Solving the 3x3x3

back to Rubik's Cube

David Singmaster's Solution (Flashcard)

A step by Step Solution of Rubik's "Magic Cube"


 
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3. Put middle layer edges correctly in place.
(card)

Let us suppose that we want to put the FR edge piece into its proper place. First find the piece. We shall describe how to get it into place without disturbing the D face, or any other middle layer edge. But if FR is already somewhere in the middle layer, we move it into the U face as follows.

 

3. Put middle layer edges correctly in place.
(card)

3.a. If the F side of the FR piece is up, turn the U face until the FR piece is at UL. (show)

 

3. Put middle layer edges correctly in place.
(card)

3.b. If the F side of the FR piece is not up, turn the U face until the FR piece is at BU, then  (show)

 

4. Orient the U edges. (card)

An even number of U sides of U edges will now be up. By turning the cube, you can apply one of the following.

4.a. If the pieces at UB and UF are incorrectly oriented  (show)

You should now have a + pattern of U edge faces in the U face.

 

4. Orient the U edges. (card)

An even number of U sides of U edges will now be up. By turning the cube, you can apply one of the following.

4.b. If the pieces at UB and UL are incorrectly oriented (show)

You should now have a + pattern of U edge faces in the U face.

 

4. Orient the U edges. (card)

An even number of U sides of U edges will now be up. By turning the cube, you can apply one of the following.

4.c. If all four pieces are incorrectly oriented  (show)

You should now have a + pattern of U edge faces in the U face.

 

5. Make the U edges into an even permutation.
(card)

Examine the 4 U edge pieces and compare their side faces with the side face centers. Turn U so that UF is at UF. If a total of two edge pieces are now in their proper places, apply U.

You should now have 0,1, or 4 U edge pieces in place.

 

6. Put U edges in place.
(card)

6.b.
In four cases out of six, there will be just one U edge correctly in place and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correct piece is at UL.

6.b.i.
If the three U edges want to be cycled clockwise, as shown. (show)
.
 

6. Put U edges in place.
(card)

6.b.
In four cases out of six, there will be just one U edge correctly in place and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correct piece is at UL.

6.b.ii.
If the three U edges want to be cycled counterclockwise, as shown. (show)
 
 

6. Put U edges in place.
(card)

6.b.
In four cases out of six, there will be just one U edge correctly in place and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correct piece is at UL.

6.c.
In one case out of six, there will be no U edge pieces correctly in place and two adjacent pairs of edges want to be exchanged. Turn the cube so you want to exchange UF with UR and UL with UB, as shown.  (show)
 

7. Put U corners in place.
(card)

7.a. In one case out of twelve, the U corners are now all in their correct places, thought perhaps disoriented. Do nothing.

7.b. In eight cases out of twelve, one U corner is in its correct place, though possibly disoriented, and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correctly placed piece is at the URF corner.

 

7. Put U corners in place.
(card)

7.b. In eight cases out of twelve, one U corner is in its correct place, though possibly disoriented, and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correctly placed piece is at the URF corner.

7.b.i. If the three U corners want to be cycled clockwise, as shown (show)

 

7. Put U corners in place.
(card)

7.b. In eight cases out of twelve, one U corner is in its correct place, though possibly disoriented, and the other three want to be cycled. Turn the cube so the correctly placed piece is at the URF corner.

7.b.ii. If the three U corners want to be cycled counterclockwise, as shown. (show)

 

7. Put U corners in place.
(card)

7.c. In two cases out of twelve, there will be no U corners correctly placed, and there will be two pairs of adjacent corners that want to be exchanged. Turn the cube so the exchanges are along the UF and UB edges of the cube, as shown.  (show)
 

7. Put U corners in place.
(card)

7.d. In one case out of twelve, there will be no U corners correctly placed, and the two diagonal pairs of corners want to be exchanged, as shown.  (show)
 
8. Orient U corners. (card)

Turn the cube so some incorrectly oriented U corner piece is at the URF position.

8.a. If the piece at URF wants to be twisted clockwise (viewed from outside the cube).  This should make the piece at URF be oriented correctly, though it temporarily confuses the rest of the cube. (show)

Now turn *just the U face* to bring another incorrectly oriented U corner piece into the URF position. Apply 8a or 8b as needed. Continue in this way until all U corner pieces are correctly oriented. You will then need to turn the U face to bring UF back to the UF position and the cube should now be completely correct!

 
8. Orient U corners. (card)

Turn the cube so some incorrectly oriented U corner piece is at the URF position.

8.b. If the piece at URF wants to be twisted counterclockwise,  This should make the piece at URF be oriented correctly, though it temporarily confuses the rest of the cube. (show)

Now turn *just the U face* to bring another incorrectly oriented U corner piece into the URF position. Apply 8a or 8b as needed. Continue in this way until all U corner pieces are correctly oriented. You will then need to turn the U face to bring UF back to the UF position and the cube should now be completely correct!