A yellow face, two solved lower layers, and all four top corners aligned with their side centers.
Yellow up. Put a completely solved side at the back by rotating the whole cube sideways.
1. Find a whole solved side
The corners are already in the right places. Inspect all four side faces for one whose top edge also matches its center. That entire side will be a single color.
Rotate the whole cube sideways to hold this side at back, keeping yellow up. Do not turn U to move a solved side: U would move the aligned corners out of place.
2. Cycle three edges
R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2
This moves the three other top edges around while leaving all corners and the back edge in place. Complete all eleven moves, then inspect.
- If all sides match, your cube is solved.
- If the same three edges are still wrong, keep the exact same back side and repeat the sequence once. A three-edge cycle can need one or two applications, depending on direction.
3. If no side is solved
Perform the sequence once from any front, with yellow up. A solved side will appear. Rotate the whole cube to put that side at back, then cycle once or twice as in step 2.
This handles both opposite and adjacent double swaps. Do not use a different sequence merely because the first application did not finish the cube.
4. Check every face
Inspect the bottom, back, and left as well as the visible top, front, and right. Every sticker on every face must match its center. If corners are wrong, revisit the previous lesson; if only edges are wrong, stay with this stage.
Your first solve is complete when all six faces match. The next lesson helps you repeat the entire method with fewer prompts.
Need a reminder of the move notation?
R right · L left · U top · D bottom · F front · B back. A plain letter is 90° clockwise looking directly at that face. An apostrophe (′) reverses it; 2 means 180°. Keep the front fixed during an algorithm.
Watch, then try
Work through an example
Use one move at a time first. This prepared case teaches a specific action; use the lesson’s setup instructions to recognize when it applies to your own scramble.
Watch one worked example
The back side is solved. Watch the other three top edges cycle while every corner stays in place. This example needs one application.
Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.
0 / 11
Loading 3D cube…
Prepared position · 0 / 11 moves
Use Next move to follow the sequence.
Drag to inspect other faces. Arrow keys rotate the view when the cube is focused.
Copy this exact example on your own cube
Start with a solved 3×3, yellow up and blue front. Apply the setup below from left to right. This creates the example’s starting position. Keep this separate from the ongoing scramble you are solving through the course.
R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube’s color scheme differs, match the piece relationships using your own colors.
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
Find a solved side, hold it at back, and cycle the remaining edges. If no side is solved, perform one cycle, then find and position the side it creates.
Open a 3×3 Digital Cube for practiceOpens in a new tab so you can keep this lesson beside your practice. Check the lesson goal yourself; the Digital Cube does not grade it.
If you get stuck
The corners moved out of alignment before I began.
You probably used U to position the solved side. Undo that setup turn and rotate the whole cube sideways instead.
The cycle did not solve the three edges.
Keep the solved side at back and apply the same complete cycle once more. The reverse direction needs two applications.
Before moving on
Check your result
Your cube at this stage
All six faces solved
Every face is one color. Check the back and bottom as well as the faces you can see here.
Confirm these on your cube. Watching the animation alone does not complete the lesson.
Check every item when you can do it yourself.