How to Solve a Rubik's Cube in Under One Minute

Most people look at a Rubik’s Cube and assume you have to be a genius or put a lot of time into learning how to solve one. Simply put, they couldn’t be more wrong. With a few steps and little memorization, solving one of these puzzles is easier than ever. The issue stems from the Beginner’s handbook most Rubik’s Cube boxes come with. The handbooks are too long and complicated to follow. This instruction set not only simplifies how to solve one of these puzzles, but in a way that the learner can solve, with practice, under a minute.

1.) 3x3 Rubik's Cube

2.) Piece of paper (To write down algorithms)

It’s important to understand how the cube is manipulated before you begin to solve one. If you’ll notice, each side of the cube has a certain letter designated to it. F: Front Face. R: Right Face. L: Left Face. U: Up Face. A combination of these face moves will allow us to solve certain steps of the cube easier; these sets of moves are called algorithms.

Notice that there is a difference when rotating a face clockwise versus counterclockwise. For example, let's use the F face (Front Face). If we turn that face clockwise, it's considered to be F, but if we turn it counterclockwise, it's considered to be F' (Pronounced "F Prime"). The added apostrophe, for any face, delegates that move to mean a counterclockwise rotation on its face. Don't forget that L is a clockwise rotation on the Left Face (Therefore the Left Face will turn towards you) and R is a clockwise rotation on the Right Face, but turns away from you. In the picture, the counterclockwise rotations are designated with an 'i' after. This is the same as an apostrophe, and means the same thing.

Lastly, there are three types of pieces on the 3x3 cube; corner pieces, edge pieces, and center pieces. Remember that center pieces NEVER move.

Link for Figure 1: https://www.rubiks.com/en-us/blog/how-to-solve-the...

Make sure the white CENTER piece is on TOP (On the Up Face). Take note that White is opposite Yellow, Red is opposite Orange, and Blue opposite Green. This is more important on bigger cubes (4x4 and bigger) but it's always good to note on the 3x3.

To begin, look for white EDGE pieces. These edge pieces will have another color with them. Match the white EDGE piece with the white CENTER piece, as well as the color it's matched with and its CENTER piece. Figure 2 shows what a matched up white EDGE piece looks like.

Figure 2 shows the matching of a White/Red EDGE piece with the White/Red CENTER pieces.

Figure 3 shows the matching of a White/Orange EDGE piece with the White/Orange CENTER pieces. This second example of matching is provided to show that the White/Green EDGE piece is MESSED UP when you match the White/Orange together. It's important to fix the White/Green EDGE piece after you insert the White/Orange EDGE piece in the correct space.

There are no algorithms or specific ways to solve this step. It takes practice to learn how to solve the cross faster. Even the best speedcubers struggle with this step from the beginning.

First off, look for the White CORNER pieces. Once you've found one, bring it to the bottom row of the cube. Remember, the White CENTER piece/side should still be on the top of your cube/face.

Bring the corner piece to the bottom row and place it underneath the spot it's supposed to go. Don't forget to correct any White EDGE pieces that you put in place from Step 2 (White Cross). There are three different algorithms that may be needed, depending on how the White CORNER piece is configured.

If you're White CORNER piece is configured as shown in

Figure 1 (White corner is on the right side): D' R' D R

Figure 2 (White corner is on the left side): D L D' L'

Figure 3 (White corner is on the bottom face of the cube. Place it on your right side): R' D D R D D F D' F'

You'll be able to do this for the other four corner pieces.

Now, the algorithms begin to pick up. Flip the cube 180 degrees, with the Yellow CENTER piece on TOP and the White CENTER piece on the BOTTOM now (This means the Up Face is now the Yellow Face).

Look at the four EDGE pieces on the Up Face. If they include a Yellow on them (ie Yellow/Blue EDGE piece), disregard those for this step. ONLY look at EDGE pieces with two colors that are NOT Yellow. There are only four of them (Green/Red, Red/Blue, Green/Orange, and Blue/Orange).

Choose one of those four edge pieces listed (If it's in the top layer) and match the Front Facing color to the CENTER piece. Figure 1 shows a correctly matched Green/Red EDGE piece matching the Red side with the Red CENTER piece.

