How To Solve A 2x2 Rubik's Cube [No Algorithms]

How to solve a 2x2 rubik's cube no algorithms - The 2x2 Rubik's cube, or in its official name - the Pocket Cube, is another puzzle in the Rubix cube series, invented by Erno Rubik.

It's considered the "easy" version of the Rubix cube. We will find out that solving the 2by2 cube is much easier than solving the classic 3x3 rubik's cube.

If you can already solve the classic Rubix cube, then lucky you - you already know how to solve a 2by2 rubik's cube!

What is the world record for a 2x2 Rubik's Cube?

The 2x2 Rubik’s Cube World Record is held by Maciej Czapiewski from Poland. He was able to solve the puzzle in only 0.49 seconds in Grudziądz Open 2016 competition.

Official 2x2 Rubik's Cube 0.49 WR Single by Maciej Czapiewski (Youtube Video)

To know about the world records for the other World Cube Association (WCA) events, you can find them here: World Cube Association - Official Results.

2x2 Rubik's Cube Patterns

A pretty pattern is an aesthetic state of a puzzle. Some cubers create and share pretty patterns for amusement.

Some patterns can be found easily just by doing a combination of 180° twists.

• R2 F2 R2 U2 - creates a checkerboard pattern on 4-faces.
• F2 R2 U2 F2 - creates a striped pattern on each face.
• F2 R2 F2 - creates stripes on four of the faces. (This is also a PBL case.)
• F2 R2 U' F' U R' U2 R U' F' - creates a 'cube in a cube' effect.

How to make cool patterns on a 2x2 Rubik's cube

Online 2x2 Rubik's Cube Solver

This is not just a 2by2 solver but a puzzle simulator where we can play with the Pocke Cube.

Calculate the solution of our scrambled 2by2 Rubik's Cube with this online solver.

Set up the stickers and let the program find the solution or generate a random shuffle and try to figure out the solution ourself rotating the faces!

Check this app here: Online Rubik's Mini Cube (2x2x2) solver

How to Solve a 2x2 Rubik's Cube (Ortega Method)

This method is more efficient than using a 3x3 method but not as advanced as methods like CLL or EG that require a large number of algorithms.

Learning to solve the 2by2 using the Ortega method requires very few algorithms and we probably already know most of them.

It's a great method if we're looking to improve our 2x2 times. The method is broken into three (3) steps.

1. Building The 1st Side
2. Orientating the Last-layer
3. Permuting The 2-Layers

What is Ortega Method?

The Ortega method is a very fast way of solving the 2by2 rubik's cube (but not the fastest). When completely confident with all of the algorithms shown below we should be at least sub 5 (may be even quicker).

Stage 1 - Building The 1st Side

If you're reading this tutorial on solving our 2x2 with the Ortega method we can only assume that u have (at least) basic knowledge of solving the 2by2 and are confident using the LBL (layer by layer) method.

We will not be going through how to solve the 1st-layer as this is something we should be used to if we are trying to learn a fairly advanced method.

Lets solve the white-side first.

Build the white face on the bottom-layer not worrying about putting the pieces in the correct place.
We will come back later in Stage3 and permute these pieces.

Stage 2 - Orientating the Last-layer

In Stage-2 of the 2by2 Ortega method we bring all of the yellows to the top-layer (we may have started with a different side of the cube, in which Case-we might not be solving the yellow face here, but in our example we are solving the yellows). Once all of the yellows are on the top we can move on to Stage-3.

Stage 3 - Permuting The 2-Layers

In Stage 3 of the Ortega method we permute both of the layers at the same time thus solving the 2by2 rubix cube. This may take a little bit of time to learn but rest assured, once we are confident in finding and performing the correct algorithm we will be well on our way to sub 5.

How to Solve a 2x2 Rubik's Cube with No Algorithms?

No person has ever been able to just look at a rubik's cube and solve it without using some sort of method, or series of algorithms.

While somebody may not actively have to think of it when we solve a cube, we're still solving the cube every time based on some series of algorithms.

We would compare solving a Rubik's cube to driving a car. When we first learn how to do it, it's difficult. When we do it for years, it's easy.

Every time we drive we will have a different route/factors in our routes.

However, we follow the same set of rules when we drive - start the ignition, put the car in gear, look in our mirror to switch lanes, etc.

We don't just get in a car without a method to use it or without knowing how and successfully drive it somewhere.

The same would apply to a Rubik's cube in that if we don't follow some sort of methodology/series of algorithms (or a mixture of them, since there are several methods to solve the Rubix cube), we won't be able to solve it assuming it's well scrambled.

If we were to try to solve a Rubik's cube without using any sort of methodology/algorithms, we wouldn't be able to solve it, as we might have up to a 1 in 5.51 x 10^44* (~1.22 x 10^37 times less likely than winning the lottery, a.k.a. it's not happening) chance of being able to solve it by guessing in 20 moves from any given position (because the Rubix cube can be solved in 20 moves or less from any position).

Please watch this video to learn how to solve the 2by2 Rubik's cube if you have never done it before. The steps are really simple and require no algorithms or knowledge of the Rubix Cube (unlike many of the other videos on youtube).

Easy 2by2 Rubik's Cube Tutorial (Beginner) - Simple (No Algorithms) Video

Also check out this one about "how to solve a 2x2 Rubik's Cube with algorithms".