Center
Defines a face and never trades places with another center.
BEGINNER'S METHOD
Your first complete 3×3 solve.
This guide focuses on the piece you need to find, the state that ends each stage, and the mistakes that most often change the result.
Practice on the 3D cube →PIECE BASICS
Identify pieces by their sticker count.
Edge
Belongs between the two centers with matching colors.
Corner
Belongs at the only point where its three centers meet.
NOTATION
How to read turns
Directions are always described while looking directly at the face being turned.
Build the white cross
Place four white edges around the white center and match their side colors.
Build a daisy around the yellow center. Match each edge’s side sticker with its center, then turn that face 180° to send the edge down.
Watch forA white cross with mismatched side colors is not complete.
Common mistakeAlign the side sticker with its center before moving an edge down.
Move on whenAll four side stickers of the white cross continue in a straight line from their centers.
Insert the white corners
Move each white corner below the place where its three center colors meet.
Hold the target slot at the front-right and repeat R U R' U' until the corner is inserted. Remove and reinsert a corner that is trapped in the wrong slot.
Watch forA solid white face can still have a broken first-layer stripe.
Common mistakeRead the other two colors instead of following the white sticker alone.
Move on whenThe bottom is completely white and each side of the first layer is one continuous color.
Solve the middle-layer edges
Choose a top edge without yellow and send it into the left or right slot.
Match its front sticker to the center. Use U R U' R' U' F' U F for a right insertion, or U' L' U L U F U' F' for a left insertion.
Watch forDo not insert an edge containing yellow at this stage.
Common mistakeMatch the front color first, then choose left or right from the remaining color.
Move on whenThe bottom two rows of all four side faces form solid 2×3 blocks.
Make the yellow cross
Orient the yellow edges from a dot, L shape, or horizontal line.
Use F R U R' U' F'. Hold the L with its yellow arms pointing left and back, or hold the line horizontally.
Watch forJudge the four yellow edge positions and ignore the corners.
Common mistakeAn L held at front-right changes the expected result; keep its arms left and back.
Move on whenA yellow cross is visible on top; side colors do not need to match yet.
Complete the yellow face
Twist the yellow corners until the entire top face is yellow.
Place an unsolved corner at front-right-up and repeat R U R' U' until yellow faces up. Turn only U to bring the next unsolved corner into that position.
Watch forRotating the whole cube between corners changes the reference and prevents recovery.
Common mistakeKeep the cube in place and use only U to bring in the next corner.
Move on whenAll nine stickers on top are yellow. The side faces may still be mixed.
Position the yellow corners
Cycle the corners until each one sits between the correct three centers.
If one corner is already in the correct location, hold it at front-right and use U R U' L' U R' U' L. If none is correct, perform the algorithm once from any angle.
Watch forCheck the three-color location, not which way yellow faces.
Common mistakeWhen a reference corner exists, place it at front-right before starting.
Move on whenEach corner’s two side colors match the neighboring center colors.
Align the final edges
Keep one solved side at the back and cycle the final three edges.
With a solved side at the back, use F2 U L R' F2 L' R U F2. Repeat from the same reference if needed, then align U.
Watch forKeep a completed side at the back throughout the sequence.
Common mistakeA final U or U' alignment may remain; that does not mean the algorithm failed.
Move on whenEvery sticker on all six faces matches its center.