The Rubik’s Cube, with its vibrant squares and enigmatic facade, has captivated the minds of puzzle enthusiasts for decades. Its seemingly insurmountable complexity often deters aspiring solvers, but with the right approach, it can be conquered in as few as 20 moves. This comprehensive guide will unveil the secrets of the Rubik’s Cube, guiding you through every step of the process with clarity and precision. Whether you’re a seasoned puzzler or a complete novice, this step-by-step solution will empower you to solve the cube with confidence and efficiency.
To begin your journey into the realm of Rubik’s Cube mastery, it is crucial to establish a solid foundation. This entails becoming familiar with the cube’s terminology, understanding the mechanics of its movements, and comprehending the basic principles of solving. The Rubik’s Cube is composed of 54 colored squares, arranged in a 3x3x3 grid. The six faces of the cube can be rotated independently, allowing for countless permutations of the squares. To conquer the cube, solvers must manipulate the faces strategically, moving specific squares into their correct positions while maintaining the integrity of the solved state.
The first step in solving the Rubik’s Cube is to focus on a single face. Choose any face and, using the appropriate notation, rotate the faces until you have solved that face completely. This means matching all nine squares on the face, ensuring that each side has a uniform color. Once you have solved one face, you can move on to the next. The next step is to solve the middle layer of the cube. This involves matching the squares around the center squares on each of the four sides. To do this, you will need to use a combination of moves on the front, back, and side faces. Once you have solved the middle layer, you can move on to the final step, which is solving the top layer of the cube. This is the most challenging step, as it requires you to manipulate the top layer while keeping the other two layers solved. However, with a little practice, you will be able to master this step and solve the Rubik’s Cube in no time.
Step 1: Solve the White Cross
The first step in solving a Rubik’s Cube is to create a white cross on one of the faces. This provides a solid foundation for the rest of the solution.
4 Center Pieces
Start by identifying the four white center pieces. These pieces are permanently fixed and cannot be moved. They will form the center of the white cross.
4 Edge Pieces
Next, locate the four white edge pieces. These pieces have one white side and one colored side. They will be used to fill in the arms of the white cross.
Align Edge Pieces
To align an edge piece, hold the cube with the white center piece facing you. Find the edge piece that corresponds to the color on the adjacent center piece. For example, if the center piece on the right is blue, the edge piece you need should have a blue side.
Insert Edge Pieces
To insert an edge piece, hold the cube as shown in the table below. Rotate the top layer until the white side of the piece aligns with the center piece. Then, rotate the front layer to insert the piece. Repeat this process for all four edge pieces.
Step 2: Solve the White Corners
Now that the top face is solved, it’s time to tackle the white corners. This involves maneuvering the four white edge pieces into their correct positions on the bottom face. Remember, each white edge piece has a sticker that matches one of the center faces. Follow these steps:
Step 2a: Identify the Target Faces
Examine the unsolved corner pieces on the top face. Each piece will have two stickers of different colors. Locate the center face that matches one of these stickers. For example, if a corner piece has green and blue stickers, the target face is the green face.
Step 2b: Position the Corner Piece
Hold the cube with the target face facing you. Bring the corner piece, which has the matching sticker, to the front edge of the top face. Align the stickers so that they match up with the adjacent center faces.
Step 2c: Insert the Corner Piece
To insert the corner piece, perform the following sequence:
Corner Insertion Sequence
| Algorithm | Rotation |
|---|---|
| D | Turn the right face downward |
| R | Turn the front face clockwise |
| D’ | Turn the right face upward |
| R’ | Turn the front face counterclockwise |
This sequence will insert the corner piece into the bottom face, matching the target face and creating a 2×2 solved section.
Step 3: Solve the Middle Layer
Solving the middle layer requires positioning the edge pieces of the second layer beneath their corresponding colors on the top layer. This will create a “cross” pattern on the top layer, with each edge piece aligned with the center piece above it. Here’s a detailed guide to solving the middle layer:
Step 3a: Find an Edge Piece that Matches a Top Color
Inspect the top layer and identify an edge piece that matches one of the four colors. The goal is to move that edge piece directly beneath its matching color on the top layer.
Step 3b: Insert the Edge Piece into the Middle Layer
Hold the cube with the target color facing up and the edge piece to be inserted on the bottom side. Rotate the middle layer (the layer directly below the top layer) to align the open slot with the target color. Slide the edge piece into the slot, turning the layer as needed to ensure that it aligns correctly.
