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Square-1 Notations

The Structure

Each move in a Square-1 algorithm is wrapped inside 2 brackets like this (1,0). The number before the comma means we are turning the top layer, and the number after the comma means we are turning the bottom layer. Example: (1,0) (3,2) (-1,0)

The Numbers (2,0)

The number denotes how many times you move that layer in 30° increments.

  • 1 = 30°
  • 2 = 60°
  • 3 = 90°
  • 4 = 120°

You might be asking yourself, "How do I know how many degrees I'm turning that layer? Do I need to buy a protractor?" 

If looking at a solved Square-1, the little edge pieces on the top and bottom layer are 30° while the bigger corner pieces are 60°. From this information, we know that (2,0) would mean we have to turn the top layer by 1 big piece (or 2 little pieces).

The Negatives (-2,0)

Just like a normal cube, we have clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations. In a Square-1 algorithm, these are shown by negative numbers. A positive number means a clockwise rotation, while a negative number means an anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) rotation. Example: (-1,-3) would mean turning the top layer by a single 30° segment anti-clockwise and the bottom layer by 90° anti-clockwise.

The Slice /

Outside of the bracket moves, you’ll often see a /, which means you need to slice the puzzle. 

A slice is a 180° rotation of the right-hand layer (as shown in the photo below). A typical algorithm will look like this: / (3,-3) / (3,0) / (-3,0) / (0,3) / (-3,0) / Every time you see /, simply slice the right layer 180° and proceed with the moves inside the brackets that follow it.