Cube notation: every symbol, shown on a cube.

The basics

• Face letters: R (right), L (left), U (up), D (down), F (front), B (back). A letter alone means turn that face a quarter turn clockwise as if you are looking straight at it.
• Apostrophe ('): anticlockwise. R' is the opposite of R. Say “R prime”.
• 2: a half turn (180°). U2 means turn the top face twice.

Beyond the basics

• Wide moves (Rw or lowercase r): turn the face and the layer behind it together.
• Slice moves M, E, S: turn the middle layer. M follows L, E follows D and S follows F.
• Rotations x, y, z: turn the whole cube in your hands like R, U and F. No pieces change relative to each other.

What is an algorithm?

An algorithm is a short move sequence that does a specific job, such as swapping two pieces without disturbing the rest. Speedcubers memorise dozens of them. R U R' U' is the most famous because it appears in almost every method. Start with the beginner's guide, then practise on the virtual cube.