How to Solve a Rubik's Cube in 20 Moves

Co-authored by Timothy Huynh and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: December 15, 2024 Fact Checked

Want to become a master of the Rubik’s Cube? This classic puzzle is known for being tough to solve, but it’s entirely possible—in more than one way! If you want to “wow” your friends by cracking this puzzle fast, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for step-by-step instructions to solve a Rubik’s Cube in 20 simple moves.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Solving a Rubik’s Cube in 20 Moves

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Start from an already-solved cube (as they usually are when they come out of the package) or one that is already mixed up.^{[1]
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When solving a Rubik’s Cube, the directions (right, left, front, back) are relative to how you hold the cube. So, “right” means whatever layer is currently on the right side of the front of the cube.

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The back side is whichever layer is opposite the front.
Ensure the "back" layer stays the back throughout the process rather than turning the entire cube to make a move. It’s easier to stay oriented when the cube faces the same direction the whole time.
This is whichever side is opposite the right from where you’re holding the cube.
By this point, you’ll notice that the colors on each side of the cube are starting to match up!
With that, you’ve solved a Rubik’s Cube in 20 moves!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Background and Tricks

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The steps you followed above were from an algorithm called the “Super-Flip,” which solves the puzzle while flipping the position of each color when finished. There’s more than one way to solve a Rubik’s cube, but the Super-Flip allows you to solve it in exactly 20 steps!^{[2]
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2
Use “HTM” or “half-turn metric” with this Super-Flip algorithm. There are also different metrics for solving Rubik’s Cubes, but the one you’ll need for this solution is HTM. With the half-turn metric, any turn of any face, by any angle, counts as 1 turn.^{[3]
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- This metric is different from others mainly because “slice” moves (any turn of a middle layer on the cube) count as 2 turns, and half-turns count as 1 move.
3
God’s Number is 20 when you use HTM to solve a Rubik’s Cube. “God’s Number” is a term that refers to the greatest number of moves that a puzzle can be from its solved state.^{[4]
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Research source} So, when we say the number is 20 for HTM, it means that any Rubik’s Cube is 20 moves away from being solved while using the half-turn metric.^{[5]
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- Keep in mind that God’s Number is only 20 for standard 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cubes. For others, God’s Number varies—and in some cases, it hasn’t been found yet.
Memorize clockwise and counterclockwise by visualizing a clock. If you get confused about which way to turn your cube at any time, picture an analog clock's moving hands. “Clockwise” means turning in the same direction as a clock does, and “counterclockwise” means going in the opposite direction.
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Learn the solution algorithm in Singmaster notation. Solution algorithms for the Rubik’s cube are often written in Singmaster notation, a code where each letter or symbol denotes a move on the Rubik’s Cube. The Singmaster code for the solution above is U R2 F B R B2 R U2 L B2 R U' D' R2 F R' L B2 U2 F2.^{[6]
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Research source} Here’s what that means:
- R (Right): The side facing to the right.
- L (Left): The side facing to the left.
- U (Up): The side facing up on the cube.
- D (Down): The side facing downwards.
- F (Front): The side facing you.
- B (Back): The side facing away from you.
- Apostrophes denote a counterclockwise turn, so a counterclockwise right spin is R’.
- 2 turns of the cube (or 180-degree spins) are denoted with “2,” so turning the left side twice would look like F2.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What's the difference between two-handed solvers and one-handed solvers in Rubik's cube?

Timothy Huynh
Rubik’s Cube Champion
Timothy Huynh is a Rubik’s Cube Artist & Champion based in Tampa, Florida. Timothy has been solving Rubik's Cubes professionally since 2016 and became a Guinness World Record Holder with advanced Rubik's cube-solving skills. Timothy has a follower base of over 8.6 million YouTube subscribers and 124k followers on Instagram. Internet celebrities including David Dobrik and Simu Liu have sung his praises, and Pixar has deemed his work "incredible."

Timothy Huynh

Rubik’s Cube Champion

Expert Answer

First off, technique, style, and execution. When you're tackling it with just one hand, you've got to master a whole new set of moves and figure out the best way to grip the Rubik's cube single-handedly. Also, turning the cube with one hand is definitely not as fast as using both hands. That's why, in tournaments, they keep these categories separate. You're playing by a different set of rules when you're going solo. But the most interesting thing is that I know someone who can solve the Rubik's cube faster with one hand than they can with two, which is fascinating.

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Question

Does the cube have to be solved first to do it?

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No. Any unsolved cube will work. A new one can work, too.

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Can every scrambled cube be solved with these 20 moves? Does it matter which side is top and which is face, or can we use any random position?

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This method works only if the cube is already solved. Then if you scramble it using this method, you can solve it using the same method.

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