Last layer - Finishing the cube

Hi guys.

Ready to finish your cube? I bet you are!

Here we are guys. In less than 10min you'll probably have your first Rubik's Cube solved.

The last layer is the hardest part of the solving. Therefore you may have some difficulties at the beginning, because the algorithms have to be applied wisely. It's not only about blindly applying an algorithm a case! In the method that we use, solving the last layer is broken down into four steps: making a yellow cross, setting the cross correctly, placing the corners, and orienting them.
Let's start!

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Step 1: Yellow cross

The purpose is simple: you have to make a yellow cross on the last face, as we did for the very first one. For the moment, we don't care whether the edges are in the right place or not. We will place them in the second step! Don't you mind the corners either. Some of them may already be set in the right place, but don't be afraid to remove them, we will set them all later. Focus on the four edges!

The lateral color of the edges is not important!

Two algorithms to learn here, and they are very similar. They are described on the pictures below. To interpret them correctly, please notice that these pictures only represent the upper face, and not the one you have in front of you!

Case 1 :                               Case 2 :                         Purpose       

                      F U R U' R' F'         F R U R' U' F'

TIP: You will always find an even number of yellow edges on the upper face : 0,2 or 4. This can be mathematically proofed. Therefore, the 2 cases above are the only one you have to remember! If none of the yellow edges are on top, just do the two algorithms in a row to complete your cross. If 4 edges are already on top, that means your cross is already done! 

Step 2 : Placing the cross

The purpose is to match the cross with the corresponding lateral faces :

You will have to move the edges to put them in the right place, but without breaking up the cross. Therefore, we will use an algorithm that make the edges switch places. We will apply this algorithm until the cross is correct. 

Here is how the algorithm works. The edge in front of you will stay in place, and the three others will turn clockwise, like this :

R U2 R' U' R U' R'  (*)

(*) U2 = U U

TIP: Try to be clever in order to gain time! Turn the upper face wisely until an edge is correctly placed, and then apply the algorithm with the correct edge in front of you. Try to anticipate the result of the algorithm, this will save you from doing it a hundred times for nothing. With practice you'll notice that it is possible to do it in one!

Step 3: Placing the corners

The purpose of this step is to put all the corners in the right place: the yellow/red/green corner between the yellow, the red and the green faces, etc. But we will not mind the orientation of the corners. Therefore, this is a correctly-placed corner : 

The algorithm that we use works the same as the previous one. It will make the corner in front of you on the right stay in place, and the three others turn clockwise:

 

L' U R U' L U R' U'

Apply the algorithm until your corners are all in the right place!

TIP: You will have to think a lot to complete this step. Anticipate! It is always possible to set the four corners with just two wisely-applied algorithms. 

Step 4 : Orienting the corners

Here we are, last step! Your heart should be beating right now, we're approaching the end of it. 

In this last step, there is only one algorithm to learn. It makes the two corners on your right spin around, in such a way as to put the external color on the top :

( R U2 R' U' R U' R' ) ( L' U2 L U L' U L )

Tip: The algorithm is made of the one that we learned to place the yellow cross, united with his symmetrical twin. He's therefore easy to remember. Sometimes you will have to repeat this algorithm many times on several corners. It may seem tedious, but it is worth it, because at the end of it, your cube is solved!

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So guys, did you manage to get it done? If yes you did a really good job! 

I sincerely thank you for having read all this, and I promise to teach you faster methods as soon as possible! Because I know that once we really own this method, it becomes quickly boring, because we know that we often repeat the same algorithms, and that we could save time by not doing it. The advanced method that I use is not boring at all, I'm sure that you will love it! 

So stay tuned, and also don't forget to subscribe and to give your opinion in the comment section below. See you soon guys!

Solving the second layer

Hi guys! What's going on?

It's time to solve the second layer today. I'm sure you've all waited this moment and that you're damn excited about it. Good thing, because I am as well! The good news is that this step is by far the easiest in the method that we use. To put in a nutshell, you just have to remind one algorithm, reflect a little, and you're done. But enough of talking, let's start!

Reminder: Last time, we had stopped with our first layer solved, like this:

Today's step is about putting the four equatorial layer pieces in the right place, like this:

The first thing I advise you to do is to turn the cube upside-down (white face down, yellow up) so you can see what you're doing.

TIP: Try to get used to this, because in advanced methods, everything is solved with the white face below. This means that we even solve the first face without looking at it!


Now it's simple: The edges you want to locate are whether on the last layer (the unsolved one), or on the second layer but misplaced. In both cases, you will have to apply an algorithm. This one is going to take an edge from the last layer, and to put it in the second layer. The algorithm is  U' L' U L U F U' F', and his symmetrical twin U R U' R' U' F' U F. 


1) Easy case, the edge is on the third layer

Watch attentively which edge you have to locate! Here is a tip: the edges with yellow are not to be located in this step, because they belong to the third layer. Focus only on following edges: orange-blue, blue-red, red-green, and green-orange. Now turn the last layer until you shape a reversed "T" with the face in front of you (here orange).

   

CASE 1: The edge has to go down left. Usually a F' rotation would be enough, but you would destroy your white face! The alternative:

U' L' U L U F U' F'

CASE 2: The edge has to go down right. F rotation should be enough, but it would also destroy your white face! The alternative:

U R U' R' U' F' U F

TIP: As  the two algorithms are exactly symmetrical, they are easy and quick to learn!



