Make the yellow cross — 3×3 Beginner

Before you start

The white layer and middle layer are complete.

How to hold your cube

Yellow up. For a line, put yellow edges at left and right. For an L, put them at back and left.

Look straight down at the top. Front is the edge nearest you. Grey stickers are not part of this check.

1. Look only at the four top edges

Ignore the corners, even if they are yellow. Around the yellow centre you will see a dot (zero yellow edges up), an L (two adjacent), a line (two opposite), or a cross (all four).

A correctly assembled 3×3 cannot have exactly one or three yellow edges facing up when the first two layers are solved. Recount the edges before assuming the case is unusual.

2. Set up the shape

Shape	Hold it this way	What happens next
Dot	Any front, yellow up	The sequence makes an L. Inspect and set up again.
L	Yellow edges at back and left	The sequence makes a line. Hold the cube so the line runs left to right.
Line	Yellow edges at left and right	The sequence makes the cross.
Cross	Already finished	Skip this sequence and continue.

Use U or rotate the whole cube sideways before the sequence to position the shape. Keep the front fixed during the moves.

3. Do the six moves

F R U R' U' F'

Think “front turn, four-move trigger, undo the front turn”. Complete the final F′ to restore the front layer.

Recount the yellow edge stickers facing up after each full sequence. A dot takes up to three sequences, an L takes two and a correctly held line takes one. Recognising the new shape between sequences matters more than repeating them quickly.

4. Stop when the cross is yellow

The side colours of the yellow edges do not need to match their centres yet. Yellow corners also do not need to face up. Those jobs come later; preserve the first two layers and continue to corner orientation.

Need a reminder of the move notation?

R right · L left · U top · D bottom · F front · B back. A plain letter means a 90° clockwise turn as you look directly at that face. An apostrophe (′) reverses the turn. A 2 means a 180° turn. Keep the same face towards you throughout the algorithm.

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

This example starts with a left–right yellow line. Watch the four edge stickers on U; the final F′ restores the lower layers and completes the cross.

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.

F U R U' R' F'

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: Start with an L

Start with an L

Yellow edges start at back and left. The first six moves make a left–right line; the next six complete the cross. Pause after move 6 and identify the line.

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

F U R U' R' F' F U R U' R' F'

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: Start with a dot

Start with a dot

No yellow edges face up at the start. The first six moves make an L. U2 at move 7 places it at the back-left. The next six moves make a left–right line, then the final six complete the cross. Pause after moves 7 and 13 to recognise the new case.

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

F U R U' R' F' F U R U' R' F' U2 F U R U' R' F'

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

Count only the yellow edge stickers facing up. Choose the matching case, do the sequence, then recognise the new case before repeating.

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

The pattern does not change as expected.

Ignore the yellow corners. Set up the shape again with the L at the back-left or the line running left to right. Make sure you include the final F′.

I see one or three yellow edges facing up.

Check that the lower layers are solved and count only edge pieces. This can be a parity case on a 4×4. It’s unusual on a correctly assembled 3×3.

Before moving on

Check your result

Your cube at this stage

A yellow cross on top

All four yellow edges face up. Yellow corners and the side colours of the top edges may still need work.

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

All four yellow edge stickers face up.I ignored the corner stickers when identifying a dot, an L or a line.The first two layers are still solved.

Tick each item when you can do it yourself.