Step 1: solve the white cross

The beginner method solves the cube in layers. It starts with a white cross on the top face. The four white edges have to match the centres on the sides too, not just the top.

Hold the cube with the white centre on top for this whole step.

The goal

Each white edge sits between the white centre and its own side colour. For example, the white-green edge sits above the green centre.

The rest of the cube can be any mess. We only care about these four edges.

How to do it

Do one edge at a time:

1. Find a white edge.
2. Note its other colour.
3. Bring it above the centre of that colour, with white facing up.

You'll meet one of these cases.

The edge is on the bottom, white facing down

1. Turn the bottom (D) until the edge sits directly under its own side centre.
2. Turn that side twice. Here the edge belongs on the right, so the second move is R2.

The edge is in the middle layer

Turn the side face it's next to so the edge rises to the top.

If that knocks out a cross edge you'd already placed, do the move, then turn the top to move the new edge out of the way, and undo the first move.

The edge is on top but flipped

The white sticker faces sideways instead of up. Take it out and bring it back the other way round with F U' R U. The U at the end puts back the edge that U' moved.

The edge is on the bottom, white facing sideways

F' U' R U brings it up the right way round.

Check before moving on

Look at each side:

• The top middle sticker must match the centre below it.
• If two edges are swapped, take one out by turning its side twice, then put both back in.

Common mistakes

• A white "plus" without matching sides. A white cross with the sides wrong is not finished. The next steps rely on the sides matching.
• Knocking out a finished edge. Before turning a side, check whether a cross edge is on it. If one is, turn the top first to move it out of the way.
• Rushing. This step is intuitive and has no algorithm to learn. Take your time; it gets fast with practice.