Rubik solution – corner first

The solve stages of this method are as under

1. Complete a 2 x 2 x 2 block at a selected cube bottom corner.
2. Extend the block to make a 3 x 2 x 2 completed base block.
3. Prepare the edge blocks on the two incomplete faces.
4. Complete the lower two levels of the cube
5. Locate upper corner blocks.
6. Rotate corner blocks so that they are completed.
7. Relocate upper edge blocks to complete cube.

Stage 1 and 2: If you have solved the previous cube you should have enough know how to complete these 2 stages unaided. The cube on completion of these stages will look similar to those illustrated

Stage 3: This stage is about preparing the edge blocks on the two non completed cube faces. The purpose of this stage is to ensure that edge blocks are correctly orientated and therefore easier to manipulate in later solve stages.

What we are looking for is blocks that are incorrect and need to be re positioned. The incompleted top and front face colours are what we look at, in our case above the red and green colours. A red faced block is incorrect if on the green face or on the side of the red face. A green face is likewise incorrect if on the red face or on the side of the green face need repositiconcerned with are the green top and red front face.

In our case the two blocks marked with a cross are incorrect. Any pair of incorrect blocks can be corrected by turning the top and front cube faces so as to position one incorrect block at the top back position and the other at either left front or right front positions. Having done so use the appropriate orange or cyan moves shown to correct that pair. Repeat the process if need be for another incorrect pair

Stage 4: Here we complete the lower two levels of the cube and do so by restricting face turns to the top and front faces only. Hold the completed 3 x 2 x 2 block in one hand so as to prevent the rotating of a wrong face. First put in position the lower front edge block. In our first illustration this is the red white block and already in place. Now we must keep that red – white edge block off the top face so front face rotations are now very limited.

We now assemble, on the top layer, the two blocks destined for front bottom left as also shown in the first illustration. This will usually involve lowering the corner one of the two blocks using a front face F turn while the edge block is positioned, then returning the corner to the top to join the edge block. Sometimes the two blocks need separating for this to be accomplished. Again this is done by moving the corner block to a front face bottom.

Do not lose the red/white to the top face in these processes. Once the pair of blocks are assembled as per the illustration do the move shown. Now we assemble the two blocks for the front bottom right as shown in the middle illustration and do the associated move sequence to complete the lower two layers of the cube.

Stage 5; At this stage we correctly locate the top face corner blocks so that in the following stage we can rotate and finalise them. The two move sequences provided will enable corners to be positioned. The one on the left is called Niklas. The one on the right is called Eve.

Stage 6; The above move sequences will rotate the upper face corner blocks. The two moves illustrated each rotate three corner blocks. The method is to get one corner block correct, if this is not already so. If two are correct both of these corners will need to be involved in the chosen move sequence that establishes one correct corner. Now establish whether the three remaining blocks require clockwise or anti clockwise rotation and do the appropriate move sequence. The move on the left is called Sune. That on the right is its mirror image Sune

Stage 7: We now have the top face edge blocks to reposition. If you did the preparatory work at stage 4 they should not require rotation. The two sequences shown reposition three such blocks. If no blocks are initially finalised you will have two sequences to do at this stage, one to finalise one side face, the next to complete the cube. This move sequence and its mirror image are called Allan and Allan Mirror. 

Leave a Reply