The Middle Layer (Step 4, 2nd Layer edges)

Hold the cube with the white face on the bottom (same as in the previous step), and the yellow face on top.

Now look at the top layer (yellow centre). You're looking for edge pieces that do not contain yellow. These are the ones you can place into the middle layer now.

Once you've found one, turn the top face to line it up so the front colour matches the centre square beneath it — forming an upside down ‘T’ shape.

In this illustration we're going to position the Orange and Blue edge piece first, as it's already in a good position. We're basically going to rotate the piece clockwise and move it one to the right and down one and it'll be in the correct position.

Now check the other colour on the edge piece (the one not facing you). This tells you where the piece needs to go (For this illustration it's Blue):

• If the other colour belongs on the Right, we'll turn the top clockwise (U in Notation), this moves it away from where we need it to be ultimately. (This is what we'll do in this instance as the Blue/Orange Edge needs to go to the right), the next step would be 'Inserting to the Right'
• If it belongs on the Left, we'll turn the top Anticlockwise (U'), this moves it away from where we need it to be ultimately. 'Inserting to the Left' would be the next step.

We've lined up the edge piece that we want to move to the left (Blue and Red in our illustration) in to the upside down T shape.

1. The next step is to move it away from the side we ultimately want it on (U')
2. Then do a Leftie (L' U' L U), this will make the cube look a bit messed up, but don't worry.
3. We need to turn the whole cube anti-clockwise (Keeping white on the bottom and yellow on top. (z')
4. Then do a Rightie (R U R' U'), and the cube will now be fixed and our Blue/Red edge piece will be in the correct position

This moves the piece into the correct middle spot and repairs any disruption caused below.

Note: In our example, doing it in this order has had the good side effect of bringing out the Orange/Green edge piece which was in the wrong position.)

We've lined up the edge piece that we want to move to the right (Orange and Blue in our illustration) in to the upside down T shape.

1. The next step is to move it away from the side we ulitimately want it on (U)
2. Then do a Rightie, this will make the cube look a bit messed up, but don't worry. (R U R' U')
3. We need to turn the whole cube clockwise (Keeping white on the bottom and yellow on top. (z)
4. Then do a Leftie, and the cube will now be fixed and our Orange/Blue edge piece will be in the correct position (L' U' L U)

This moves the piece into the correct middle spot and repairs any disruption caused below.

Sometimes, you’ll find that none of the top-layer edge pieces are usable — they all contain yellow.

That usually means a some or all middle-layer edge piece are in the wrong place.

To fix it:

Choose any incorrectly placed middle-layer edge, place it on the right hand front facing you, then do the 'Inserting to the Right' from above, no need to turn the top piece though. In notation this would be R U R' U' z (Turn the whole cube clockwise) L' U' L U. The piece will now be on the top of the cube. So just do the 'Inerting to the Right' or 'Inserting to the Left' as appropriate to put this piece in it's correct position.

Repeat this process until all four middle-layer edges are correctly placed.

To illustrate this on this pages example, we'll move the Orange/Green Edge piece to the top and then put it in it's correct place as follows:

Using the techniques described above, we'll solve our example cubes edges.