Welcome back! Now that you’ve mastered the Skewb, it’s time for your next challenge — The 2×2×3 cuboid! It looks like a stretched Rubik’s Cube, and it’s one of the simplest “shape mods” you can solve. Even though it’s not as common as the 3×3 or 2×2, it’s a great stepping stone into the world of cuboids. The good news is that the solve is pretty straightforward, and you only need a couple of short algorithms.

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How to Solve the 2×2×3

Prefer to watch a video tutorial? We really like this tutorial by Z3 Cubing!

Step 1: Understand the Puzzle

The 2×2×3 cuboid has:

• 8 corners (like a 2×2 cube)

• 4 edges in the middle layer

Your goal is to:

1. Solve the two “2×2” layers (top and bottom).

2. Solve the middle edges so the puzzle is complete.

Step 2: Solve the First Layer

Choose one color to start with (say, white). Solve the entire bottom 2×2 layer just like you would on a 2×2 cube.

At this stage, you only need to place the four white corners around the white center. Don’t worry about the top or middle yet.

Step 3: Solve the Top Layer

Now flip the cuboid so your solved side is on the bottom. You’ll work on solving the top 2×2 layer (the other short face).

Use the beginner method from the 2×2 cube:

• To orient the top corners (make the whole face one color), use:
  R U R’ U R U2 R’

• To permute the top corners (get them in the right spot), use:
  R U’ R U R U R U’ R’ U’ R2

After this step, both the top and bottom 2×2 layers should be solved.

Step 4: Fix the Middle Edges

Now you’ll only have the four middle edges to worry about. They might be:

• Already solved ✅

• Swapped in pairs 🔄

• Or flipped incorrectly ❌

To cycle the middle edges, use this simple algorithm:

(R2 U) (R2 U R2 U2 R2 U2)

This swaps the top-front and top-back edges. Perform it until all four edges are in the right place.

Step 5: Check for Parity

Unlike the standard cube, cuboids can sometimes fall into a parity error (an impossible-looking state). For the 2×2×3, the most common is when two opposite edges are swapped.

To fix it, do this sequence:

(R2 U2) (R2 U2 R2)

This will restore the cuboid to a solvable state.

Step 6: Celebrate 🎉

That’s it! You’ve solved the 2×2×3 cuboid. With just a couple of short algorithms, you can master this fun little puzzle.

Final Tips

• Think of the 2×2×3 as “a 2×2 cube with extra edges.” The first part of the solve is just like a 2×2.

• The only new trick is handling the middle edges and parity.

• Once you’re comfortable, you can try other cuboids like the 3×3×2 or 3×3×4 — they build on the same concepts.

We’ll see you back in a month for your next challenge!