The Solution to the Rubik's Cube

Table of Contents

General Notation

There are different ways to turn the cube.

+ means you move the specified face clockwise.
- means that you move the specified face counter-clockwise.
The different faces are:
T(top)
B(bottom)
L(left)
R(right)
F(front)
There also may be B2, T2, F2, R2, or L2 meaning move that face in any direction twice.

(eg: t+ means turn the top face clockwise once.)

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Top Edges

To begin solving the cube you must first choose a side to be your top side. The way you tell which color is your top side is by the color that is in the middle of that side. The middle color is the color that can never change spots. White is the best color to choose because it stands out the most. Once you have chosen your top side then we can solve the top edges. To start find an adjacent side to your top side and find the cube that goes in the edge spot between those two(eg: if your top color is white and the red side is adjacent to it then find the block with only red and white on it. Then make sure that block is between the middle of the white and the red sides.) If that block is in the right spot but is not oriented correctly then do the following steps to solve it. Make sure white is on the top and the other color is on the F face. F+ R- B- R+ F2. Continue to do this untill the top edges are all in the right spot and correctly oriented. It should look like the picture when it is done.

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Top Corners

The top corners are very easy. First you have to find a corner piece with at least one white square on it. Lets say this is the white, red, green cube. This will go in the corner where the white, red, and green faces touch. Make sure this position is in the top right position on the front face. To get the cube in its right position put in the corner cube directly under the desired corner. Put the side with the cube in the bottom right position as the front face of your cube. Then if the white side is facing right do R- B- R+. If the white is facing you then do F+ B+ F-. Last, if the white is facing down then do R- B2 R+ B+ R- B- R+. If it is already in the right spot but not oriented correctly do the following: If the white square is facing you do F+ B+ F- B- F+ B+ F-. If the white cube is facing to the right do R- B- R+ B+ R- B- R+.

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Middle Edges

The middle edges are the edges on the middle layer. First, find a cube that is on the bottom face that belongs in a middle edge. See which color is on the bottom of that cube. Align the cube by the color on the bottom with its face. Then if the other color is on the right of that face then perform B2 F+ B+ F- B- R- B- R+. If the other color is to the lest then perform B2 F- B- F+ B+ L+ B+ L-. Then if some are already in the right spot but not oriented correctly make sure that cube is in the front right spot and do R- B- R+ B2 R- B2 R+ B- F+ B+ F-.

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Bottom Corners

To start you have to get the bottom corners in the right spot. To switch the two front bottom corners do this: R- B- R+ F+ B+ F- R- B+ R+ B2. You may have to do this code up to three times to get all the cubes in the right spot. Next you have to orient the cubes. The easiest way I know are these two codes. B2 R- B2 R+ B+ R- B+ R+. This code keeps the front bottom left cube stationary and it rotates the other bottom corners clockwise. None of the cubes change position. The other code is R- B- R+ B- R- B2 R+ B2. This keeps the front bottom left cube stationary and rotates the other bottom corners counter-clockwise. You may need to do these codes many times to get all the bottom corners oriented.

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Bottom Edges

First get the bottom edges in the right spot. There are two codes you can use to do this. L- R+ F+ L+ R- B2 L- R+ F+ L+ R-. This moves the bottom left cube over to the bottom right position, the bottom right spot to the bottom back, and the bottom back cube to the bottom left. The other code is L- R+ F- L+ R- B2 L- R+ F- L+ R-. This move the bottom left cube to the bottom back spot, the bottom back cube to the bottom right position, and the bottom right cube to the bottom left spot. Each code keeps the bottom front cube in the same spot. Now you have to orient the bottom edges. There are only three posiblities that the bottom layer of the cube can look like. One is called the fish pattern seen in the left picture. To solve this put the two wrong cubes in the bottom left and bottom back spots. Then do: R+ L- F+ R- L+ B- R+ L- F2 R- L+ B2 R+ L- F- R- L+ B+ R+ L- F2 R- L+ B2. The next pattern in the middle is the H pattern seen in the middle spot. To solve this hold the cube so that a disoriented cube is facing you and do L- R+ F+ L+ R- B+ L- R+ F+ L+ R- B+ L- R+ F2 L+ R- B+ L- R+ F+ L+ R- B+ L- R+ F+ L+ R- B2. The last possibility is the checkerboard and in order to solve this just do the fish pattern twice.

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