Three layers. That's the whole cube.
We teach the official Rubik's layered method — the same one in the official solution guide. It looks like magic, but it's really three stages, taken one at a time. Here's the roadmap we follow in sessions.
Download the official guide (PDF) Guide + videos at Rubiks.com
Solve layer one
Everything starts with the white face. Three steps get you a fully solved first layer.
- Create a daisyGather the white edge pieces around the yellow center — it really does look like a flower
- Make the white crossFlip each petal down so the white cross forms, with edges matching their center colors
- Solve the white cornersSlot each white corner between its matching centers to finish the layer
Solve the middle layer
Flip the cube so white is on the bottom. One repeatable move — applied left or right — walks every middle edge into place.
- Line up an edgeTurn the top face until an edge forms a vertical line with its matching center
- Send it left or rightOne short algorithm drops the edge into its home in the middle layer
- RepeatFour edges later, two-thirds of the cube is solved
Solve the final layer
The home stretch — four steps, each with its own pattern to spot. This is where the "I can't believe I just did that" moment happens.
- Make the yellow crossMatch your top face to a known pattern, apply the move, repeat until the cross appears
- Orient the cornersGet every yellow tile facing up — the whole top face turns yellow
- Position the yellow cornersMove the corners into their correct spots so the colors line up
- Position the yellow edgesCycle the last edges home. Solved!
How we teach it
The step names above are the map — the algorithms, patterns, and practice are what we do together in sessions. Each student works in a small group with a dedicated tutor, masters one stage before moving on, and teaches steps back to peers along the way. Stuck on something specific? The full guide with every algorithm is linked above, and the Learn page has all our materials.