After the piece is matched up, take a look at the other color on that EDGE piece. In Figure 1, the matching color was Red, and the other color on that edge piece was Green. Take note of the CENTER pieces on the left and right faces of the RED CENTER piece (They are Blue and Green). Because the other color on the edge piece was Green in Figure 1, the edge piece as a whole needs to rotate to the right/clockwise by 90 degrees, as shown. In other instances, the edge piece may need to rotate counterclockwise and be placed in the left side. Figure 2 shows a counterclockwise example with a Blue/Red edge piece needing to be inserted counterclockwise to match up with the Blue/Red center pieces.

Because we can't just rotate the face to insert the edge without messing up our previous steps, take note of which way the edge pieces needs to be rotated into place.

If it's clockwise/to the right (Figure 1): U R U' R' U' F' U F

If it's counterclockwise/to the left (Figure 2): U' L' U L U F U' F'

Continue this for the other four edge pieces, until the second layer is complete. NOTE: If an edge piece is in the wrong place in the second layer, simply swap it out with another edge piece in the yellow layer, using one of the algorithms listed in this step. This will bring it back to the yellow layer, where it can be inserted into the second layer correctly.

Keeping the Yellow face on top, as in the last step, check the configuration of the Yellow EDGE pieces. Last step, we didn't look at these. Now, we may :)

Above shows the three different possibilities for the Yellow EDGE pieces. The fourth configuration is a Yellow Cross already, in which case you may skip this step completely.

If any of those three configurations show up, orient the cube so that the Yellow is still on top, but the Yellow EDGE pieces are in the order pictured. Then execute the algorithm: F U R U' R' F'

You may need to repeat the algorithm if the Yellow Cross doesn't appear right away. Take note of the new Yellow EDGE piece configuration and repeat the algorithm until the Yellow Cross is solved, as shown in the LAST picture.

Figure 1 shows the Yellow Cross completed from the last step. Your cube should still have the Yellow side on top/Up Face. It will stay this way for the rest of the steps.

Check Figure 2 for the configurations of the Yellow CORNER pieces. There are many, so keep track. Each configuration has a different algorithm designated for it. This is arguably the trickiest part of this method and requires the most memorization.

If you don’t want to memorize all these different algorithms, then the algorithm R U R’ U R U2 R’ will suffice, but you will have to complete this multiple times (Check back at the chart each time in order to find the next configuration). The video explains both ways.

You'll know you're finished when all four Yellow CORNER pieces are showing Yellow on top. The whole Yellow Face should be Yellow.

Chart found on: https://ruwix.com/the-rubiks-cube/advanced-cfop-fr...

Now that the Yellow Face is complete, it's time to orient the Yellow Corner pieces so they are in the correct place, whilst keeping the Yellow Face complete from the previous step.

Locate the two corner pieces that match up (Figure 1). If no two colors match up on the same side, you’ll have to simply use the algorithm below one more time in order to match up two corner pieces.

Once you have located the two matching corner pieces, place that on the Left(L) face (Shown in Figure 2) and complete this algorithm: L’ U’ R’ U L’ U2 R U’ R’ U2 L2 R

Finally, rotate the Up Face (U) until all corners are matching with their colored sides.

Sometimes you may get lucky and the cube will be solved after the previous step, but typically you’ll have to permute the last layer’s edges.

There should be three edge pieces that need to be rotated into their correct positions. If all four edge pieces are incorrect, complete one of the algorithms (You choose) until there are only THREE incorrect edge pieces.
Once you have found the three incorrect edge pieces, face the center edge piece in front of you, as pictured, and now note which way the three colors need to be rotated (Clockwise vs. Counterclockwise). In the example given, Blue, Green, and Red edges pieces are incorrect. Place the Red SIDE in front of you/facing you so that it's the F Face now. Therefore, the Blue EDGE piece is facing you. Blue will need to go clockwise, as will the other two colors, in order to match up with their correct side. Sometimes, the three colors will need to rotate counterclockwise.

For clockwise: R R U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'

For counterclockwise: R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R R

CONGRATULATIONS! With some practice and memorization, you’ll be able to solve the cube with this method in well under a minute. My personal record with this method is 21.92 seconds. Nowadays, I’m nowhere near that, but I created this method to help beginner solvers solve quicker than a few minutes, over time. Below is a video explaining these steps, with an example solve.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-YrdoiqREknRTQFW-...