Step 5: Rotate (orient) corners
Again, this is an easy step, which needs only one algorithm (in combinations with it's mirror and inverse). The problem with this one though, is that it covers a whole bunch of situations, which I will recite now. All cases are distinct in the way the bottom layer stickers are oriented. So look at those very carefully.
Here are the five possible situations to look at:
- All corners are ok
- One corner is flipped
- Two corners are flipped (opposing, adjacent, or across)
- Three corners are flipped (left or right)
- Four corners are flipped (opposing or hands-and-feet)
All corners are ok
- You could perform
moves will appear here
or HAHAHAHA, which is (HA)4
One corner is flipped
Somebody messed with your cube, and it wasn't you. Time for payback.
Two corners are flipped
- The bottom stickers are pointing the same way. Keep the stickers facing the right, then
perform
moves will appear here
- The bottom stickers are pointing sideways. Keep both corners on the left, perform
moves will appear here
- One bottom sticker is pointing to the front, one is pointing to the right. Perform
moves will appear here
Three corners are flipped
- Turn the bottom layer until you see a solved corner and an unsolved corner in the front face. Make sure to have one sticker with the color of the bottom layer on the front as well. If the left corner is solved, use
moves will appear here
- If the right corner is solved, use the mirror
moves will appear here
Four corners are flipped
This falls into two categories
- All stickers are opposing. Keep the stickers on the left and right faces, then perform
moves will appear here
- The back stickers are pointing the same way, and the front stickers are pointing sideways. This is called hands-and-legs (as you can hopefully imagine). Perform
moves will appear here
Speedcubing Tips
If you keep the first layer on the left while doing the base algorithm (originally named the 'Sune') you can use great finger tricks, and you don't have to regrip the cube.