Step 3c: Repeat for All Edge Pieces
Repeat steps 3a-3b for the remaining three edge pieces until the middle layer is complete, forming a “cross” pattern on the top layer. Refer to the table below for specific algorithms to insert edge pieces into the middle layer:
| Edge Piece to Insert | Algorithm |
|—|—|
| Front Edge | R U R’ U’ |
| Back Edge | L’ U’ L U |
| Left Edge | F R’ F’ R |
| Right Edge | F’ L F L’ |
Step 4: Solve the Top Corners
With the top edge pieces correctly oriented, the next step is to solve the top corners. The corners are the pieces that occupy the top-left, top-right, and back-right positions of the cube. To solve them, follow these steps:
1. Identify the Corner Piece
First, identify the corner piece that needs to be solved. It is the one that is not yet correctly positioned.
2. Holding the Cube
Hold the cube with the unsolved corner piece facing you and the white face on top.
3. Rotations
Perform the following rotations:
- Rotate the top layer clockwise.
- Rotate the right side counterclockwise.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2.
This sequence of rotations will move the corner piece to the back-right position
4. Inserting the Corner
To insert the corner piece, perform the following rotations:
- Rotate the top layer clockwise until the corner is aligned with the corresponding slot on the back face.
- Rotate the back face clockwise.
- Rotate the top layer counterclockwise back to its original position.
| Rotation | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Top layer clockwise | Align the corner with the slot on the back face |
| Back face clockwise | Insert the corner into the slot |
| Top layer counterclockwise | Return the top layer to its original position |
Repeat this process for the remaining two top corners. Once all three corners are solved, the top face of the cube will be complete.
Step 5: Solve the Top Edges
Now that the top face is complete, let’s focus on arranging the four edge pieces around it. These edge pieces should match the color of both the top face and the side face they are adjacent to.
Observe the top face and locate an edge piece that is not in its correct position. Let’s assume the orange-blue edge piece needs to be moved to the front-right position.
Insert the edge piece into the second layer, facing the front. Rotate the front face clockwise until the edge piece is aligned with the right-side face. Then, rotate the right face clockwise to insert the edge piece into the top layer.
To correctly orient the edge piece, you may need to perform a specific sequence of moves:
| Edge Piece Orientation | Move Sequence |
|---|---|
| Blue side facing front | D R’ D’ R |
| Orange side facing front | D’ R D R’ |
Once the edge piece is correctly inserted and oriented, repeat the process for the remaining three edge pieces until all four edges are solved.
Step 6: Solve the Top Face
The top face of the cube should now be completely solved, with all nine center pieces and edge pieces in their correct places. If not, follow these steps:
Align the Corner Pieces
Rotate the top face until one of the unsolved corner pieces is in the front-right position. Orient the corner piece so that its correct position on the top face is facing you.
Insert the Corner Piece
Perform the following sequence of moves:
| Sequence | Description |
|---|---|
| R U R’ U’ | Move the front-right corner piece to the right and then back |
| R U2 R’ | Move the corner piece to the back and then back to the front |
Solve the Edge Pieces
Repeat the above steps for each unsolved edge piece. Rotate the top face until an unsolved edge piece is in the front position. Perform the same sequence of moves (R U R’ U’ for the left edge, R U2 R’ for the right edge) to insert the edge piece.
Orient the Edge Pieces
If any of the edge pieces are oriented incorrectly, perform the following sequence of moves to flip it:
| Sequence | Description |
|---|---|
| U R U’ R’ | Flip the front edge piece |
Once all the top face pieces are solved and oriented, you have successfully completed Step 6 of solving the Rubik’s Cube.
Step 7: Permute the Top Edges
The next step is to permute the top edges. This means that you want to arrange the top edges so that they are all in the correct positions. To do this, you will need to use the following algorithm:
| Algorithm | Description |
|---|---|
| R U R’ U R U2 R’ | This algorithm moves the top edge that is at the front of the cube (the one with the green sticker on it) to the right. |
| L’ U L U’ L U2 L’ | This algorithm moves the top edge that is at the back of the cube (the one with the red sticker on it) to the left. |
You can use these algorithms to rearrange the top edges until they are all in the correct positions.
