How to Solve a 5x5 Cube Blindfolded - Step-by-Step Course

Before you start

5x5 blindfolded is solved the same way as 3x3 and 4x4: you look at the cube, memorise the letters, put on the blindfold and solve from memory. The time runs from the first look at the cube until you stop the timer. At WCA competitions you get three attempts and the best one counts (9b6), and the cube may not have a logo or any markings (3l) - the one in this course does not have one either.

What you need to know

• how to solve the 4x4 cube blindfolded with the methods from the 4x4 blindfolded course - U2 for the centres, r2 for the wings and Old Pochmann for the corners,
• how to read 5x5 notation: 2R is only the second layer from the right, 3R - only the middle one (third from the right), and the same goes for 3U and 3F. The middle layer turns in the same direction as the face in its name: 3R like R, 3U like U. The structure of the cube and the notation are described in the 5x5 course.

What is new in 5x5

• Five kinds of pieces. On each face there are 4 x-centres and 4 t-centres (the pieces of the little cross next to the fixed centre). On top of that there are 24 wings, 12 middle edge pieces - in this course we call them midges - and 8 corners.
• There are fixed centres. As in 3x3: you hold the cube with the white centre on top and green in front, and all corners appear in the letters.
• You know x-centres and wings from 4x4. X-centres are exactly the 4x4 centres, and the wings are the 4x4 wings. You trace and solve them with the same moves.
• You trace t-centres like x-centres (by colour) and solve them with the same U2 method, just with different setups.
• You trace midges like edges in 3x3, and solve them with the M2 method: instead of a T-perm, the fixed move 3R2.
• More letters. On average about 20 x-centre letters, 19 t-centre letters, 8 corner letters, 24 wing letters and 12 midge letters - about 80 in total, and the whole solve is about 750 moves.

Order

You solve in this order: x-centres, t-centres, corners, wings, midges. The corners are in the middle, not at the end as in 4x4 - thanks to this the midges never have parity, and the corner parity does not need any algorithm (stage 5). All setups and algorithms in the course are verified with a cube engine, and the whole method - on 3000 random scrambles.

The world record is 1:58.59, and the Polish record is 3:15.72 (as of October 2026). At the beginning an hour or longer is a normal time. At competitions, results of 10 minutes and above count in whole seconds - the hundredths are truncated (9f2).

1Cube orientation and letters

Goal: you know how to hold the cube and know the letters of all five kinds of pieces.

You hold the cube with the white fixed centre on top and green in front - for the whole memorisation and solve. Nothing moves the fixed centres, so you do not need to look for any corner.

The letters are the same as in 3x3 and 4x4: faces U, L, F, R, B, D in order, four letters on each one going clockwise.

• X-centres - like the 4x4 centres, from the top left (buffer B).
• T-centres - from the top one: top A, right B, bottom C, left D on the U face, and so on (buffer B = the right t-centre of the top face).
• Corners and midges - exactly as in 3x3 (corner buffer A, midge buffer U = DF, the sticker on the bottom face).
• Wings - as in 4x4: on each edge of a face, the half that comes first going clockwise (buffer K).

Practise the letters - you can rotate the cube by dragging it:

2X-centres

Goal: you trace and solve the x-centres just like the centres in 4x4.

X-centres are exactly the 4x4 centres: the same letters, the same buffer B, the same tracing by colour and the same setups with U2. In short, as in the 4x4 blindfolded course:

1. The colour in buffer B has to go to its own face: choose the first position in alphabetical order on that face with a different colour. White in the buffer: first D, then A, then C.
2. Cycle break: white in the buffer and the whole top white - the first wrong position on any face.
3. Each letter: setup, U2, undo. After an odd number of executed letters, do C instead of A, and A instead of C.
4. Odd number of letters: one more U2 at the end.

The only difference: the colour of a face is shown by the fixed centre, not by orienting the cube by a corner. The table is the same as in 4x4 - we have checked all the setups on 5x5 too (they also move the t-centres along the way, but in the same way as U2 itself, so everything returns after an even number of letters).

Example

Scramble the cube with white on top and green in front: B D2 Bw2 Dw' R D F U2 Rw F2 B' U2 Bw2 Rw2 Fw U2 Bw R Uw R B R Lw' U R2 D' B U R' Dw' L B2 L' D2 Bw2 L D2 B2 Lw2 B'. We trace this cube throughout the whole course.

There is green in buffer B: on the green face the first wrong position is I (yellow). Then yellow goes to U (blue), blue to Q (orange), orange to E (white), and white to D. The full x-centre trace: IU QE DO AR KV CL XG HT H (17 letters, the first H is a cycle break). The number of letters is odd, so at the end of the x-centres you do one more U2.

