Gather the four white edges — 3×3 Beginner

Before you start

A scrambled cube. Nothing needs to be solved yet.

How to hold your cube

Yellow centre up, white centre down. You may rotate the cube sideways between edges.

The daisy

Four white edges surround the yellow centre. Ignore the corners; their colours may differ on your cube.

Drag the cube to inspect it from above.

1. Find the four pieces you need

Find the four edges with a white sticker. Ignore the white corners. For now, aim to make a white plus sign around the yellow centre. The other colour on each edge doesn’t need to match a side centre yet.

No single sequence will gather all four white edges from every scramble. Use the cases below to work through one edge at a time.

2. Clear the landing position

Before turning a side face to lift a white edge, check the top edge position above that face. If there’s already a white petal there, turn only U until a free slot is above that face. The petals you’ve already placed stay on top as you turn U.

3. Find the case that matches your cube

Where is the white sticker?	What to do
Facing down on a bottom edge	Bring the side with that edge to the front (F), clear the top-front position, then do `F2`.
White faces forward on the front-right edge of the middle layer (FR)	Clear the top-right position, then do `R`.
Facing forwards on the middle-left edge (FL)	Clear the top-left position, then do `L'`.
White faces forward on the top-front or bottom-front edge	Do `F` to move the edge into the middle layer, then follow the matching middle-layer edge case above.
Already facing up	Leave that petal on top; choose another white edge.

If the white sticker faces sideways, an F turn may dislodge a petal from the top-front position. Use U to move that petal out of the way first. Recount the petals after each insertion rather than trying to plan all four at once.

4. Stop at the daisy

You should see white edges at the top-front, top-right, top-back and top-left positions around the yellow centre. Mixed corner stickers are fine. Keep yellow on top. In the next lesson, you’ll match the side colours and move the petals down to the white centre.

Watch, then try

Work through an example

Start by stepping through the example one move at a time. This example demonstrates a specific action. Use the lesson’s setup instructions to recognise when that action applies to your own scramble.

Watch one worked example

Three white petals are already on top. The last white edge is at the bottom-left, with its white sticker facing down. L2 lifts it into the empty top-left position. This completes the daisy; the cube is still scrambled.

Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.

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Loading 3D cube…

Drag to inspect other faces. When the cube has focus, use the arrow keys to rotate the view.

Copy this exact example on your own cube

Start with a solved 3×3, with yellow on top and blue facing you. Follow the setup moves below from left to right to recreate the example’s starting position. Keep this example separate from the scramble you’re solving throughout the course.

F2 R2 B2

Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube has a different colour scheme, use your own colours to identify the corresponding pieces.

Compare the starting position and the result

Before the example

After the full sequence

Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.

Another case: Lift a middle-right white edge

Lift a white edge from the front-right of the middle layer

The white sticker on the front-right edge of the middle layer faces forward. The top-right position is empty. R lifts the edge into that position, with white facing up, to complete the daisy.

Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.

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Loading 3D cube…

Drag to inspect other faces. When the cube has focus, use the arrow keys to rotate the view.

Copy this exact example on your own cube

F2 R2 B2 L2 R'

Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube has a different colour scheme, use your own colours to identify the corresponding pieces.

Compare the starting position and the result

Before the example

After the full sequence

Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.

Another case: Lift a middle-left white edge

Lift a white edge from the front-left of the middle layer

The white sticker on the front-left edge of the middle layer faces forward. The top-left position is empty. L′ lifts the edge into that position, with white facing up, to complete the daisy.

Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.

0 / 1

Loading 3D cube…

Drag to inspect other faces. When the cube has focus, use the arrow keys to rotate the view.

Copy this exact example on your own cube

F2 R2 B2 L2 L

Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube has a different colour scheme, use your own colours to identify the corresponding pieces.

Compare the starting position and the result

Before the example

After the full sequence

Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.

Explain it to yourself

Check your understanding

Now use your own cube

Your turn

Collect one white petal, then two, then three, then four. Before lifting each new edge, make sure its top landing position is empty.

Open a 3×3 Digital Cube for practice

The Digital Cube opens in a new tab so you can keep this lesson open while you practise. Check for yourself whether you’ve met the lesson goal, as the Digital Cube doesn’t assess your result.

If you get stuck

Adding a petal removes one I already made.

Before turning the side face, use U to bring a free top-edge slot above that side. Leave the white edge you want to lift in its lower or middle position while you clear the slot.

Before moving on

Check your result

Your cube at this stage

Four white petals

Four white edges surround the yellow centre on top. The side colours do not need to line up yet.

Confirm these on your cube. Watching the animation alone does not complete the lesson.

Four white edge stickers face up around the yellow centre.I am counting edges, not white corner stickers.I can move an existing petal out of the way to free up a top edge position before adding another.

Tick each item when you can do it yourself.