Once you have permuted the top edges, you will have completed the seventh step of the Rubik’s Cube solution. You are now one step closer to solving the cube!
Step 8: Orient the Top Corners
Now that you have positioned the top corners, it’s time to orient them correctly. This involves aligning the colored faces of the corners with the corresponding faces of the middle layer. To do this, use the following algorithm:
Algorithm:
| Step | Move Sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | R U R’ U’ L’ F R F’ L |
With this algorithm, you will insert one corner at a time into its correct position and orientation.
Tips:
- Start with any corner that is out of place.
- Apply the algorithm slowly and precisely.
- Repeat the algorithm until all four corners are correctly oriented.
- If you make a mistake, don’t panic. Just undo the algorithm and start again.
Once all the top corners are oriented, you are one step closer to completing the cube. In the next step, you will learn how to position the top edges.
Step 9: Solve the Bottom Cross
Once you have solved the top layer, the next step is to solve the bottom cross. This involves matching the edge pieces on the bottom layer to the center pieces on the corresponding sides. To do this, you can use the following algorithm:
Algorithm:
| Step 1: Rotate the front face until the edge piece you want to solve is at the front-right corner. |
| Step 2: Rotate the bottom face clockwise once. |
| Step 3: Rotate the front face counterclockwise once. |
| Step 4: Rotate the bottom face counterclockwise three times. |
| Step 5: Rotate the front face clockwise once. |
Repeat this algorithm until all four edge pieces on the bottom layer are solved.
Orientation Check:
After completing step 4, check if the edge piece is inserted correctly by its orientation. If the colors of the edge piece don’t match the center pieces on either side, apply the following orientation algorithm:
| Step 1: Rotate the front face clockwise once. |
| Step 2: Rotate the front face counterclockwise twice. |
| Step 3: Rotate the front face clockwise once. |
Step 10: Solve the Bottom Corners
With the bottom face solved, it’s time to tackle the bottom corners. Each corner piece has three sides, and they should match the colors on the adjacent sides of the bottom face.
Matching the Corners
To match a corner, hold the cube with the bottom face facing you. Locate a corner piece with one side matching the color on the bottom face. If it doesn’t, rotate the top face until it aligns.
Positioning the Corners
Once you have a corner piece with a matching side, you need to position it correctly. Use the following steps:
- Hold the corner piece with the colored side facing up.
- If the other colored side of the corner piece should be on the front face, turn the front face so that the matching color is facing you.
- Insert the corner piece into the bottom layer and rotate the front face back to its original position.
Corner Table
The following table shows how to position the corners:
| Corner Piece | Color on Bottom Face | Front Face Color |
|---|---|---|
| White-Blue-Green | White | Blue |
| White-Green-Orange | White | Green |
| White-Green-Red | White | Green |
| White-Orange-Red | White | Orange |
How To Solve Rubik’s Cube 20 Moves
The Rubik’s Cube is a classic puzzle that has been enjoyed by people of all ages for over 40 years. It is a simple puzzle to learn, but it can be very difficult to master. There are many different ways to solve the Rubik’s Cube, but one of the most popular methods is the 20-move method. This method is relatively easy to learn and can be used to solve the cube in under 20 moves.
The 20-move method is divided into three main steps:
- Solve the white cross. This step involves getting the four white edge pieces into the correct position on the top face of the cube.
- Solve the white corners. This step involves getting the four white corner pieces into the correct position on the top face of the cube.
- Solve the rest of the cube. This step involves getting the remaining six pieces of the cube into the correct position.
The 20-move method is a great way to learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. It is relatively easy to learn and can be used to solve the cube in under 20 moves. With practice, you can even learn to solve the cube in under 10 moves.
People Also Ask About How To Solve Rubik’s Cube 20 Moves
How long does it take to solve the Rubik’s Cube using the 20-move method?
With practice, you can learn to solve the Rubik’s Cube using the 20-move method in under 20 moves. However, it may take some time to learn the method and to become proficient at it.
Is the 20-move method the best way to solve the Rubik’s Cube?
The 20-move method is a popular method for solving the Rubik’s Cube, but it is not the only method. There are many different methods that can be used to solve the cube, and the best method for you will depend on your individual learning style and preferences.
What is the world record for solving the Rubik’s Cube?
The world record for solving the Rubik’s Cube is 3.47 seconds, set by Yusheng Du in 2018.
