Rubik’s Cube 101

Ken Yuanyyuan1@uchicago.edu

World Record?

7.08 seconds!!

Moves needed to solve?

God’s Number is 20!

• It takes 20 moves to solve the Rubik’s cube from any position.

• However, what is a move?

Notation

• U• F• L• R• D• B

• x• y• z

• u• f• l• r• d• b

U

F

U’

F

F

F

L

F

R

F

D

F

B

F

f

F

What’s an algorithm?

• “A memorized sequence of moves whose effect on the cube is known“

• Example: R U R’ U R U2 R’

The basic solve• The Cross

• First Layer

• Middle Layer

• OLL (Orient Last Layer)

• PLL (Permute Last Layer)

Alternatives

• Petrus Method

• Roux Method

The Cross

• Good Cross vs. Bad Cross

First LayerR U R’ L’ U’ L

FF

Second Layer

• U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F • U’ L’ U L U F U’ F’

F F

OLL (Orient Last Layer)• Dots/Half Crosses• F R U R’ U’ F’

• Crosses• R U R’ U R U2 R’

Sune vs. Anti-Sune

PLL (Permute Last Layer) Part 1

• R’ F R’ B2 R F’ R’ B2 R2

PLL Part 2

FL R B

F2 U/U’ L R’ F2 L’ R U/U’ F2

Done!

Now what?

Great Websites• Joel’s Speedcubing Site -

http://solvethecube.110mb.com/• Speedsolving Forums -

http://www.speedsolving.com/• WCA Homepage -

http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/index.php

• Speedcubing Store (delivers from Illinois!) - http://speedcubingstore.webs.com/

• Cubesmith - http://cubesmith.com/index.htm• http://www.youtube.com/user/marthaurion0