3T-centres: tracing

Goal: you write down the t-centre letters of a scrambled cube.

T-centres of one colour are identical, so you trace them by colour, exactly like x-centres. The buffer is B - the right t-centre of the top face.

1. Look at the colour of the t-centre in the buffer. On the face of that colour choose the first t-centre in alphabetical order with a different colour - that is your letter.
2. The colour from that position comes to the buffer. Repeat.
3. White in the buffer: on top first D, then A, then C (D without a setup, A and C have separate algorithms).
4. Cycle break: white in the buffer and all t-centres on top white - the first t-centre in alphabetical order with a wrong colour on any face.

Treat positions a t-centre has already been sent to as correct. Be careful not to confuse t-centres with x-centres: a t-centre lies next to the fixed centre, an x-centre - diagonally from it.

Example

There is green in the buffer: on the green face the first wrong t-centre is I (white). White: D on top is already white, so A (red). Red: N (yellow), yellow: U (green), green: K. The full t-centre trace: IA NU KQ VE LC TG WO HX H (17 letters, the first H is a cycle break) - odd again, so after the t-centres there is also a U2.

4T-centres: execution

Goal: for each t-centre letter you perform the setup, U2 and the undo of the setup.

It works like with the x-centres: U2 swaps the t-centre in buffer B with the t-centre in position D (the left t-centre on top) - and also A and C along the way. The setup moves the t-centre from your letter to D, then U2 and the undo.

The setups come in a few forms - each contains the middle layer (3U or 3F) and a second layer:

• F, H, J, N, P, T: 2L, then 3U, then undoing 2L (e.g. H: 2L 3U' 2L'),
• I, K, Q, S, X: 3F, then 2U or 2D, then undoing 3F (e.g. I: 3F 2U' 3F'),
• E, G, L, M, O, R: four moves,
• U, V, W (bottom face): a D move takes the t-centre to position X, then as for X: 3F 2U2 3F'.

The setup also moves the x-centres and wings, but the undo puts them back - apart from what U2 itself changes. The x-centres are already solved, so their colours will not get messed up.

A and C - they swap with every letter

The rule is the same as for the x-centres:

If the number of t-centre letters executed so far is odd, perform the algorithm for C instead of A, and for A instead of C.

The A and C algorithms have 11 moves each and differ only in the direction of U: U2 2L2 3F2 U 2L2 U' 3F2 U 2L2 U' 2L2 and U2 2L2 3F2 U' 2L2 U 3F2 U' 2L2 U 2L2. At the beginning there is U2, and the rest is a pure commutator that cycles three t-centres.

T-centre parity

Odd number of t-centre letters - one more U2 at the end, just like with the x-centres.

Example: the first two letters

5Corners

Goal: you solve the corners as in 3x3 and know what an odd number of letters means.

You trace and solve the corners exactly as in the 3x3 course: buffer A, the modified Y-perm R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R swaps the buffer with position P, and the setups are the same. The cube has fixed centres, so all corners appear in the letters (including C, J, M). You do them right after the t-centres.

Corner parity - without an algorithm

Each Y-perm also swaps the UL and UB edges - whole, together with their wings. After an even number of letters they return to their places. After an odd number they stay swapped - and on 5x5 you leave them like that. You solve the wings and midges only after the corners, so it is enough to trace them as if UL and UB were already swapped (rule below). Then they will end up in their places together with the rest.

UL/UB swap. If there is an odd number of corner letters, when tracing the wings and midges look at D instead of position A, at A instead of D, at Q instead of E, and at E instead of Q. You write down the normal letters.

This works the same way for wings and for midges, because in both kinds of pieces the same letters lie on the UL edge (D and E) and the UB edge (A and Q). Example: you want to know what is in position A in order to write down the next letter - you look at D, because after the corners whatever is on D now will be on A.

In the example cube the corner letters are MF WH UB V - 7 letters, an odd number. So the UL/UB swap applies to the wings and midges of this cube.

6Wings

Goal: you trace and solve the wings just like in 4x4, with the UL/UB swap after odd corners.

5x5 wings are exactly the 4x4 wings: buffer K, traced like edges without flips, each letter is a setup, 2R2 and the undo, and after an odd number of executed letters C and W swap roles (described in the 4x4 blindfolded course). The only new thing is the UL/UB swap from stage 5.

If the number of wing letters executed so far is odd, perform the algorithm for W instead of C, and for C instead of W.

