Step 1: Notation

The first step to solving the cube is to understand how to read and write moves. In order for you to learn what moves to make, you first have to learn move notation. You will not learn the notation of every move, but only the ones we will use in this tutorial. If you wish to learn full notation, there is a link to a website in the "Improvement" page that has an interactive tool to help you. You can always go back and learn full notation later, after you learn to solve the cube. Let's begin!

The Rubik's Cube has 6 sides. In the notation, each side is written with one letter. Here is a visual:

(Click image to enlarge)

The letters correspond to the name of the side:

• Front ( F )
• Back ( B )
• Right ( R )
• Left ( L )
• Up ( U )
• Down ( D )

You will need to memorize each of these letters and their corresponding side. The colors of the sides in the picture do not matter. Do not worry about the arrows in the picture for now, we will address them after you become comfortable with the moves.

When you read a move it may have an apostrophe ( ' ) attached to the letter. This is called a "prime". It would look like ( F' ).

When a move is written without a prime, it means turn the side 90 degrees (1/4 of a full rotation) clockwise. When it is written with a prime, it is counterclockwise.

When a move is written with a ( 2 ) following it, it means turn the side 180 degrees (1/2 of a full rotation).

The ( ' ) and ( 2 ) will never be written together because it does not matter which direction you make a 180 degree turn, it will accomplish the same thing. Make each 180 degree turn whichever direction is more comfortable for you.

For moves on sides other than F, you figure out which direction to turn them by imagining you were looking at them face on. You do not, however, change the position of the cube in your hands when you make the turns. For example, you would make a B turn the opposite direction you would do an F turn.

Below is the same picture from earlier. The arrows show the direction of a clockwise turn, R for example. Remember, a prime ( ' ) means counterclockwise, and no prime means clockwise.

(Click image to enlarge)

Now that you know notation, make sure to practice these moves and become comfortable with them. The learning process takes much longer if you mess up moves often. Here are some practice moves, just do as many of these as you think necessary until you feel confident that you are getting almost all of them right.

B   L2   U'   D2   L'   U   R2   U2   F'   U   R   B   F2   R'   L   D   U'   L2   R'   B'   L'   U   D   U'   R'   F2   R   B2   U   F'   R   R2   F2   U   R'   D'   U   L2   D   U'   L2   D'   F   B   U   D2   R   B2   D'   F   L2   R   B   D'   L2   B2   R2   B   U2   L2   B   R2   B'   D2   F'   L   U'   B2   F   R'   B   U   R