how to solve the 3x3 rubik's cube
Prerequisites: 3x3 notation.
Introduction: The method is called "Beginner's method" or "LBL". LBL stands for Layer By Layer. There are 7 steps in this method. The 1 step is to get a white cross. Make sure the edges align up with their centers. In the 2nd step, you solve the bottom white corners, in the 3rd step, you solve the edges of the second layer. In the 4th step, you get the top cross. This is a bit different that the cross we did in the 1st step. Your edges DON'T need to be aligned as they are going to get spoiled again in the next step. In the 5th step, you orient the top corners. In the 6th step, you permute the top corners and in the last step, the 7th step, you permute the last 3/4 edges depending on the case you have.
Method:
Step 1: Get a white cross and consider that side as the bottom side. Make sure the cross pieces align up with there respective centers. Make sure the cross is kept on the bottom before moving onto the next step.
Step 2: Bottom white corners :-
Case 1:
First, you have to look for a corner on the sides of the top layer that has a white sticker on it. Then you rotate the top face so that The adjacent color is matching ( If the left sticker is white then match the sticker that is on the right and vice versa ).
Now here are the algorithms for the above case.
( Make sure you keep that corner on the up-front-right spot ).
1a. White sticker facing front when matched - F' U' F
1b. White sticker facing right when matched - R U R'
Case 2:
Now when you don't see any corners that has a white sticker on the sides of the top face, you should look for a white sticker on the U face. You have to rotate the U face until the white sticker is in the same row as the unsolved corner. Then execute the algorithm given below.
2a. White sticker facing up when held on bottom-right - (R U R' U') x3
Case 3:
Now when you don't see any corners with white stickers on the top layer, you have to look for a corner that has a white sticker on the sides of the D layer. Now depending on the case, execute one of the 2 algorithms given below. After doing this you are going to get case 1.
3a. When the white sticker is facing front - F' U' F U
3b. When the white sticker is facing right- R U R' U'
Step 3: Middle layer edge pieces :-
You have to look for an edge piece ( on the U layer ) that doesn't have any yellow stickers ( or whatever your top color is ). Then match the sticker that is facing front of that edge and rotate the cube so that it is on the right side, still being matched with its respective center. Then see where that edge has to go. Execute one of the below algorithms again depending on the case you have.
3a If the edge has to go to the back-right spot - (R U R U R) (U' R' U' R')
3b. If the edge has to got to the front-right spot - (R' U' R' U' R') (U R U R)
Step 4: Top cross :-
In this step, you have to get the top cross. In this step your edges don't actually need to be aligned with their centers as they are going to get messed up again in the next step. We will fix that in the last step. So for this step, there are 3 cases that you can run into. And in this step you have to just ignore the corners completely.
Case 1:When you see you have 2 yellow stickers on top making a line, rotate the cube or turn the U face so that their is one yellow on the left ( up-left ) and right ( up-right ). Then execute the algorithm given below.
The algorithm for case 1 and 2- F (R U R' U') F'
Case 2:
When you see no yellow stickers on top, just execute the above algorithm again and then you will get case 3, which will then complete this step.
Case 3:
When you see 2 yellow stickers adjacent to each other, keep them on the up-front and up-right ( UF and UR ). Then do the following algorithm. f (R U R' U') f'.
Now if you are wondering what lowercase letters mean then they are actually the same as uppercase moves, you have to just grab the middle layer right next to it and turn both the layers.
Step 5: Orienting the top corners :-
Case 1:
If only 1 corner on top is yellow, move it to the bottom-left ( looking at the U face ). then execute the algorithm given after each case. PLEASE NOTE: In some cases, you may have to do the algorithm more than once for each case.
Case 2:
If 2 corners on top are yellow, rotate top layer until some yellow sticker is there on the top-left ( looking at the front face ).
Case 3:
If zero corners on top are yellow, rotate the top layer until some yellow sticker is on top-right ( looking at the left face ).
The algorithm: (R U R') (U R U2 R')
NOTE: In some cases, after doing this step, your cube may get fully solved.
Step 6: Permuting the top corners :-
A pair of 2 same colors on the corners of a face are called headlights. If you have a pair of headlights, keep them in the back and then execute the algorithm. If you don't have any headlights, then first apply the algorithm to get them. If you have headlights every where, then just rotate the U face so that the headlights match with their respective sides. Consider
yourself lucky because you have got a skip of this step. :)
Step 6 Algorithm - R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2
NOTE: In some cases, after doing this step, your cube may get fully solved.
Step 7: Permuting the top layer edges :-
Rotate the top layer until you have a single solved edge on the back side. Then apply the algorithm. If you don't have even a single edge solved, just apply the algorithm to a solved edge.
