[Amanda Morrison]

Solving the cube just takes patience and lots of notes.

The best suggestion that I ever received was to take a small notebook and record my movements. From there, I figured out how my movements translated onto the cube, and it helped me learn how to move it based on where I wanted it to go.

Also, it's best when recording movements to split it up into layers and sides. Establish a "top" color (I always start with white on top. On a typical cube, this means yellow is on the bottom) and stick with it - always start solving the cube with that color on top. If you're just learning how to solve it, this really helps!

However, my ultimate advice is to find a mentor who already knows how to solve it. I had a great friend, one of the kindest men in FIRST, take the time to sit down with me on my lunch breaks and teach me some moves a half hour at a time. He never gave me the solution, but taught me the moves that I needed to figure it out on my own. Sometimes, having someone that can teach you just shows you another way to do what you've been doing, but in less moves.

I'm happy to help with any tips I can if you're interested. Good luck!