How to Solve a Rubik's Cube: Beginner's Guide
The Rubik’s Cube looks impossible the first time you scramble one. It isn’t. There’s a beginner’s method that uses only 5 algorithms (memorized sequences of moves) and can be learned in a weekend.
This guide walks through the 7 steps. You don’t need to memorize everything in one sitting — learn one step per day and you’ll solve your first cube within a week.
Notation (the language of cube moves)
Before anything else, learn the notation:
- R — rotate the right face clockwise
- L — left face
- U — up face
- D — down face
- F — front face
- B — back face
- R’ — rotate right face counterclockwise
- R2 — rotate right face twice
When you see R U R' U', that means: right clockwise, up clockwise, right counterclockwise, up counterclockwise.
The 7 steps
Step 1: The white cross
Pick a color (usually white) and form a cross on one face, matching the center colors on the adjacent faces. This is intuitive — no algorithm needed, just practice.
Step 2: White corners
Place the white corner pieces. Use this algorithm when a corner is in the right spot but oriented wrong:
R' D' R D
Repeat until the corner is oriented correctly.
Step 3: Middle layer edges
Flip the cube so white is on the bottom. Now solve the middle layer. Two algorithms handle every case:
- To move an edge left:
U' L' U L U F U' F' - To move an edge right:
U R U' R' U' F' U F
Step 4: Yellow cross
Flip the cube so yellow is on top. You’ll see one of four patterns. Apply F R U R' U' F' and repeat until you get the yellow cross.
Step 5: Yellow edges
Position the yellow edges to match the side colors. Use R U R' U R U2 R' and repeat until all edges are correct.
Step 6: Yellow corners (position)
Get the yellow corners into their correct positions (not yet oriented). Use U R U' L' U R' U' L and cycle through until all corners are in place.
Step 7: Yellow corners (orientation)
Finally, orient the corners. Hold the cube so an unsolved corner is in the front-right position and repeat R' D' R D until it’s oriented. Then turn the top layer to the next unsolved corner and repeat.
Tips that actually help
- Learn one step at a time. Trying to learn all 7 in one sitting is how people give up.
- Understand what each algorithm does. The notation is meaningless until you see why
R U R' U'cycles a corner. - Practice on a physical cube. Apps and websites help, but a real cube builds muscle memory faster.
- Don’t time yourself until you can solve it consistently. Speed comes from familiarity, not pressure.
Puzzles that train the same thinking
If you enjoy the pattern-recognition part of cube solving, try Classic Sudoku or Hexafill — both reward the same kind of spatial-logical thinking. Color Mosaic is also a good warm-up.
Solving your first cube takes most people 3-5 days of practice. Solving it in under 2 minutes takes a few months. Solving it in under 30 seconds takes years. Each level is a different skill — and each one is achievable.
