HT Games
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Consider tricks to solve it.
Exercise patience. The Rubik's cube is a game which demands the patience of the saint, or the analytical ability of mathematical genius. You are unlikely to solve it in minutes, and if you do you can safely look for to a future of Nobel Prizes.
Learn the fixed structure of a cube. A Rubik's cube has a central pivot at its heart; this pivot has six squares attached to it which a player is unable to move or dismantle. The fixed squares makeup the central square of each face of the cube, and these cannot be moved. You must therefore align the colors as dictated by the central square on each face.
Start with one color. Pick a side and begin turning the squares so that one face is entirely one color.
Move onto the next face. Where you have one face which has been solved, move onto another top face adjacent to it. On the adjacent face, maneuver the squares so that the four squares nearest to the solved face are all one color (the same color as the center square on the adjacent face). Repeat for each face adjacent to the solved face (four in total).
Manipulate the next layer. Now that you have completed at least four squares on each face, continue so that not just the four squares nearest to the solved face are completed, but also each edge of the Rubik's cube face.
Finish the final layer. There is no cheat sheet for the final layer. Once you have completed the first face, the edges adjacent to the solved face, and then all corresponding edges, you have to engage your brain to push the final few squares into place.
Go to Plan B.
Remove the stickers. This should be your last resort. The Rubik's cube manufacturer is not a fool; the stickers are not designed to peel easily, and if you do remove them it is unlikely that you will be able to replace them without it being obvious by inspecting the cube. Still, it's an option if your pride is at stake!
Dismantle the cube. Once again, this is not a dignified option, but it is possible to dismantle the Rubik's cube and reassemble it without giving yourself away. This is not a method that should be recommended to a child solving the cube, since it requires the use of a sharp implement to pry apart the crevices and so is a risky venture. To do this, turn the top half of the cube so that the middle square meets the corner of the bottom half. Place a chisel or sharp object underneath the middle square until it comes off. Repeat for all squares, then reassemble in order of colors.
Hire someone to solve it for you. There is a 21-year-old--Erik Akkersdijk--currently studying Environmental Management at the Saxion University of Applied Science, who holds the world record for speed cubing (solving the Rubik's cube at speed). As of July 12th 2008, Akkersdijk's record for completing a 3 x 3 x 3 Rubik's cube at the Czech World Open in Pardubice, stands at 7.08 seconds flat.
Don't solve the cube. When you buy a Rubik's cube, the game comes in the box unsolved (i.e. with all sides still the same color). If you don't want to lose face, buy a new cube and leave it as it is. That way, you can enjoy displaying your "solved" Rubik's cube on a shelf for everyone to see, and no one will be the wiser. Don't get too creative when you tell people how much time it took you to solve it: If you claim to have completed the cube in under 10 seconds, your admiring friends will want you to prove it by showing them how you did it.