For the uninitiated, the Rubik’s Cube may seem like an insurmountable puzzle, a colorful enigma that defies logic and mocks the solver’s intelligence. However, with a systematic approach and a bit of practice, anyone can master the art of solving this iconic puzzle. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step tutorial, breaking down the process into manageable chunks, and arming you with the knowledge and techniques to conquer the Rubik’s Cube in just 20 moves.
To begin our journey, let’s establish a common ground by understanding the basic notation used in Rubik’s Cube solving. Each face of the cube is referred to by its initial letter: F (front), B (back), U (up), D (down), L (left), and R (right). Additionally, we use apostrophes to denote counterclockwise rotations and no apostrophes for clockwise rotations. With this notation in mind, we can dive into the first stage of the solution, which involves solving the white cross on the top face.
Once the white cross is complete, we move on to the second stage, which is solving the white corners correctly. This stage requires a bit more finesse and introduces a new technique called “inserting with AOLL.” AOLL (Adjacent Orientation Last Layer) refers to the algorithms used to orient and insert the edge pieces of the last layer, and we will cover these algorithms in detail in the upcoming sections. By carefully following the steps and practicing these techniques, you will gradually progress through the stages of the solution, ultimately achieving the satisfaction of solving the Rubik’s Cube in just 20 moves.
Solve the Bottom Layer
1. Position the Cross
Orient the edge pieces on the bottom layer so that their colors match the center pieces. Start with the white edge piece and insert it into the slot between the white and red center pieces. Rotate the face corresponding to the adjacent center piece (in this case, yellow) to align the other edge piece and insert it.
2. Move the Corner Pieces to the Bottom Layer
Locate a corner piece that is not on the bottom layer but has its correct color on the bottom. Orient the piece so that its bottom face (the one with the correct color) faces you. Rotate the top face of the cube until the piece is aligned with its correct position on the bottom layer. Insert the piece by turning the adjacent side of the bottom layer (e.g., if you’re inserting a yellow-green-red piece, turn the green side).
Repeat this process for the remaining three corner pieces. If a corner piece is in the wrong position on the bottom layer, rotate the top layer until the piece is aligned with its correct slot. Then, hold the corner piece with one hand and rotate the bottom layer to insert it.
After inserting the four corner pieces, the bottom layer should be complete.
Algorithm for Bottom Layer Corner Insertion |
|---|
|
R U R’ U’ R U2 R’ |
Align the Side Edges
Once you have completed the first two steps, you will need to align the side edges of the cube. This can be done by following these steps:
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Hold the cube so that the solved side is facing you. Find an edge piece that is not in its correct position. This piece will have two colors that do not match the colors of the center pieces on the solved side.
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Locate the position where this edge piece should go. The correct position will be on the same side of the cube as the two colors on the edge piece.
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Use the following algorithm to insert the edge piece into its correct position:
Algorithm Description R U R’ U’ Rotates the right face clockwise, moves the edge piece up one place, rotates the right face counterclockwise, and moves the edge piece down one place. L’ U’ L U Rotates the left face counterclockwise, moves the edge piece up one place, rotates the left face clockwise, and moves the edge piece down one place.
Repeat these steps for the remaining three edge pieces until all of the side edges are aligned.
Position the Corner Pieces
Once the edge pieces are in place, you can move on to positioning the corner pieces. This can be done in two steps:
Step 1: Position the corner piece in the correct layer
- Hold the cube with the corner piece you want to position facing you.
- Turn the top layer to line up the edge of the corner piece with the correct slot on the middle layer.
- Insert the corner piece into the slot by turning the top layer in the opposite direction.
Step 2: Orient the corner piece correctly
Once the corner piece is in the correct layer, you need to orient it correctly so that the colors match the adjacent edge pieces.
There are two cases to consider:
- The two adjacent edge pieces are the correct color: Rotate the top layer in the direction of the arrow until the corner piece is oriented correctly.
