Basic terms

There are 6 sides of the cube. The color in the center defines the color of the side... so if you see "red side", it means the side that has red in the center.

Usually when solving the cube, you won't see the colors so we will use side names based on the orientation. The names of the sides are front (facing you, except when the cube is behind your back... then front side will be away from you), back, left, right, top and bottom. There are also abbreviations for all sides: F=front, B=back, L=left, R=right, U=up (or top), D=down (or bottom).

As for the turning directions, there are 3 moves: "forward" means turning the side clockwise, "reverse" means turning the side counter-clokwise, while "double" means turning the side two times in the same direction. Abbreviations for directions: forward = no extra sign, reverse = ' (they call it "prime"), double = 2.

Some examples (I suggest practicing a lot before performing for real):

F = front forward
B2 = back double
R' = right reverse
D = down (or bottom) forward
U2 = up (or top) double
L' = left reverse

Using custom text

You can customize side names, direction names, abbreviations, and some other texts as well. On the Settings page go to OTHER SETTINGS, then tap the button Customize near "Sides & directions". A new page will pop-up, where you can edit the long names of sides & directions, and also their abbreviations. You also see the original text, so you know what you are editing. There is a "Reset to default" button at the bottom of the page, in case you want to reset every text to their default value. When editing is finished, tap on "Save and close".

Practicing

If you are a beginner, you can practice solving the cube using the "Practice" routine (which is also available in the free Lite version). Just tap the "Practice" button under the small animated cube to start the practice. First you have to orientate the cube so it will match the virtual cube displayed on the screen. Green side should facing you, white side on top, red side on the right. When the cube is orientated correctly, tap "LET'S BEGIN" and follow the onscreen instructions.

You will see the next move on the top of the screen, also the short code of the move with large letters below the cube. If you don't turn the cube for 3 seconds, the animation will show you which side to turn in which direction. If you do the right move, the short code will turn GREEN, then the next step will be displayed. If you make a wrong move, the background will turn RED, and a correction move will be displayed afterwards. Do it slowly step by step, and you will get better and better at it!

If you make more mistakes in a row, the whole practice routine will start over. If you would like to EXIT to the main menu before solving the random pattern, either wait for 10 seconds for the EXIT button to appear, or simply hold one finger on the screen until the options pop up - then you can either Continue, Restart or EXIT TO MENU.

If you turn up the media volume, you will also hear the next step announced by the text-to-speech engine of your phone (make sure you set up the language pack in your device's accessibility settings). If you have the FULL version, you can turn the audio guide on/off in the settings. If you follow the instructions, you will solve a random (but nice & symmetric) pattern each time you do the practice routine.

Quick solve

When the cube is connected, you shall see a green "Details..." button nearby. Tapping the button will open an info page. If the cube is shuffled, you can start a so called "Quick solve" routine, which is only available in the FULL version. Just tap the green "SOLVE" button to start the solving routine. If the cube is in a solved state, this button will be disabled.

First you have to orientate the cube so it will match the virtual cube displayed on the screen. Green side should facing you, white side on top, red side on the right. When the cube is orientated correctly, tap "LET'S BEGIN". The number of steps will be displayed before starting the actual solving procedure.

The app will guide you through the solving steps, both showing the next step written on top of the screen, and also showing ALL steps (abbreviations) under the virtual cube. As you make the moves, these "short" steps will disappear.

When you make a mistake, the app will show you the correction step. If you make more mistakes in a row, the whole solving procedure will start over. If you would like to EXIT to the main menu before solving the cube, either wait for 10 seconds for the EXIT button to appear, or simply hold one finger on the screen until the options pop up - then you can either Continue, Restart or EXIT TO MENU.

A soon as the cube is solved, you will see an EXIT button. If you shuffle the cube again, a SOLVE button will appear, and you can start the Quick solve routine again.

Magic routines that include solving

Most of the routines include some kind of solving. Here is the list and basic description of those routines:

• Solving the cube: You give the cube to the spectator, they shuffle it, you take it back without ever looking, then you solve the cube behind your back.
  
  
• Prediction, then solve: First the spectator opens the prediction webpage (cubing.rocks/your-username) on their phone. Then you give them the cube to shuffle... and the final pattern will match the image on the webpage (photo in 3rd article). Then they mix the cube again, you take it back without looking, and solve it behind your back.
  
  
• Camera snapshot: The spectator shuffles the cube, then they take a photo of the shuffled cube with their smartphone (or camera). Then they mix the cube again... You are turning away for all this, so you don't have a clue what's on their photo, and how they mixed the cube afterwards. Still, you can "solve" the cube behind your back, so it will match the pattern on the photo they took.
  
  
• Solve a custom pattern: You give the cube to the spectator, they shuffle it, you take it back without ever looking, then you solve any custom, predefined pattern behind your back. You can solve the cube to nice patterns, flag patterns, or even to the Akira (or any other) stack.
  
  
• Pattern from 18-card stack: You show the spectator a packet of cards, each displaying 3 sides of a shuffled cube. There are 18 patterns and all of them are different. You briefly mix the packet face down, then the spectator picks one card (you don't see the pattern). Then you give them the cube to shuffle. When they are ready, you take the cube back without looking, and "solve" it behind your back so that the cube will match the pattern on the selected card.
  
  
• One color only: The spectator names their favourite color (or any of the six colors) from the cube. You give them the cube to shuffle, then take the cube back without looking, and "solve" it behind your back. Actually you don't solve the whole cube, only one side - which has their selected color!
  
  
• Cloned cube (2 cubes): You introduce two cubes, and give both of them to your audience to shuffle. Then you take one of them (either cube) without looking, and "solve" it behind your back so that the cube will match the other cube (the one they kept for themselves).