Cube Patterns: Make Them in 3D
Start with a solved cube, do a short list of moves, and a pattern appears. Press Make it on any pattern to watch it form on the 3D cube, then copy the moves onto your own.
Get 3D Cube Puzzle as an app
Free, no app store and no sign-up. The cube, the 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4 solvers, the trainer, the timer and the patterns all work without the internet once it is saved.
How to add it on this device:
Pattern cube
Solved cube. Pick a pattern to make.
You can turn the cube yourself too. Hold it with white on top and green in front before copying a pattern onto a real cube.
All the patterns
CheckerboardM2 E2 S2
SuperflipU R2 F B R B2 R U2 L B2 R U' D' R2 F R' L B2 U2 F2
Cube in a cubeF L F U' R U F2 L2 U' L' B D' B' L2 U
Cube in a cube in a cubeU' L' U' F' R2 B' R F U B2 U B' L U' F U R F'
Six spotsU D' R L' F B' U D'
Four spotsF2 B2 U D' R2 L2 U D'
CrossR2 L' D F2 R' D' R' L U' D R D B2 R' U D2
AnacondaL U B' U' R L' B R' F B' D R D' F'
PythonF2 R' B' U R' L F' L F' B D' R B L2
Exchanged peaksF U2 L F L' B L U B' R' L' U R' D' F' B R2
Chequered cube in a cubeU' R2 L2 F2 B2 U' R L F B' U F2 D2 R2 L2 F2 U2 F2 U' F2
StripesR2 U2 R2 U2 R2 U2 L2 D2 L2 D2 L2 D2
About these patterns
Checkerboard (3 moves): The classic. Every face becomes a chequered pattern with its opposite colour. Only 3 moves with middle-slice turns (or R2 L2 U2 D2 F2 B2 without them).
Superflip (20 moves): Every edge is flipped and everything else is solved. It famously needs 20 moves, the most any position needs.
Cube in a cube (15 moves): A small 2x2 block seems to sit inside the corner of the bigger cube.
Cube in a cube in a cube (18 moves): Three nested cubes in one corner.
Six spots (8 moves): Every centre is a different colour from the rest of its face.
Four spots (8 moves): Spots on the four side faces, with the top and bottom left plain.
Cross (16 moves): A cross of one colour on each face.
Anaconda (14 moves): A snake of colour winds its way round the cube.
Python (14 moves): Another snake, curling the other way.
Exchanged peaks (17 moves): Two corners swap their peaks of colour.
Chequered cube in a cube (20 moves): A cube in a cube with a chequered twist.
Stripes (12 moves): Neat stripes down the middle of four faces, using only half turns.
How to make a pattern on your own cube
- Start solved, with white on top and green facing you.
- Do the moves in order. R means turn the right face clockwise, R’ anticlockwise, R2 half a turn. M, E and S are the middle slices. See notation.
- To undo it, do the moves backwards with each one reversed, or just solve the cube. Patterns like the checkerboard and superflip undo themselves if you do them twice.
Patterns are a fun way to practise notation and to show off. The superflip has a special place in cube maths: it was one of the first positions shown to need 20 moves, the number now known as God’s number.
Rubik's Cube is a trade mark of Spin Master. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Spin Master.
Questions people ask
What is the easiest Rubik’s cube pattern?
The checkerboard: M2 E2 S2, or R2 L2 U2 D2 F2 B2 if you don’t use middle-slice moves.
What is the superflip?
A position where every edge is flipped in place and everything else is solved. It needs 20 moves, the most any position needs.
How do I get back to solved after a pattern?
Do the moves in reverse order with each turn reversed. For the checkerboard and superflip, just do the same moves again.