upside-down "T" shape with a side centre. The piece will need to slot either to the right or to the left:
Now focus on the top (yellow) face. The goal is to form a yellow cross. The side colours do not need to match yet — only the cross pattern matters at this stage.
Look at the top face and identify which of the four patterns you have:
You have a yellow cross on top, but the edge pieces may not match the side centres. Rotate the top layer (U moves only) until as many edges as possible line up with their matching side centres.
If one edge is correctly placed, hold that face towards you (at the front) and apply the algorithm. If no edges are correctly placed, apply the algorithm once from any orientation, then one edge will be correct — hold that to the front and apply again.
The yellow edges are now in their correct positions. Next, move the four yellow corner pieces to their correct locations — their orientation (which way they face) does not matter yet, only their position.
Look at the corners and find one that is already in the correct corner (its three colours match the three adjacent centres, even if it is twisted). Move that corner to the front-right-top position.
Apply the algorithm once to cycle three corners. If no corner is in the correct position to begin with, apply the algorithm once from any orientation — this will place at least one corner correctly, which you can then move to front-right and apply again.
All pieces are now in their correct positions. The final step is to orient the yellow corners so all yellow stickers face upward. This is the trickiest step — follow the instructions precisely.
Hold the cube with an unsolved corner at the front-right-top. Apply the algorithm below 2 or 4 times until that specific corner is correctly oriented (yellow facing up):
Repeat for each unsolved corner: move it to front-right-top using only U-layer turns, then apply R' D' R D until it is correct. After all four corners are done, one final U-layer turn may be needed to align the top layer.
| STEP | NAME | ALGORITHM | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 2 | Corner Insert (white front) | F D F' | White sticker faces front |
| STEP 2 | Corner Insert (white right) | R' D' R | White sticker faces right |
| STEP 2 | Corner Insert (white down) | R' D2 R D R' D' R | White sticker faces down |
| STEP 3 | F2L Right | U R U' R' U' F' U F | Insert edge to the right |
| STEP 3 | F2L Left | U' L' U L U F U' F' | Insert edge to the left |
| STEP 4 | Yellow Cross | F R U R' U' F' | 1× line, 2× L-shape, 3× dot |
| STEP 5 | Edge Cycle | R U R' U R U2 R' U | Cycles 3 top edges; front stays fixed |
| STEP 6 | Corner Permutation | U R U' L' U R' U' L | Cycles 3 top corners; front-right fixed |
| STEP 7 | Corner Orientation | R' D' R D | Repeat 2× or 4× per corner |