Wing parity

When there is an odd number of wing letters, perform the same algorithm as in 4x4 at the end:

2R' D2 2L' 2R2 B2 U2 2L U2 2R' U2 2R U2 F2 2R F2 2L' B2 2R2 2L D2 2R'

Example

There was an odd number of corners, so the UL/UB swap applies. Buffer K holds the wing from position A. Now you need to check what is in position A - instead you look at D: it holds the wing from position D, so the second letter is D. Next, instead of D you look at A: it holds wing R. From there on without swaps, until you meet A, D, E or Q again. The full trace: AD RF IJ XT PE WG HM OB CU SV QL C (23 letters; the first C is a cycle break) - an odd number, so wing parity at the end.

7Midges: tracing

Goal: you write down the midge letters (the middle edge pieces).

You trace midges as in the 3x3 course: each has two stickers and can be flipped, so you look at the sticker that lies in the buffer. Only the buffer is new: U - the DF edge, the sticker on the bottom face (the buffer's other sticker is K).

1. Look at the sticker in buffer U and find its position in the solved cube - that is your letter.
2. The midge from that position comes to the buffer. Look at its sticker that was lying in the position of that letter, and repeat.
3. Cycle break: when the buffer holds its own midge (U or K) and not everything is in place, choose the first unsolved position in alphabetical order.
4. A midge flipped in its own position: two letters - its sticker in that position and its other sticker, as in 3x3.

Remember the UL/UB swap if there was an odd number of corners. Midges also have a good check: the number of midge letters is always even. If you got an odd number, something is wrong - most often a forgotten UL/UB swap or miscounted corners.

Example

Buffer U holds sticker Q. Now you need to check position Q - the UL/UB swap applies, so you look at E: it holds sticker X. From there on without swaps: R, P… The full midge trace: QX RP IF DT WE (10 letters; D is a cycle break - you choose the first unsolved position, and with the UL/UB swap “position D” is the midge that now lies on A).

8Midges: execution

Goal: for each midge letter you perform the setup, 3R2 and the undo of the setup (M2 method).

The 3R2 move (the middle layer, a half turn; in method descriptions “M2”) swaps the midge in buffer DF with the UB midge (position A). The setup moves the midge from your letter to A so that its sticker from the letter is on top - then 3R2 and the undo. The setups contain no middle-layer moves, so they are easy to remember.

The setups are short and similar to each other:

• J, L, R, T, V, X: a U move, an R or L move, undoing U (e.g. J: U R U'),
• E, F, G, M, O, P: a B move, an L or R move, undoing B (e.g. G: B L B'),
• B, D, H, N: four moves, A: 3R2 straight away,
• C, W, I, S (the UF and DB midges, which 3R2 moves with every letter) and Q (flipped UB): separate algorithms.

C/W and I/S - they swap with every letter

Every 3R2 also swaps the UF and DB midges. The rule is the same as in 4x4, only for two pairs of letters:

If the number of midge letters executed so far is odd, perform the algorithm for W instead of C, for C instead of W, for S instead of I, and for I instead of S.

After an odd number of letters the t-centres and fixed centres in the middle layer are also moved (the white centre is on the bottom). That is normal - after the last letter they return, because the number of midge letters is always even. That is why midges have no parity.

Example: the first two letters

Q and X: for Q the separate algorithm U B' R U' B 3R2 B' U R' B U', for X the setup U' L2 U, 3R2 and the undo U' L2 U. After the last midge letter (E) the whole cube is solved.

9Memorisation

Goal: about 80 letters that you remember reliably throughout the whole solve.

That is half as many again as in 4x4, and you solve the x-centres several dozen minutes after memorising them. The approach is the same as in the 4x4 blindfolded course:

• you turn letter pairs into images, ideally with a fixed list of images for the pairs,
• you place the images along a route (a memory palace): x-centres, t-centres, wings and midges in turn - for 80 letters you need about 20 points on the route,
• you memorise the corners as plain letters and repeat them in your head, but you trace them before the wings: you need to know how many there are to know whether the UL/UB swap applies to the wings and midges,
• you remember whether the number of letters is odd: a single letter at the end of the x-centres, t-centres or wings will remind you about parity.

Memorise in the same order in which you solve: x-centres, t-centres, corners, wings, midges. Before putting on the blindfold, go through everything in your head once more.

10Your first blindfolded solve

Goal: your first successful 5x5 solve with your eyes covered.

