How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube Part I
Posted: 2008.11.16 (03:37)
How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube Part I
The Rubik’s Cube, a modern day puzzle that troubles people all over the world. Well I’m going to attempt to teach you how to solve this modern day mystery. Warning, that this is obviously going to be a rather long post. Now before I can tell you anything I must teach you the notation. Because if you don’t understand the notation then you won’t understand anything I say.
Okay, so here it is:
R: Turn Right Face Clockwise
R’: Turn Right Face Anti-Clockwise
L: Turn Left Face Clockwise
L’: Turn Left Face Anti-Clockwise
D: Turn Bottom Face Clockwise
D’: Turn Bottom Face Anti-Clockwise
U: Turn Top Face Clockwise
U’: Turn Top Face Anti-Clockwise
F: Turn Front Face Clockwise
F’: Turn Front Face Anti-Clockwise
As you can see ‘ represents anti-clockwise and no ‘ means clockwise.
So let’s get started!
The first step to solve the Rubik’s Cube is to choose a colour (here I’ll choose blue) and make the plus sign (a cross) on that coloured face. Always remember that when the centre square on a face is a certain colour then the face must be that colour, as no matter what you do you can’t change the middle piece. When placing in the pieces to make the cross it can’t be any blue piece. Say you want to place in the blue piece on the right of the cube. You will have a look at the centre piece of the right. That will determine the colour of that face, and with this information you will know what piece to place there. Say that side was red, you would have to find the blue and red piece as that is the piece that belongs there.
Now to actually place in piece in the correct spot you must have the blue side facing up. Then get the correct blue and red piece underneath the space you need to insert it in. Now do the following step: [F F]. The piece will slot into place. Using this method you should be able to successfully create a plus sign (the cross).
The next step is probably the hardest but more fun step in Part I of solving a Rubik’s Cube. Getting the corners in place. Just like making the cross you have to insert the correct corners pieces into the correct places. Obviously you would do this my having a look at what the surrounding faces are. Say they are yellow and orange then you would find the blue, yellow and orange corner piece. You would then move it underneath the place it’s supposed to go and do the following algorithm. Algorithms are a series of moves that will complete a particular section of the cube. And here’s the algorithm: [R’ D’ R D]. You may need to perform this more than once. This will magically place the corner piece in the right spot which was just above and will not stuff anything else up!
Using this technique you should be able to finish the first face (side) of the Rubik’s Cube. And if you have done it correctly, you will have created a T on every face except the face you have completed and top face, presuming you are now holding the already solved side down.
Read How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube Pat II to learn how to finish solving the modern Rubik’s Cube.
Thanks for Reading
- Rikaninja
The Rubik’s Cube, a modern day puzzle that troubles people all over the world. Well I’m going to attempt to teach you how to solve this modern day mystery. Warning, that this is obviously going to be a rather long post. Now before I can tell you anything I must teach you the notation. Because if you don’t understand the notation then you won’t understand anything I say.
Okay, so here it is:
R: Turn Right Face Clockwise
R’: Turn Right Face Anti-Clockwise
L: Turn Left Face Clockwise
L’: Turn Left Face Anti-Clockwise
D: Turn Bottom Face Clockwise
D’: Turn Bottom Face Anti-Clockwise
U: Turn Top Face Clockwise
U’: Turn Top Face Anti-Clockwise
F: Turn Front Face Clockwise
F’: Turn Front Face Anti-Clockwise
As you can see ‘ represents anti-clockwise and no ‘ means clockwise.
So let’s get started!
The first step to solve the Rubik’s Cube is to choose a colour (here I’ll choose blue) and make the plus sign (a cross) on that coloured face. Always remember that when the centre square on a face is a certain colour then the face must be that colour, as no matter what you do you can’t change the middle piece. When placing in the pieces to make the cross it can’t be any blue piece. Say you want to place in the blue piece on the right of the cube. You will have a look at the centre piece of the right. That will determine the colour of that face, and with this information you will know what piece to place there. Say that side was red, you would have to find the blue and red piece as that is the piece that belongs there.
Now to actually place in piece in the correct spot you must have the blue side facing up. Then get the correct blue and red piece underneath the space you need to insert it in. Now do the following step: [F F]. The piece will slot into place. Using this method you should be able to successfully create a plus sign (the cross).
The next step is probably the hardest but more fun step in Part I of solving a Rubik’s Cube. Getting the corners in place. Just like making the cross you have to insert the correct corners pieces into the correct places. Obviously you would do this my having a look at what the surrounding faces are. Say they are yellow and orange then you would find the blue, yellow and orange corner piece. You would then move it underneath the place it’s supposed to go and do the following algorithm. Algorithms are a series of moves that will complete a particular section of the cube. And here’s the algorithm: [R’ D’ R D]. You may need to perform this more than once. This will magically place the corner piece in the right spot which was just above and will not stuff anything else up!
Using this technique you should be able to finish the first face (side) of the Rubik’s Cube. And if you have done it correctly, you will have created a T on every face except the face you have completed and top face, presuming you are now holding the already solved side down.
Read How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube Pat II to learn how to finish solving the modern Rubik’s Cube.
Thanks for Reading
- Rikaninja