Rubik's Revenge

Rubik's Revenge  
Introduction

Basic Terminology:

For this solution, I will be using a handy picture-based move system. But this may require a bit of explanation. Icons will be displayed next to a cube to show what they mean. 646q163g

The indicated layer should be turned 90 degrees clockwise, which is represented by the small icon.

The arrow has two heads, indicating that a turn of 180 degrees can be done either direction with the same result.

If you see something like this, it will be more convenient to turn the two layers simultaneously.

Important: changing the orientation of the cube in space can affect how the icons are used.

The cube is oriented differently. Though the icons are different, the effect is the same.

Part 1: Top Centers
Gray squares indicate that the color of those pieces is not important right now.

Step 1: Turn the cube in your hands until you find a green center. Rotate the highlighted layers and you'll probably get at least one more green center into place.

Step 2: For any centers that aren't in place, match them to one of these five cases and perform the moves indicated. You will need to do this at most three times.

Case 1:

Case 2:

Case 3:

Case 4:

Case 5:

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 as needed.

Part 2: Bottom Centers

Step 1: Rotate your cube so that the green face is on the bottom.

Step 2: To move a yellow center to the yellow face, match it to one of these four cases. You will have to do this at most four times.

Case 1:

Case 2:

Case 3:

Case 4:

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 as needed.

Part 1: Top Corners

Step 1: Locate the red-blue-green corner. If it is on the green face, green side up, move on to Step 2. Otherwise use one of these methods to fix it.

Step 2: Rotate the cube in your hands 90 degrees so that the just-placed red-blue-green corner is moved to the left. Locate the red-green-white corner. If it is in the correct place, go to Step 3. If it is on the bottom layer, rotate it so that it's beneath the space it needs to go to. If it's in the top layer but in the wrong spot, use this sequence to move it down. Then match it to one of the cases.

Step 3: Rotate the cube in your hands 90 degrees so that the just-placed red-green-white corner is moved to the left. Locate the orange-green-white corner. If it is in the correct place, go to Step 3. If it is on the bottom layer, rotate it so that it's beneath the space it needs to go to. If it's in the top layer but in the wrong spot, use this sequence to move it down. Then match it to one of the cases.

Step 4: Rotate the cube in your hands 90 degrees so that the just-placed orange-green-white corner is moved to the left. Locate the orange-green-blue corner. If it is in the correct place, go to Step 5.

Part 2: Bottom Corners

Step 5: Turn your cube upside-down so that the yellow face is on top. Rotate the yellow face so that you can get 0, 1, or 4 of the corners to match up with their counterparts on the green layer. Don't worry about orientation of the corners, that comes later. If all four are in the right spots, go to Step 6.

Case 1:  

Case 2:

Case 3:        

Step 6: If all the bottom corners are oriented correctly, move on to Top and Bottom Edges. Otherwise, match your cube to one of these seven scenarios. Your colors may be different.

Cases 1-5: Now match your cube to Case 6 or 7.

Case 6:

Case 7:

Part 1: Bottom Edges I

Step 1: Keep the cube yellow side up. Using the methods shown here, place the yellow edges in position. Leave one edge pair unsolved, this will be important for Part 2. In the diagram I have the blue-yellow edges unsolved, but you could pick a different one if you wanted. If you run out of edges that you can place, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Use this sequence to remove two edges from the bottom layer, if needed.

Step 3: Repeat Steps 1 and 2 as needed.

Part 2: Top Edges

Step 4: Rotate the cube so that it's green side up. Using the methods shown here, place the green edges in position. If you run out of edges that you can place, go to Step 5.

Important: Note the two pieces marked in light blue. Make certain that the gap you left in Part 1 is there at all times.

Step 5: Use this sequence to remove two edges from the bottom layer, if needed.

Step 6: Repeat Steps 4 and 5 as needed.

Part 3: Bottom Edges II

Step 7: Check the gap you left in Part 1. If only one of the two yellow-blue edges is there, or they are both in backwards, you will need to move them out using this sequence. If one of the yellow-blue edges is not in the bottom layer, make sure it isn't in one of the marked spaces when you use this sequence. Otherwise you'll need to do it again.

Step 8: Make sure the two yellow-blue edges are not on the same layer. If they are, use the appropriate sequence.

Step 9: Time to place those two blue-yellow edges. Match your cube to one of these two cases and use the appropriate sequence.

Case 5:

Case 6:

Part 1: Middle Edges I

Step 1: Try to get the first red-blue edge lined up as shown below. If you can't get it there, do and try again. Once it is lined up, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Check to see if the red-white edge beneath the red-blue one is correctly placed. If it's not, rotate the red-white edge into place as shown. If you can't get it there, do and try again.

Step 3: Rotate the cube in your hands as shown and check to see if the orange-white edge beneath the red-white one is correctly placed. If it's not, rotate the orange-white edge into place as shown. If you can't get it there, do and try again.

Step 4: If the orange-blue edge is not properly placed, rotate it into the position shown and use this sequence.

Part 2: Middle Edges II

Step 1: You should be able to get 2 or 4 of the remaining middle edges into place. If you get all 4, go on to Middle Centers. Otherwise, match your cube to one of these two cases.

Case 1:

Case 2:      

Part 1: Middle Centers

This is the last part of the solution, and probably the most time-consuming. All the remaining middle centers need to be placed using these methods. Note that all of them are more or less the same. Repeat this until all of them have been placed.

Hint: Try to eliminate centers being on the opposite face first, e.g. orange centers on the red face, white centers on the blue face, etc.

Part 2: Congratulations!