Six solved centre blocks and twelve fully matched edge groups.
White centre down, yellow up. Treat every centre block and edge group as one large piece.
1. Treat the reduced cube like a 3×3
A whole centre block acts like one centre. A complete two-piece edge group acts like one edge. The actual corner pieces already behave like 3×3 corners.
From now on, use only outer R, U, F, L, D and B turns for the usual solving steps. R turns only the outer layer. Using Rw instead breaks up the grouped pieces.
2. Follow the same checkpoints
| Order | Target | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | White edge groups aligned with centres | Daisy, then white cross |
| 2 | White corners solved and each bottom side row matches its centre | First layer |
| 3 | Middle edge groups match their centres | Middle edges |
| 4 | Yellow faces up on four edge groups | Yellow cross |
| 5 | Yellow faces up on the top corners | Yellow corners |
| 6 | Top corners match the side centres | Corner positions |
| 7 | Remaining edges complete all faces | Final edges |
Leave your physical 4×4 as it is when you open a linked explanation. The pictures show smaller pieces, but the outer turns work the same way. Skip any stage whose checkpoint you’ve already met.
3. Recognise when to leave the ordinary path
If exactly one or three edge groups have yellow facing up after the first two layers are solved, use the next lesson on OLL parity, then return to the yellow-cross check. If all corners are in the right positions but exactly two complete edge groups need to swap places, use the PLL parity lesson, then resume positioning the last layer. These cases can occur even if your earlier work was correct.
4. Keep your grouped pieces intact
After each algorithm, every centre must still be a solid block and every edge must still be a complete group. A single outer turn can’t split a matched group. If grouped pieces have come apart, check whether you accidentally included an inner or wide turn in your 3×3 sequence.
The animation below reviews the final three-edge cycle. Watch how each edge group moves as a unit. This is one stage of solving the reduced cube; use the sequence only when the case calls for it.
Need a reminder of the move notation?
R right · L left · U top · D bottom · F front · B back. A plain letter means a 90° clockwise turn as you look directly at that face. An apostrophe (′) reverses the turn. A 2 means a 180° turn. Keep the same face towards you throughout the algorithm.
Rw turns the rightmost two layers together. 2R turns only the second layer from the right. 3Rw turns three layers. x rotates the whole cube like R, so the old front becomes the new top.
Watch, then try
Work through an example
Start by stepping through the example one move at a time. This example demonstrates a specific action. Use the lesson’s setup instructions to recognise when that action applies to your own scramble.
Watch one worked example
This edge cycle uses outer turns on the 4×4, so the pieces in every layer stay grouped. The back edge group and all corners stay in place while the other three top edge groups cycle.
Example grip: yellow up · blue front · red right at the start. Follow any written whole-cube rotations.
0 / 11
Loading 3D cube…
Prepared position · 0 / 11 moves
Use Next move to follow the sequence.
Drag to inspect other faces. When the cube has focus, use the arrow keys to rotate the view.
Copy this exact example on your own cube
Start with a solved 4×4, with yellow on top and blue at the front. Apply the setup moves below from left to right. This gives you the starting position for the example. Keep this separate from the scramble you’re solving throughout the course.
R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'Then follow the lesson sequence. If your cube has a different colour scheme, use your own colours to identify the corresponding pieces.
Compare the starting position and the result
Drag each cube to inspect its other faces.
Explain it to yourself
Check your understanding
Now use your own cube
Your turn
Follow the linked 3×3 stages in order using only outer turns. Check that centres and paired edges remain intact after each complete algorithm.
Open a 4×4 Digital Cube for practiceThe Digital Cube opens in a new tab so you can keep this lesson open while you practise. Check for yourself whether you’ve met the lesson goal, as the Digital Cube doesn’t assess your result.
If you get stuck
A paired edge comes apart during a 3×3 algorithm.
Check that each ordinary face turn moved only the outer layer. If you know which wide or inner turn you made by mistake, undo it. Otherwise, restore the reduction before continuing.
Before moving on
Check your result
Your cube at this stage
All six faces solved
Every face is one colour. Check the back and bottom as well as the faces you can see here.
Confirm these on your cube. Watching the animation alone does not complete the lesson.
Tick each item when you can do it yourself.