The algorithm for step 7: (R U') (R U) (R U) (R U') R' U' R2
Step 8: Done. :)
Introduction: The method is called "Beginner's method" or "LBL". LBL stands for Layer By Layer. There are 7 steps in this method. The 1 step is to get a white cross. Make sure the edges align up with their centers. In the 2nd step, you solve the bottom white corners, in the 3rd step, you solve the edges of the second layer. In the 4th step, you get the top cross. This is a bit different that the cross we did in the 1st step. Your edges DON'T need to be aligned as they are going to get spoiled again in the next step. In the 5th step, you orient the top corners. In the 6th step, you permute the top corners and in the last step, the 7th step, you permute the last 3/4 edges depending on the case you have.
Method:
Step 1: Get a white cross and consider that side as the bottom side. Make sure the cross pieces align up with there respective centers. Make sure the cross is kept on the bottom before moving onto the next step.
Step 2: Bottom white corners :-
Case 1:
First, you have to look for a corner on the sides of the top layer that has a white sticker on it. Then you rotate the top face so that The adjacent color is matching ( If the left sticker is white then match the sticker that is on the right and vice versa ).
Now here are the algorithms for the above case.
( Make sure you keep that corner on the up-front-right spot ).
1a. White sticker facing front when matched - F' U' F
1b. White sticker facing right when matched - R U R'
Case 2:
Now when you don't see any corners that has a white sticker on the sides of the top face, you should look for a white sticker on the U face. You have to rotate the U face until the white sticker is in the same row as the unsolved corner. Then execute the algorithm given below.
2a. White sticker facing up when held on bottom-right - (R U R' U') x3
Case 3:
Now when you don't see any corners with white stickers on the top layer, you have to look for a corner that has a white sticker on the sides of the D layer. Now depending on the case, execute one of the 2 algorithms given below. After doing this you are going to get case 1.
3a. When the white sticker is facing front - F' U' F U
3b. When the white sticker is facing right- R U R' U'
Step 3: Middle layer edge pieces :-
You have to look for an edge piece ( on the U layer ) that doesn't have any yellow stickers ( or whatever your top color is ). Then match the sticker that is facing front of that edge and rotate the cube so that it is on the right side, still being matched with its respective center. Then see where that edge has to go. Execute one of the below algorithms again depending on the case you have.
3a If the edge has to go to the back-right spot - (R U R U R) (U' R' U' R')
3b. If the edge has to got to the front-right spot - (R' U' R' U' R') (U R U R)
Step 4: Top cross :-
In this step, you have to get the top cross. In this step your edges don't actually need to be aligned with their centers as they are going to get messed up again in the next step. We will fix that in the last step. So for this step, there are 3 cases that you can run into. And in this step you have to just ignore the corners completely.
Case 1:When you see you have 2 yellow stickers on top making a line, rotate the cube or turn the U face so that their is one yellow on the left ( up-left ) and right ( up-right ). Then execute the algorithm given below.
The algorithm for case 1 and 2- F (R U R' U') F'
Case 2:
When you see no yellow stickers on top, just execute the above algorithm again and then you will get case 3, which will then complete this step.
Case 3:
When you see 2 yellow stickers adjacent to each other, keep them on the up-front and up-right ( UF and UR ). Then do the following algorithm. f (R U R' U') f'.
Now if you are wondering what lowercase letters mean then they are actually the same as uppercase moves, you have to just grab the middle layer right next to it and turn both the layers.
Step 5: Orienting the top corners :-
Case 1:
If only 1 corner on top is yellow, move it to the bottom-left ( looking at the U face ). then execute the algorithm given after each case. PLEASE NOTE: In some cases, you may have to do the algorithm more than once for each case.
Case 2:
If 2 corners on top are yellow, rotate top layer until some yellow sticker is there on the top-left ( looking at the front face ).
Case 3:
If zero corners on top are yellow, rotate the top layer until some yellow sticker is on top-right ( looking at the left face ).
The algorithm: (R U R') (U R U2 R')
NOTE: In some cases, after doing this step, your cube may get fully solved.
Step 6: Permuting the top corners :-
A pair of 2 same colors on the corners of a face are called headlights. If you have a pair of headlights, keep them in the back and then execute the algorithm. If you don't have any headlights, then first apply the algorithm to get them. If you have headlights every where, then just rotate the U face so that the headlights match with their respective sides. Consider
yourself lucky because you have got a skip of this step. :)
Step 6 Algorithm - R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2
NOTE: In some cases, after doing this step, your cube may get fully solved.
Step 7: Permuting the top layer edges :-
Rotate the top layer until you have a single solved edge on the back side. Then apply the algorithm. If you don't have even a single edge solved, just apply the algorithm to a solved edge.
The algorithm for step 7: (R U') (R U) (R U) (R U') R' U' R2
Step 8: Done. :)