2) Annoying cases, the edge is located in the right place but misguided, or misplaced in the second layer 

 

OR

In this case, you just have to use your brain! You just saw that the algorithm above enables you to put an edge from the last layer to the second layer. 

Therefore, you just have to make the corresponding algorithm, to put an edge "lambda" in place of the edge you want to locate. Then, your edge will be released on the last layer and you will find yourself in an easy case again!

TIP: Try to be as efficient as possible in order to save time: If you have to release an edge like in the case above, use the yellow edges, because they aren't important in this step. (Yellow edge = edge with yellow and any other color) For instance in the last picture above, if you use the green-red edge to release the orange-green edge, your green-red edge will be stuck and you will have to release it later with another edge. Whereas if you use a yellow edge, it's fine because you still have your green-red edge on the top, waiting to be put in. Or better, use directly the red-blue edge if it's available!

If you have carefully followed my instructions, your second layer should be over. If you managed to do it, I congratulate you. Only the last layer remaining, and you will have finished your Rubik's Cube! 

Alright, that's it for today's article, don't forget to subscribe and to give your opinion in the comment section below. Also, check out the new article next week, I will do my best to explain to you guys the solving of the last layer, which is not a small matter! Anyway, have a good day guys, this was Thibault Kremer, live from blogger.com! See you next week!

Beginning to solve a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube

What's up guys?

Today is a great day, for me and for you Rubik's Cube fans. It's time to begin to solve the thing! This is my first how-to article, so my explanations may not be as clear as I would like them to be, but I will try to do my best. We are first going to learn the basic moves and their notations. Then we will try to solve the first face, which is not as easy as it seems!

First of all, I'm going to describe the method we will use to solve the cube. The method is probably the easiest, ideal for beginners! This consists of solving the cube, layer by layer. First we will solve one face, the white one. This step is called the "first layer". Then we will solve the second layer, and finally the third layer, which will be the yellow face if we started with the white one. The last layer is the most difficult, because we have to solve a face, without breaking the other two layers!

Now it's time to learn the moves to use to solve the cube! But first you have to know that the cube is made of 6 centers, 12 edges which are the duo-coloured pieces, and 8 corners, which are the tri-coloured pieces. Each piece has one and only one spot to be put in. A first tip I can give you is that no matter the moves you make, the centers will always be at the same place! Let me explain myself: if you have the yellow center in front of you, and the red one down, you will always have the orange up, the blue on the right, the green on the left, and the white on the back. Therefore we will always use the centers as referential: when I talk about "the yellow face", I talk about the face where the yellow center is, whatever the other pieces of this face are.

On the picture below you can see the 6 basics moves that we will use to solve the cube. Here, you have the yellow face in front of you.

R (Right), U (Up) and L (Left) are the most used rotations. F (Front), B (Back) and D (Down) are often used in some advances combinations, but they are hard to do quickly because you need to change your hand's position to go on with another rotation. 

You can do a U rotation by turning the upper face (here the orange) clockwise. Identically, you can do a U' rotation by turning the upper face counterclockwise. The U rotation is often made with the right index finger, and the U' movement with the left index finger. But it's not a problem if you need your whole hand at the beginning!

Similary, you can do a R movement by turning the right face (here the blue one) clockwise with your right hand, and a R' movement by turning it counterclockwise, with the same hand.

I think you understand the principle, therefore we won't go into details here. Let's start with the solving of the first layer.

Take your cube with the white center at the top. At the end of this step, your cube will look like this:

Step 1: THE WHITE CROSS

The purpose is to put the 4 white edges at the right place: The white/green edge between the white and the green corners, the white/red between the white and he red... just like this:

You really have to take care of the centers! Otherwise your edges won't be at the right place, and then you won't be able to solve even the first layer! Example of a wrong cross:

NB: Do not worry about the corners! You will put them later at their place.

To do the cross, proceed as follows: Take your cube with the white center above. Take the other center you want to match in front of you, and turn your cube until the corresponding edge is also on the front face. Here the example is the white/green edge. There are then three cases:

• The edge is on the right, white facing you:

Apply the following algorithm:

  U' R U

• The edge is at the bottom, white facing you:

F' U' R U

• The edge is on the left, white facing you:

U L' U'

NB: If you meet a case which is not listed above, for instance if the white is not facing you, you have to put the white in front yourself, with one or two simple and intuitive rotations.

If you have done this correctly with the 4 edges, your cross should be done! Congrats, your first layer is half-solved!

Step 2: THE CORNERS

There are 4 corners to put at the right place. Keep your cube with the white cross above, and put the corner you want to put on the upper right hand. You can meet 4 cases, here described with the white/green/red corner. Turn the Down-face until you meet one of these cases:

• White is facing you: 

D' R' D R

• White is on the Right-face:

D F D' F'

• White is on the D-face (unlucky you):

R' D D R   D R' D' R

• Corner is located, but misguided:

In this case, you'll have to do the first or the second algorithm, to find yourself in an easy case again. With experience you will be able to find your own formula for this case!

If you have done this correctly with the four corners, your first layer is over! At the beginning you could think that there are too much algorithms to learn, but you'll see that these little "fingers-tricks" are relatively intuitive and will soon be natural! An also, the algorithms to set up the corners are very important because they appear in many advanced techniques.

This is it for the first layer of the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube! Don't forget to subscribe, and to give your opinion in the comment section below. Did you manage to get your first layer solved? Are my explanations clear enough? I'd really enjoy reading your reactions. 

See you soon guys, for an article about solving the second layer!