Solving the Cube

Posted On July 16, 2023

I was watching a History Channel episode on “The Toys that Built America” that focused on the development of the Rubik’s Cube. It re-sparked an interest in finally solving the cube. I bought one.a couple of years ago with the intent of solving it, but I never got very far. This time, I found a number of YouTube videos on the topic.

By far the most helpful video was by Claudia Carlucci on her “How do you do” channel. She comes at it from the perspective of a newbie. My one complaint, like most of the videos, is that the movements (“algorithms”) are treated as black boxes…just a series of moves you execute in a given situation. There is very little coverage anywhere about what is happening in the 3D geometry realm. CubeHead (above) touches on this a bit but it is not entirely satisfying. I guess I don’t want to just solve the cube…but know what is actually going on.

Apparently, Erno Rubik had a different technique for solving the cube because the description in this video is quite different than the general technique discussed in these “easy” methods.

My son needed photographic proof…from multiple angles:

Solving the Cube

In order to remind myself of how to solve the cube, here are my notes:

• Daisy

• White Cross

• Bottom Corners

• Middle Row
  • To do this, you find the edge piece along the top that you want to move the the side (middle row). You rotate it away from the side it should go that the use the left or right algorithm (left to move the left and right for right). The use the right algo to move the piece with the white side back to the bottom.

• Yellow Cross (mixed sides)
  • You will be starting with nothing, a yellow “L” or a horizontal yellow line. If an L, move it to the back left.
  • The rotate the front face once clockwise, perform a right algo and then rotate the front face CCW to return the whites to the bottom
  • You may have to repeat several times.

• Yellow Cross with matching sides
  • You will have 2 or all 4. Rotate to ensure
  • I lucked out and had all 4
  • But if not, use: R T R’ T R 2T’ R’

• Yellow Corners
  • This just tries to get the right pieces in the right spot on the yellow level…but they may be oriented incorrectly.
  • T R T’ L’ T R’ T’ L
• Final Solve
  • Turn the cube over (yellow on bottom)
  • Pick a face that has a mis-oriented corner
  • Stick with this face throughout
  • Use the Right Algorithm until the yellow face is on the bottom
  • Rotate the bottom layer to expose another mis-oriented corner
  • Use Right Algo
  • Repeat until solved