How to Solve a 4x4 Cube- the Rubik's Revenge

Nota9ons explana9on: The PLL parity uses an internal layer movement. The number "2" shown
before the specified face leMer, means moving the internal layer of its face. Example: [2R] = [r R'].
The move "2R" can be done by moving both layers by doing r, and then returning the R face back by
doing R'. The move "2R2" means moving this internal layer twice. You can see image examples in
the intro secFon
above
.
Why PLL parity occurs on 4x4 cubes while it's impossible on a regular 3x3 cube?
The reason is because of the mechanics and math of the Rubik's cube. As you know, moving only 2
edge pieces while preserving all other pieces is impossible* (U-perm algorithm affects 3 edge

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How to Solve a 4x4 Cube- The Rubik's Revenge
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http://www.rubiksplace.com/cubes/4x4/
pieces, which is the lowest possible). Moving only one piece is clearly impossible (where will it go
without switching with another piece?).
Therefore, a case where only 2 edge pieces needed to be switched is an impossible case on a 3x3
cube. However, on a 4x4 cube it's not really 2 pieces, but 4 pieces, and 4 pieces needed to be
switched between is a possible case.
(* At least not by legal moves, the only possible way to do that is by disassembling the 2 pieces by
breaking the cube and assembling it wrongly (the cube will become non-solvable)
The same rules apply for all cubes (3x3, 4x4, 5x5, etc..)
What about OLL pari9es?
OLL parity happens in the 4x4 cube for the same reasons as well. The minimum number of pieces
orientaFon while preserving all other pieces is 2 (applies for all sizes of cubes). Therefore it's
impossible that only 1 edge piece will be un-oriented in a 3x3 cube. While in a 4x4 cube it is actually
2 different edge pieces (even though we treat them as "one edge block") which is a possible case.
Acer understanding the pariFes, let's conFnue and finish solving the 4x4 cube:
If acer compleFng step 3 (solving the cube unFl the last layer) you noFced that an OLL parity occur-
then apply the algorithm and conFnue in solving the last layer using the 3x3 solving technique.
Apply a PLL algorithm as well if needed.
That’s it! You had just solved the 4x4 Rubik's Revenge! Just keep and pracFce on solving the 4x4
cube Fll you'll be able to do it without using this guide. You will be happy to know that you have to
memorize only 4 algorithms for that (2 pariFes + 2 algorithms from step 2)! Congratula9ons!
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1/19/18, 12(51 PM
How to Solve a 4x4 Cube- The Rubik's Revenge
Page 18 of 18
http://www.rubiksplace.com/cubes/4x4/
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