Linking Corners and Edges

Linking Bottom Layer Corners and Middle Layer Edges

This short cut combines the solutions of the bottom layer corners and equator layer edges. Also known as F2L which is an acronym for, "first two layers".

REMEMBER: Before starting any algorithm, make sure that the front (dark grey) face is facing you and the top layer is on the top.

The aim of this short cut is to take you from this

to this

completing the bottom and middle layers

This shortcut we start with the bottom layer corner on the top layer with its down face colour on a side face of the cube in this example the yellow face.

You work out the following configurations below with a three rotation solution. Configuration 1, has the matching corner and edge on opposite faces of the cube one rotation away from being paired and configuration 2, has the matching corner and edge already paired on the top layer.

Both configurations should be familiar to you from the algorithms for solving the equator layer. In the equator layer algorithms, configuration 1, is achieved on the second rotation but the bottom edge is out of position and configuration 2, is achieved on the fifth rotation.

In the examples below note that the starting configurations are determined by the relationships between the blue faces.

Configuration 1

Front face dark grey.

L'	U'	L

Left face Anti-clock	Up face Anti-clock	Left face Clockwise

R	U	R'

Right face Clockwise	Up face Clockwise	Right face Anti-clock

Configuration 2

Front face dark grey.

R	U'	R'

Right face Clockwise	Up face Anti-clock	Right face Anti-clock

L'	U	L

Left face Anti-clock	Up face Clockwise	Left face Clockwise

To make this a method for solving the cube the above configurations can be achieved in five rotations or less.

This may appear to be difficult when you are first trying to make it happen but if you persevere with it all of a sudden it will click with you and become second nature and your solve times will be a lot quicker than completing the first layer corners, before starting on the equator edges.

Corner and matching edge both on the top layer

If the matching edge is on the top layer;

rotate the up face to a position where you can rotate the corner to the bottom layer without the corner and edge of a solved pair coming to the top layer
rotate the corner to the bottom layer
rotate the up face, so that the matching edge is in position to achieve either configuration when the corner is rotated back to the top layer
rotate the corner back to the top layer
rotate the up face to a starting configuration above

IMPORTANT NOTE: when you rotate the corner down make sure that the corner and edge that come to the top layer are not a previously solved pair.

Corner on the top layer and matching edge on the middle layer

If the matching edge is on the middle layer, then configuration 1, is our target configuration;

rotate the up face so that when the matching edge is rotated to the top layer opposite the corner, the colour on the up face of the edge matches the colour on the side face of the corner
rotate the middle layer edge to the top layer
rotate the up face so that the bottom corner and middle edge relationship is not disturbed when you return the bottom layer edge to the bottom layer
return the bottom layer edge to the bottom layer
rotate the up layer to a starting configuration above.

Corner on bottom layer matching edge on top layer

This is the same as, "Corner and matching edge both on the top layer", but we skip the first two steps which place the corner on the bottom layer.

Corner on the bottom layer matching edge on the middle layer

Turn either the corner or edge to the top layer and follow the appropriate instruction set/s above.