What do you say when people ask you "How do you solve the rubik's cube?"

[Lucas Garron]

Most people have no idea what kind of explanation to expect.

The best thing to explain to them what solving actually entails.
I normally explain how the stickers actually comprise pieces that must be put into place. Since the center stickers can be considered not to move, we place the other pieces "around" them.

At that point, I can start showing them a solve, and point out how pieces start getting filed into place.
For LL, I normally don't try to explain what happens, just that I know some steps that will fix the rest quickly.

It leaves a slightly unsatisfying feeling of having been too vague, but it leaves them with relevant information they might be able to grasp and remember. I'd much rather have them blabbering to someone else how "Will Smith said the center pieces don't move, in that one movie, and some guy once showed me how you move around things and, like, put them in places" than "Some ultra-smart guy once told me about LOL and POL and it all sounded too confusing."

 

[Ryanrex116]

I depends on the situation.

"How did you do that?"
By solving it.

"How do you turn it with one hand?"
By not using my other hand

"Are you going to try to get the world record?"
I try all the time, but I don't get it.

"Can you tell me how you solve it?"
With my hands/hand/feet.

"No, I mean how you know what to turn."
I turn the cube.

"I MEAN THE NAME OF THE METHOD!!!"
[Saying quickly] Fridrich method with intuitive F2L, two look orientation of the last layer followed by permutation the last layer with one algorithm...

 

[wubiks]

Most people have no idea what kind of explanation to expect.

The best thing to explain to them what solving actually entails.
I normally explain how the stickers actually comprise pieces that must be put into place. Since the center stickers can be considered not to move, we place the other pieces "around" them.

At that point, I can start showing them a solve, and point out how pieces start getting filed into place.
For LL, I normally don't try to explain what happens, just that I know some steps that will fix the rest quickly.

It leaves a slightly unsatisfying feeling of having been too vague, but it leaves them with relevant information they might be able to grasp and remember. I'd much rather have them blabbering to someone else how "Will Smith said the center pieces don't move, in that one movie, and some guy once showed me how you move around things and, like, put them in places" than "Some ultra-smart guy once told me about LOL and POL and it all sounded too confusing."

Also when trying to explain it to someone online, I use your (Lucas) tool alg.garron.us. That program is so helpful!

 

[teller]

I often claim there's a trick to it...this makes it seem more approachable, and I have lured a number of people into learning a beginner method this way.

Do you want to look down your nose at people, or get people interested? That is the question.

 

[ChrisBird]

"How do you solve a rubik's cube?"

"Quickly"

 

[LewisJ]

If it's just a no-legitimate-interest "what's the trick?" question, I just say there's no trick, it is a series of steps which can be done different ways. If they show some legitimate interest I'll walk them through a solve vaguely detailing each step ("first i make the cross here, then I start filling in the pieces in the slots of the cross, then I get the cross on top" etc etc) and say there are different ways to go about each part. Fortunately that usually serves as a deterrent to all the "teach me teach me!" people who don't actually have motivation to learn...

 

[Zane_C]

"How to you solve that?"

"Practice and your've got to know which turns effect which part of the cube so you don't mess it up while solving other pieces."

Something like that anyway, I rarely have people ask me.

 

[eastamazonantidote]

First I try to explain how stickers make pieces and centers cannot move. Then I give them an example solve. At the end I tell them it takes a lot of practice and that they can go on YouTube and look it up. At this point they give up because TV has given everyone is America ADD and they don't understand that 20 minutes online can change your life.

 

[Bryan]

i go through the steps. very quickly. because i dont want to teach them out


*Show them the cross* Ok see this cross? You do that so you have a reference point, you always start the cube from the same "spot" so it doesnt matter how you scramble it

*Do F2L one pair at a time* Ok see? i am putting these cubies into these slots.

*Show them yellow face* So i would have to solve the top layer first

*Show them last layer* Then i finish this last layer.

I do the same thing. And this explanation usually doesn't take that long either. And it also doesn't make you look like an arrogant jerk like many of the other answers do.

Seriously, does no one else ever ask someone else "How do you do that?" If that person gave you back an snide answer, wouldn't you think they were a total jerk? (Besides magicians though, those are based upon being secret).

 

[Keeder]

If me is like:

Person:"Can you teach me?"

Me:"I'm a bad teacher"

Person:"No problem"

Me:"I don't know how to teach u!!"

Person:"Please!!!"

Me:"please stop asking me and search on youtube!!"

 

[hyunchoi98]

"OOOOOOOH HOW DO YOU SOLVE THAT???" they ask

i say "well, work hard, try your best" (translated)

"잘, 열심히, 최선을 다해서" in korean

 

[cooldayr]

I say one word
Skillz

 

[Jake Gouldon]

I say "by not forgetting to wear my helmet".

 

[miniGOINGS]

i go through the steps. very quickly. because i dont want to teach them out


*Show them the cross* Ok see this cross? You do that so you have a reference point, you always start the cube from the same "spot" so it doesnt matter how you scramble it

*Do F2L one pair at a time* Ok see? i am putting these cubies into these slots.

*Show them yellow face* So i would have to solve the top layer first

*Show them last layer* Then i finish this last layer.

I do the same thing, only with Roux.

 

[jms_gears1]

black magic

 

[Kevster270]

"it's actually a robotic cube that's solves itself and I'm just moving my hands around randomly."
lol

 

[Chapuunka]

Magic

Yes.

 

[Deleted member 2864]

It sorta depends on what I think their interest level is. Most people from the way they ask it, I already know that they won't even care what I say to them the next day. To them I just say, "Magic, with a pinch of pixie dust."

If I really believe they might be interested enough to look into cubing, I'll explain to them beginner's F2L and tell them that the last layer is solved by orienting than permutating (with examples, of course) the pieces through algs.

I'll then point them to badmephisto's tutorial on youtube. If the time I spend telling who I think are interested about cubing means anything, they'll normally look up the tutorial and either learn how to solve it or go up to me again and ask about a step they don't get.

 

[Rosette]

I hated it when people say "OMG TEACH ME!!"
then I say u have to memorize ALGORITHMS
and I define as "sequence of moves to make certain amount of swap
without screwing up what you already did"
They say how many do u have to know
and I say about five and they give up instantly.

 

[MichaelP.]

I did this at school today.
First I took out an edge and a corner piece on a fully solved cube.
"You see how this white sticker is attached to this green sticker so they can never be seperated? This means that each white piece is different, and only can be placed in one spot. Same with the corner. Now see what happens if I switch these two white edges? (Put back corner pop out another edge and switch) The white side is still solved, but now the green and red stickers are switched." Then I quickly explain how you figure out which edge goes where be looking at the position of the centers, relative to each other. Do the same with corners, often saying "You see how this is a white, blue, red piece? That means it has to go here, between the (point to each center as I say it) White, blue, red centers. Then insert it to show how it fits. Explain F2L quickly, then "This is the last layer, and this is where it gets 'algorithmy' because you have to fix this, without destroying what you've already done. So I know the algs to do this, quickly execute OLL and explain that it gets the top, the say "This is the last step, and their are 21 different ways that these can all turn out, you have to figure out which one it is, then do it." Finish.