3x3 Cube Solving for Beginners

Part 4: Permutate Last Layer

This is the final part of the beginners guide where you will learn to permutate the last layer to finish the cube.

There are 27 PLL algorithms, but we need to learn just two. By rotating the cube and repeating these algorithms, we can solve the cube.

We will first solve the edge pieces with the J-perm and then solve the corner pieces with the A-perm.

Final Layer Edge Pieces.

We shall use an algorithm that will swap the front and right top layer edge pieces whilst preserving everything else we have solved thus far.

We shall use the J-perm to solve the top layer edge pieces. The J permutation(type b) will swap the front edge piece with the one on the right. It will also swap the right hand corner pieces, but we can ignore that for now, as we are only solving the edge pieces at this step.

Whilst there are many different ways to teach solving the last layer for a beginner, i have opted to teach you the J perm since its algorithm is easy to master and do at speed (which will look impressive to those observing your new cube solving skills).


Learn the J-perm. You might want to split it into three parts to make it easier to learn and remember. A good split to use is R U R' F then R U R' U' R' F then R2 U' R' U'.

We will have to perform the J-perm 1, 2 or 3 times in order to get all the edge pieces correct.

Remember we are swapping the front edge with the edge on the right with this algorithm. Therefore you may be able to figure out from which angles to do the algorithm from yourself. You could also just guess and repeat the algorithm from different sides until you hit on a solution by chance. Or, follow these guidelines...

First rotate the top layer, you might find that just by rotating you can get all 4 edge pieces solved. Otherwise you will find one or two can be correctly aligned to their colored sides. Rotate the cube so that one of these correct pieces is at the back, and if there is another, it is on the left or front. You will then have one of these three cases:

T-perm (optional)

The T-perm is very similar to the J-perm, and will make solving the second case above much faster.

The T-perm algorithm is simply the J-perm algorithm with the first 4 moves shifted to the end:

The T-perm algorithm swaps the left and right edge pieces. It also swaps the same two corners as the J-perm.

Final Layer Corner Pieces.

To solve the final corner piece, we will learn one more algorithm. The algorithm is known as the A-perm and will shift 3 of the corners around on the top layer whilst preserving everything else. There are two versions, one that rotates the pieces clockwise and one that rotates the pieces anticlockwise. We shall use the Aa-perm which rotates the pieces clockwise.


The A-perm algorithm is R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2.


Learn the A-perm. We will need to use it 1, 2 or 3 times.

Now examine the cube. There will either be 0, 1 or 4 of the corner pieces in the correct location.

If all 4 corner pieces are correct, then the cube is already solved!

If none of the top layer corner pieces are correct, perform the A-perm algorithm, from any side. After this you will have one corner piece correct.

If one piece is correct, rotate the cube so that the correct piece is in the front left. Now perform the A-perm algorithm. You will have to perform the algorithm either once or twice, so if the cube isn't solved after the first time, just perform the A-perm once more.

Beyond the Beginner

If you want to become faster at solving the cube, then I suggest the following steps:

• First practice what you have learn until solving the cube becomes easy, and you can solve it in under 2 minutes using the beginner method.
• Learn the 7 OLL algorithms that have the cross already made. You have already learnt one of them, so just 6 more short algorithms to learn.
• Learn the 27 PLL algorithms. You have already learnt 2 of them: the Jb and Aa perms.
• Learn to solve F2L by putting both pieces in a slot together. Practice until you can do it intuitively.
• Finally learn the rest of the OLL algorithms.

Whilst you are learning, you just fall back on the begginner method when the cube throws up a algorithm you havn't learnt yet.