If you buy a rubik’s cube, it comes with a manual on how to solve it.
Is the method used in their competition is a really different with the manual?
Hi! I solved a lot of cubes a couple years ago and this is what I remember.
The common method used in competitions consists of four steps:
- Cross (making a “cross” on one side)
- F2L (stands for “first two layers”. After this step only one layer remains)
- OLL (stands for “orient last layer” meaning you rotate all the pieces on the last layer so they all face the right way. Therefore after this step you have solved the top side as well)
- PLL (lastly you have to place the pieces on the last layer correctly. PLL stands for “permute last layer”)
Now the cube is solved
Note that you maintain the progress from the earlier steps when you’re done with a new. For example when OLL is done you’ve still done cross and F2L.
The standard beginner method is the same but most of the steps are cut up to two smaller steps. You do this so you don’t have to learn a bunch of algorithms on the cube. Cross stays the same but F2L is cut up to “first layer” and “second layer”, In OLL and PLL you do it separately for corner pieces and edge pieces. I think people just call it “two step OLL” and vice versa. Sometimes you switch the order of OLL and PLL in beginner method. Then the method would look like this:
- cross
- first layer
- second layer
- OLL (for edges)
- PLL (for corners)
- OLL (for corners)
- PLL (for edges)
The great thing is that you can learn the beginners method and then, but by bit, learn the advanced one. It all makes more sense when you have a cube in your hand and a tutorial video ![]()
For a fast cuber it would take a little less than a minute to solve with the beginners method, and just a couple of seconds with the advanced one.
Have fun!
Oh thank you. Im fascinated bout that speed that im w0ndering if they’re using a diff method. Thanks again