here are loads of sites on the web with various ways of solving a rubic cube, but I’ve never seen the method I use spelt out in any detail. So with the aid of the excellent AnimCube java applet, I’ve decided to publish my own preferred solution.
Features:
- Only three sequences to learn, each no more than 8 moves long.
- Works with edges and corners separately, and does edges first then corners.
Strategy
Before you start.
In order to solve a rubic cube you need to get familiar with it, and in a general way with how the pieces move. There’s no real substitute for practice here. However, in the early stages of playing with a cube, it’s very easy to get them totally mixed up, and that makes it hard to keep track of individual pieces as you play. My solution to this problem is to have a supply of small labels and to stick these on the individual pieces I’m interested in and ignore the real colours. When I mess up, I move the labels! However you do it, you need to get familiar enough with a cube to understand how to get any one edge or corner into a given position easily, and to complete the four edges of a single face. There are no special tricks here, it’s just a matter of getting some practice in. If you need help with these early stages, there are plenty of easy video tutorials on the web, such as . However, the algorithm they teach involves much more complex move sequences because they complete an entire face first and then have to ensure that face stays the same after each step. My approach below, by treating the edges and corners separately, turns out to involve much easier sequences. So, here we go:
Stage 1
- First, get the four edges on a single face correct ( in the correct position and the right way round ).
- Next, get three of the four edges in the middle band correct.
The above moves can be done more or less by inspection.
Stage 2
- Now we get the remaining 5 edges correct. The key trick is the four-move edge rotate.