- One of the adjacent edge pieces is the incorrect color: Perform the following algorithm to flip the corner piece (see table below):
Algorithm R U R’ U’ R U2 R’
Orient the Last Layer Edges
The next step is to correctly orient the edges of the last layer. This involves rotating the edges until their colors match the centers of the adjacent faces.
To do this, hold the cube with the unsolved face facing you. Locate an edge piece that is not correctly oriented. If the edge piece is on the top face, perform the following algorithm:
R U R' U' F U F'If the edge piece is on one of the side faces, perform the following algorithm:
R U R' U' L' U LRepeat this process until all the edges are correctly oriented. Once the edges are oriented, you can move on to the next step.
| Edge Position | Algorithm |
|---|---|
| Top face | R U R’ U’ F U F’ |
| Side face | R U R’ U’ L’ U L |
Permute the Last Layer Edges
8. Commuting Edges
If two edges need to be swapped, they can be commuted using the following algorithm:
“`
R U2 R’ U’ R U2 R’
“`
This algorithm will swap the two edges in the last layer, but it will also rotate the top layer by 90 degrees. To correct this, perform the following algorithm:
“`
R2 D’ R U2 R’ D R’ U2 R
“`
This algorithm will rotate the top layer back to its original orientation while preserving the swapped edges.
| Initial Edge Positions | Commuting Algorithm | Final Edge Positions |
|---|---|---|
|
F U R |
R U2 R’ U’ R U2 R’ |
F R U |
|
F L B |
R U2 R’ U’ R U2 R’ |
L F B |
Other edge pairs that can be commuted using this method include:
*
F B R
*
F B L
*
B L U
*
B R U
Orient the Last Layer Corner
Once you have three of the four corners oriented correctly, you can orient the last corner using the following algorithm:
Step 1: Hold the cube with the correctly oriented corners in the front and right positions.
Step 2: Perform the following sequence: R U R’ U’ R U2 R’
Step 3: This sequence will rotate the misplaced corner 180 degrees, orienting it correctly.
Step 4: Repeat this sequence until all four corners are oriented correctly.
Tip: If the misplaced corner is in the back left position, perform the sequence D L D’ L’ D L2 D’ L’ instead.
Example Algorithm Table
The following table provides a summary of the algorithm steps for orienting the last layer corner:
| Step | Sequence |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hold the cube with the correctly oriented corners in the front and right positions. |
| 2 | Perform the sequence: R U R’ U’ R U2 R’ |
| 3 | Repeat this sequence until all four corners are oriented correctly. |
| 4 | If the misplaced corner is in the back left position, perform the sequence D L D’ L’ D L2 D’ L’ instead. |
How To Solve The Rubix Cube In 20 Moves
Solving a Rubik’s Cube can be a daunting task, but it is possible to learn how to do it in 20 moves or less. With a little practice, you can master the techniques needed to solve the puzzle quickly and efficiently.
The first step is to learn the basic notation for Rubik’s Cube moves. Each move is represented by a single letter: F (front), B (back), L (left), R (right), U (up), and D (down). A move followed by an apostrophe (‘) indicates that the move is done in the opposite direction.
Once you have learned the notation, you can start learning the algorithms for solving the Rubik’s Cube. There are many different algorithms, but the most popular method is the Fridrich method. This method involves solving the cube in seven steps:
- Solving the white cross
- Solving the white corners
- Solving the second layer
- Solving the yellow cross
- Solving the yellow corners
- Solving the yellow edges
- Solving the last layer
Each step of the Fridrich method has its own set of algorithms. Once you have learned all of the algorithms, you will be able to solve the Rubik’s Cube in 20 moves or less.
People Also Ask
Is it possible to solve the Rubik’s Cube in 20 moves?
Yes, it is possible to solve the Rubik’s Cube in 20 moves or less using the Fridrich method.
What is the best way to learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube?
The best way to learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube is to find a good tutorial and practice regularly.
How long does it take to learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube?
With practice, most people can learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube in a matter of days or weeks.
