Step 5: Orienting the Last Layer (Yellow Face)

You built the yellow cross in the previous step. Now all four yellow edge pieces sit on top with their yellow stickers facing up, but the corner pieces probably still show yellow stickers pointing sideways. This step finishes the yellow face by rotating each corner until yellow is on top.

This is called orienting the last layer corners, and it uses a single algorithm repeated a few times. Once every sticker on the top face is yellow, the whole face is done and you move on to the final two steps.

If you are working through the full solve, you can review the overall structure in the layer-by-layer method: how beginners solve the cube, or go back to step 1: how to solve the white cross if you need a refresher on foundations.

The Sune Algorithm

The algorithm you will use in this step is called Sune:

R U R' U R U2 R'

That is seven moves. In plain terms: right face clockwise, top face clockwise, right face counter-clockwise, top face clockwise, right face clockwise, top face twice (180 degrees), right face counter-clockwise.

Every time you run R U R' U R U2 R', the algorithm cycles the orientation of several corners on the top layer. Run it with yellow on top and white on the bottom throughout the whole step. Keep the cube in this orientation every single time you apply the algorithm.

A few things to keep in mind:

• R means the right face turns clockwise (as viewed from the right side).
• U means the top face turns clockwise (as viewed from above).
• R' means the right face turns counter-clockwise.
• U2 means the top face turns 180 degrees (two quarter-turns, direction does not matter).

If cube notation is new to you, step 2: how to solve the first layer corners has a short breakdown of the basics.

Reading the Headlights Pattern

Before running Sune, look at the yellow face from above and identify a pattern called headlights. Headlights happen when two adjacent corners in the same row show the same non-yellow color on the side facing you.

Here is how to use that:

1. Hold the cube with yellow on top and white on the bottom.
2. Rotate the top layer (just U moves) and look at the four side faces around the top row.
3. Find two corners on the same side that share a matching color. Those two corners are your headlights.
4. Position those headlights so they face left (rotate the whole cube, not just the U layer, so the headlights side is on the left).
5. Now run R U R' U R U2 R' once.

After one application, check again. You may need to rotate and run the algorithm a second or third time, but the headlights pattern guides you on where to stand each time.

What You Will See at Each Stage

The yellow face can arrive in several different states after completing the cross. Here is a quick reference:

What you see on top	What to do
No yellow corners facing up, no headlights visible	Run Sune once from any angle, then look for headlights
One yellow corner facing up	Position that corner at the front-right, then run Sune
Headlights visible on one side	Face headlights left, then run Sune
All four yellow corners facing up	Yellow face is complete, move on

If no headlights appear at all, run Sune once from any angle. That will almost always create a headlights pattern you can use on the next pass.

Running Sune Step by Step

Here is the process spelled out:

1. Hold the cube with yellow on top and white on the bottom throughout.
2. Look for headlights on the side faces. If you find them, rotate the whole cube so they are on your left.
3. Run R U R' U R U2 R'.
4. Check the yellow face. If all corners show yellow on top, you are done.
5. If not, look for headlights again, reposition if needed, and run Sune again.
6. Repeat until all four corners have yellow on top.

Most scrambles take one to three applications. A case that starts with no corners oriented at all can take three or four repetitions, but the same algorithm gets you there.

A Common Mistake to Avoid

The most frequent problem at this stage is accidentally turning the whole cube between algorithm attempts. Each time you search for headlights, you are looking at the side faces, and it is easy to tilt the cube or rotate it in a way that loses your orientation.

Keep white on the bottom and yellow on top at all times. Only rotate the whole cube (called a y-rotation) when you are repositioning headlights to the left. Do not move the bottom two layers between attempts. The U layer will look scrambled after Sune runs, and that is expected. Trust the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times do I need to run Sune? Most cases take one to three repetitions. There is a rare starting state where no corners are correctly oriented and no headlights exist that can take up to four passes. Just keep identifying headlights and repositioning before each run.

Does it matter which direction I face when running Sune? Yes. Sune only works correctly when the headlights are on your left. If you position them facing you or on the right, the algorithm will still run, but it will not create a complete yellow face efficiently. Always put headlights on the left.

The yellow face is done but my cube looks even more scrambled than before. Is that normal? Yes. Orienting the last layer corners does not place them in their correct positions. The corners are all yellow-up now, but they may not be in the right spots. That is handled in the next step, which swaps corners and edges into their correct slots to finish the cube.

What if I see exactly one yellow corner facing up? Position that corner at the front-right of the top layer, then run R U R' U R U2 R'. This is a standard starting case and usually resolves in one or two more passes.

I keep losing track of which side has the headlights. Any tips? Before running Sune, pick a landmark color on the headlights side and say it out loud or point to it. Then rotate so that side is on your left. Slowing down for five seconds here is faster overall than having to restart from a confused state.

Once every square on the yellow face is yellow, this step is done. The cube has two faces fully solved, the middle layer is complete, and the top face is all one color. The final two steps bring the last layer pieces into their correct positions, and the solve is almost finished.