How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube

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3 months ago

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How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: A Fun and Easy Guide for Kids

Have you ever taken a glance at a Rubik’s Cube and thought to yourself, “That looks complicated!”? You’re not the only person. For the majority of folks, this colorful puzzle is a bit hard to wrap their head around at first glance. But guess what? After you learn and gather a little patience, you can teach yourself how to solve a Rubik’s Cube! This guide breaks it down into steps that even an 8-year-old would be able to follow. So let’s get into this exciting journey!

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: What is a Rubik’s Cube?

The Rubik’s Cube is the best known 3D combination puzzle in the world, having six colorful faces. There are nine squares on each face, and these squares need to be twisted and turned so that each color aligns to form a single color on every side of the cube. It was invented by Ernő Rubik in 1974, and over the past few decades, it has become one of the most well-known toys worldwide.

Imagine a colorful puzzle that twists and turns. It’s almost like performing a magic trick with your hands. Each cube has a total of 54 stickers, and when mixed, it appears confusing; however, do not worry as we will learn ways to piece it back together.

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: Why Solve the Rubik’s Cube?

Solving a Rubik’s Cube will not only be fun but also equip you with valuable skills for your life. Here are some of the reasons you might want to learn how to solve it:

Problem-Solving Skills: It will teach you about critical thinking, breaking down a problem into steps, and then solving those steps one at a time.

Patience and Perseverance: Sometimes you will get stuck, but then, with practice, you’ll learn to keep trying until you get it right.

Hand-Eye Coordination: Through jerking the cube into various directions, your motor skills will be enhanced.
Sense of Accomplishment: The feeling of actually solving the cube after much struggle is simply epic!

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: Getting to Know the Cube

Let’s learn a couple of terms and parts of the Rubik’s cube before actually proceeding to solve the same:

Center Pieces: These pieces are fixed in the center of each face without moving, and they show what color each side should be.

Edge Pieces: These pieces fall between corners and display two colors. There are 12 of these.

Corner Pieces: These are the pieces on the corners of the block, with each showing three colors. There are a total of eight of them.
Faces: The cube has six faces, each a different color: white, yellow, blue, green, red, and orange.

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now that we have some information about the cube, let’s dive into how to solve a Rubik’s Cube, step by step! We are going to take a look at the beginner’s method—easy and effective.

Step 1: White Cross

First, the white cross must be solved on the top face of the cube by aligning the white edge pieces with their associated color center pieces.

Search for the White Edge Pieces: Search about for the white edge pieces.

Position the Edges: Rotate the cube until the white edge piece lands at the bottom layer, then move it to match up with the color in the center.

Move to the Top: Once this edge piece has been matched with its center, twist it up to the top layer.

Repeat: Do this for all four white edge pieces until you have a white cross!

Step 2: Solve the White Corners

Now that you have the white cross, it’s time to put the white corner pieces in their correct positions.

Locate a White Corner Piece: Find a corner piece that has white on it.

Face the Correct Position: Hold the Rubik’s Cube so that the white corner is above where it must go.

Perform the Algorithm: Perform the following algorithm until the white corner is in its place.
R U R’ U’
Continue doing this until you finally have a correct position of the white corner piece.
Continue with all four white corners.

Step 3: Complete the Middle Layer

Now that the white face is completed, finishing the middle layer remains.

Find an Edge Piece: Observe the first layer and search for one edge piece that has no yellow color.
Position Above the Correct Spot: Rotate the cube such that the edge piece is above its correct position.

Run the Algorithm: Depending on which way the edge needs to go, use one of the following:

To move left: U L’ U’ L U F U’ F’

To move right: U R U’ R’ U F U’ F’

Repeat: Do this until the middle layer is solved!

Step 4: Yellow Cross

Almost there! Your next target is to make a yellow cross on the top face.

Yellow Edges Placement: You may have to do the following algorithm to have your yellow edges placed correctly:
F R U R’ U’ F’
You may have to perform this steps until a yellow cross is formed.
Now, with the yellow cross, oriented fit the yellow corners into their right positions.

Locate a Yellow Corner: Look for a yellow corner already in the right place. If one or more corners are correctly placed, apply the given algorithm.
R U R’ U’ R U U R’ U’ U R U U R’ U’ U R U’ F’ U F U’ F’ U F U’ Join

Repeat: Keep repeating this algorithm, and the corners will be in their right place.

Step 6: Yellow Corners Orientation

Now we have all the yellow corners in the right spots—not yet oriented, of course, but we’re about to fix that right now.

1. Hold the Rubik’s Cube: In the last step of this guide, we held the cube with the one unsolved corner in the front-right. If you did scramble slightly, then try and get the orientation in the same way.

2. Algorithm: Keep applying the following algorithm until the corner is oriented.
R’ D’ R D

3. Repeat the above steps until all the four-piece corners show yellow and only the yellow side.

Final Adjustments: Keep adjusting the cube until all the pieces are in the correct position.

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: Success Tips

Practice makes Perfect: It gets frustrating, but do not stop if it isn’t solved just yet. Keep on practicing!

Take Breaks: Sometimes, when you feel frustrated, then stop for some time and get back to it later on.

Watch Tutorials: Sometimes watching someone else doing it helps a person to see things from a different perspective. There are so many great videos out there!

Stay Organized: Organize your workspace. This will help you to work in the cube with a clear mind.

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: Updates

A Rubik’s Cube remains a possession of endearment to a few of us. Here are some updates on cubing:

Speed cubing Contests: These have gained quite a reasonable popularity where a handful of people take part in finding out the least time taken to solve the puzzle. People can do it in less than 5 seconds!

New Cube Designs: They are being created with different shapes and sizes, some inventing even new types of cubes, hence making this puzzle more intriguing.

Educational Uses: Many schools incorporate the Rubik’s Cube into their curricula to teach students about problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Online Communities: Where cubers even share tips, tricks, and even their own personal techniques to solve the cube.

How to Solve a Rubik’s Cube: Conclusion

Congratulations! You now know how to solve a Rubik’s cube. It may seem really hard and complex in the beginning, but trust me—this colorful puzzle can be solved with a little practice and colossal patience. Remember, once upon a time, every expert was once a beginner. Keep trying; don’t give up.

Take out your Rubik’s Cube and have fun solving it by following these steps. Whether you want to impress your friends, challenge yourself, or bask in the happiness that finally piecing something together brings, the Rubik’s Cube is undoubtedly going to be one of the most fantastic ways. Happy cubing!