Rubik's Cube Solution Problem?

[darrenkarp]

Hi all,

It may appear that step four of the solution is incorrect as it seems to mess up the cube. Can someone please confirm whether I'm mad or where I may be going wrong?

TIA
Darren

[chessandpoker]

Welcome to the forums Darren!

Could you explain where you're getting stuck at on step #4?

[dishesandlaundry]

Hey Darren welcome to the forum. Hope to see you around

[darrenkarp]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. It's not a case necessarily of getting stuck on step four as the instructions are very good. Its just if I use either of the swtich moves the rest of the cube gets messed up. I've tried this many times and its becoming very frustrating.

Any clues?
Darren

[chessandpoker]

Is your cube correct up to step #4? I went back through the process with both the new (25th anniversary cube) and old (classic, different coloring arrangements) and the algorithms worked on both. here's a checklist:

1. make sure the cube is correct after step #3. it should look like the mini cube at the top of the example, with the top two layers completely solved.

2. at the start of step #4, we actually flip the cube upside down so that the previously solved top layer becomes the new bottom layer.

3. then, we perform the appropriate algorithm from the front face of the cube.

you can actually do either of the algorithms as many times as you like and the bottom two layers of the cube will come back together as they started. sometimes rubiks cubers have had problems with the guide only to find out they had taken the cube about years earlier and put it back together incorrectly, but I don't think that's the case here (otherwise, I bet the cube would be scrambled up after even the first step). if all else fails, you could post a picture of your cube before you're starting step #4 and a pic of the cube immediately after performing an algorithm.

i guess this is why they call it the 'frustration cube'

[darrenkarp]

Hi,

Yes the cube is exact as per the instructions to step 3. Then I turn it over so blue is on the bottom. If I perform either algorithm the two correct layers get messed up. Not messed up badly but still messed up. Do I need to perform the algorithm more than once?

Thanks
Darren

[bvandrasik]

Originally Posted by darrenkarp

Hi all,

It may appear that step four of the solution is incorrect as it seems to mess up the cube. Can someone please confirm whether I'm mad or where I may be going wrong?

TIA
Darren

I can confirm that step 4 is incorrect. Tried both algorithms many times and always end up with 1 of the bottom corners out of place in the "switch 1 & 2" algorithm and 1 bottom corner and 1 middle layer piece out of place in the "switch 1 & 3" algorithm

[chessandpoker]

Step 4 is indeed correct, and will perform the necessary arrangements for that step. make sure you are using the original guide at http://www.chessandpoker.com/rubiks-cube-solution.html (sometimes the guide is "featured" on other sites and the display is messed up, cropping off some of the algorithm) and that you understand all of the move notations. One move that commonly confuses players is the looping arrow notation, which indicates that you will turn the entire front face (all nine cubies from the front perspective) the the right or left depending on the notation.

it works fine for me if you have any further questions please let us know!

[bvandrasik]

Thanks. I just tried again with the same results. I appreciate the help and REALLY want this solution to work, because I think it is the same solution and annotation I learned as a kid (from "You Can do the Cube"?). Are you sure the initial orientation is correct (completed blue face on the bottom and red face toward you) or there is not a move missing (it seems to me there should be an even number of moves)

Thanks!

[chessandpoker]

Ok, this is perplexing me! I'll walk you through Step #4 and see where we're getting off course. I've done the algorithm for both switches approximately 1mil times so it has to be my explanation that is the problem

Your cube should have the completed Blue face on the bottom, the bottom two layers fully solved, the Red face as the front and a mixed up Green top. Turn only the top row around until the Red-Green-Yellow corner cubie is at Position #1 in the graphic (the upper right-hand corner of the cube).

Let's now do the Switch One and Two maneuver and follow the movement of the Red-Green-Yellow cubie. Perform each step yourself and compare the location of the Red-Green-Yellow cubie (or whichever cubie colors you're tracking) to mine. Ready!

Switch One and Two
(from the front face perspective)

1. Left column up.

This didn't move the Red-Green-Yellow cubie yet, it's still in the same spot at Position 1. Just the left column moved up, temporarily breaking up the finished bottom two layers.

2. Top row right.

Now we've moved the top row right, which moved the target Red-Green-Yellow cubie to the back-right corner, Position 3 in the graphic.

3. Left column down.

The target Red-Green-Yellow cubie didn't move this time either, but the left column went back down, although the bottom two layers are still messed up.

4. Front face right (clockwise).

No movement for our target cubie again. The front face gets turned to the right, but our target cubie is still in Position three at the back-right corner.

5. Top row left.

Ok, when we turn the top row to the left we return our target cubie back to it's original location at Position 1. However, the cube is now prepared for the switch!

6. Front face left (counterclockwise).

And there it is! Turning the front face of the cube to the left moves our target cubie into it's new home at Position 2. But since the rest of the cube is still jumbled up, we'll need to do some more work.

7. Left column up.

First, we have to move the left column up, which moves our target cubie to the back-left corner at Position 4 for just a moment.

8. Top row left.

And after this it gets moved again to Position 3!

9. Left column down.

While this doesn't move our target cubie, it does restore the bottom two layers, which are now fully solved again.

10. Top row left.
11. Top row left again.

And there you have it! Our target Red-Green-Yellow cubie has been transferred from Position 1 to Position 2 (although probably not yet finished), swapping places with it's partner AND the bottom layers are still fully solved. woot!

Did this advice help you out?