BASIC NOTATION

In order to talk about how to solve the cube, we need to have a way to easily describe what moves to do. The notation here is pretty standard. Just about any cube website you go to will talk about these moves. They will always use this same notation. There are 6 faces: right (R), left (L), up (U), down (D), front (F), and back (B). Each face can be rotated in two different directions. Either clockwise or counter-clockwise. If you rotate the cube to look at the face you are turning and imagine a clock face its east to figure out which way is clock wise and which is counter clock wise. ((Note: the back slice will be opposite when veiwing from the front. Another way to figure it out is to use the “rule of thumb” rule. Point your right thumb out away from the face in question, and curl your fingers. The direction your fingers curl will always be counter-clockwise. If you use your left thumb it will be clock wise.

Fundamental Moves

The most fundamental moves are 90-degree clockwise or counter clockwise turns of the face described by the letters above. I will also always bold moves here so that they stand out from normal text.