View source for Rubik's Revenge

{{Short description|4×4×4 Rubik's cube variation}}
[[File:Rubiks revenge solved.jpg|thumb|right|A solved Rubik's Revenge cube]]

The '''Rubik's Revenge''' (also known as the '''4×4×4 Rubik's Cube''') is a 4×4×4 version of the [[Rubik's Cube]]. It was released in 1981. Invented by Péter Sebestény, the cube was nearly called the '''Sebestény Cube''' until a somewhat last-minute decision changed the puzzle's name to attract fans of the original Rubik's Cube.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://algana.com/DMFB&C/rubix_cube1.php | title=Rubik's Cube How to Play | publisher=DMFB&C | access-date=3 March 2016}}</ref> Unlike the original puzzle (and other puzzles with an odd number of layers like the [[Professor's Cube|5×5×5 cube]]), it has no fixed faces: the center faces (four per face) are free to move to different positions.

Methods for solving the 3×3×3 cube work for the edges and corners of the 4×4×4 cube, as long as one has correctly identified the relative positions of the colours&mdash;since the center faces can no longer be used for identification.

==Mechanics==
[[File:Rubiks revenge scrambled.jpg|thumb|right|A scrambled Rubik's Revenge cube]]
[[File:Rubiks Revenge 1982.jpg|thumb|right|Early Rubik's Revenge cube, with white opposite blue, and yellow opposite green]]
[[File:Eastsheen vs. Rubik 4x4.jpg|thumb|Eastsheen cube on the left, official Rubik's Revenge on the right]]
[[File:Unassembled Rubik's Revenge.JPG|thumb|A disassembled Rubik's Revenge, showing all the pieces and central ball]]
[[File:Disassembled Eastsheen 4×4×4.jpg|thumb|A disassembled Eastsheen cube]]
The puzzle consists of 56 unique miniature cubes ("cubies") on the surface. These consist of 24 centres which show one colour each, 24 edges which show two colours each, and 8 corners which show three colours each. The original Rubik's Revenge can be taken apart without much difficulty, typically by turning one side through a 30° angle and prying an edge upward until it dislodges.

The original mechanism designed by Sebestény uses a grooved ball to hold the centre pieces in place. The edge pieces are held in place by the centres and the corners are held in place by the edges, much like the original cube. There are three mutually perpendicular grooves for the centre pieces to slide through. Each groove is only wide enough to allow one row of centre pieces to slide through it. The ball is shaped to prevent the centre pieces of the other row from sliding, ensuring that the ball remains aligned with the outside of the cube. Turning one of the centre layers moves either just that layer or the ball as well.<ref name="Sebestény patent">[http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4421311.html United States Patent 4421311]</ref>

The Eastsheen version of the cube, which is slightly smaller at 6cm to an edge, has a completely different mechanism. Its mechanism is very similar to Eastsheen's version of the Professor's cube, instead of the ball-core mechanism. There are 42 pieces (36 movable and six fixed) completely hidden within the cube, corresponding to the centre rows on the Professor's Cube. This design is more durable than the original and also allows for screws to be used to tighten or loosen the cube. The central spindle is specially shaped to prevent it from becoming misaligned with the exterior of the cube.<ref name="Eastsheen patent">[http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5992850.html United States Patent 5992850]</ref> Nearly all manufacturers of 4×4×4 use similar mechanisms.

There are 24 edge pieces which show two coloured sides each, and eight corner pieces which show three colours. Each corner piece or pair of edge pieces shows a unique colour combination, but not all combinations are present (for example, there is no piece with both red and orange sides, if red and orange are on opposite sides of the solved Cube). The location of these cubes relative to one another can be altered by twisting the layers of the cube, but the location of the coloured sides relative to one another in the completed state of the puzzle cannot be altered: it is fixed by the relative positions of the centre squares and the distribution of colour combinations on edge and corner pieces. Edge pairs are often referred to as "{{Not a typo|d|edges}}," from double edges.

For most recent cubes, the colours of the stickers are red opposite orange, yellow opposite white, and green opposite blue. However, there also exist cubes with alternative colour arrangements (yellow opposite green, blue opposite white and red opposite orange).  The Eastsheen version has purple (opposite red) instead of orange.

===Permutations===
[[File:Rubiks revenge tilt.jpg|thumb|none|Scrambled and partially turned]]
There are 8 corners, 24 edges and 24 centres.

Any permutation of the corners is possible, including odd permutations. Seven of the corners can be independently rotated, and the orientation of the eighth depends on the other seven, giving [[factorial|8!]]×3<sup>7</sup> combinations.

