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Fun with a solved cube

Rubik's Cube patterns: four to try.

A solved cube can make pretty patterns with a few moves. Each pattern here has the moves, a description of what to expect and a cube that plays it.

Checkerboard

Every face alternates two colours like a chessboard: the face's own colour and the colour of the opposite face.

M2 E2 S2

3 moves. To undo it, do the reverse: S2 E2 M2

CheckerboardStarts from a solved cube.

Turn on JavaScript to watch this on a 3D cube. The moves are: M2 E2 S2

  1. M2
  2. E2
  3. S2

Six spots

Every face is one solid colour except for its centre, which is a different colour.

U D' R L' F B' U D'

8 moves. To undo it, do the reverse: D U' B F' L R' D U'

Six spotsStarts from a solved cube.

Turn on JavaScript to watch this on a 3D cube. The moves are: U D' R L' F B' U D'

  1. U
  2. D'
  3. R
  4. L'
  5. F
  6. B'
  7. U
  8. D'

Cube in a cube

A smaller block of one colour appears in a corner of each face, so it looks like a cube inside a cube.

F L F U' R U F2 L2 U' L' B D' B' L2 U

15 moves. To undo it, do the reverse: U' L2 B D B' L U L2 F2 U' R' U F' L' F'

Cube in a cubeStarts from a solved cube.

Turn on JavaScript to watch this on a 3D cube. The moves are: F L F U' R U F2 L2 U' L' B D' B' L2 U

  1. F
  2. L
  3. F
  4. U'
  5. R
  6. U
  7. F2
  8. L2
  9. U'
  10. L'
  11. B
  12. D'
  13. B'
  14. L2
  15. U

Superflip

Every corner is solved and every edge is in the right place but flipped. It takes 20 moves to solve, the most any position needs.

U R2 F B R B2 R U2 L B2 R U' D' R2 F R' L B2 U2 F2

20 moves. To undo it, do the reverse: F2 U2 B2 L' R F' R2 D U R' B2 L' U2 R' B2 R' B' F' R2 U'

SuperflipStarts from a solved cube.

Turn on JavaScript to watch this on a 3D cube. The moves are: U R2 F B R B2 R U2 L B2 R U' D' R2 F R' L B2 U2 F2

  1. U
  2. R2
  3. F
  4. B
  5. R
  6. B2
  7. R
  8. U2
  9. L
  10. B2
  11. R
  12. U'
  13. D'
  14. R2
  15. F
  16. R'
  17. L
  18. B2
  19. U2
  20. F2

FAQ

Pattern questions

How do I make a pattern on a Rubik's Cube?

Start with a solved cube, held with yellow on top and green in front, and do the moves from left to right. Each pattern here has a cube that plays the moves for you.

How do I undo a pattern?

Do the moves backwards, turning each one the other way. The reverse of each pattern is shown under it, and the virtual cube's Reverse all moves button does it for you.

What is the superflip?

A position where every corner is solved and every edge is in the right place but flipped. It needs 20 moves to solve, the most any position needs, when a half turn counts as one move.

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