How To Solve the 5x5 Rubik's Cube
Solving the 5x5 Rubik's Cube has the same structure as solving a 4x4:
- Solve the center pieces
- Join similar edge pieces
- Turn only the outer layers, and solve it like a 3x3!
In this video I teach the Reduction Method. The reduction method is the most popular 5x5 method and was used to set the current world record.
Step 1. First Center
You should be able to start with any color center, but choose white if you want to avoid confusion.
- Make the middle center bar
- Make a bar of 3 pieces of the same color, and join the bars together
- Make another bar and join it to the center
When you are done, one center should be solved.
Step 2. Second Center
You must make this without breaking the first center.
- Hold the first center on the bottom
- Make the middle bar on the top face
- Make another bar and move it up to the top, do U2, and restore the bottom center
- Make another bar and hold it vertically on the same side as the partial center on top
- Move this bar to the top, do U2, and restore the bottom center
When you are done, 2 opposite centers should be solved.
Step 3. Last 4 Centers
Solve the rest of the centers without breaking anything you've already made.
- Hold the first 2 centers on the left/right sides
- Make a center the same way as before (middle bar + 2 outer bars)
- Solve the next center above it until all the centers are solved
On the last 2 centers, use 3:03 in the video to help if you run into a hard case.
When you are done, all of the centers should be solved.
Step 4. Edge Pairing
- Find 3 matching edge pieces and put them in the middle layers (not top/bottom)
- Try to join them together using slice moves (flip an edge if necessary, using R U R' F R' F' R to flip the front right edge)
- Move the solved edge into the top layer, replace it with an unsolved edge using U moves, and move this new edge back down
- Restore all the centers by doing slice moves
- If 1 edge is unsolved at the end, hold it on the front/top and do the parity algorithm (6:26) Parity Algorithm: Rw U2 x Rw U2 Rw U2 3Rw' U2 Lw U2 Rw' U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Rw'
Note: if the top has all solved edges, then try turning the cube upside down.
Note: for the last few edges, there may be no more unsolved pieces in the top or bottom. In this case, use the slice-flip-slice technique (5:35).
When you are done, all edge pieces should be joined with their corresponding pieces.
Step 5. Solve Like a 3x3
If you only turn the outer layers, the cube acts like a 3x3 with corners, edges, and centers.
Unlike 4x4, there is no PLL parity!
Reduction Method and Yau5 Method
Congrats on solving a 5x5!
Although reduction is the most popular method, the Yau method is relatively popular as well. However, it is not quite as good on 5x5 as it is on 4x4. In this video, I show the differences between Reduction and Yau.
This video also teaches Free Slice, which is a fast edge pairing technique used on all cubes 5x5 and up, regardless of the method you choose.
