Optimized Corners-First Solution Method for Rubik's Cube

Stage II: Edges

At this point, align corners and position centers. The cube is now fully symmetric except for edges. Pick the new top and bottom face depending on what will make solving top and bottom edges easiest. Steps 4 and 5 can be combined, although this requires monitoring more cubies simultaneously and may not yield a speed gain or a reduction in number of movements. See a beginner's method for details on steps 4 through 6.

4. Solve Three Top Edges

In order to do this step efficiently, you need not position centers and allign corners in the previous step. Instead, you can solve first (or first two opposite) top edge using one or two turns ignoring centers and then, you can solve the top center together with another top edge.

(average number of turns for this step ... 9)

5. Solve Three Bottom Edges

To reduce the number of turns required, you can combine this and the following step when solving the third bottom edge. There are several possible cases that are easy to find and very efficient. In addition, you should force yourself to look ahead in this step and try to prevent slower cases to occur.

(average number of turns for this step ... 12)

6. Solve One More Top or Bottom Edge

Often, you can solve the last top or bottom edge in the previous step thus omit this step and reduce turns and time.

(average number of turns for this step ... 4)

At this point, the last top or bottom edge will either be in the middle layer, in position but not oriented, or solved. Depending on the case, proceed as follows to solve that last edge (if necessary) while orienting the middle layer edges.

7. Solve Last Top Edge and Orient Middle Edges

a) Top Edge in Middle Layer

Position the "notch" at top-right and the edge cubie at left-front, with the facelet with the top color on the left face. If the edge cubie is twisted, mirror vertically (top-right becomes bottom-right, right-face turns go in the opposite direction)

As shown in the diagram, the pink-marked edges are oriented correctly - O - if the pink facelet's color matches the color of the adjacent or opposite center. Otherwise the edge is oriented incorrectly (flipped) - X.