The terms used in the Rubiks cube strategy guide are well-known to the cubing world. The squares that make up the Rubiks cube are known as Cubies. The colored stickers on the fronts of all the Cubies are known as Facelets.

There are three types of Cubies: they are namely

• corners
• edges
• center pieces

Corners have three facelets, edges have two and the center pieces have only one facelet.

Notice that in our graphic there is also a label under one side of the cube that says "Front". Since all of the diagrams are shown at an angle, also showing the left and top sides of the cube, it's important to always look at the cube from the front perspective when making your moves. Showing the cube at an angle is necessary because you will have to make different sets of moves based on various arrangements of Cubies on both of these other two sides.

Now you know that the terminology which will be used through out this strategy guide. Now have a look at the notations. The first set of notation shows you that which horizontal row of cubies turned which direction. The first top three cubies makes the first row. The middle three cubies makes the middle row. The bottom three cubies makes the bottom row.

The second set of notation shows you that which vertical column of cubies turned which direction. The first three vertical cubies on the left side makes the first column. The middle three vertical cubies makes the middle column. The three vertical cubies on the right side makes the third column on column right side.

When you are looking directly at the front of the cube, which you should always be doing, the nine Cubies with various facelets that you see are known as the front face of the cube. When you see the "turning arrow" notation graphics from the third set, they are instructing you to turn all nine of these cubies at the same time to either the right (clockwise) or left (counter-clockwise). The graphic with a small dot on the middle denotes the back face. That mean it instructs you to turn all the nine cubies of the back face at the same time to either the right (clockwise) or left (counter-clockwise).

When you see "2" in the notation it means that you have to turn it twise in that direction

2

Important note:

Some of the moves can be a bit tricky for your fingers. For example, when you are moving a middle row or column, you in fact must move two columns or rows, and then turn the non-middle one back to it's previous spot. This is because the middle rows or columns do not move independently. Don't forget to move the other row or column back!