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6x6 Cube with the Reduction Method - cheat sheet

Reduction method: centres (4 kinds of pieces), edges (inner pairs, then outer wings), like a 3x3 + parities. Full course with animations and simulator: strefa-kostek.pl/en/kursy

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1Move notation

R U F… - one outer layer, quarter turn clockwise, looking at that face. 2R / 3R = only the second / third layer from the right (direction as R), Uw Dw = two layers, 3Rw 3Uw = three layers (half the cube), (2R2 3R2) = both inner layers together. Order: centres → inner pairs (like 4x4) → outer wings (like 5x5) → like a 3x3 + 4x4 parities.

2Centres: 4 kinds of pieces (from the front to the top)

Left diagram: top (back at the top), right: front; yellow = colour being built. Turn F so that the piece is in the circle, and U so that the spot in the circle is free. The algorithm changes only that spot on top.

corner2R U 2R' U 2R U2 2R'
middle piece3R U 3R' U 3R U2 3R'
upper side piece2R U 3R U' 2R' U 3R' U'
lower side piece2R U' 3R U 2R' U' 3R' U

3Rw' D2 3Rw left half of the bottom ↔ right half of the front (from the bottom to the front; only while the bottom is not solved). Another side to the front: y.

3Order (like 4x4)

  1. White on top.
  2. x2, yellow on top - no moves from the bottom.
  3. z: white on the left, yellow on the right. Rotations only x and y2.
  4. Green on top. White on the left (y2), x - green at the back.
  5. Orange on top. Do not touch the back any more.
  6. x: blue only from the front, red by itself.

Check: white on the bottom, green at the front - red on the left. Swap top↔front: (3Rw U2 3Rw') F2 U2 (3Rw U2 3Rw'); red↔orange: z, alg, x2, alg, x.

4Inner pairs

The two middle wings of each edge together (like 4x4).

  • Edge at the front left, look at the upper inner wing.
  • The other one into the front-right edge: U… R', D… R, R2 / B2 R2. At the bottom? R U R' F R' F' R
  • Both at the top match: 3Uw' R U R' F R' F' R 3Uw

5Outer wings

Inner pair = the midge from the 5x5.

  • Wing at the front right, front = colour of the pair (otherwise R U R' F R' F' R).
  • At the bottom: Uw' R U R' F R' F' R Uw
  • At the top: Dw R U R' F R' F' R Dw'

Only Uw / Dw (two layers). The right edge must not be finished.

6Last edge

Outer wings swapped. Edge at the top front:

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

7Like a 3x3 + parities

Yellow on top, outer moves only. Algorithms: 3x3 cheat sheet.

1 or 3 yellow edges (edge without yellow at the front):
3Rw U2 x 3Rw U2 3Rw U2 3Rw' U2
3Lw U2 3Rw' U2 3Rw U2 3Rw' U2 3Rw'

Exactly 2 corners in place:
(2R2 3R2) U2 (2R2 3R2) 3Uw2
(2R2 3R2) 3Uw2, then yellow edges again.

!When something goes wrong

  • Piece does not jump in: free spot of a different kind than the piece - check the circles in point 2.
  • Mixed-up layers: 2R/Uw = next to the outer one, 3R = next to the middle of the cube, 3Rw/3Uw = half the cube.
  • Inner pairs broke apart: in stage 5 only Uw and Dw, not 3Uw.
Letter = quarter turn clockwise, looking at that face; ' = the other way; 2 = half turn. 2R / 3R = only the second / third layer from the right, Uw = two top layers, 3Rw / 3Uw = three layers (half the cube). StrefaKostek.pl