The 4x4 Rubik’s cube, also known as the Rubik’s Master, is a twisty puzzle that has 24 center pieces, 24 edge pieces, and 8 corner pieces. It may look intimidating, but it is actually very similar to the classic 3x3 cube, with only a few extra steps and algorithms. In this guide, I will show you how to solve the 4x4 cube in three easy steps, using the Yau method, which is the most popular method used by the best 4x4 solvers. You can practice anywhere and at any time with my online Rubik’s cube simulator.
This guide is in a way a dynamic version of the rubiks.com ebook, feel free to consult it.
Step One: Solve The Centers
Begin by holding your 4X4 Rubik's Cube so the white logo tile is on the UP face.
Action 1
Locate another WHITE center tile that is not on the UP face
If your other WHITE tile is not on the DOWN face, hold your Rubik's Master so the other WHITE tile is on the FRONT face and turn the FRONT face (F) until the other WHITE tile is in the lower right of the 4 center tiles.
If your other WHITE tile is on the DOWN face, turn the DOWN face (D) until the other WHITE tile is in the lower right of the 4 center tiles.
Action 2
Turn the UP face (U) until there is a non-WHITE tile in the upper left corner of the 4 cenetr tiles of the UP face.
Action 3
If your other WHITE tile is on the FRONT face, follow this Algorithm Rr U Rr'.
If your other WHITE tile is on the DOWN face, follow this Algorithm Rr2 U Rr'2.
Action 4
Repeat Action 1-3 until all center tiles are WHITHE.
Then Continue solving the center pieces for all 6 faces. Follow Action 1-3, replacing WHITE in each step with the next color in the bellow order:
Keep in mind that when YELLOW is the UP face, GREEN must be to the right of RED
When solving the other centers, you must remember the orientation of colors.
Step two: Pair the Edges
There are 24 edge pieces on the Rubik’s Master that need to be paired so you have 12 edges like a Rubik’s Cube. The edges do not need to match the centers yet. They can just look like bellow.
Action 1
Find the two orange and white edge pieces. Use the outside turns to get the edge pieces on the left and right of the FRONT face. The color of the center doesn't matter.
Hold your Rubik's Master to match one of these:
- 1 : If the edges are not directly across from each other, follow this sequence to line them up: D L D' L'.
or0 / 40 / 4
- 2 : Once the edges are across from each other, follow this sequence to pair them: Dd R F' U R' F D'd'.
or0 / 70 / 7
Repeat it until all 24 edge pieces are paired, for example like bellow.
Step three: Solve The Rubik’s Master Like The Rubik’s cube
After grouping the correct centers and pairing the edges, the 4X4 Rubik's Cube can now be solved like the Rubik’s Come like in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide.
Action 1
Follow the steps in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide to:
- 1 - Solve the White cross
- 2 - Solve the White Corners
- 3 - Solve the Middle Corners by considering the paired edges together as on piece.
When solving the Rubik's Master like the Rubik's cube, only turn the outside Faces.
Action 2: Make the Yellow Cross
1 - If you have 1 or 3 yellow pairs on the UP face, hold your 4X4 Rubik's Cube to match one of these case and then follow the Algorithm: r2 B2 U2 l U2 r' U2 r U2 F2 r F2 l' B2 r2.
Once you have fixed the parity (means has 2 or 4 yellow pairs on the UP face), continue to the Rubik's Cube Solution Guide.
2 - If you have 0 or 2 yellow edge pairs on the UP face, follow the Rubik's Cube Solution Guide.
Action 3
Just continue solving the Rubik's Master as Rubik's Cube:
Action 4 : positione the final Yellow edges
Here you have to use algorithms that are not in the Rubik's Cube Solution Guide.
Determine how many of the yellow edge pairs are in the correct position, and follow the direction that match your 4X4 Rubik's Cube.
If there is No YELLOW EDGE pairs positioned correctly:
- 1 - Follow the Algorithm in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide. You will end up with 1 or 2 edge pairs in the correct Position.
- 2 - If one Yellow edge pair is placed correctly, follow the Algorithm in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide for positioning Yellow Edges.
- 3 - If two Yellow edge pairs are now placed correctly, follow the directive here
If there is One YELLOW EDGE pair in the correct position:
Hold your Rubik’s Master like bellow, and follow the Algorithm in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide for positioning Yellow Edges.
If the two correctly placed Yellow Edge pairs are opposite each other:
Hold your Rubik’s Master so the correctly placed edge pairs are on the LEFT and RIGHT faces, then follow the Algorithm to fix the pairity: r2 U2 r2 Uu2 r2 u2
If the two correctly placed Yellow edge pairs are adjacent(next to each other)
Hold your Rubik’s Master so the correctly placed edge pairs are on the LEFT and BACK faces, then follow the Algorithm to fix the pairity: r2 U2 r2 Uu2 r2 u2
Finally, follow the Algorithm in the Rubik’s Cube Solution Guide for positioning Yellow edges.
Then if everything was done correctly, your Rubik's Master will be completed.
If so, congratulations; you have just solved the 4x4 Rubik's Cube.
conclusion
In this guide, you have learned how to solve a 4X4 Rubik’s cube. However, the true mastery of the Rubik’s cube lies in practice, as it is by practicing and practicing again that you can fully appropriate it and increase your resolution time. Do not hesitate to scramble and solve it again and again until you become a true master and you can do it anywhere and at any time thanks to my online Rubik’s cube simulator.
