Beginner F2L: Insert a Corner–Edge Pair

Before you start

You can consistently solve a 3×3 with the beginner method.

How to hold your cube

Hold the cube with the white cross down and the pair’s empty slot at the front right.

1. Change one part of your method

F2L stands for first two layers. In F2L, you solve a corner and its neighbouring edge together, rather than solving all the white corners before the middle-layer edges. Keep using the beginner method for the cross and last layer while you learn F2L.

Each pair belongs in a slot between two side centres. For the front-right slot, choose the white corner with the front and right colours and the edge with those same two colours.

2. Recognize a pair that’s ready to insert

In the first case, the corner and edge are already paired in the top layer. Their adjacent side stickers form a bar of the same colour, and the pieces are oriented correctly relative to each other for insertion into the slot.

Use the cube net for the example’s starting position to find the white-blue-red corner and the blue-red edge. Check both colours on the edge and all three on the corner. A single matching colour on neighbouring pieces doesn’t guarantee they form a pair you can insert.

3. Insert the prepared front-right pair

R U R'

R opens the slot, U brings the pair over it, and R′ closes the slot, inserting both pieces. The white cross is restored and the corner–edge slot is solved.

This three-move sequence inserts the specific pair shown. The pieces must already be paired for it to work. If they’re separated, use your beginner corner and edge insertions for now, then return to this example to practise.

4. Add cases gradually

Practise spotting pairs that are ready to insert during your usual solves. Learn how to use setup turns to line up a pair above its slot before looking for shorter algorithms. Once you’re comfortable with this case, use the CubeSkills intuitive F2L lessons for more examples of how to form pairs.

This lesson introduces F2L. You can keep using the rest of your beginner method as you learn this step.

Watch, then try

Work through an example

Start by going through the example one move at a time. It shows a specific action from a prepared position. Use the lesson’s setup instructions to recognize when that action applies to your own scramble.

Watch one worked example

The white-blue-red corner and blue-red edge are already connected. Watch R U R′ insert both into the front-right slot.

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. Use the arrow keys to rotate the view when the cube has focus.

Copy this exact example on your own cube

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

R U' R'

Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube’s colour scheme differs, match the piece relationships using your own colours.

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

Recreate the example’s setup on a solved cube, track the connected pair, and insert it. Then compare inserting the pair with inserting the corner and edge separately into the same slot.

Open a 3×3 Digital Cube for practice

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. The Digital Cube doesn’t grade your work.

If you get stuck

R U R′ doesn’t solve the pair I picked.

The pieces must already be paired and oriented as shown in the example. For other cases, use the beginner insertions or review the setup to practise this case again.

Before moving on

Check your result

Your cube at this stage

A corner and edge solved together

The front-right corner–edge slot is solved, and the white cross stays intact. Another slot in the middle layer remains unsolved in this example.

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

I can identify the corner and middle-layer edge that belong in the same slot.I can recognize the connected pair in this example.I understand that this insertion demonstrates a single F2L case.

Check off each item once you can do it yourself.