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How to Solve a 3X3X3 Rubik’s Cube By Stephanie Kim Introduction How to solve a Rubik’s Cube is the question that we make ourselves when we see a scrambled cube for the first time. Having billions of combinations, it is nearly impossible to solve a Rubik’s Cube by trial and error. There are several ways to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Here, I will show one of the ways that you can solve a Rubik’s Cube in full detail. Rubik’s Cube is a 3D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian architecture Emo Rubik. Currently, it is widely considered to be the world’s best‐ selling puzzle game. The most popular model is the Standard Cube (3X3X3). Other models came later: the Junior Cube (2X2X2), the Revenge Cube (4X4X4), and the Professor Cube (5X5X5). In a standard Rubik’s Cube, each of the six faces is covered by nine blocks, each blocks with one of six solid colors (traditionally white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow). An internal pivot mechanism enables each face to turn independently, thus mixing up the colors. For the puzzle to be solved, each face must be returned to consisting of one color. The simplest method of resolution for all the models is to solve the cube by layers, beginning from the top layer to the bottom layer. First, this instruction will go over the basic terms of the Rubik’s cube, then the instruction will be divided into three stages: 1 st layer, 2 nd layer, and 3 rd layer. In the end, it will provide maintenance tips, and video clip version of this instruction. For a beginner, it will take an hour or two, even longer, to complete the cube. However, do not give up! If you practice long enough, solving the cube will become second nature. Always remember that practice is the key to mastering the Rubik’s cube.

Rubik's Cube

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Page 1: Rubik's Cube

How to Solve a 3X3X3

Rubik’s Cube

By Stephanie Kim

Introduction

HowtosolveaRubik’sCubeisthequestionthatwemakeourselveswhenweseeascrambledcubeforthefirsttime.Havingbillionsofcombinations,itisnearlyimpossibletosolveaRubik’sCubebytrialanderror.ThereareseveralwaystosolveaRubik’sCube.Here,IwillshowoneofthewaysthatyoucansolveaRubik’sCubeinfulldetail.Rubik’sCubeisa3Dcombinationpuzzleinventedin1974byHungarianarchitectureEmoRubik.Currently,itiswidelyconsideredtobetheworld’sbest‐sellingpuzzlegame.ThemostpopularmodelistheStandardCube(3X3X3).Othermodelscamelater:theJuniorCube(2X2X2),theRevengeCube(4X4X4),andtheProfessorCube(5X5X5).InastandardRubik’sCube,eachofthesixfacesiscoveredbynineblocks,eachblockswithoneofsixsolidcolors(traditionallywhite,red,blue,orange,green,andyellow).Aninternalpivotmechanismenableseachfacetoturnindependently,thusmixingupthecolors.Forthepuzzletobesolved,eachfacemustbereturnedtoconsistingofonecolor. Thesimplestmethodofresolutionforallthemodelsistosolvethecubebylayers,beginningfromthetoplayertothebottomlayer.First,thisinstructionwillgooverthebasictermsoftheRubik’scube,thentheinstructionwillbedividedintothreestages:1stlayer,2ndlayer,and3rdlayer.Intheend,itwillprovidemaintenancetips,andvideoclipversionofthisinstruction.Forabeginner,itwilltakeanhourortwo,evenlonger,tocompletethecube.However,donotgiveup!Ifyoupracticelongenough,solvingthecubewillbecomesecondnature.AlwaysrememberthatpracticeisthekeytomasteringtheRubik’scube.

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Definitions of Rubik’s Cube Pieces 1. Center Pieces

‐ Pieceswithonecolor.Therearetotalsixcenterpieceslocatedinthecenterofeachside.Centerpiecesdonotmoveandrepresentthecoloroftheirside.

2. Edge Pieces ‐ Pieceswithtwocolors.Therearetwelve

edgepieceslocatedinthemiddlerow.

3. Corner Pieces ‐ Pieceswiththreecolors.Thereareeight

cornerpieceslocatedonthecorners.

