Solve the Cube.
One layer at a time.
A calm, beginner-friendly guide to solving the Rubik's Cube. No prior experience, no memorizing 100 algorithms — just seven clear steps you can actually follow.
The notation
Every move turns one face 90°. A letter names the face. Master these six and you can read any algorithm.
R Right
Turn the right face clockwise.
L Left
Turn the left face clockwise.
U Up
Turn the top face clockwise.
D Down
Turn the bottom face clockwise.
F Front
Turn the face toward you clockwise.
B Back
Turn the back face clockwise.
The two modifiers. A plain letter (R) means turn that face clockwise. An apostrophe (R', say “R prime”) means turn it counter‑clockwise. A “2” (R2) means turn it twice (a half turn). “Clockwise” always means as if you were looking directly at that face.
Seven steps to a solved cube
We solve it layer by layer: the bottom, then the middle, then the top. Work through them in order — each one keeps the previous layers intact.
The white cross
Pick white to start. Make a plus sign of white edges on the white face, and make sure each edge's side color matches its center. This one is intuitive — no algorithm, just line the pieces up.
The white corners
Fill in the four white corners to finish the first layer. Find a white corner in the top layer, position it above its slot, and repeat this trigger until it drops in white‑side‑down.
Repeat until the corner is placedThe middle layer edges
Flip the cube so white is on the bottom. Now place the four middle‑layer edges. Find an edge in the top with no yellow, line its front color to its center, then send it left or right.
Insert to the rightThe yellow cross
Now the top (yellow) face. Make a yellow plus sign. Depending on what you see — a dot, an L, or a line — repeat this algorithm until you get the cross.
Repeat until you see the yellow crossOrient the yellow edges
Line up the yellow cross edges with their matching centers. When two solved edges are next to or across from each other, use this to swap the rest into place.
Swap adjacent / opposite edgesPosition the yellow corners
Get each yellow corner into its correct spot (it doesn't need to be turned the right way yet — just in the right location). Repeat until every corner is home.
Cycle three cornersOrient the yellow corners
The finish line. Hold one unsolved corner at the front‑right and repeat the trigger until that corner is yellow on top — then turn only the top layer to bring the next unsolved corner into place and repeat. The cube looks scrambled mid‑step; trust it.
Repeat, then U to the next cornerTips for your first solve
Go slow on step 1
The white cross is the only fully intuitive step. Spend time here — understanding why pieces move makes everything after it click.
Centers never move
Each center's color is that face's color, permanently. They tell you where every edge and corner belongs.
Trust the algorithm
In steps 4–7 the cube will look messier before it looks solved. Finish the full sequence before you judge it.
One step at a time
Solve it a few times with the guide open. Muscle memory comes fast — most people are solo within a day.
Coming next: an interactive cube you can practice on right here, plus a solver — enter the colors of your real, scrambled cube and get the exact moves to solve it. In progress.