Written by Eric on his birthday in 2001, and revised on his birthday in 2002.
Feel free to copy and/or modify this document for your own use(s) as you see fit.
The cube can be broken down into three main categories:
Learn the definitions
Learn the general procedure
Learn the specific combinations for each segment
First of all: Get yourself a Cube! Then learn the definitions.
A Cube is made up of 26 cublets (the little cubes that all come together to make the big cube).
There are three types of cubelets to a Cube:
Center cubelets (note that centers do not move):
Edge cubelets:
Corner cubelets:
When making a turn, you turn one of the following faces a quarter-circle turn in one of the specified directions:
Top and Bottom (turns left or right):
Left and Right (turns up or down):
Front and Rear (turns clockwise or counter-clockwise):
When solving a portion of the cube, there are often two steps: positioning and orienting.
Positioning a cubelet means putting it in the correct location, yet not necessarily facing in the correct direction.
In the following, the upper-right cubelet is positioned correctly
(the white, red and green cubelet is between the white, red and green centers)
but it is not correctly oriented:
Orienting a cubelet means facing it in the correct direction, yet not necessarily putting it in the correct location.
In the following, the upper-center cubelet is oriented correctly
(the top center color, white, is facing up, and the side color, red, is facing out),
but it is not in the correct position:
In the following, all accounted-for cubelets are positioned and oriented correctly:
Next: Learn the general procedure.
Basically, the Cube is solved layer by layer, as broken down here:
If you are still feeling that you can solve the cube on your own with only a minor hint, then do not read beyond this section.
Step 1: Choose a top color. Keep the center-cubelet that matches this color on top at all times!
Top Layer:
Step 2: Solve the top-layer edges.
Step 3: Solve the top-layer corners.
Middle Layer:
Step 4: Solve the middle-layer edges.
Bottom Layer:
Step 5: Orient the bottom-layer edges.
Step 6: Position the bottom-layer edges.
Step 7: Position the bottom-layer corners.
Step 8: Orient the bottom-layer layer corners.
Step 9: Show off your new-found skill to everyone you know.
Finally: Learn the specific combinations for each segment.