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How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube - Mini Cube

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By StefanMDP


In this tutorial, you will learn How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube.

If you don't have any experience in the resolution of the Rubik's cubes, to learn how to solve the Mini Cube is a good start point.

The Mini Cube is easy to solve. Mastering the mini cube is a good intruduccion to the resolution of more complex cubes, since the methods are similar.

I suggest that you read through how to solve the Mini Cube first, but if you are only interested in learn how to solve the 3x3x3 Rubiks Cube, you can do it without the need of reading this tutorial.

(But of course, I highly recommend it :) )

The 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube it's also known as Pocket Cube,Mini Cube, Junior Cube, or Ice Cube


How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube
How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube

How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube

In order to understand How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube, you need to be familiar with the notation. If you don't know it, please read 'How to solve a Rubiks Cube' before continuing.

First a description of the algorithm will be shown, and then the movements.

For the purposes of the following tutorial, a series of colors will be chosen for the faces, you can choose others.


Pieces and Layers

  • Corner.- a physical corner piece. A corner piece has three sides. There are eight corners.
  • Face ...- one of the sides of the cube.
  • Layer...- the cube consists of two layers (Top/Bottom).

How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube - Description Of The Algorithm

The algorithm is divided in three steps. In each step a series of moves are executed to solve a cubie. The series repeats (non resolved cubies) until completing the step.

(For a better understanding of the description, the black stickers represents an irrelevant color for that move.)


Step 1, Bottom Layer Corners

Place the correct corner cubes in position on the Bottom layer. When all the corners are in position, the Bottom layer is solved.


Step 2, Orient the Top Layer Corners

Place the correct corner cubes in position on the Top layer, without caring about the other colours around the side.


Step 3, Permute the Top Layer Corners

If the corners are not in their solved positions, the next step is to position the corners correctly.

Congratulations! You have solved the cube.


The Pocket Cube is the 2×2×2 equivalent of a Rubik's Standard Cube.

The cube consists of 8 corner pieces, and no other types of cubies.

The number of possible positions of the cube is 3674160.

An easier version of the Pocket Cube exists, dubbed the "Junior Cube". This version has only two colors, with a picture of a monkey on one face.

This puzzle has many guises, these puzzles change shape when they are mixed, sometimes in quite amusing ways.

All these puzzles can be solved in the same way as the normal mini cube.

How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube - Algorithm

Now that you understood the method, it is time to put in practice.

Step 1, Bottom Layer Corners

Choose a color for the Down Face : (let's take White, it can be any color).

Find in the Top Layer a Corner Piece with the color of the Down Face (White).

There are three possible states (turn the Top Layer if necessary).

Use one of the following procedures to solve the cubie:

Down Face color on Front Face

F' - U' - F
F' - U' - F

Down Face color on Right Face

R - U - R'
R - U - R'

Down Face color on Upper Face

R - U2 - R' - U' - R - U - R'
R - U2 - R' - U' - R - U - R'

If the Corner Piece is in the Bottom Layer in place but not in position, use one of the following procedures.

Down Face color on Front Face not in position

F' - U' - F - U2 - R - U' - R'
F' - U' - F - U2 - R - U' - R'

Down Face color on Right Face not in position

R - U - R' - U' - R - U - R'
R - U - R' - U' - R - U - R'

Rotate the cube cw 90-degree, and look for the Front color of the recently resolved piece (let's take Green).

Now find in the Top Layer a piece with both colors (White and Green) and repeat until all four corners are solved.

Step 2, Orient the Top Layer Corners

A Corner Piece which needs to be oriented is one which does not have the Upper Face color (Yellow).

Identify the corners that need to be oriented, It is possible to have to twist 2, 3, or 4 Corner Pieces.

Turn the Top Layer so that the Corner Piece which needs to be oriented is at the Back-Right.

There are two possible states: Upper Face color (Yellow) on the Right Face or the Back Face.

Upper Face color on the Right Face

R - D - R' - D' - R - D - R' - D'
R - D - R' - D' - R - D - R' - D'

Upper Face color on the Back Face

D - R - D' - R' - D - R - D' - R'
D - R - D' - R' - D - R - D' - R'

After orienting the first Corner Piece the First Layer are scrambled.

DON'T ROTATE THE CUBE, MAINTAIN THE FRONT FACE.

Turn the Top Layer so that the next Corner Piece which needs to be oriented is at the Back-Right and then proceed the same as before.

Once you have twisted all the corners the First Layers will have restored itself.

Step 3, Permute the Top Layer Corners

If the cube is not already resolved, You need to exchange three corners.

Turn the Top Layer so that a Corner Piece is located in its solved position.

Turn the cube in your hands so that you hold it with the solved corner at the Front-Left position.

There are two possible states:

Permute Three Corners Counter-Clockwise

R2 - B2 - R - F - R' - B2 - R - F' - R
R2 - B2 - R - F - R' - B2 - R - F' - R

Permute Three Corners Clockwise

R' - F - R' - B2 - R - F' - R' - B2 - R2
R' - F - R' - B2 - R - F' - R' - B2 - R2

Now you know How To Solve A 2x2x2 Rubiks Cube.


 
 
 
 
 
 
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        Acknowledgement : Table Of Contents by Darkside
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Darkraven  says:
8 months ago

After completing Step 2 sometimes I have to permute only 2 corners instead of 3. I admit that I do Step 1 in my own way, so maybe there's some point in your way of doing it that ensures to come up with 3 corners to be permuted. Is that right?

StefanMDP profile image

StefanMDP  says:
8 months ago

Hi Darkraven

The following movements permute the two Front Corner Pieces :

B U' F' U B' U2 F U' F' U2 F

If the wrong Corners are side by side, place them at the Front.

If the wrong Corners are diagonally to each other, performing the movements with any two Corners will leave three Corners to solve.

Darkraven  says:
8 months ago

Hi and thanks a lot for the help. Actually I have a solution which is a combination of yours and the one in the manual of my cube. The steps are the following:

1st Step: Get bottom layer either way

2nd Step: Put the top layer cubies in the correct place no matter if they're not oriented. To do this I can always rotate the top layer in order to need to permute either

The two back cubes: R B R' D' R' D B'

The right front corner and the left back corner: B' R B' R' D' R' D

3rd Step: Orient the top layer corners using your algorithm.

After performing these 3 steps one may need to rotate the top layer to adjust it to the bottom layer, but that's all.

Darkraven  says:
8 months ago

I said something wrong in the last post. The sentence "I can always rotate the top layer in order to need to permute either..." is false. This would mean that I could always put 2 corners in the right position, but they could be 1 correct and 3 wrong. Anyway using once one of the two sequences in my 2nd step you can get to the situation with 2 correct and 2 wrong corners.

StefanMDP profile image

StefanMDP  says:
8 months ago

Hi Darkraven

Thanks for share your experiences and solutions.

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