4x4x4 Advanced Tricks

Advanced Dedges

The main stumbling block is when edges get trapped in position X (see Awkward Dedge Cases for a more detailed explanation). You can waste time searching all over the cube for the edge, and it's usually the case that position X is the last place you will look for it. So, as you complete the centres it is worth making a quick mental note of the edge that is in position X, and if you then come to a point where you are looking for that edge you immediately know where it is and can remedy the situation as quickly as possible.

It is also worth keeping a mental count of how many times you've had to form an extra dedge because it was trapped in position X, and also how many solved dedges there were already formed immediately after the centres. If you have good eyes, you may be able to spot all of them at once, or, with a bit of practise, you will also see dedges that you know you didn't solve during the course of the 6-pair method. This will only come with a LOT of practise, but it is very useful because it allows you to know what situation will occur at the end of the pairing up process, thus giving you a headstart when you get round to solving it. The number of solved dedges at the beginning, plus the ones you solve because of the position X problem affects what you should do during the Second Iteration. The following table shows you how to know what to expect.

Extra Dedges Solved	How to finish the Second Iteration
0	You will have to perform the full 6-pair method, AND fix the final two dedges
1	You will have to perform the full 6-pair method, but the final two dedges will be automatically solved
2	You only have to form a single staggered dedge, slice, and then form another dedge on the way back. You will then have to fix the final two dedges.
3	You only have to form a single staggered dedge, slice, and then form another dedge on the way back. All dedges are now solved
4	You do not have to perform the Second Iteration, but you will have to fix the final two dedges.
5	You do not have to perform the Second Iteration. All dedges are now solved.

Any more than 5 extra dedges is very rare and would be incredibly hard to spot in any case.

Advanced OLL Parity

The standard way to solve the OLL on the 4x4x4 is to first fix the Orientation parity, if necessary, and then solve the resulting OLL. However, it is possible, with a few set-up moves, to fix the parity and solve the OLL simultaneously. This almost always results in fewer moves, and less wasted time in recognising the OLL case which would result after fixing the parity normally.

Example

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(l2 B2 l U2 l U2 (x') U2 l U2 l' U2 l U2 l2 U2 (x)) The standard parity fix.

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B' R' (l2 B2 l U2 l U2 (x') U2 l U2 l' U2 l U2 l2 U2 (x)) U2 R B Including some set up moves allows you to solve the entire OLL.

Unfortunately I do not have a full suite of cases available yet, but I hope to put them online soon.

Advanced PLL Parity

Because of the possibility of even or odd parity, there are 22 extra PLL cases which can crop up on the 4x4x4 (when solving as a 3x3x3) in addition to the 21 standard 3x3x3 PLL's. Algorithms for most cases haven't been generated, because the positions are far too complex even for today's best computer solvers. All of the cases can be fixed by using a Parity fixer and a standard PLL, but there are several different ways to do this for each case. I have prepared a table of solutions to each case, showing what I believe to be the fastest way to solve each one.

Click here for the Algorithms

Advanced LL

The idea here is to eliminate the need for a one of the parity fixes altogether. After finishing the F3L (the equivalent of the F2L on the 4x4x4), you would then perform the OLL. If this is possible, you then only have to worry about the Permutation parity. However, even if you had odd Orientation parity, you would still perform the OLL as if that dedge were flipped over correctly. This results in a completed OLL except for one edge pair that is flipped incorrectly. At this stage, you fix the Orientation parity, but in such a way that it also corrects the Permutation parity, if necessary. To recognise whether you have to fix the Permutation parity or not when all of the pieces are not correctly Oriented is no mean feat, it will take a lot of practise to master. Once you have decided whether or not you have Permutation parity, you can then choose between the following algorithms, where in this case a lower case letter means turn the inner slice ONLY:

r2 B2 U2 l U2 r' U2 r U2 F2 r F2 l' B2 r2	Fixes Orientation parity but doesn't change the parity of the PLL
(l2 B2 l U2 l U2 (x') U2 l U2 l' U2 l U2 l2 U2 (x))	Fixes Orientation parity and also changes the PLL parity.

By deliberately selecting the correct algorithm for each case you can always avoid the PLL parity when you have to fix the Orientation parity, thus only ever having to fix one parity at most in any given solve. This method is not widely used, but a few cubers have mastered it and produced some very good results.