How to solve a 2x3x3

The 2x3x3 is an interesting puzzle and people often struggle to figure it out, in this guide I hope to explain simply how to solve a 2x3x3. The top fewest moves solvers reduce their 3x3x3 into a 2x3x3 but obviously use a far more advanced method to solve the 2x3x3 section.

 

 

Step 1: Buy a good 2x3x3

 

 

There are not that many 2x3x3 options out there but I would simply recommend getting the QiYi 2x3x3 which is only £5 here.

 

 

Step 2: learn the notation

 

 

This is the same as a 3x3x3 but there is less notation, R moves are only possible as R2s.

 

 

Step 3: Solve the cross

 

 

This is similar to on a 3x3x3 but actually slightly easier, I recommend solving a yellow cross.

 

 

Find the yellow edges and move them each down with R2 moves, make sure to get the colour scheme correct, maybe have a normal cube infront of you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4: solve the corners

 

Hold the corner ontop of where it needs to go and do the following algorithm once:

 

 

 

OLL (step 6 of my 3x3x3 tutorial) will automatically be solved now.

 

Step 5: Permute the corners

 

You need to learn the following algorithm:

 

 

 

 

                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have 2 corners correctly positioned as shown:

 

Then do the algorithm once, holding the two correct corners to the left.

 

If you have the 2 correct corners positioned diagonally as shown:

Then do the algorithm once from anywhere and you will have the 1st case

 

 

Step 6: Permute the edges

 

 

On the qiyi 2x3x3, M slice PLLs will actually work now, however, you may prefer doing specific algorithms for the 2x3x3. There are also ‘parity’ cases you can get.

 

 

To switch 2 opposite edges as shown:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To switch 2 adjacent edges as shown:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your 2x3x3 should now be solved!