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What is SolveMyCube?
SolveMyCube is a browser-based solver for the standard 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube. You enter a scrambled cube position, press solve, and the site returns a move sequence that will bring it back to solved. According to the site's own description, it runs on Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase Solver and aims to produce solutions in a small number of moves.
What you can actually do with it
- Enter a scramble: the page shows six face sections (marked /9), which corresponds to the 54 stickers of a 3x3x3 cube, so you describe the current state face by face.
- Use the helper controls: buttons for scrambling, random placement, random moves, executing moves, and clearing or resetting the cube sit alongside the input area. Keyboard shortcuts are also mentioned.
- Read the solution: results appear in a "Solutions" panel below the solver, with a note that nothing is shown until you solve a cube.
Who it suits
Someone holding a physically scrambled cube who wants a step-by-step way out without learning a method. It is a solver, not a tutorial: the site's own framing is about getting a frustrating cube finished, and the About text describes the core purpose as connecting users to community-provided Cube Explorer servers. If your goal is to learn notation or a beginner's method, a teaching resource such as Rubik's is a better fit; SolveMyCube is for getting an answer now.
Practical points before you start
- JavaScript is mandatory. The site states plainly that it requires JavaScript; with it off, the solver will not run.
- Accuracy of your input decides everything. The solver only knows the position you type in, so a single mis-entered sticker yields a sequence that looks wrong on your real cube. Enter one face at a time and re-check against the physical cube.
- Expect a machine solution, not a human one. Two-phase solvers return efficient but not always intuitive sequences. If the output looks odd, re-check the input before assuming the solver failed.
A sensible first run: scramble a cube with a few random turns, enter it, solve, and apply the returned moves to confirm the workflow before trusting it with a long-standing scrambled cube.
How do I enter the colors of my scrambled cube to get a solution?
On SolveMyCube, you enter a scrambled cube through the on-page Cube Solver rather than by typing a color string. The solver is split into six face sections, each showing a /9 counter, which means you fill in the nine stickers of each face one by one. The page also provides Scramble Cube, Random placement, Random moves, Execute Moves, Clear Cube, Reset Cube and Solve Cube controls, plus a Solutions area that stays empty until you run a solve.
A practical entry routine
- Hold your physical cube in one fixed orientation and keep that same orientation while entering stickers, so the faces don't get mixed up.
- Fill one face section at a time, checking that each section reaches its full /9 before moving on.
- If you make a mistake, use Clear Cube or Reset Cube and start that portion again rather than guessing at corrections.
- Press Solve Cube only after all six faces are complete, then read the result in the Solutions panel.
What to expect from the output
The site states that it uses Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase Solver to solve scrambled 3x3x3 cubes "in a small number of moves." That tells you the intended audience: people with a standard 3x3x3 who want a short move sequence, not a beginner lesson in notation. If you are still learning cube notation, plan to look up the meaning of each move letter before following the solution.
One concrete scenario: a parent hands a scrambled cube to a teenager who has never solved one. Entering the colors face by face takes a few minutes, and the returned sequence gives them a step-by-step path to a solved cube without memorizing algorithms.
Limits worth knowing before you start
- JavaScript is required. The page explicitly says the site needs JavaScript enabled, so a locked-down browser or an offline device won't work.
- 3x3x3 only according to the site's own description, so 2x2, 4x4 and other puzzles are outside its scope.
- Entry is manual. There is no camera or photo import described, so accuracy depends on your own color reading.
For a second opinion or a different interface, Ruwix and Rubik's Cube Solver are established alternatives you can compare against SolveMyCube's face-by-face entry.
As a next step, before entering anything, write down your cube's color scheme (which color is opposite which) on paper. That single note prevents the most common entry error: swapping two adjacent face colors, which produces a cube state the solver cannot resolve.
What should I do if the solver gives me a solution but my cube still isn't solved?
Check that you entered the scramble in the same order you applied it to the cube, then re-enter the cube state and solve again. On SolveMyCube, the solver is fed a scrambled 3x3x3 state and returns a move sequence, so a solution that leaves the cube unsolved almost always means the input state and the physical cube have drifted apart.
Practical checks
- Scramble order: If you typed or clicked a scramble, apply the moves left to right exactly as listed. A single reversed or skipped move changes the whole state.
- Move notation: Confirm you are turning the face named by the letter, and that a prime (') means counterclockwise as seen from that face.
- Cube state entry: If the site lets you set colors per face, compare each face against the physical cube, square by square. One wrong sticker is enough to produce a valid-looking but wrong solution.
- Center pieces: On a standard 3x3x3, each center defines its face color. A cube with swapped or rotated centers (common after stickers are replaced) will not match standard solving assumptions.
- Physical cube condition: A twisted corner or flipped edge makes the cube unsolvable by any sequence. If two corners or one edge look wrong no matter what, the cube has been reassembled incorrectly.
A concrete scenario
You scramble with a random sequence, type it in, and get a 20-move solution. You follow it, but the last layer is off by one corner. The likely cause is a misread move in the middle of the scramble—perhaps you turned R when the list said R'. Re-enter the current cube state fresh rather than trying to patch the remaining moves.
