Lesson 3 · 5 min
Cube anatomy & color scheme
Understand pieces vs stickers and the fixed color scheme.
A 3×3 has three piece types: 6 centers (1 sticker each), 12 edges (2 stickers each), and 8 corners (3 stickers each). Centers never move relative to each other — they define the color scheme.
The standard color scheme
Yellow opposite white, blue opposite green, red opposite orange. With white on top, the order around the side faces is red → green → orange → blue (clockwise looking down).
Why this matters
When you solve a single edge, you can’t just match one sticker — both stickers have to align with their two centers. That principle is the heart of every algorithm.
Drill: hold the cube with white on top, then say out loud each side color as you turn the cube y, y, y. Build the spatial memory.