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Step 3 of 7 · Beginner method
The second layer
Place the 4 edges of the middle ring. The first two layers are then done.
Keyboard: Enter to continue, ← to go back. Keep your hands on the cube.
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Find an edge on top with no yellow. Turn U so its side color is above the center of the same color, and hold that center in front of you.
Look at the top color of that edge: if it matches the right center, the edge goes right; otherwise, left. Apply the matching algorithm.
If an edge is stuck in the middle ring but flipped or in the wrong place, do the “to the right” algorithm with any yellow edge to kick it out, then place it again.
Remember: The two algorithms mirror each other: your right hand does the first, your left hand the second.
The cases
- Edge to the right: U R U' R' U' F' U F. The top edge, lined up with its center at the front, has to go into the right slot.
- Edge to the left: U' L' U L U F U' F'. Same thing, but the edge has to go into the left slot.
- Stuck or flipped edge: U R U' R' U' F' U F U2 U R U' R' U' F' U F. The edge is in the middle layer but flipped. Do the “to the right” algorithm once to pop it out to the top, turn U2, then put it back with the right algorithm.
Troubleshooting
- The white face breaks
- White must stay on the bottom for this whole step. Flip the cube if you still have it on top from step 1.
- There are no more edges without yellow on top
- The remaining edges are stuck in the middle. Apply the “to the right” algorithm once to kick one out, then place it again.
- The edge ends up flipped
- You picked the wrong side. Look at the edge’s top color: it tells you which center (right or left) it has to go to.