How to Solve a 4x4 Cube

The 4x4 looks scary, but you solve it by turning it into a 3x3. First make the centres, then join the edge pieces into pairs, then solve it like a 3x3 with a couple of extra algorithms for parity. This is called the reduction method.

You will need to know how to solve a 3x3. If you can’t yet, start with our beginner’s guide. On a 4x4, R turns the outer right layer and Rw turns the right two layers. Try the moves on the 3D 4x4.

Step 1: the centres

Each face has four centre pieces. Build them into 2x2 blocks of one colour.

1. White centre: pair up two white centre pieces into a 1x2 bar, then join a second bar. Use inner-layer turns (like Rw U Rw') to bring pieces up to the top without breaking what you’ve done.
2. Yellow centre: build it on the bottom, opposite white. Only use turns of the faces and inner layers that don’t break the white centre (mostly Rw, Rw’, and U/D/F turns).
3. The four side centres: they must go round in the right order. With white on top and green in front, red is on the right, then blue at the back and orange on the left. Build them one by one, using Rw2 and U turns to swap bars between faces.

Step 2: pair the edges

Each edge is made of two wings with the same two colours. Join them up, twelve times over:

1. Find two matching wings. Put one in the front-left edge and the other in the front-right edge, at different heights.
2. Turn an inner layer (Uw' or Dw) to line them up into a pair.
3. Swap the new pair out of the way with R U R' F R' F' R, which also brings an unpaired edge into the gap.
4. Turn the inner layer back (Uw) so the centres are whole again.

The last two edges sometimes need a few goes. Our 4x4 solver can show you how it pairs any edge.

Step 3: solve it like a 3x3

With centres made and edges paired, treat the cube as a 3x3. Turn only the outer layers and use the same method you use on a 3x3. Two things can happen on a 4x4 that can’t happen on a 3x3:

• OLL parity: you get a yellow cross except one edge is flipped.
• PLL parity: at the end, two edges are swapped (or two corners look swapped).

Both have one standard fix each. See 4x4 parity for the moves and pictures.

Tips

• Do white and yellow centres first, opposite each other. It makes the side centres easier.
• Check the order of the side centres before pairing edges. A wrong order means doing it all again.
• Most people solve a 4x4 in 3 to 5 minutes at first, coming down quickly with practice.

Questions people ask

How do you solve a 4x4 Rubik’s cube?

With the reduction method: build the six centres, pair the twelve edges, then solve it like a 3x3, fixing parity if it appears.

Why is my 4x4 not solvable like a 3x3?

Because of parity. On a 4x4 one edge can be flipped or two can be swapped, which can’t happen on a 3x3. One extra algorithm fixes each.

Which way round do the 4x4 centres go?

White opposite yellow, green opposite blue, red opposite orange. With white on top and green in front, red is on the right.