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How to Solve a 2×2 Rubik’s Cube in 4 Easy Steps

A 2x2 Rubik’s cube, also known as the Pocket Cube or the Mini Cube, is a simpler version of the classic 3x3 Rubik’s cube. It has only 8 pieces, called corners, and no edges or centers.

  • AuthorPosted bymakemylfesadmin
  • Published
  • UpdatedDecember 28, 20232:49 pm
Posted by makemylfesadmin on December 21, 2018. Updated: December 28, 20232:49 pm

You can solve it using the same methods and algorithms as the 3×3 cube, but with fewer steps and moves. In this article, we will show you how to solve a 2×2 Rubik’s cube in 4 easy steps, using the beginner’s method. Let’s get started.

Step 1: Learn the notation and the goal

Before you start solving the cube, you need to learn the notation and the goal. The notation is the way we describe the moves and the faces of the cube. The goal is to make each face of the cube one solid color.

  • The notation uses six letters to represent the six faces of the cube: R (right), L (left), U (up), D (down), F (front), and B (back).
  • A letter by itself means to turn that face 90 degrees clockwise. For example, R means to turn the right face clockwise once.
  • A letter followed by an apostrophe means to turn that face 90 degrees counterclockwise. For example, R’ means to turn the right face counterclockwise once.
  • A letter followed by a 2 means to turn that face 180 degrees. For example, R2 means to turn the right face twice, either clockwise or counterclockwise.
  • The goal is to make each face of the cube one solid color. For example, the yellow face should have only yellow stickers, the blue face should have only blue stickers, and so on.

Step 2: Solve the first layer

The first step is to solve the first layer of the cube. This means to make one face of the cube one color, and also to match the side colors of the corners. You can choose any color to start with, but we will use white as an example.

  • Choose a corner that has a white sticker, and bring it to the bottom right corner of the front face. You can do this by turning the cube and the faces until the white sticker is on the bottom layer, and then moving it to the front right position.

  • Look at the other two stickers on that corner, and find another corner that has the same colors. For example, if the first corner has white, red, and green stickers, find another corner that has red and green stickers, regardless of the third color.

  • Bring that corner to the top layer, and align it with the first corner. You can do this by turning the cube and the faces until the red and green stickers are on the same column as the first corner.

  • Use one of these algorithms to swap the corners and solve the first layer:

    • If the second corner is on the right side of the top layer, use this algorithm: R’ D’ R D
    • If the second corner is on the left side of the top layer, use this algorithm: L D L’ D’

  • Repeat these steps for the remaining two corners of the first layer. You should end up with a white face and a matching middle layer.

Step 3: Orient the last layer

The next step is to orient the last layer of the cube. This means to make the opposite face of the cube one color, without worrying about the side colors of the corners. In our example, the opposite face of white is yellow, so we want to make the top face yellow.

  • Look at the top face of the cube, and count how many yellow stickers you see. There are seven possible cases, not including the already solved case. Here are the cases and the algorithms to solve them:

    • If there are no yellow stickers on the top face, use this algorithm: R2 U2 R U2 R2
    • If there is one yellow sticker on the top face, and it is in the center, use this algorithm: F R U R’ U’ F’
    • If there is one yellow sticker on the top face, and it is in the corner, use this algorithm: R U R’ U R U2 R’
    • If there are two yellow stickers on the top face, and they are adjacent, use this algorithm: F R U R’ U’ F’
    • If there are two yellow stickers on the top face, and they are opposite, use this algorithm: F R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ F’
    • If there are three yellow stickers on the top face, and they form a V shape, use this algorithm: R U R’ U’ R’ F R F’
    • If there are four yellow stickers on the top face, and they form a cross, use this algorithm: F R U R’ U’ F’

  • Repeat the algorithm until you have a yellow face. You may need to do it more than once, depending on the case.

Step 4: Permute the last layer

The final step is to permute the last layer of the cube. This means to move the corners to their correct positions, so that the side colors match. In our example, we want to make the red, green, blue, and orange faces one color each.

  • Look at the top layer of the cube, and find two corners that have the same color on the side. For example, if you see two corners that have red stickers on the side, those are the correct corners. If you don’t see any, that’s okay, just choose any two corners.
  • Hold the cube so that the two correct corners are on the back face, and use this algorithm: R U’ R U R U R U’ R’ U’ R2
  • Look at the top layer again, and see if all the corners are in the right places. If not, repeat the algorithm until they are.

That’s it! You have solved the 2×2 Rubik’s cube in 4 easy steps. You can practice and improve your speed and accuracy by using a timer and a scrambler. You can also learn more advanced methods and algorithms to solve the cube faster and more efficiently. Have fun and enjoy the challenge. 😊

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