Learn 3×3 Notation:
Real fast, if you’re looking at Rubik’s 3×3 notation and you don’t already have a cube consider getting one here! This is an Amazon affiliate link, so if you buy it from here Amazon gives me a tip for the referral.
THE MAIN IDEA: Rubik’s 3×3 Notation is like English or any language–just specific to the rubik’s cube. It’s how moves on a Rubik’s Cube are recorded, just like you would use English to write in a journal.
THE BASICS: there are six faces on a rubik’s cube, and a letter for each one. F=front, B=back, U=up, D=down, R=right, L=left. If I said the letter (F) to you, that would mean turn the front face clockwise.
PRIME ROTATION: any letter with an apostrophe ‘ after it marks a prime, or counterclockwise, rotation.
DOUBLE ROTATION: F2 means rotate the front face twice. It doesn’t matter which direction.
WIDE ROTATION: f means rotate the front face and the middle row that goes with it. The same is true for each letter that is lowercase.
MIDDLE SLICE: M, E, and S notate what are called “middle slices”. They describe turning the middle layer. The “M”iddle layer turn is in the same direction as an L turn, the “E”quatorial layer turn is in the same direction as a D turn, and the “S”tanding layer turn is in the same direction as an F turn. The names seem pretty random, but there you have it.
WHOLE CUBE ROTATION: X, Y, and Z notate rotating the whole cube, along the X Y and Z axis. The X rotation is in the same direction as an R turn, Y as a U, and Z as an F.
Congrats on finishing the article! Now you’re ready to solve the 3×3.