Can You Solve A Rubik’s Cube in Two Moves?

No. If you search for how to solve a Rubik’s cube in 2 moves on YouTube, a few videos will pop up with someone trying to convince you of this ‘well-kept secret.’ Some have close to 3m views, while others have over 11m views and claim they can show you how to solve a 2×2 Rubik’s cube in 2 moves or how to solve a Rubik’s cube in 2 moves from any position.

However, they don’t tell you that they mixed it up or scrambled it using the same two moves they used to solve it. When you begin with a solved cube and only execute those two turns repeatedly, it will eventually cycle back to the solved position. A properly scrambled Rubik’s cube will need more than two moves to solve.

You can complete the Rubik’s cube correctly through various methods, and they involve more than two moves. If you’re not a seasoned cube solver, the best approach is the Beginner’s Method, also known as the layer-by-layer method.

It’s the basis of the CFOP speedcubing method, which stands for Cross, First 2 layers (F2L), Orientation of last layer (OLL), Permutation of the last layer (PLL) method. CFOP is popular among world record holders with the fastest solving times.

Let’s explore how you can complete the Rubik’s cube as a beginner using the layer-by-layer method. It’s wise to familiarize yourself with basic Rubik’s cube notations like F: front, R: right, U: up, L: left, and D: down. A single letter alone refers to a clockwise face rotation by 90 degrees. If an apostrophe follows the letter, you turn the face counterclockwise 90 degrees.

How To Solve A Rubik’s Cube

Before you learn how to solve the Rubik’s cube using advanced methods like CFOP, you should ensure you master the beginner’s method. It involves dividing the cube into layers and solving each step by step.

First Layer

Solving the first layer involves a couple of steps:

Step 1: The Daisy Flower

Start by choosing two colors opposite each other on the cube to create a daisy. In this tutorial, we’ll use white and yellow. This step is pretty easy because you don’t have to worry about any solved pieces you could mess up. Hold the cube with the yellow centerpiece on the U(up) face.

Play around with the puzzle, moving the white edges to the yellow face. When finished, the top of your cube should look like a daisy flower with a yellow center in the middle and four white edges. The corner pieces don’t matter at this point.

Step 2: The White Cross

Match the non-white sticker on each ‘daisy petal’ to the centerpieces of the same color. Now turn the face with the matching center two times and perform three repetitions of this process. The goal is to move the four white edges to the face with the white centerpiece.

The cube’s bottom face should have a white cross once you’re done. The edge pieces should have the same color as the side centerpieces in the correct position.

Step 3: White Corners

After the white cross is in place, you’ll finish the first layer by solving the white corners. Rotate the top face to ensure the edge pieces diagonally match the centerpieces of the same color.

You can use basic algorithms at this point to get accurate cube placements. Algorithms are memorized sequences of moves with the desired effect on the Rubik’s cube. They involve a series of rotations you can use to reorient the block into the desired outcome. An apostrophe shows counterclockwise rotations while the number two shows two rotations.

You can perform the right trigger or R U R’ if the matched edge piece on the top layer is on the right of the center. If it’s on the left of the center, perform L’ U’ L. If the white cube is on the bottom layer, perform R’ D2 R D R’ D’ R.

The top layer should have three of the same color, while the second layer has one at the center to form a mini-T.

Middle Layer

Solving the middle layer involves inserting the edge pieces correctly. You should have a whole white face at this point and remain with the right face on the right side of the white face. To solve the second layer, you’ll need to out the non-yellow edges between the centerpieces in the second layer.

Start by rotating the cube until the white face is at the bottom. Use the algorithms below to ensure the edge pieces are in the correct position on each face.

To get the center top piece to the second layer left: U’ L’ U L U F U’ F’

To get the center top piece to the second layer right: U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F

If edge pieces are oriented wrong or aren’t in the top layer: U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F U2 U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F

Last Layer

Step 1: The Yellow Cross

To solve the last layer, you should aim to create a yellow cross on the cube’s top face. If you already have a yellow cross, you can skip this step. If you’re in any of the cases below, you’ll have to flip the yellow edges using the following algorithm to fix all scenarios: U F R F’ R’ U’

• A Yellow Dot

Do the algorithm to get a yellow L.

• The Yellow L

Do an R2 or right twice to out the ‘L’ in the lower back from the front-right corner. Repeat the algorithm to get a yellow line.

• The Yellow Line

Ensure the yellow line is horizontal and perform the algorithm once to get a yellow cross.

Step 2: Aligning The Yellow Cross

You should now align the cross with the centerpieces in the second layer using the following algorithm: U R U’ R U R2 U’
Ensure you line up one of the yellow edges with a similar centerpiece at the top of the cube and perform the algorithm once.

Last Step: Twisting The corners

You’ll need to twist the corners if necessary to solve the Rubik’s cube. Position one of the twisted corners at the top front and perform the following algorithm once: U L U’ L’ U L U’ L’
Repeat the algorithm until you solve the Rubik’s cube.

Conclusion

The beginner method is the best way to solve a Rubik’s cube as a beginner. The more you practice, the better and faster you become to take on more advanced methods that will have you solving the cube in seconds but not in two moves!