First Layer: Insert the Four White Corners

Once the white cross is done, the first layer needs four more pieces: the white corners. You find a corner, move it above its slot, and insert it with a short repeated sequence.

What should be done already

The white cross must be finished and correct: a white plus sign on the bottom, with each edge’s side colour matching its centre. If you are not there yet, read the white cross guide first. Orientation is the same as before: yellow centre on top, white at the bottom, blue in front, red on the right.

Find the target corner

A corner piece has three stickers. Four of them are white corners: white-blue-red, white-red-green, white-green-orange and white-orange-blue. A corner belongs in the slot where its two other colours’ centres meet. White-blue-red goes to the bottom front-right slot, between the blue front centre and the red right centre.

Bring the corner above its slot

If the white corner is in the top layer, turn U until the corner is directly above its slot. For the front-right slot that means the top front-right position.

1×white on the right face

3×white on top

5×white on the front face

A white corner at the top front-right, above its slot. The gold outline marks the white sticker (W white, B blue, R red). The number is how many times to repeat R U R′ U′.

Insert the corner

With the corner at the top front-right, above the front-right slot, repeat R U R′ U′. How many repeats it needs depends on where the white sticker faces.

White sticker on the right face: repeat once.
White sticker on top: repeat three times.
White sticker on the front face: repeat five times.

R U R′ U′Slot front-right, corner directly above it. Repeat until the corner is in place with white facing down. The cross stays intact after every repeat, even while the corner looks wrong.

L′ U′ L UMirror version for the front-left slot. The corner sits at the top front-left. The repeats work the same way: white on the left face 1×, on top 3×, on the front 5×.

For the other two slots, turn the whole cube so that the slot you want is at the front, then use one of the sequences above.

A corner in the wrong place in the bottom layer

Sometimes a white corner is already in the bottom layer, but in the wrong slot or twisted. Put that slot at the front-right and run R U R′ U′ once. The corner moves up into the top layer, and you can handle it as above.

Check the whole first layer

The entire bottom face is white: nine stickers.
Each of the four side faces has a bottom row of three stickers in the colour of that face’s centre.

Common mistakes

Stopping a repeat in the middle because the cube looks messy. Finish the repeats for the corner.
Using the right-hand sequence for a corner that sits above the left slot, or the other way round.
Counting repeats from the wrong sticker. Look for the white sticker only.
Forgetting to turn U to bring the corner above its slot before inserting.