Return to Solving Rubik: Rubik's Cube, Layer 3

Step Three The Last Layer

Figure A

Now you need to get the bottom corner pieces of the bottom layer in the correct position, like in figure A. So rotate the bottom face until as many as you can get are in the right place. They don't have to be rotated correctly just in the right spot.

Figure B

If as many as you can get are in the right spot and you need to switch FBL with FBR, like in Figure B. Then do the sequence "R- B- R+ F+ B+ F- R- B+ R+ B2".

Figure C

If you need to switch FBL with PBL (shown in Figure C) then do this sequence R- B- R+ F+ B2 F- R- B+ R+ B-. Now if you have done everything correctly then all of the corner cubes should be in the right spot. They might not be rotated correctly but they

To rotate the corner cubes so they are rotated correctly you have to do a sequence. But depending on how the cubes are already rotated depends on what face is the face. There are seven possibilities. below shows the possibilities and tells you what is the face. Black is representing the color of the bottom face. When you are looking at the bottom face and you find the one that your cube looks like then make sure you are holding the cube correctly and then do the sequence "R- B- R+ B- R- B2 R+ B2".

NOTE: The bottom face shown in the picture is not the face when you are doing the sequence. The face is the one above the bottom depending on how the corner cubes are rotated, and how you hold the cube.

NOTE: You will probably have to rotate the cubes more that once.

	Figure D

Now if all you your corner cubes are in the right spot and rotated correctly then you need to continue.

Figure E

Your next step is to get the edge pieces of the bottom layer; the ones shown in Figure E. The first thing you need to do is to get the edge pieces in the right spot. First look if any are in the right spot already.

If they all are, go to the Rotating Edge Pieces section.
If one or
If none are, go to the next step.

Figure F

Placing Edge Pieces To get the edge pieces in the right spot hold the cube so any of the edge pieces are in the FMB position (Figure F), except if one of the edge pieces are already in the right spot then have the cube that is in the right spot FMB position.

And then do the sequence "(L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B2 (L+ R+) F+ (L- R-)" until all of the edge pieces are in the right spot. They just need to be in the right spot they do not need to be rotated correctly.

Figure G

Rotating Edge Pieces Now you need to rotate the edge cubes correctly. There are three possible ways of this happening.

The first possibility is where two of the edge cubes are not rotated correctly and they are right next to each other. This is depicted in Figure G.

Figure H

So this is what your cube should look like. Hold the cube like that (make sure you are holding it correctly) and do this sequence "(L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B- (L+ R+) F- (L- R-) B- (L+ R+) F2 (L- R-)" and then rotate the edge pieces like you did above with the sequence "(L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B2 (L+ R+) F+ (L- R-)" having the cube in the right spot in the FMB position, And then your cube will be solved.

Figure I

Another possible solution is where two cubes are not rotated correctly and they are across for each other.

Figure J

So your cube should look like the one in Figure J, shown at right. Hold the cube like (make sure you are holding it correctly) and do this sequence. Yes, all thirty moves.

( L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B+
( L+ R+) F2 (L- R-) B+
( L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B+
( L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B2

And then your Cube will be solved.

Figure K

The last possible way of the edge pieces not being rotated correctly is if they are all not rotated correctly. If you have any other way of them not being rotated correctly you either rearranged the stickers and/or a cube. If you moved stickers, you have to fix them before solving the cube. If you rearranged the cubes, you can break them out and put them back in the solved position.

Figure L

Now hold you cube so that any one of the edge pieces that are rotated incorrectly is in the FMB position and then do the sequence "(L+ R+) F2 (L- R-) B2 (L+ R+) F+ (L- R-) B2 (L+ R+) F2 (L- R-) B-".

Congratulations! Your Rubik's Cube is now solved and you can show your skill off to your friends. You can also print these pages by clicking the For Printing button in the navigation pane at the top. Have fun!

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