Tired from always being joked by your friends because you can´t solve a 2x2x2 cube?

You have a 2x2x2 and you just messed up all the cube and you have an OCD so you can't see it unsolved because it provoques an awkward feeling in you?

If you said YES, then this INSTRUCTABLE IS FOR YOU!

Here you'll learn how to solve a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube... So, let's get to it!

Warning : I don`t promise that when you finish reading this Instructable you'll be a master in rubik's cube or that you can solve the cube in the most efficient way, there are many ways to solve a rubik's cube, this is the most basic. If you want to solve it faster just play with the cube, trying different and new algorithms, develop your own; 'cause this is all about, exploring new stuff and practice until you do it faster if that's your goal or to do it without complications. Good luck!

Step 1: Knowing Notation.

For solving a cube you'll need either an Irish luck at making random moves or algorithms in order to solve it.

As you can see in the image above, there are six faces you can move.

Each face has an operator :

- F : Front

- B : Back

- L : Left

- R : Right

- U : Up

- D : Down

These are the operator for each face which combined with other signs conform all the posible movements in it.

- When you see an operator alone means that you'll have to rotate the specified face 90º clockwise. e.g. F

- An operator with an << ' >> means a rotation of 90º counter clockwise. e.g. F'

- Sometimes you'll need to rotate 180º a face, so you'll see a 2 before de operator. e.g. 2F

The combination of these sings give us as a result an "algorithm"

e.g. R U' L' U R' U' L U (this is a corner permutation algorithm)

Step 2: Scramble Your Cube.

First, you need to scramble your cube if it's solved, for this you'll have to make random and a non-consecutive set of movements, because every set of movements performed repeatedly takes us to the point where it gets at its original state again.

So, just move it randomly until you feel its scrambled enough.

Step 3: First Layer

There are many ways to solve a Rubik's Cube, but as in the way I'm going to teach you in this Instructable and as in most of other manners to solve it you'll have to solve it by parts. The first part you're gonna solve is the first layer.

This cube is formed by only corners, so you only have to put the corners in the right position and orientation by moving all the corners looking down. There's an universal corner algorithm, which we will be calling UCA, to move corners from one place to another without moving others which is << R U R' U' >> and if the corner is in the right position but in the wrong orientation just repeat it until its correctly orientated. (The last part of the third gif)

You can encounter a corner looking to the opposite side of the others as seen in the first gif. To solve this : follow this algorithm << R 2U R' U' R U R' >> or follow the second gif.

Another issue you can find doing this is that you'll find the corners that don`t continue the colors, as seen in the third gif, where the white face is facing downwards and the bottom layer colors belong to the incorrectly positioned corners. Solving this issue is simple, just take out the corner you want to move with the UCA and transport the corner just above where you want to put it by moving de U layer as many times as you need and apply again UCA; repeat this process as long as you need to.

A correct solved first layer should like the last GIF.

Step 4: Putting Upperface Corners in the Right Place

The next step is to put in the correct place all the upper corners by moving U until all corners coincide despite its orientation. If this doesn't happen you'll have to take one corner; put it in its place, not caring about the other ones; and perform one of the next algorithms :

-Moving 3 corners clockwise : putting the right positioned corner in the front-left position execute the following algorithm << L' U R U' L U R' U' >>.

-Moving 3 corners counter-clockwise : putting the right positioned corner in the front-right position execute the following algorithm << R U' L' U R' U' L U >>.

Could happen a parity where two corners are flipped in places e.g. Red-Green Corner and Red-Blue Corner are in the correct place but Orange-Green and Orange-Blue are in an incorrect. For solving this you need to position the two right positioned corners at your right side and the parity (flipped corners) at your left; then do << D >> and finish with a "3 corners counter-clockwise" (R U' L' U R' U' L U).

Step 5: Orientating Layers

The last step to solve it.

In this step all the corners are right positioned but could happen to somme corners are mis-orientated. Four cases could happen :

- All corners flipped up : Could happen that when you execute the last algorithm for moving corners and all upper corners are right orientated. Congratulations! At this point you've solved the cube.

-2 corners flipped up, 2 flipped sideways : Remember UCA?, you use it c:, but a little modified. Position the corner that will be oriented in the front-right side and execute de next algorithm << R' D' R D >>, don`t be afraid of scrambling again your cube, it will get to the original status if you do it right, you'll have to repeat it once or two until the corner is upside; then, by moving the U face, put the next corner in the same position as the just oriented one and execute the same algorithm until its flipped upside; after that, the cube will be solved :).

-1 corner flipped up, 3 flipped sideways : You do the same method as with the last case but with a third corner. (Put front-left; algorithm as many times as needed; put other corner; algorithm; last corner; algorithm; solved c:)

- All corners flipped sideways : The same method but with all the 4 corners c:

These are the ONLY cases that could happen, if after doing correctly all cases is still one corner sideways, someone just messed up with your cube and made an unsolvable cube out from it and you'll need to rotate by disarming the cube and assembling it again correctly, but messing up with a pair number cube is very hard, so don`t worry and practice until you master it