A Rubik’s cube is an ingenious puzzle that was originally invented in 1974 by Hungarian professor Erno Rubik. The goal of the puzzle is to twist and turn the various blocks on the cube until each side of the cube displays one solid color, with no color repetitions on any side of the cube. In this guide, we’ll be tackling how to solve a Rubik’s cube speed cube, but first let’s make sure we know what a speed cube actually is…

The Cross

The first thing you should do when solving the Rubik’s speed cube is figure out which color is facing up. Once you know this, you should move that piece to the bottom layer and make sure it is not in any of the corners. Then, identify which side of the center pieces on each face is showing either yellow or blue. The side that does not have either color needs to be turned so that it does have one of these colors. The same goes for edges. If there are two sides with yellow and two sides with blue, then turn an edge so that there is only one side with either color on it.

The First Layer

Start with the yellow sticker on the bottom center. Find the yellow sticker that matches this one, and put it on in the same place. Now find another yellow sticker that matches that one, and put it on in the same place. Keep finding stickers until you have all six of them. This is what your first layer should look like when you’re done with the first layer, move onto the second. The Second Layer: Take any two opposite corners and hold them together in one hand so that they are touching. You will want to do this for both corners of every pair of opposite corners on each side of your cube.

The Second Layer

The speed cube consists of six faces that can be rotated independently in order to create any permutation possible on a 3x3x3 puzzle. The process is simple, but it is important to learn how to properly execute the steps so you don’t end up with an unsolvable puzzle.

1) Make sure your speed cube is completely flat on the table and your hands are not touching the top or bottom of it. 2) Rotate one face by one layer at a time until you have done all six faces. 3) To solve the top layer, put your fingers underneath the side of the corner piece that is furthest from you, then rotate it away from you and towards yourself until it pops into place.

The Third Layer

When I was introduced to speedcubs, I thought this is the best thing ever! Speedcubes are great for people of all skill levels. Speedcubes are more challenging than the traditional cubes, but the challenge is what makes them so appealing. In order to solve the puzzle, you need only one hand (speedcube requires two hands) and must not use any other tricks such as twisting or shaking.

Speedcubes are available in many types of puzzles including 3×3, 4×4, and 5×5. The 3×3 speed cube has six sides with three layers per side.

Finishing the Cube

With all of the pieces in place, it is time to put the speed cube together. When you are first starting out, it may be easier to use a timer so that you don’t have to worry about looking at your watch and losing your concentration. You can set your timer for six seconds. Press down on one side until it locks into place and repeat this on the opposite side. Continue with the same process until all of the edges have been completed. You will notice that there are two sets of centers left over, one on each side, that need to be completed as well.