Instructions for Rubik’s Cube

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Introduction

Legend

Each step of these instructions is a sequence of rotations of the Cube, also known as algorithms, with the objective of moving a particular “cubie” within the Cube. One rotation consists of a quarter-rotation of an individual Cube side. The sequence of letters in each step indicates both the execution order and designates which Cube side the action is to be applied to. A standard rotation is clockwise from a frontal perspective. Exceptions – rotations in the counter-clockwise direction – are annotated by a small “i” .

Before you dive into the project, take a moment to acquaint yourself with correct, standardized handling of the Cube: Both thumbs are placed on the “front” side F. The F side is any side you wish to define as “front”. Using this hand positioning will enable you to execute steps described in the following.

U

BL

FR

D

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�� R – Right face�� L – Left face�� B – Back face�� D – Down face�� F – Front face�� U – Upper face�� i – Inverse

(rotate in counter-clockwise direction)

�Important: In order to clockwise-rotate a side, you

need to imagine the relevant Cube side directly in front of you.

Introduction

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STAHL CraneSystems Rubik’s Cube

Conceptual Cube for use with these instructions

Legend

�� Orange – orange side with facelet texts�� Black – SC-Logo�� White – STAHL-CraneSystems-Logo�� Green – ST-Logo�� Yellow – Photo side with SC chain hoist�� Blue – blue side with facelet texts�� Grey – cubies irrelevant to the current step

Introduction

Legend

First off, it is important to know that the Cube consists of three different types of “cubies”. The centre cubies are single-coloured and determine the colour for the respective side. Edge cubies are always two-coloured. The third type are the corner cubies, which are three-coloured. The colour coding makes it possible to allocate a cubie to its correct “slot” (home position). That means: If a cubie is tri-coloured Blue-Green-Black, then this cubie must be a corner cubie. The slot for this cubie must be located at the juncture between the Green, Black and Blue sides.

�� R – Right face �� L – Left face�� B – Back face �� D – Down face�� F – Front face�� U – Upper face�� i – Inverse

(rotate in counter-clockwise direction)

�With time, you‘ll soon be able to carry out the movement sequences by heart.

�� Rotate Upper layer in clockwise direction�� Rotate Front side in counter-clockwise direction�� Rotate Left side in counter-clockwise direction

(rotate upward away from you)�� Rotate Right side in clockwise direction

(rotate upward away from you) �� Rotate Left side in clockwise direction

(rotate toward you)�� Rotate Right side in clockwise direction

(rotate away from you)�� Rotate Down side in counter-clockwise

direction

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Example: U Fi Li R L R Di

U

BL

FR

D

The individual steps

B – Rotate the Back sideby one-quarter turn clockwise

Ri – Rotate the Right side by one-quarter turn counter-clockwise

It is possible for one step to solve up to four cubies simultaneously if the cubies are not already located in their “slots” (correct home positions). Please bear in mind that the cubes depicted herein show only ONE possible state of the Cube. In many cases, you will need to turn the entire Cube to present a new “start side“ and then execute the instructions again before you can proceed to the next step. You will first perceive the end result after you have implemented all the steps for all four sides and all cubies are located in their correct slots. Before you achieve the goal, it is also quite possible that you must repeat the identical step multiple times with different start sides.

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Example

Step 1: Solving the upper cross

To solve the Upper layer, we start by solving the cross. To do this, we must move all edge cubies of the Upper layer to their home slots, one at a time. Try to move as many cubies into their correct slots as possible. The difficulty lies in doing this without scrambling the cubies that are already correctly situated. If one edge cubie is located in its correct slot, but its upper facelet needs to be flipped, then flip it using this step without disturbing the other three edge cubies. Hold the Cube so that the cubie is visible on the right side as depicted in the example below. Rotate the cubie with the algorithm Ri U Fi Ui. This sequence will correct the cubie (flip it) and you can proceed to the next step.

before (one possible state) after

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Ri U Fi Ui

Our tip:

�� As a beginning, try to solve the Blue side as shown in this example.�� Make sure that the Upper centre

cubie is correctly oriented.�� You can ignore the corner cubies in

this step.

Front side

Step 2: Orienting the centre cubie

The objective here is to correctly rotate the respective centre cubies of the middle layer so that these are correctly oriented for subsequent steps. Centre cubies can be rotated without disturbing the cross. Hold the Cube so that the centre cubie to be rotated is located on the Right side. Now perform the algorithm R R Di R D Ri Ri once, twice or three times. After every step, you can compare with the figure on Page 3 to determine if the centre cubie is correctly oriented. If this centre cubie is correctly oriented, then proceed to the other centre cubies.

before (one possible state) after

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(R R Di R D Ri Ri) x 1, 2 or 3

Our tip:

�� You can also rotate the centre cubie with just one step. Execute R R Di: The Upper edge cubie is moved to a safe position and you can freely rotate the Right side. At the end, execute Di Ri Ri to move the cubie back on the Upper layer.