Center Piece

Edge Piece

Corner Piece

FRONT RIGHT

LEFT 1st Layer (Top Layer)

2nd Layer (Middle Layer)

3rd Layer (Bottom Layer)

TOP

BOTTOM

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Instructions 1st LAYER

1. Make a cross

1.1  Pickoutanycolorfromthecenterpiecesandsetitasthe“TopLayer”

1.2 Findedgesthatcorrespondtothecentercolorofthetoplayeranda

centercolorfromthesides.Forexample,ifthetoplayerisgreen,findedgeswithgreenandred,greenandyellow,greenandwhite,etc..

1.3 Turnthecubesothatthecoloroftheedgematchesthecenter

colorofaside.

1.4 Turnthecubesothattheothercoloroftheedgecreatesapartialcrossonthetoplayer.

1.5 Repeatsteps1.2–1.4untilyoucreateacompletecrossonthetoplayer. 

2. Set the corners 2.1 Findacornerthatconsiststhecentercolorofthetop

layerandtwoothercentercolorsofthesides.

2.2 PlacethecornerintoitsOPTIMALPOSITION(Figuresbelow).

Greencornerpieceontheleftsideofthethirdlayer

Thecornerpieceisinbetweenthecorrespondingcentercolorsoforangeandyellow.

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2.3Turnthe3rdlayerawayfromtheside,wherethecornerofinterestisplaced.Forexample,ifthecornerofinterestisatthebottomleftcorner,turnthe3rdlayertotheleft.

2.5Turnthe3rdlayertotheoppositedirectionofstep2.3Forexample,ifthe3rdlayerwasturnedtotheleftonstep2.3,turnthe3rdlayerbacktotherightforstep2.5.

2.6Liftupthesideofwhichyouhavebroughtdownonstep2.4Forexample,iftheleftsidewasbroughtdownonstep2.4,liftitupforstep2.6

2.7Repeatsteps2.1–2.6tocompletethe1stlayer.

TIP: Theturningdirectiondependsontheinitialpositionofthecornerpieceintheoptimalposition.

2.4Bringdowntheside,wherethecornerofinterestwasatpreviously.Forexample,ifthecornerofinterestwasatthebottomleftcorner,bringdowntheleftside.

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2nd LAYER

3. Match the edges

3.3Turnthe3rdlayerawayfromthesidethatconsistthebottomcoloroftheedgeofinterestasacentercolor.Forexample,ifthebottomcoloroftheedgeisthecentercoloroftherightside,turnthe3rdlayertotheleft.

3.4Bringdowntheoppositesideofstep3.3Forexample,ifyouturnedthe3rdlayertotheleftonstep3.3,bringdowntherightsideforstep3.4.

3.5Turnthe3rdlayerbacktoitsinitialposition.Forexample,ifyouturnedthe3rdlayertotherightonstep3.3,turnitbacktotheleftforstep3.5.

3.6Liftupthesidethatyouhavebroughtdownonstep3.4.

3.1Findanedgethatconsiststwocentercolorsoftwodifferentsides.Donottouchanyedgesthatconsiststhecentercolorofthebottom.

APPROPRIATE EDGE

INAPPROPRIATE EDGE

3.2Aligntheedgeofinteresttothecentercolorofaside.Checkthebottomsideoftheedgeofinterest.Makesureitisnotthecentercolorofthebottom.

On the RIGHT

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3.7Reassemblethedisplacedcorneredgeofthe1stlayerbyrepeatingsteps2.3–2.6.

3.8Repeatsteps3.1–3.7tocompletethe2ndlayer.

TIP: Theturningdirectiondependsontheinitialpositionoftheedgepiece.

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3rd LAYER

4. Make a cross

4.1 Flipthecubesothatthe3rdlayerisfacingthetop.

4.2 Checkthe3rdlayer.Seeifitisinaformofadot,L‐shape,line,orcross.

4.3 Setthecubeinacorrectposition. Dot:Positiondoesnotmatter L‐Shape:OneoftheLedgesmustfacetowardsyou,andthe

othertotheright Line: Mustbehorizontal Cross: Youmayskipthisstep

DOT L-SHAPE LINE

TIP: Fromnowonwhenyouareturningthecube,makesureyoumaintaintheinitialposition.Forinstance,ifthewhitesideisfacingtowardyou,thewhitesideshouldstillfaceyouwheneveryouprecedethedirections

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4.3Setthecubeinacorrectposition.

