Richard Patterson - August 13, 2006 - Beginner's SQ1 Solution ========================================================================================== A quick brief on the common square1 notation. 1= 30 degrees (an edge piece), 2= 60 degrees (a corner piece). 3= 90 degrees (corner piece+edge piece [or] three edge pieces). /(x,y)/(-x,-y)/ /=turn the right half x=U face clockwise y=D face clockwise -x=U face counterclockwise -y=D face counterclockwise Ok, so in terms of a beginner's solution: ========================================================================================== 1. Turn into a cube Explanation: This has two substeps. a) [intuitive] place 6 corners on one side (star shape) | b) recognize 1 of 5 possible occuring cases and apply algorithm. Source: http://www.geocities.com/jaapsch/puzzles/square1.htm#s1========================================================================================== 2. Seperate U&D corners [intuitive*] (all the white corners on one face, all the green on the opposite) *visualize edge/corner pairs as pieces of a 2x2 for seperation. Source: http://www.cubezone.be/square1step2.html ========================================================================================== 3. Seperate U&D edges (After you do this, it should be all green on one face, and all white on the opposite face.) Alg for this Step(3): (0,-1)/(-3,0)/(4,1)/(-4,-1)/(-3,0)/(6,0)/(0,1) What it does: Seperates DF&UB edges. You might have to repeat this a few times depending on how many edges need to be seperated. Source: http://www.cubezone.be/square1step3.html ========================================================================================== 4. Permute Corners Alg for this step(4): /(3,-3)/(3,0)/(-3,0)/(0,3)/(-3,0)/ What it does: Switches UFR<->UFL corners Source: http://www.cubezone.be/square1step4.html ========================================================================================== NOTE: For steps 5 and 6, algorithms will only work if: a) The middle layer is broken (not square) b) The middle layer is not broken, but looks like this: | | | If the case that has occured is on the up face, but the middle layer looks like this: | | | you must do one of two things: a) flip middle layer: (1,0) / (6,6) / (-1,0) b) break middle layer: / (6,0) / (6,0) / (6,0) ========================================================================================== 5. Observe edge parity. (if there is one) Here are the possibilities: a. No Parity (move on to step 6) Standard edge cycles on each face b. Double Parity- Parity error on each face fix: (1,0)/(-1,5)/(1,-5)/ c. Evil Parity- Parity error on one face fix: (3,3) / (-1,0) / (2,-4) / (4,-2) / (0,-2) / (-4,2) / (1,-5) / (3,0) / (3,3) / (3,0) Source: http://www.cubezone.be/square1step5.html ========================================================================================== 6. Solve edges (You only need one alg to start here) Alg:( 1, 0)/( 0,-3)/(-1, 0)/( 3, 0)/( 1, 0)/( 0, 3)/ (-1, 0)/(-3, 0)/ What it does: Cycles UR->UB->UL edges counter clockwise Source: http://www.cubezone.be/square1step5.html ========================================================================================== 7. Solve Middle Layer There are 3 cases: a) flip middle layer: (1,0) / (6,6) / (-1,0) b) square middle layer: / (6,0) / (6,0) / (6,0) c) flip/square middle layer: (6,0) / (0,6) / (-1,-5) ==========================================================================================