Stop, check, recover

Cube Troubleshooting Guide

Diagnose grip mistakes, reversed turns, skipped moves, impossible states, and a cube that feels stuck.

The algorithm scrambled a solved section

That is normal in the middle of a sequence. Finish every move without changing your grip. If the section does not return, check for a missed prime or double turn.

I lost track of the front face

The face pointing toward you at the start is F. Keep it there until the algorithm is complete.

Only one edge is flipped

A correctly assembled 3×3 cannot have one flipped edge after legal turns. See the impossible states guide.

The cube catches or grinds

Do not force it. Align the layers, turn gently, and follow the manufacturer’s maintenance instructions.

Best recovery rule

Return to the last checkpoint that was definitely correct. Compare the whole cube with the step goal before trying the sequence again.