How to solve a 3x3 blindfolded
Learn to memorise and solve a 3x3 without looking, using a fixed lettering scheme, controlled sticker swaps and reversible setup moves.
What happens in a blindfolded solve?
Your official time includes both memorisation and execution. Start the timer with the cube covered, remove the cover, memorise the required sticker swaps, put on the blindfold and execute those swaps from memory.
This guide assumes that you can already solve a 3x3 and understand ordinary cube notation.
Learn the three algorithms
Two controlled swaps and one parity correction.
The swap algorithms deliberately affect both corners and edges. This is not an error: the collateral swaps cancel when each algorithm is performed an even number of times. Setup moves must preserve the protected collateral positions so they remain consistent throughout execution.
Corner swap
Swaps corner stickers A and P. It also swaps edge stickers A and D. If you are familiar with full PLL then you will recognise that this is just a Y perm without the F moves at the start and finish, in essence an F perm is doing an F move set-up into this algorithm, it is possible to do many other algorithms like this but it usually isn't optimal.
R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F'Edge swap
Swaps edge stickers B and D. It also swaps corner stickers B and C. If you are familiar with full PLL you will recognise that this is just a T perm.
R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F RParity correction
Use this between corner and edge execution when the corner memo contains an odd number of swaps. The edge memo will also be odd. The parity algorithm swaps the B and C corners and the A and D edges, if you are familiar with full PLL then you will recognise that this is just an Ra perm.
R U' R' U' R U R D R' U' R D' R' U2 R' U'Learn the lettering scheme
Every corner sticker and edge sticker receives a letter.
Faces are taken in U, L, F, R, B, D order. Each face receives four letters running clockwise: U is A–D, L is E–H, F is I–L, R is M–P, B is Q–T and D is U–X.
Corner letters
The corner buffer is the A/E/R piece. During memorisation you normally trace from sticker A; returning to A, E or R means that the current corner cycle has reached the buffer piece.
Edge letters
The edge buffer is the B/M piece. Returning to B or M means that the current edge cycle has reached the buffer piece.
Memorise the solution
Trace corners and edges as ordered letter cycles.
Corner memorisation
- Look at the sticker currently occupying the A buffer position.
- Find the lettered sticker position where it belongs and memorise that letter.
- Now inspect the sticker currently in that target position and find where it belongs.
- Continue until the cycle returns to A, E or R.
- If unsolved corners remain, begin a cycle break with any unused corner sticker. Memorise the break-in letter, trace the new cycle, and memorise that same letter again when it closes.
A twisted corner contributes two letters: record one sticker position and then the position to which that sticker must move.
Edge memorisation
- Start from edge sticker B.
- Find where the sticker in the B position belongs and memorise that letter.
- Continue tracing targets until you return to B or M.
- If unused edges remain, use a cycle break in the same way as for corners.
A flipped edge is represented by both of its sticker letters.
Execute the memorised swaps
Setup, swap, undo—one letter at a time.
Execute corners first
For each corner letter, use setup moves to bring that target sticker to the P position. Perform the corner-swap algorithm, then reverse the setup moves exactly.
The setup moves may disturb other pieces temporarily because undoing them restores those pieces. The protected A/E and D/Q edge pieces are the exception: moving either one during setup would relocate the collateral edge swap and destroy the cancellation logic.
Then execute edges
For each edge letter, use setup moves to bring that target sticker to the D position. Perform the edge-swap algorithm, then reverse the setup moves.
Understand parity
Odd corner and edge memo lengths leave one collateral swap of each type.
Every corner-swap algorithm also swaps the A and D edges. With an even number of corner swaps, those collateral edge swaps cancel in pairs. With an odd number, A and D remain swapped.
Every edge-swap algorithm also swaps the B and C corners. With an even number of edge swaps, those collateral corner swaps cancel. With an odd number, B and C remain swapped.
A legal cube position has matching permutation parity, so an odd corner memo is accompanied by an odd edge memo. After completing the corners—but before beginning the edges—perform the parity algorithm once. It corrects the outstanding collateral swaps so the edge phase can finish normally.
Attempt your first solve
Accuracy matters more than speed.
Follow two complete example solves
See how corner and edge cycles, cycle breaks, flipped pieces and parity are identified in two fully worked 3×3 blindfolded solves.