There are 24 centres, which can be arranged in 24! different ways. Assuming that the four centres of each colour are indistinguishable, the number of permutations is reduced to 24!/(24<sup>6</sup>) arrangements. The reducing factor comes about because there are 24 (4!) ways to arrange the four pieces of a given colour. This is raised to the sixth power because there are six colours. An odd permutation of the corners implies an odd permutation of the centres and vice versa; however, even and odd permutations of the centres are indistinguishable due to the identical appearance of the pieces.<ref name="Cubic Circular 7 & 8">[https://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/cubic7.htm#p11 Cubic Circular Issue 7 & 8] [[David Singmaster]], 1985</ref> There are several ways to make the centre pieces distinguishable, which would make an odd centre permutation visible.

The 24 edges cannot be flipped, due to the internal shape of the pieces. Corresponding edges are distinguishable, since they are mirror images of each other. Any permutation of the edges is possible, including odd permutations, giving 24! arrangements, independently of the corners or centres.

Assuming the cube does not have a fixed orientation in space, and that the permutations resulting from rotating the cube without twisting it are considered identical, the number of permutations is reduced by a factor of 24. This is because all 24 possible positions and orientations of the first corner are equivalent because of the lack of fixed centres. This factor does not appear when calculating the permutations of N×N×N cubes where N is odd, since those puzzles have fixed centres which identify the cube's spatial orientation.

This gives a total number of permutations of 
:<math>\frac{8! \times 3^7 \times 24!^2}{24^7} \approx 7.40 \times 10^{45}.</math>

The full number is {{val|7401196841564901869874093974498574336000000000}} possible permutations<ref name="Cubic Circular 3 & 4">[https://www.jaapsch.net/puzzles/cubic3.htm#p14 Cubic Circular Issues 3 & 4] [[David Singmaster]], 1982</ref> (about {{val|7401}} septillion, 7.4 septilliard on the [[names of large numbers|long scale]] or 7.4 quattuordecillion on the short scale).

Some versions of the cube have one of the centre pieces marked with a logo, distinguishing it from the other three of the same colour. Since there are four distinguishable positions for this piece, the number of permutations is quadrupled, yielding 2.96×10<sup>46</sup> possibilities. Any of the four possible positions for this piece could be regarded as correct.

==Solutions==
There are several methods that can be used to solve the puzzle.  One such method is the reduction method, so called because it effectively reduces the 4×4×4 to a 3×3×3.  Cubers first group the centre pieces of common colours together, then pair edges that show the same two colours.  Once this is done, turning only the outer layers of the cube allows it to be solved like a 3×3×3 cube.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Reduction Method - Speedsolving.com Wiki|url=https://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/Reduction_Method|website=www.speedsolving.com|access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref>

Another method is the Yau method, named after Robert Yau. The Yau method is similar to the reduction method, and it is the most common method used by speedcubers. The Yau methods starts by solving two centers on opposite sides. Three cross {{Not a typo|d|edges}} are then solved. Next, the four remaining centers are solved. Afterwards, any remaining {{Not a typo||edges}} are solved. This reduces down to a 3x3x3 cube.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yau method - Speedsolving.com Wiki|url=https://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/Yau_method|website=www.speedsolving.com|access-date=2020-05-21}}</ref>

A method similar to the Yau method is called Hoya. It was invented by Jong-Ho Jeong. It involves the same steps as Yau, but in a different order. It starts with all centers being solved except for 2 adjacent centers. Then form a cross on the bottom, then solve the last two centers. After this, it is identical to Yau, finishing the edges, and solving the cube as a 3x3.

===Parity errors===

When reducing the 4×4×4 to a 3×3×3, certain positions that cannot be solved on a standard 3×3×3 cube may be reached.  There are two possible problems not found on the 3×3×3.  The first is two edge pieces reversed on one edge, resulting in the colours of that edge not matching the rest of the cubies on either face (OLL parity): 
{{Rubik's Revenge face
   |r| | |r
 |y| |r|r| |g
 |y| | | | |g
 |y| | | | |g
 |y| | | | |g
   |b|b|b|b
|10px}} Notice that these two edge pieces are swapped. The second is two edge pairs being swapped with each other (PLL parity), may be two corners swapped instead depending on situation and/or method: 
{{Rubik's Revenge face
   |r|y|y|r
 |y| | | | |g
 |r| | | | |g
 |r| | | | |g
 |y| | | | |g
   |b|b|b|b
|10px}}  These situations are known as [[Parity of a permutation|parity]] errors.  These positions are still solvable; however, special algorithms must be applied to fix the errors.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morris|first=Frank|title=solving the revenge|url=http://bigcubes.com/4×4×4/4×4×4.html|access-date=15 June 2012}}{{dead link|date=July 2023}}</ref>

Some methods are designed to avoid the parity errors described above.  For instance, solving the corners and edges first and the centres last would avoid such parity errors. Once the rest of the cube is solved, any permutation of the centre pieces can be solved. Note that it is possible to apparently exchange a pair of face centres by cycling 3 face centres, two of which are visually identical.

