Learn & Play: Virtual 3x3 Rubik's Cube

How to Use This Cube

1. Drag the cube around first, just to see how it looks from different angles. Get a 360 degree view to become familiar with the center pieces and how they are arranged.


2. Center pieces on faces can never change. White and Yellow are on opposite sides; so are Red and Orange; as are Green and Blue.


3. Each mini-cube can rotate in different ways - as a part of a part of a face (front F, midface M, back B), a slice (right R, midslice S, left L), or a layer (upper U, midlayer M', bottom D).


4. Click on the button labels to see each layer, slice, or face pop out. Get familiar with these to start using algorithms later on.


5. Since the definition of right and left can get confused with "slices," we use Clockwise and Counterclockwise movements to indicate how the cube parts move.


6. To visualize clockwise or counterclockwise movements, assume you're looking directly at that side with all nine mini-cubes. Counterclockwise moves are indicated in algorithms with a subscript "i".


7. Click Solve Cube when you're ready to start practicing your movements. This turns on all the clockwise and counterclockwise movement guiding buttons.


8. Click buttons to practice each type of movement. The middle face, middle layer, and middle slice are rarely used in algorithms. F, U and R are most often used.


9. Rotate your view and set your preferred side as "Front" by clicking on Set Front Face. While solving cubes, the Front Face needs to be constantly changed, and it determines relative position of all other slices and layers while solving.


10. When you are ready, click Scramble Cube, to start solving an actual cube!