You understand the 4×4 pieces and can read 3×3 face turns.
Keep the same face at the front. Judge the direction of a turn by looking directly at the face named in the move.
1. Outer turns move a single outer layer
R, U, and F mean the same thing as on a 3×3: turn only the outer layer. Apostrophes reverse quarter-turns; a final 2 makes a half-turn. These are the moves you will use after reduction.
2. Wide turns move neighbouring layers together
Rw turns the outer right layer and the neighbouring inner layer together. Uw turns the top two layers together. Lw turns the leftmost two layers together. The w stands for wide.
There is no need to turn three layers in the 4×4 algorithms taught here.
3. Inner turns exclude the outer face
2R means only the second layer counted from the right. It does not include the outer right face. 2R2 turns that single inner slice 180°.
| Move | Layers | Angle and direction |
|---|---|---|
R2 |
Outer right only | 180° |
Rw |
Rightmost two together | 90° clockwise |
Rw' |
Rightmost two together | 90° anticlockwise |
2R2 |
Second from right only | 180° |
The number at the start selects a layer or sets the width of the turn. A 2 at the end specifies a half-turn. Check both ends of the move notation before turning.
4. Whole-cube rotations change your grip
x rotates the entire cube in the direction of R: the old front becomes the new top. y rotates the entire cube like U. These rotations keep pieces together but change which face the following letters refer to.
The parity animation shows the whole cube rotating with x. Use the new front and top faces after the rotation. In the drill below, each move is followed by its inverse so you can check which layers turn and return to the starting position.
Watch, then try
Work through an example
Start by going through the moves one at a time. The prepared example shows a specific action. Use the lesson’s setup instructions to recognise when to apply it to your own scramble.
Watch one worked example
Each turn is followed by its inverse. Watch which interior stickers move for Rw and 2R; the two moves do not turn the same layers.
Starting grip. Yellow up · blue at the front · red on the right. Follow any written instructions for rotating the whole cube.
0 / 6
Loading 3D cube…
Prepared position · 0 / 6 moves
Use Next move to follow the sequence.
Drag to inspect other faces. Use the arrow keys to rotate the view when the cube has focus.
Copy this exact example on your own cube
Start with a solved 4×4, yellow up and blue front. Apply the setup below from left to right. This creates the example’s starting position. Keep this separate from the ongoing scramble you are solving through the course.
R U R' F2 D L2 B U2 Rw U FwThen follow the lesson sequence. If your cube’s colour scheme differs, match the piece relationships using your own colours.
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
For each move (R, Rw, 2R), count the layers with a finger before turning, then follow the move with its inverse.
Open a 4×4 Digital Cube for practiceOpens in a new tab so you can refer to this lesson while you practise. Check for yourself whether you’ve met the lesson goal. The Digital Cube does not grade your work.
If you get stuck
My centre blocks come apart when I follow a parity algorithm.
First check which layers each move turns. R, Rw and 2R are different. When you reach x, rotate the whole cube and use the new face directions for the moves that follow.
Before moving on
Check your result
Preparation · no solving yet
Return to the same scramble
Each practice move is followed by its inverse as you learn outer, inner and wide turns. The cube stays scrambled. You’ll begin solving the centres in the next lesson.
Confirm these on your cube. Watching the animation alone does not complete the lesson.
Tick each item once you can do it yourself.