Direct solving of a 4×4×4 is uncommon, but possible, with methods such as K4. Doing so mixes a variety of techniques and is heavily reliant on commutators for the final steps.<ref name=k4>{{cite web|last=Barlow|first=Thom|title=K4 Method|url=http://snk.digibase.ca/k4/index.htm|access-date=15 June 2012}}</ref>

==World records==
The world record fastest solve is 15.71 seconds, set by [[Max Park]] of the [[United States]] on June 8th 2024 at CMT Evergreen 2024 in [[Evergreen, Colorado]].<ref name="Single-Records">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444/single|title=4x4x4 Single Rankings|publisher=World Cube Association|access-date=2024-08-10}}</ref>

The world record for fastest average of five solves (excluding fastest and slowest solves) is 19.17 seconds, set by [[Tymon Kolasiński]] of [[Poland]] on 8-9th February 2025 at Hvidovre NxN 2025 in [[Hvidovre|Hvidovre, Denmark]], with the times of (22.21), 19.55, 18.95, (17.84), and 19.01 seconds.<ref name="Average-Records">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444/average|title=4x4x4 Average Rankings|publisher=World Cube Association|access-date=2024-08-10}}</ref>

The world record for fastest blindfolded solve is 51.96 seconds (including inspection), set by Stanley Chapel of the [[United States]] on 28th January 2023 at 4BLD in a Madison Hall 2023, in [[Wisconsin|Wisconsin, United States]].<ref name="BF-Single-Records">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444bf/single|title=4x4x4 Blindfolded Single Rankings|publisher=World Cube Association|access-date=2024-08-10}}</ref>

The record for mean of three blindfolded solves is 59.39 seconds (including inspection), also set by Stanley Chapel of the [[USA]] on 13-15th June, 2025 at New York Multimate PBQ II 2025, in [[Elmsford, New York]] with the times of 57.83. 1:04.79, and 55.54 seconds. <ref name="BF-Average-Records">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444bf/average|title=4x4x4 Blindfolded Average Rankings|publisher=World Cube Association|access-date=2025-06-14}}</ref>
=== Top 10 solvers by single solve <ref>[[World Cube Association]] [https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444/single? Official 4x4x4 Ranking Single]</ref>===
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank!! Name !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Max Park]] || 15.71s || {{flagicon|USA}} Colorado Mountain Tour - Evergreen 2024
|-
|2|| {{flagicon|POL}} [[Tymon Kolasiński]] || 16.19s || {{flagicon|USA}} Piła Open 2025
|-
|3|| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Sebastian Weyer]] || 17.00s || {{flagicon|DEU}} Rheinland-Pfalz Open 2025
|-
|4|| {{flagicon|USA}} Matty Hiroto Inaba || 17.10s || {{flagicon|USA}} Honolulu Hoʻoilo 2025
|-
|5|| {{flagicon|VNM}} Đỗ Quang Hưng || 17.65s || {{flagicon|THA}} Paradise Park Bangkok NxNxN 2025
|-
|6|| {{flagicon|RUS}} Timofei Tarasenko || 17.94s || {{flagicon|MYS}} One Shamelin Cube Open 2025
|-
|rowspan="2"|7|| {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Feliks Zemdegs]] || rowspan="2"|17.98s || {{flagicon|AUS}} Altona Algorithms Attempt 2 2021
|-
| {{flagicon|CHN}} Ruihang Xu (许瑞航) || {{flagicon|CHN}} Taizhou Open 2025
|-
|9|| {{flagicon|USA}} Patrick Ponce || 18.06s || {{flagicon|DEU}} Rubik's German Nationals 2024
|-
|10|| {{flagicon|KOR}} Seung Hyuk Nahm (남승혁) || 18.39s || {{flagicon|THA}} Paradise Park Bangkok NxNxN 2025
|}

