A complete white layer, with the bottom row on each side matching its centre.
White down, yellow up. Face the centre that matches the selected edge’s side sticker.
1. Find an edge that belongs in the middle
Look around the top layer for an edge with no yellow. White edges are already solved below, so this piece has two side colours. Ignore all yellow edges for now.
Turn U until the edge’s side-facing colour matches a side centre. Rotate the whole cube sideways to face that centre. The edge is now at top-front, forming a matching vertical line on F.
2. Decide left or right
Look at the sticker facing up on that edge. If its colour matches the right centre, use the right insertion. If it matches the left centre, use the left insertion. Do not decide by where the piece happens to be sitting on the screen.
| Destination | Full insertion sequence |
|---|---|
| Front-right | U R U' R' U' F' U F |
| Front-left | U' L' U L U F U' F' |
Keep the same face at the front for all eight moves. The first part opens the slot. The second inserts the edge and restores the white corner.
3. Check and repeat
The inserted edge should match both neighbouring centres. The white layer should be restored. Choose another top edge without yellow, line it up, and insert it.
The two worked examples below show the right and left cases separately. Use the same relationship between colours shown in the example. Your front face may have different colours.
4. Eject an edge that is stuck or flipped
If a middle edge is wrong, place its slot at front-right and perform the right insertion with any top edge, even a yellow one. This pushes the wrong edge up. Find it, line its side sticker up with its matching centre, and use the correct insertion to put it back.
If no useful edge remains on top but the middle is unfinished, an edge is trapped below. Use this same recovery instead of scrambling the solved layer.
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
The top-front edge’s side colour matches F and its top colour matches R. Watch the right insertion move that edge into FR while restoring the white corner.
Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.
0 / 8
Loading 3D cube…
Prepared position · 0 / 8 moves
Use Next move to follow the sequence.
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.
F' U' F U R U R' U'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
Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.
Another case: Insert to the left
Insert to the left
The top-front edge’s top colour matches L. The left insertion places it at FL and restores the white layer.
Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.
0 / 8
Loading 3D cube…
Prepared position · 0 / 8 moves
Use Next move to follow the sequence.
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.
F U F' U' L' U' L UThen 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
Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.
Explain it to yourself
Check your understanding
Now use your own cube
Your turn
Solve each non-yellow edge using the left or right case. If all top edges contain yellow but the middle is unfinished, eject a wrong middle edge and reinsert it.
Open a 3×3 Digital Cube for practiceOpens 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
The edge went into the correct slot but is flipped.
Eject the edge with the right insertion. Once the edge is back in the top layer, align its side sticker with the matching centre again. Use the colour of the upward-facing sticker to choose the insertion.
Only yellow edges remain on top.
Inspect the middle layer. If it is not solved, eject one of its incorrect edges using the recovery step.
Before moving on
Check your result
Your cube at this stage
First two layers solved
The bottom two rows of every side match. Only the top layer remains to be solved.
Confirm these on your cube. Watching the animation alone does not complete the lesson.
Check off each item once you can do it yourself.