Step 3: Solving the upper corners

Find a corner cubie that belongs in the Upper layer, but currently is located in the lower (Down) layer. Rotate the lower layer until the cubie is located directly under its correct slot. Hold the Cube so that the cubie is located Front-Right-Down as depicted in the figure below. Once again, apply algorithm Ri Di R D once, three-times or five-times until the cubie is reallocated to its correct slot above. If you find a corner cubie that‘s already on the Upper layer, but it‘s either located at the wrong corner or it‘s flipped, then hold the Cube so that this cubie is located Front-Right-Up. Rotate once using the same algorithm Ri Di R D. The cubie is now located in the lower layer and you can rotate the cubie to its slot as described above.

before (one possible state) after

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( Ri Di R D ) x 1, 3 or 5

Our tip:

�� Take note that the three colours on a corner cubie provide you with information about its correct slot.�� You can freely turn the Cube during

this step.

Step 4: Solving the middle edge cubies

Turn the Cube so that, the Upper side is now the Down side. In the new Upper layer, find an edge cubie that belongs in the middle layer. To identify the cubie, pay attention to the colours! Rotate the Upper layer until the cubie facelet colour matches the colour of the centre cubie below it. To flip it, use the corresponding algorithm.

If you find the correct edge cubie already in the middle layer, but it‘s either located at the wrong position or it‘s flipped, then hold the Cube so that the correct edge cubie is located Front-Right. Use the algorithm U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F to free the cubie. The cubie is now located on the Upper layer. Repeat this procedure with the other edges of the middle layer.

before (one possible state) or before (one possible state) after

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U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F Ui Fi U F U R Ui Ri

Our tip:

�� In this step, you must always completely turn the Cube and thereby you also change the Front side.�� Hold the Cube as depicted in

the figures, otherwise the algorithm does not function.

Front side

Step 5: Solving the Upper cross

Rotate the Upper layer until it corresponds to the figures. Hold the Cube as shown in the figure. If there is still no cross after using the algorithm F R U Ri Ui Fi once, repeat this step.

before

after

or another before possibilityor another before possibility

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F R U Ri Ui Fi

Our tip:

�� At this point, just ignore the corner cubies and the facelet text orientation.

Step 6: Orienting the Upper centre cubie

Before you can solve the Upper edge cubies, the Upper centre cubie must be correctly oriented so that this is correctly aligned with the other cubies. The text on the centre cubie should be aligned with the Photo side. To do this, rotate the Upper layer until the centre cubie text alignment is the same as the Photo side alignment – see figure.

Now turn the Cube and check whether there’s an edge cubie in

its correct slot. The side containing this cubie is the new front side for the following step. If no edge cubie is in the correct slot, then execute the algorithm R U Ri U R U U Ri to any randomly selected side and then, once again, search for a suitable side.

before (one possible state) after (one possible state)

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R U Ri U R U U Ri

new Front side

Step 7: Solving the upper edges

Now, as viewed from the new Front side, execute the algorithm R U Ri U R U U Ri either one-time or two-times.The remaining edge cubies should now be located in their correct slots.

Check again whether the centre cubie is correctly oriented. If not, then go back to Step 6. If yes, then proceed to the next step.

Each execution of this algorithm involves rotating all cubies one position further forward, except the edge cubie on the Front side.

before (one possible state) after

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R U Ri U R U U Ri

Step 8: Solving the upper corners

Do not rotate the Upper layer, otherwise the solved edge cubies will be scrambled again.

Turn the Cube and try to find a corner cubie that is already located in the correct slot. It doesn‘t matter whether this cubie is incorrectly oriented or not. This cubie should be located above your right thumb as you can imagine from the figure. Now execute the algorithm U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L one-time or two-times in order to move the three remaining corner cubies into their respective correct slots.

When all corner cubies are located in their correct slots, you can begin with the last step.

before (one possible state) after

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U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L

Our tip:

�� The Right-Front corner cubie does not change its position during execution of this algorithm.�� If you can not find any corner cubie

located in its correct slot, then execute the algorithm below before you begin with this step.

Step 9: Solving the upper corners

Turn the Cube until you find a corner cubie in the Front-Right-Up position that needs to be flipped. From this point onward, do NOT turn the entire Cube anymore!

Perform the algorithm Ri Di R D two-times or four-times until the corner cubie is correctly oriented, then rotate the Upper layer Ui. If the corner cubie is correctly flipped, use Ui to check the next corner. If the cubie is incorrectly flipped, execute the algorithm again. If all corner cubies are correct, simply rotate the layers to complete the Cube solution.

Congratulations! You solved Rubik‘s Cube!

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(Ri Di R D) x 2 or 4

Our tip:

�� Although it may appear that the Cube will become scrambled during this step, in the end everything will fall into place “like magic“.�� Don’t forget the very last step,

namely, the D of the algorithm, otherwise the Cube will truly have a “confused conclusion“.

before (one possible state) after