Lucas's Page o' Algorithms
So, these are my algorithms that I use for Rubik's 3x3x3 cube. They're not necessarily original, but not very common, and I think they might be useful to someone. I'm not including all, because there are numerous lists of, say, PLLs, for example, and a list of mine would simply be redundant. I might make a list of which I use, though (for my current method, mostly Peter's PLL and COLLs from speedcubing.com and Vandenbergh's PLLs, and part of Hardwick's ZBs with the corner inserted).
The applets on this page are Josef Jelinek's Java Rubik's Cube animation applets, which he graciously allows to be used freely (in case you want to play around with a large version, I've got a fullscreen formatted page -try F11 for maximizing; it shoud work in most browsers). You will need Java to view the algorithms.
| Name | Description | Algorithm | Reflection (the middle button on the applet also reflects, but does not change the hints) |
|---|---|---|---|
The Omega Snap Family (edge flippers) | |||
| Omega Snap (Omega Flip) | Flips front and back top edges. There are shorter finger trick algs, but I prefer this; it can be very fast. Plus, if I really need to, I can use an EC and and Allan. The name comes from my former convention to perform edge orientation last (it used to be a sign that I would be about to finish, for those who knew about my method); I just picked something catchy. |
U'M'U'M'U'M'U'M' M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U' |
UM'UM'UM'UM' M'UM'UM'UM'U |
| Adjacent Omega Snap | Conjugated omega snap using a quick setup (the setup part and omega snap could be executed/reflected separately, but I like to combine them this way); the end is fun, but tricky; it's like the omega snap's, but with a quick R' snuck in before the last U', and then an R to restore the cube. Not particularly least-move efficient; try two ECs. |
R'URU' U'M'U'M'U'M'U'M' M'U'M'U'M'U' M'R'U'R |
LU'L'U UM'UM'UM'UM' M'UM'UM'U M'LUL' |
| Omega Snap Generator | The basic flipping algorithm. Good to know for blindfolded edge orientation. | M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U' |
M'UM'UM'UM'U |
| Omega Snap Generator(Front) | Variant of the latter; a useful and easy variation to eliminate cube reorientation. | U'M'U'M'U'M'U'M' |
UM'UM'UM'UM' |
| Omega Snap (Left & Right) | Sideways version of the omega snap. Generator + reflection (can also be done using the front generator) | "M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U' M'UM'UM'UM'U" |
M'UM'UM'UM'U M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U' |
| Omega Snap (Full layer) | Good for blindfolded solving. | M'U'M'U'M'U'M'UM'U'M'U'M'U'M'U |
MUMUMUMU'MUMUMUMU' |
| Omega Snap (Slice) | Simple conjugate. Also good for blindfolded solving. | U'RUR'M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U'RU'R'U |
UL'U'LM'UM'UM'UM'UL'ULU' |
| Omega Snap (Superflip) | Flips everything. More efficient than two layer flips and a slice flip (which I used before Joseph showed me this). To make it easier, think of the whole cube rotations as around the axis through the URF and DLB corners. Also good for blindfolded solving... | M'U'M'U'M'U'M'U'(X'Y') [x3] |
M'UM'UM'UM'U(X'Y) [x3] |
ECs (pronounced "ecks") - top layer 3-edge commutators | |||
| EC type 1 | I learned these for the 5x5x5. The create a three-cycle of any same-type edge pieces on a regular cube of any order. Basically, with the U layer facing you (the cuber), either the left or right layer moves in alternating directions in every other move during the algorithm, with the horizontal middle slice and front/bottom-facing layer moving every four moves, both first towards the moving left/right layer, and then away. Just try them... | S R' F R S' R' F' R |
S' L F' L' S L F L' |
| R' F R S R' F' R S' |
L F' L' S' L F L' S |
||
| EC type 2 | These two are somewhat different, but they complete the set of LL ECs. The first is Petrus's Allan based on the simple three-edge middle slice generator. The second was a conjugated Allan until I found this nice version. | F2 U M' U2' M U F2' |
F2' U' M' U2 M U' F2 |
| M U M' U2' M U M' |
M U' M' U2 M U' M' |
||
Other miscellaneous algorithms | |||
| Name | Description | Algorithm | Reflection/Variant |
| 5-generator | How to turn the top face without actually rotating the top face. Proves completeness of any five-generator. I searched for this forever. I used ACube, but didn't need to formulate the query, since it's an example (without answer) in the help file. This puts the top layer pieces on the bottom, performs the move, and undoes (the setup is its own inverse). Lots of antislices. | Fa Ra2 Fa' (D/D2/D') Fa Ra2 Fa' [or F B R2 L2 F' B' (D/D2/D') F B R2 L2 F' B'] |
Fa' La2' Fa (D'/D2/D) Fa' La2' Fa |
| 5-generator (half turn version) | ACube churned out this one before the latter. Uses only half turns for setup, in case you need it. For Star Wars fans, I rotated it: R2D2 L2D2F2B2L2(D2) R2D2 R2D2 F2B2L2. [original was: F2 D2 B2 D2 L2 R2 B2 (D/D2/D') F2 D2 F2 D2 L2 R2 B2]. |
R2 D2 L2 D2 F2 B2 L2 (D/D2/D') R2 D2 R2 D2 F2 B2 L2
|
L2 D2 R2 D2 F2 B2 R2 (D'/D2/D) L2 D2 L2 D2 F2 B2 R2 |
| 3-corner-cycle | 13-move nonsense; I have no idea why it works. I found it when I messed up on the reflection of an EC. | L' U' r U R' U' L U R U' (L2' x') U L
|
R U l' U' L U R' U' L' U (R2 x') U' R' |