Simply Rubik
A solution for beginners and much more

Solution 4, Final Layer Position then Orient

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 section is to take you from this

  

to this

  

solving Rubik's Cube.

This solution assumes that you can solve the first two layers.

Important: To successfully solve the top layer each step must be completed in the order it appears on this page.

Step 1. Positioning The Edges

If all four edges are are in the right position then go to, "Step 1: Positioning The Corners".  Determining whether or not an edge is in the correct position may be difficult because they are disoriented, the best thing to do is ignore the top face colour and concentrate on the other colour. You can learn just one algorithm and use it to solve the positioning of the edges, however, you will need to use it twice if the rotation of the edges is the opposite clock to the algorithm you learn.  Rotating the Middle on its own reduces the size of the algorithms, making them easier to remember.

Front face dark grey
M'
 
M
   
M'
  M
(LM)' L U' (LM) L' U'2 (LM)' L U' (LM) L'
Left both
Anti-Clock		 Left face
Clockwise		 Up face
Anti-clock		 Left both
Clockwise		 Left face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Anti-clock		 Left both
Anti-Clock		 Left face
Clockwise		 Up face
Anti-clock		 Left both
Clockwise		 Left face
Anti-clock

 

Front face dark grey
M'
 
M
   
M'
 
M
(LM)' L U (LM) L' U2 (LM)' L U (LM) L'
Left both
Anti-Clock		 Left face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Left both
Clockwise		 Left face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Left both
Anti-Clock		 Left face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Left both
Clockwise		 Left face
Anti-clock

Step 2. Positioning The Corners

If the corners are in the correct position then go to, "Step 3: Orienting The Corners".  If not then the front face has the correctly positioned corner on the right as represented yellow in the diagram on the left. This may be difficult to detect because the corners are disoriented. Check that the colours match the three adjacent centres. You can make it easier by ignoring the up face colour and concentrating on the other two.

You can use just one algorithm, which may have to be performed twice to correctly position all four corners.  The algorithm below moves the gold corners in an anti-clockwise direction.

Front face dark grey
U R U' L' U R' U' L
Up face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise		 Up face
Anti-clock		 Left face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Clockwise		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Up Face
Anti-clock		 Left face
Clockwise

You can use this algorithm to rotate the gold corners in a clockwise direction.  Note the front face has changed.

U' L' U R U' L U R'

Step 3. Orienting The Corners

If all four corners are correctly oriented then go to, "Step 4: Orienting The Edges".  If none are correctly oriented then it doesn't matter which face you use as the front face for the algorithm, however, once you have chosen one you must keep it until all the corners are correctly oriented.

If there are two or three incorrectly oriented corners then the first incorrect corner gold in an anti-clockwise direction from a correct corner yellow as in the image to the left determines the front face.

You will mess up the bottom two layers when orienting the top layer corners, however, when the final corner is correctly oriented the bottom two layers reset. The most common mistake with this algorithm, causing the top two layers to be messed up once the corners are oriented correctly, is not making the last move of the algorithm because you can see the corner is correctly oriented on the second last rotation. So it doesn't hurt to count them off 1 t0 8 before checking.

Complete the sequence then check to see if the corner is correctly oriented (hint concentrate on the top row only) if not repeat the complete sequence, when a corner is correct keeping the original front face rotate the up face clockwise so that the next disoriented corner has taken the place of the one you have just corrected. Continue this process until all of the bottom corners are correctly oriented then rotate the up face to complete the solution.
Front face dark grey
L D L' D' L D L' D'
Right face
Clockwise		 Down face
Clockwise		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Clockwise		 Down face
Clockwise		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock

This algorithm rotates each corner in a clockwise direction.  You need perform the algorithm three times for the first two layers to reset.  Consequently, if you have two disoriented corners one will need the algorithm to be performed twice.  Generally when there are four corners to be oriented two of them will require the algorithm to be performed twice.

When there are three corners to be oriented you will either perform the algorithm once for each corner or twice for each corner.  To overcome the need to perform the algorithm twice for each corner if the corners need to be rotated anti-clockwise to be oriented correctly you can use the following algorithm.  Note the front face has changed and you now rotate the top face anti-clockwise to the next disoriented corner.

R' D' R D R' D' R D

Step 4. Orienting The Edges

If all four edges are correctly oriented you are done.  Otherwise you are nearly there, but these are two whopper algorithms.  However, rotating the equator/middle layer on its own shortens them quite a bit.  

Front face dark grey
 
E'
   
E2
       
F (DE)' D R2 (DE)2 D'2 R' U2 R
Front face
Clockwise		 Down both
Anti-clock		 Down face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise
E2
   
E
         
(DE)2 D'2 R' (DE) D' R U2 R' F'
Down both
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Front face
Anti-clock

 

Front face dark grey
 
E'
   
E2
     
R' (DE)' D R2 (DE)2 D'2 R' U2
Right face
Anti-clock		 Down both
Anti-clock		 Down face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise		 Right face
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Up face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise
 
E2
   
E
     
R (DE)2 D'2 R'2 (DE) D' R U2
Right face
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Anti-clock		 Down both
Clockwise		 Down face
Anti-clock		 Right face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise		 Up face
Clockwise

NOTE:  If you are solving a cube with pictures, letters or numbers on the faces, such as a Sudoku cube, this solution will more often than not leave you with centres that are not correctly oriented so the following statement is not strictly correct.  For a solution for picture cubes and algorithms for rotating centres see 3x3x3 Extras.

That's it, you have solved Rubik's Cube, happy cubing.
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