Learn bit by bit, just like in 4x4:

1. With your eyes open, one part at a time. In the simulator below choose only x-centres, t-centres, corners, wings or midges. Trace the letters, write them down and execute them while looking at the cube. The t-centres and midges have the most new material.
2. From memory, but looking. The whole cube: memorise all the letters and execute from memory.
3. Blindfolded. First one part at a time, then the whole thing.

The whole solve looks like this:

1. Hold the cube with the white centre on top and green in front. Start the timer.
2. Trace and memorise the x-centres, t-centres, corners, and then - with the UL/UB swap if there is an odd number of corners - the wings and midges.
3. Put on the blindfold.
4. X-centres: setup, U2, undo; A/C rule; odd number of letters - U2.
5. T-centres: setup, U2, undo; A/C rule; odd number of letters - U2.
6. Corners: setup, Y-perm, undo. No parity.
7. Wings: setup, 2R2, undo; C/W rule; odd number of letters - wing parity.
8. Midges: setup, 3R2, undo; C/W and I/S rule.
9. Stop the timer and take off the blindfold.

During the solve the cube looks more scrambled than at the start, because U2, 2R2 and 3R2 move other pieces along the way. Everything returns to its place at the end of each part, and the UL and UB edges after odd corners - at the very end.

Tracing practice

A random scramble, white on top and green in front. Trace the letters and type them in - the trainer will execute them with the course method and check whether each part is solved. It is the result that counts, so any correct trace will pass, including one with a different choice at a cycle break. The trainer checks the wings and midges on the cube after the corners, so the UL/UB swap must be in your letters.

Cheat sheet

The most important rules on a single page, with the setup tables.

Printable cheat sheet (A4 / PDF)

1. Orientation - white centre on top, green in front.
2. X-centres - like the 4x4 centres: buffer B, the colour from the buffer goes to the first wrong position of its own face; white: D, A, C. Setup, U2, undo. After an odd number of letters A ↔ C. Odd number of letters: U2.
3. T-centres - the same (buffer B, U2, A ↔ C, odd: U2), their own setup table.
4. Corners - as in 3x3 (buffer A, modified Y), no parity. Odd number of letters: for the wings and midges look at D instead of A, at Q instead of E (and vice versa).
5. Wings - as in 4x4: buffer K, 2R2, C ↔ W. Odd number of letters: wing parity.
6. Midges - as in 3x3, buffer U (DF). Setup to A, 3R2, undo. C ↔ W and I ↔ S. Always an even number of letters.

Solve it yourself blindfolded

The clock starts from the scramble, as at a competition. When you have memorised the letters, click “Cover eyes” - the cube turns grey and you solve from memory with the buttons or the keyboard (inner layers, e.g. 2R and 3R, are only on the buttons). “Uncover and check” will show the result. You can practise each kind of piece separately.

Common problems

After the x-centres or t-centres the top is turned by half a turn

There was an odd number of letters in that part and the U2 was missing at the end - or the letters were counted wrongly.

Two t-centres or two x-centres on top have the wrong colour

Most often this is the skipped A/C rule: the letter A or C came after an odd number of earlier letters, and the algorithm for the same letter was performed instead of the one for the other letter.

T-centres confused with x-centres

A t-centre lies next to the fixed centre (top, right, bottom, left), an x-centre - diagonally. When tracing by colour it is easy to glance at the wrong square - check the letters in the quiz from stage 1.

At the end the UL and UB edges are swapped

There was an odd number of corner letters, and the wings and midges were traced without the UL/UB swap - or the other way round: the swap was used even though there was an even number of corners.

I got an odd number of midge letters

This cannot happen with correct tracing. Check the UL/UB swap and the number of corner letters, and then compare your letters with the tracing trainer.

After the wings the centres in the columns are mixed up

The columns of the 2R layer return after an even number of wing letters. If they are moved, there was an odd number of letters and the wing parity was missing - or one of the letters was skipped.

The white centre is on the bottom

After an odd number of midge letters the middle layer is turned by half a turn - it will return after the next letter. If it stays like that at the end, one midge letter was missing or there was one too many.

Something skipped or a layer locked up

On 5x5, with about 750 moves, an unfinished layer turn happens easily. Turn calmly and all the way, especially the inner layers, and use a cube that does not skip.

What next?

Once the method works reliably, you speed up just like in 3x3 and 4x4: first the memorisation (fixed images for letter pairs, a memory palace), then the execution. The fastest solvers solve all kinds of pieces with commutators - each algorithm places two pieces at once, so there are several times fewer moves.

If 5x5 blindfolded works for you, try Multi-Blind - there what counts is how many 3x3 cubes you can memorise at once.