Decision rule
If re-entering the state produces the same failure, treat the cube as physically invalid: check for a twisted corner or flipped edge and, if found, disassemble and reassemble it solved. If the state entry was simply wrong, the corrected input will give a clean solution.
For a second opinion on notation and step-by-step methods, Ruwix and SpeedCubeDB explain standard move conventions and algorithms you can compare against.
How does SolveMyCube's solver compare to using Cube Explorer or other Rubik's Cube solver apps?
SolveMyCube is a browser-based front end built around Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase algorithm—the same engine family behind Cube Explorer—so its main advantage is convenience rather than a different solving method. You enter a scrambled 3x3x3 cube state in the page, press Solve, and get a short solution sequence; the site also offers scramble, random placement, move execution and keyboard shortcuts. The trade-off is scope: it is a 3x3x3 solver that requires JavaScript, and the site itself frames its purpose as pooling community Cube Explorer servers to solve cubes, not as a general-purpose app with tutorials, timers or other puzzle sizes.
How the options differ in practice
| Option | Best for | What you get | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| SolveMyCube | A quick solve in a browser with no install | Two-phase solutions for scrambled 3x3x3 cubes, on-screen move entry and playback | Needs JavaScript; focused on solving, not teaching |
| Cube Explorer (Kociemba's own tool) | Users who want the reference implementation and deeper control | The solver engine the site credits as its foundation | Desktop software rather than a simple web page |
| General solver apps | Learning to solve, practice and timing | Guided steps, algorithms and often multiple puzzle types | Less direct if you only want a short solution for one scramble |
A concrete case: if a friend hands you a scrambled cube and you just want the moves to fix it, a browser solver like SolveMyCube is the shortest path—type the state, read the sequence, follow it. If your goal is to understand why those moves work or to practise speedcubing, a teaching-oriented resource is a better fit; the Rubik's official site offers guides aimed at learners. For the algorithm itself and the original tool, see Herbert Kociemba's Cube Explorer.
Next step: decide whether you need a one-off solution or a learning tool. For a one-off, open SolveMyCube, confirm JavaScript is enabled, enter your scramble and run the solve; for learning, start with a step-by-step guide and use the solver only to check your result.
Can I add my own Cube Explorer server to SolveMyCube's database, and what information do I need?
Yes. SolveMyCube has an "Add Server" form specifically for registering your own Cube Explorer server in its community database, so the site can call on servers like yours when solving cubes.
Information the form asks for
- Server name — a nickname or human-readable label, such as "John's Cube Explorer Server"; the domain name is acceptable too.
- Server IP — the working external IP address of your server (the form's example is a plain IPv4 address).
- Server port — the port Cube Explorer listens on; the form notes that 8081 is the default.
- Your name — your own name as the person submitting the server.
Fields marked with an asterisk (IP and port) are required; name and your-name fields appear to be optional but useful for identification.
Practical checks before you submit
- Reachability: confirm the server answers from outside your local network, not just on
localhostor a LAN address. A router doing port forwarding is the usual setup. - Correct port: if you changed Cube Explorer's default, enter the actual listening port rather than 8081.
- Stability: a server listed in a shared database is expected to be up when strangers' cubes need solving; a machine that sleeps or changes IP often will produce failed solves for other users.
- Security: exposing a port to the internet is a real decision. Restrict access where the software allows it, and avoid running it on a machine holding sensitive data.
After submitting
The page shows a "Server Added" confirmation heading, suggesting submissions are recorded directly. As a next step, test your entry by scrambling a cube on the solver page and checking that solutions still come back promptly; if they slow down or fail, revisit the IP and port first.
For background on the solver engine itself, the project credits Herbert Kociemba's Two-Phase algorithm and Cube Explorer; his own site is the reference for how the server software behaves.
Is SolveMyCube free to use, and how can I support the project or give feedback?
SolveMyCube is free to use: the site presents its cube solver as an open tool with no paid tiers or subscription described. There is no login required to reach the solver itself, and the only money-related element on the page is an optional donation route through PayPal, alongside a request to consider donating to Herbert Kociemba first, since his Cube Explorer underpins the project.
Ways to support the project
- Donate: The Contribute section accepts donations of any amount via PayPal. The page explicitly suggests supporting Kociemba's work first.
- Give feedback: The site invites usability feedback by email, listed in the Contribute section.
- Share it: Share links at the bottom of the page are meant for passing the site to friends, family or co-workers.
- Add a server: If you run a Cube Explorer server, a form lets you register its nickname, IP address and port (8081 is the Cube Explorer default) so it can join the community database used for solving.
Practical notes before you rely on it
The solver needs JavaScript enabled, and the page states this as a hard requirement rather than a suggestion. Solutions come from Kociemba's Two-Phase algorithm, which aims for a small number of moves on scrambled 3x3x3 cubes. A realistic use case: you have a scrambled 3x3x3, enter or scramble the state in the solver, run it, and read the move sequence from the Solutions panel, which stays empty until you solve a cube.
For a quick comparison, Rubik's offers official guides and product information, while community resources such as SpeedCubeDB focus on algorithms and methods if you want to learn to solve without a solver.
If your goal is learning rather than a one-off solve, decide first whether you want a move list to follow or a method to practise; SolveMyCube suits the former, and the feedback email is the right channel if the interface gets in your way.
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