4.10Repeatsteps4.1–4.8toformacrossonthe3rdlayer.

4.4TurntheFrontsidetotheright.

4.5LiftuptheRightside.

4.6TurntheToptotheclockwise.

4.7BringdowntheRightside.

4.8TurntheToptothecounterclockwise.

4.9TurntheFrontsidetotheleft.

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5. Match the edges

5.2Setthecubesothatoneoftheunalignededgesfacesyouandtheothertowardstheright.

5.3LiftuptheRightside.

5.1Turnthe3rdlayeruntilyouhavealignedmorethantwoedgeswiththecentercolorofthesides.

5.4Spinthe3rdlayertotheclockwisetwice.

X2

5.5BringdowntheRightside.

5.6Turnthe3rdlayertothecounterclockwiseonce.

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5.7LiftuptheRightside.

5.8Turnthe3rdlayertothecounterclockwiseoncemore.

5.9BringdowntheRightside.

5.10Realigntheedgeswiththecentercolors.

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6. Rearrange 3rd layer corners

6.1Checkifthefourcornersonthe3rdlayerareincorrectpositions.Checkifacornerconsistscolorsofthecentercolorsofthesides.Forexample,ifthethreecentercolorsareyellow‐green‐orange,checkifthecorneredgealsoconsistsyellow‐green‐orange.

CORRECT POSITION

INCORRECT POSITION

6.2Setthecubeinacorrectposition. Noneofthecornersareinacorrect

position:Positiondoesnotmatter.

Atleastonecornerisinacorrectposition:PositionthecubesothatthiscornerisontheBottomrightofthe3rdlayer.

Allofthecornersareincorrectpositions:Skiptostep7.

6.3LiftuptheLeftside.

6.4TurntheToplayertotheclockwiseonce.

6.5LiftuptheRightside.

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6.6TurntheToplayertothecounterclockwiseonce.

6.7BringdowntheLeftSide. 6.8

TurntheToplayertotheclockwiseonce.

6.9BringdowntheRightside.

6.10TurntheToplayertothecounterclockwiseonce.

6.11Checkifallthecornersareincorrectpositions.

TIP: Aslongasthecornerconsiststhecolorsofcentersoftheadjacentsides,itisinacorrectposition.Thecolorsofthecornerdonothavetobeonthesamefaceofeachofitscentercolor.

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7. Align the corner colors of the 3rd layer

7.1Setthecubesothattheunalignedcornersareontherightside.Ifallofthefourcornersareunaligned,thepositiondoesnotmatter.

On the Right side

7.2Repeatsteps5.3–5.10.

7.3Repeatsteps5.3–5.10ontheLeftside.Thisstepisverysimilartostep7.2.Theonlydifferenceisthatyouareturningthelefthandsideofthecube.Hereisadiagramforstep7.3.

7.4Repeatsteps7.1–7.3tocompletethe3rdlayer.

MissionAccomplished

X2

1 2 3 4

5 6 7

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Maintenance Tips

Therearetwowaystoimproveyourcube’sperformance:Cleaningandusingalubricant.Theeasiestwaytoimprovethesmoothnessofthecubeistocleanthemovingpartsofthecube.Youcandisassemblethecubeandcleanoffthedustwithanoldtoothbrushoratowel.Inaddition,youmayalsouseasilicon‐basedlubricant,notpetroleumbased(WD‐40),tolubeyourcube.First,popoutanedgepieceandsprayabitinthehole.Putthepiecebackinandturnthecuberandomlyforawhiletospreadittoallthemovingparts.

Troubleshooting

IfyouarehavingtroublesolvingaRubik’scubethroughthishard‐copyversioninstruction,youcancheckoutthevideoclipversionofthisinstructionthroughhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaltgJGz‐dU.Thisvideoclipwillgoovertheinstructionindetailanditwillhelpyouunderstandthestepsevenbetter.