The 4×4 Speed Cube is one of the most popular plastic puzzles of all times. It’s a great way to improve dexterity, agility, and hand-eye coordination.
World-class speed solvers can cross three moves per second. This is because their brains are trained to recognize tasks quickly after repetition.
3-2-3 edge pairing
In order to solve the 4×4 Speed Cube like a pro, you need to know how to pair edges efficiently. Thankfully, this is one of the easiest steps on the cube to learn because there are only a few algorithms you need to learn.
The first algorithm you need to know is the 3-2-3 edge pairing. This is the method used by most of the top speedcubers worldwide to solve big cubes.
It’s an optimization of the 6-2 edge pairing method that forces a 3-cycle at the end of edge pairing instead of a 2-cycle. In the most common cases, it’s faster and more move-optimal than 6-2, while maintaining similar lookahead to other methods.
Corners
Corners are one of the most difficult aspects of a Rubiks Revenge cube. They require a different set of skills than the edges or centers.
Once all four corners have been solved, you can move on to solving the top layer. This method is called a “corners-first” solution, and was one of the most popular methods used by 1982 world champion Minh Thai.
When a corner is in the wrong position, the piece must be re-oriented. Depending on the size of the puzzle, this may require more than just a couple turns.
A simple way to orient an edge piece is to rotate the front or face of the cube until it lines up with its center color. This can be done either with a spin of the cube to the right or left, or with a flip of a single edge piece.
Regardless of the technique, the corner pieces should be aligned with their center colors. This can be achieved with a simple algorithm.
Centers
One of the most important things to know when solving a 4×4 speed cube is the centers. These are the pieces that never move relative to each other, which makes them important to remember if you want to be able to solve it like a pro.
Centers can be solved in a few different ways. First, there’s the 3-2-3 edge pairing algorithm that solves multiple edges at once.
Next, there’s also the Roux method, which is a great way to turn a layer quickly. This technique is used by some world record solvers to help them complete a cube in fewer moves than normal.
Lastly, there’s the OLL (Orienting Last Layer) algorithm, which is useful for solving a cube that has an edge piece flipped in the wrong position or the wrong way around. In this case, you’ll need to re-solve the up layer.
White face
The white face of the 4×4 Speed Cube is one of the trickiest sections to solve. It takes a little time to get accustomed to but it can be done with practice.
The first step is to line up each edge piece with its matching color on the opposite bottom layer. To do this, rotate the bottom layers until their colors match up (green to green, blue to blue etc).
Once they are in place, you can then move the corner piece into its matching position on the main white face. You should be able to do this in about 6 iterations.
Once you have solved the top three layers of the White face, you can begin solving the rest of the cube. However, you may encounter a few problems that can slow you down during your solve:
