Learn the four-move trigger — Cube Foundations

Before you start

You can read the notation for quarter-turns and their inverses. Keep the scrambled cube from the previous lesson.

How to hold your cube

For the example, hold the cube with yellow on top, blue in front and red on the right. Keep the same face in front throughout.

1. Learn a short sequence of four turns

R U R' U'

A short sequence you use repeatedly is often called a trigger. You’ll use this one to insert the white corners. Read it as “right face clockwise, top face clockwise, right face counterclockwise, top face counterclockwise.” Use the notation lesson to check the turn directions.

2. Follow one piece

Keep your cube scrambled. Before you start, take a photo of each face or note the sticker positions so you can compare them at the end. Pick any corner and remember its three colours. Perform the full trigger once, then find where that corner went. All three stickers stay on the same piece.

Do not try to repair the cube after each individual turn. A useful sequence often moves solved pieces temporarily and restores them later.

3. Repeat with control

Repeat the full trigger six times in total. The cube returns to its exact starting state. After four repetitions, it does not return to the start.

The player shows all six repetitions. Pause after moves 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 to inspect what changed. At move 24, compare every face with the start.

4. Know when this routine helps

Use the trigger as a turning drill. Repeating it alone won’t solve a scramble. In the white-corner lesson, you’ll first choose the correct corner and place it directly above its slot. Then you can use the trigger to insert it.

You’re ready to start a full solve. Continue with the 3×3 Beginner course and work through its solving stages using this same scramble. If your cube is already solved, scramble it before starting the course.

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 direction. A 2 means a 180° turn. Keep the same face toward you throughout the algorithm.

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

In this turning drill, six repetitions return the cube to its starting state. Pause every four moves and keep the same face in front.

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

0 / 24

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' F2 D L2 B U2

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

Perform R U R′ U′ six times on your scrambled cube, pausing after each complete repetition. Count repetitions aloud, then compare all six faces with the starting scramble.

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

My cube is still different from its starting position after six repetitions.

Check the direction of each turn and make sure every repetition ended with U′. Use Previous move to undo one move in the example. On your own cube, undo only the moves you remember.

Before moving on

Check your result

Preparation · no solving yet

Return to the same scramble

Six complete repetitions of the trigger restore your starting scramble. Now that you’ve learned the turning sequence, start solving with the white edges in the 3×3 Beginner course.

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

I can perform all four turns without rotating the whole cube.I finish U′ before checking the result.Six repetitions return my cube to its starting state.

Check off each item once you can do it yourself.