The Jargon

The jargon used on this site

How we approach the solution.

If you have ever tried to solve Rubik's Cube face by face, the first thing you will have noticed is that once you have worked out the first or second face and start on the next you frustratingly mess up all the good work you have already done. So basically what you need is a new way of looking at Rubik's Cube.

Instead of looking at Rubik's Cube as a six faced puzzle to be solved, we need to break it down into three separate puzzles, a top layer puzzle, an equator layer puzzle and a bottom layer puzzle, that we will be solving from the bottom up, because this will allow you to see what is happening and give you a better view of what comes next, which will speed up your future solves.

Understanding the terms used on this site.

The Centres	The Edges	The Corners
The Layers

The Faces

Understanding the instructions.

There are three sets of instructions one graphic set and two text sets, simply choose the set that suits you best.

Graphic set

Algorithm code

Descriptive set

L' U

Left face
Anti-clock

Up Face
Clockwise

Each graphic, code element or description indicates a one quarter or 90 degree rotation. The number 2 following a code element indicates a one half or 180 degree rotation.

e.g. U = a 90 degree clockwise rotation of the Up face, U2 = a 180 degree rotation of the Up face.

2x2x2 Cube
Clockwise		Anti-clockwise		Descriptive

	F		F'	Front face
	B		B'	Back face*
	L		L'	Left face
	R		R'	Right face
	U		U'	Up face
	D		D'	Down face

3x3x3 Cube
Clockwise		Anti-clockwise		Descriptive

	F		F'	Front face
	B		B'	Back face*
	L		L'	Left face
	M		M'	Middle (same rotation as Left face)
	(LM)		(LM)'	Left both
	R		R'	Right face
	U		U'	Up face
	E		E'	Equator (same rotation as down face)
	D		D'	Down face
	(DE)		(DE)'	Down both

4x4x4 Cube
Clockwise		Anti-clockwise		Descriptive

	F		F'	Front face
	f		f'	Front inner
	(Ff)		(Ff)'	Front both
	B		B'	Back face*
	b		b'	Back inner*
	(Bb)		(Bb)'	Back both*
	L		L'	Left face
	l		l'	Left inner
	(Ll)		(Ll)'	Left both
	R		R'	Right Face
	r		r'	Right inner
	(Rr)		(Rr)'	Right both
	U		U'	Up face
	u		u'	Up inner
	(Uu)		(Uu)'	Up both
	D		D'	Down face
	d		d'	Down inner
	(Dd)		(Dd)'	Down both

5x5x5 Cube
Clockwise		Anti-clockwise		Descriptive

	F		F'	Front face
	f		f'	Front inner
	(Ff)		(Ff)'	Front both
	B		B'	Back face*
	b		b'	Back inner*
	(Bb)		(Bb)'	Back both*
	L		L'	Left face
	l		l'	Left inner
	(Ll)		(Ll)'	Left both
	M		M'	Middle
	R		R'	Right Face
	r		r'	Right inner
	(Rr)		(Rr)'	Right both
	U		U'	Up face
	u		u'	Up inner
	(Uu)		(Uu)'	Up both
	E		E'	Equator
	D		D'	Down face
	d		d'	Down inner
	(Dd)		(Dd)'	Down both

* The Back face graphics above may appear to be incorrect.
Think of them as if the rotation is being viewed from the front.

IMPORTANT: Before starting any algorithm (sequence) in a solution, the face you choose as your top face must always be held on top and the specified front face (the dark grey face) held facing toward you until the algorithm you are performing has been completed.

To get started go to 3x3x3 cube solution