4 Basics You Must Know Before Solving Your First Rubik’s Cube

Ever picked up a scrambled Rubik's Cube, twisted it a few times, and immediately felt your brain scramble along with it? You aren't alone. Most people try to solve the cube "face by face," getting one side solid color only to mess it up while trying to fix the next.

Here is the secret: You don’t solve the Rubik's Cube by faces; you solve it by pieces.

Before you learn the algorithms, you need to understand the machine. Let’s break down the anatomy, the rules, and the language of the cube.

1. Know Your Pieces: The Anatomy of a Cube

A standard 3x3 cube isn't just a block of plastic; it is a grid of distinct pieces. Understanding the difference between them is the first step to mastery.

The Center Pieces (The Anchors)

Location: Dead center of each face.
Count: 6 pieces.
Faces: 1 colored face.
The Golden Rule: Center pieces never move. No matter how much you twist the layers, the White center will always be opposite the Yellow center. They determine the color of that entire side.

The Edge Pieces (The Connectors)

Location: Situated directly between corner pieces.
Count: 12 pieces.
Faces: 2 colored faces.
Function: These connect the centers. You cannot put an edge piece in a corner slot—it simply won't fit.

The Corner Pieces (The Complex Ones)

Location: The far corners of the cube.
Count: 8 pieces (4 on the top layer, 4 on the bottom).
Faces: 3 colored faces.
Note: These are the trickiest to track because they have three different colors to match up simultaneously.

2. The Color Scheme: The Rules of Orientation

If you take apart a standard cube and put it back together randomly, it becomes unsolvable. Why? Because the color layout follows a strict logic.

The Law of Opposites:

White is always opposite to Yellow.
Blue is always opposite to Green.
Orange is always opposite to Red.

Pro Tip: When holding the cube with White facing you and the Red side will usually be on your Left, Green will be on the top and Orange will be on right side. Memorizing this order helps you know where pieces "belong" before you even move them.

3. The Layers

To follow instructions, you need to view the cube as a 3D object made of layers, not just flat sides. Note - Consider that you are facing the red side and then understand below layers.

Right (R) & Left (L) Layers: The vertical slices on the sides.

Top (U) & Bottom (B) Layers: The horizontal slices at the head and foot.

Front (F) & Back (B) Layers: The face staring at you and the one hidden behind.

Middle/Center Layer: The slices sandwiched between the others (advanced solvers use these, but beginners usually skip them!).

4. Cube Notation: Speaking the Language

If you look up a solution online, you will see strings of letters like R U R' U'. This isn't code; it’s a map. Each letter refers to a face, and the punctuation tells you which way to turn it.

The Standard Moves:

R (Right): Turn the Right layer upward (Clockwise).
R’ (Right Prime): Turn the Right layer downward (Counter-Clockwise).
L (Left): Turn the Left layer upward (Clockwise relative to the face).
L’ (Left Prime): Turn the Left layer downward (Counter-Clockwise).
U (Up): Turn the Top layer to the left (Clockwise).
U’ (Up Prime): Turn the Top layer to the right (Counter-Clockwise).
F (Front): Turn the Front layer to the right (Clockwise).
F’ (Front Prime): Turn the Front layer to the left (Counter-Clockwise).

Easy Memory Trick: Imagine you are facing the side you are turning. A standard letter (like R) means turn it Clockwise (like a clock hand). A letter with an apostrophe (like R’) means turn it Counter-Clockwise.