How to solve a 2x2 cube | Step by Step Beginners Instructions

A 2x2 is a six sided cubic puzzle similar to the 3x3 Rubik's cube, but it only has two layers, with 4 corners on each layer. There are no center or edge pieces. You can use the same steps to solve a 2x2 as you use for the corners of a 3x3. It can be more difficult to recognise cases as there is no center to reference.

This guide will help you to solve the 2x2 in 3 steps:

STEP 1  -  COMPLETE THE WHITE LAYER

STEP 2  -  COMPLETE THE LAST LAYER CORNERS

STEP 3  -  COMPLETE THE LAST LAYER (ORIENTATION)

 

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STEP 1a - COMPLETE THE WHITE BAR

  1. Find the WHITE/RED/GREEN corner and hold the cube with the WHITE/RED/GREEN corner in the front top left position with the WHITE ON TOP.  Notice the red side of the corner will be facing you and the green will be on the left.
  2. Find the WHITE/RED/BLUE corner and move it to the bottom front right position. (KEEPING THE WHITE/RED/GREEN CORNER IN PLACE).
  3. Choose one of the 3 colour images below that matches your cube and follow the arrow steps to put the WHITE/RED/BLUE corner in place.

 

Solve 2x2 Step1a

Result:
Solving 2x2

 


STEP 1b - COMPLETE THE 3rd WHITE Corner

  1. Keeping the WHITE bar on top, turn the cube so that the WHITE/RED/BLUE corner is now in the front top left position. Notice the blue side of the corner will be facing you and the red will be on the left.
  2. Find the WHITE/BLUE/ORANGE corner and move it to the bottom front right position. (KEEPING THE WHITE BAR IN PLACE).
  3. Choose one of the 3 colour images below that matches your cube and follow the arrow steps to put the WHITE/BLUE/ORANGE corner in place.

 

Solve 2x2 Step1b

 

Result:

How to solve a 2x2 step1b result

 


STEP 1c - COMPLETE THE 4th WHITE Corner

  1. Keeping WHITE on top, turn the cube so that the WHITE/BLUE/ORANGE corner is now in the front top left position.
  2. Find the WHITE/GREEN/ORANGE corner and move it to the bottom front right position (KEEPING THE 3 COMPLETED WHITE PIECES IN PLACE). 
  3. Choose one of the 3 colour images below that matches your cube and follow the arrow steps WHITE/GREEN/ORANGE corner in place.

 Solve 2x2 Step1c

 

Possible Problem: The corner you are looking for is in the top layer, but in the wrong position or turned the wrong way around. Turn the cube so that the corner is in the front right top corner then move the corner to the bottom layer by following the following steps.

Solution:

Solving a 2x2 first layer
Perform these steps , then choose again from steps above to put the corner in place

 

 Result:

step1c result


  

STEP 2  -  PLACE LAST LAYER CORNERS IN THE CORRECT POSITION

1. Turn your cube around so that WHITE is now on the bottom.

2. Turn the top layer so that ONLY ONE corner matches the bottom corners colors. Ignoring the White and Yellow colors. The corner may not be the correct way around. (In the example below we placed the YELLOW/ORANGE/GREEN corner on top of the WHITE/ORANGE/GREEN corner.

3. Turn the whole cube so that the correct corner is in the front top right position. The piece is in the correct position, BUT may not be turned the correct way around.

 Step2


Repeat the sequence above until all the corners are in the correct position, meaning the colors match the bottom corner (excluding white and yellow). The corners may not be the correct way around - that's OK.

Possible Problem1: You have 2 corners in the correct position (matching their bottom colors) 
Solution: Keep turning the top Layer (yellow) until only ONE corner is in the correct position. 


STEP  3 -  ORIENTATE LAST LAYER CORNERS 

The next steps will turn the corners (one by one) the correct way and ultimately solve the cube.

NOTE: THIS ROUTINE MAY APPEAR TO UPSET THE REST OF THE CUBE. DO NOT DESPAIR AND KEEP THE SAME SIDE FACING YOU IT WILL ONLY BE SOLVED ONCE THE LAST CORNER IS ORIENTATED. 

 Step3

Repeat the moves until the YELLOW side of the corner piece is on top. You may have to do it 2-3 times.


KEEP THE SAME SIDE OF THE BOTTOM LAYER FACING YOU.  Rotate the TOP LAYER ONLY until the next corner piece to be rotated is in the top right position. Repeat the above sequence until the YELLOW side of the corner that you are rotating is on top. Continue the process until the cube is complete.

YOU HAVE DONE IT !!!


Puzzle is also known as Pocket Cube, 2x2 Rubix cube, four squares cube, eight squares cube. and 2X2


How to solve a 2x2 using Ortega Method | INTERMEDIATE

 

26 comments

Titus

Titus

WORKS UNBELIEVABLY WELL FIXED IT 5 TIMES using this

Yousif

Yousif

DOO MORE PLZ

Paul

Paul

Perfect, thank you.

Devin

Devin

It works AMAZINGLY

isaac

isaac

it is a great way to solve it

coco

coco

it makes me so happy thank you very much !
I hope I can be better

Alvin

Alvin

Thank you for crystal clear instructions

jc

jc

It will be easy as promised pie

Jake

Jake

It is very good and has worked with all my cubes without too much trouble.

Aymen

Aymen

Thank you for the brilliant step by step algorithm

Lutz

Lutz

Thx, best instructions I found.

Myla

Myla

Omg I haven’t test it yet but I’m sure it works!

Elliott

Elliott

It’s to hard

Andrew Davis

Andrew Davis

This is great, it works.

I was confused at first, here’s a couple of attempts at clarification that might help someone else:
- in step 2 part 2, do not be concerned about the orientation of any of the faces of the corners. For example you’re not trying to match the top of a corner with the front face of the corner below. Only be concerned with whether the two colors on a corner that aren’t white or yellow match the two colors visible on the corner below it.
- in step three, only pay attention to yellow. The whole goal is to get the yellow faces on top. Just keep repeating the sequence until the top right corner has a yellow on top and then rotate to work on the next corner.

Maverick

Maverick

I guess it could work though but i’ll keep trying

Maverick

Maverick

I don’t understand any of it/nothing works for mine

William Reid

William Reid

Hi the instructions for a standard 2×2 cube are great, have you got instructions for solving a picture 2 X2 cube

King cuber

King cuber

I didn’t use this but I just wanted to comment something random. This website is very good for parity on bigger cubes. 🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿

eli

eli

it works

grace

grace

woops that was my brother

g

g

it dosent work

anthony

anthony

I don’t get is

Cole Wilkinson

Cole Wilkinson

The only instructions that work/the best

J

J

Not enough pictures to demonstrate what you are trying to explain. Place a corner? What does that mean? Does a curved arrow mean two turns? What does a matching corner mean?

Lucas

Lucas

this makes solveing super ez compared to other things

Otis

Otis

Brilliant step by step instructions for beginners and helped me complete mine instantly

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