Build a white cross on top. The second color of each white edge must match its side center.
The 4x4 at this stage
The centers are done and all 12 edge pairs are paired. From this lesson to Yellow edges, solve it like a 3x3. Each 2x2 center acts as a center, each edge pair acts as an edge, and corners are the same.
- Turn . On a 4x4,
R is just the outermost layer and drags nothing else along.
- Turning two layers by accident splits an edge pair and scrambles a center, so you must fix them again.
- On the last layer you may meet parity, a case a 3x3 never has. The later lessons show where.
Three kinds of pieces
A center has one color and never moves. An edge has two colors. A corner has three.
Each center tells you the color of its face. The face with the red center will be the red face.
Opposite colors never change: white is opposite yellow, green opposite blue, red opposite orange.
How to hold the cube
Keep the white center on top for this whole lesson. To change the front face, turn the whole cube around its vertical axis.
When is a white edge solved
Two things must be true. Its white sticker is on top, next to the white center. Its other color matches the center of the side face below it.
A white cross with wrong side colors is not done yet.
One edge at a time
- Find a white edge that is not solved yet.
- In the middle layer: one move usually brings it up (see the case "Edge stuck in the middle layer").
- On top in the wrong spot: hold it on the right and do
R2 to send it down.
- On the bottom: turn the bottom (
D) until the edge sits right under the center of its color.
- Turn the whole cube so that face is on the right, then do
R2.
- If the edge arrives with white facing right, do
R' U F' U'.
Repeat until all four edges are in.
Middle edge whose color does not match yet
Turn U until the edge's own spot is right above it. Do R (or F') to bring it up. Then turn U back so the placed edges return.
Check before moving on
The top shows a white cross. On each side face, the top middle sticker matches the center. The corners do not matter yet.
Common mistakes
- Looking only at white and forgetting to match the side color.
- Turning the cube over halfway, so white is no longer on top.
- Turning the wrong way.
R turns the right face up, R' turns it down. Turn on the arrow in the player to see the direction.
Next lesson
Go to . Keep white on top.