=== Top 10 solvers by [[Olympic average]] of 5 solves <ref>[[World Cube Association]] [https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444/average? Official 4x4x4 Ranking Average]</ref>===
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank!! Name !! Result !! Competition !! Times
|-
|1|| {{flagicon|POL}} [[Tymon Kolasiński]] || 19.17s || {{flagicon|DNK}} Hvidovre NxN 2025 || (22.21), 19.55, 18.95, (17.84), 19.01
|-
|2|| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Max Park]] || 19.35s || {{flagicon|MEX}} Baja Spring 2025 || (17.89), (20.94), 19.67, 18.89	19.50
|-
|3|| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Sebastian Weyer]] || 19.67s || {{flagicon|FRA}} Chelles Open 2025 || 19.02, (18.71), 20.56, 19.44, (22.49)
|-
|4|| {{flagicon|VNM}} Đỗ Quang Hưng || 20.37s || {{flagicon|THA}} Paradise Park Bangkok NxNxN 2025 || 22.21, 19.74, 19.17, (17.65), (DNF)
|-
|5|| {{flagicon|RUS}} Timofei Tarasenko || 20.40s || {{flagicon|USA}} Rubik's WCA World Championship 2025 || 19.40, (18.84), 19.56, 22.23, (25.16)
|-
|6|| {{flagicon|CHN}} Ruihang Xu (许瑞航) || 20.60s || {{flagicon|CHN}} Chengdu Spring Open 2025 || (25.91), 19.15, 22.24, (18.88), 20.41
|-
|7|| {{flagicon|USA}} Matty Hiroto Inaba || 20.72s || {{flagicon|USA}} Rubik's WCA World Championship 2025 || 21.22, 19.91, (29.61), 21.04, (18.41)
|-
|8|| {{flagicon|KOR}} Seung Hyuk Nahm (남승혁) || 20.85s || {{flagicon|KOR}} Anyang Haseyo 2025 || 19.82, (25.18), 20.63, 22.10, (18.51)
|-
|9|| {{flagicon|NLD}} Twan Dullemond || 21.25s || {{flagicon|NLD}} Quick 'n Slick Meppel 2025 || 22.74, (19.64), 20.06, 20.96, (25.12)
|-
|10|| {{flagicon|TPE}} Kai-Wen Wang (王楷文) || 21.27s || {{flagicon|TPE}} BQHS Spring Open 2025 || (22.65), 21.08, 21.56, 21.16, (20.55)
|}

=== Top 10 solvers by single solve blindfolded <ref>[[World Cube Association]] [https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444bf/single? Official 4x4x4 Blindfoled Ranking Single]</ref>===
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank!! Name !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1|| {{flagicon|USA}} Stanley Chapel || 51.96s || {{flagicon|USA}} 4BLD in a Madison Hall 2023 
|-
|2|| {{flagicon|MYS}} Hill Pong Yong Feng || 1:01.01 || {{flagicon|SGP}} Singapore Championship 2023 
|-
|3|| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ryan Eckersley || 1:18.86 || {{flagicon|GBR}} Glasgow Spring - Scottish Blind Off 2025
|-
|4|| {{flagicon|CHN}} Kaijun Lin (林恺俊) ||1:09.98|| {{flagicon|MYS}} Please Be Quiet Bukit Jalil 2023
|-
|5|| {{flagicon|ARG}} Manuel Gutman || 1:16.43 || {{flagicon|CAN}} Championnat Canadien 2025
|-
|6|| {{flagicon|SWE}} Daniel Wallin || 1:16.93 || {{flagicon|SWE}} Twixmas Flen 2024
|-
|7|| {{flagicon|USA}} Tommy Cherry || 1:20.34 || {{flagicon|KOR}} Rubik's WCA World Championship 2023
|-
|8|| {{flagicon|CAN}} Elliott Kobelansky || 1:21.89 || {{flagicon|CAN}} Gros Jouets à Montréal 2024
|-
|9|| {{flagicon|CHE}} Ezra Hirschi || 1:22.17 || {{flagicon|GBR}} Manchester 4BLD Day 2024
|-
|10|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Michael Tripodi || 1:22.75 || {{flagicon|AUS}} Rubik's WCA Oceanic Championship 2024
|}

=== Top 10 solvers by mean of 3 solves blindfolded <ref>[[World Cube Association]] [https://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/rankings/444bf/average? Official 4x4x4 Blindfoled Ranking Average]</ref>===
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank!! Name !! Result !! Competition !! Times
|-
|1|| {{flagicon|USA}} Stanley Chapel || 59.39s || {{flagicon|USA}} New York Multimate PBQ II 2025 || 57.83, 1:04.79, 55.54
|-
|2|| {{flagicon|CHN}} Kaijun Lin (林恺俊) || 1:20.08 || {{flagicon|CHN}} Guangdong Open 2021 || 1:19.22, 1:19.07, 1:21.94
|-
|3|| {{flagicon|ARG}} Manuel Gutman || 1:26.75 || {{flagicon|ARG}} Nacionales Argentinas 2023 || 1:20.63, 1:25.93, 1:33.68	
|-
|4|| {{flagicon|GBR}} Ryan Eckersley || 1:30.62 || {{flagicon|GBR}} Cambridge Autumn - British Blind Off 2024 || 1:34.52, 1:20.81, 1:36.54
|-
|5|| {{flagicon|SWE}} Daniel Wallin || 1:30.79 || {{flagicon|SWE}} Fyris Side 'n Blind 2022 || 1:23.27, 1:25.83, 1:43.26
|-
|6|| {{flagicon|CHE}} Ezra Hirschi || 1:35.91 || {{flagicon|CHE}} Swisscubing Cup Mental Breakdown I 2024 || 1:34.29, 1:34.87, 1:38.57
|-
|7|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Michael Tripodi || 1:39.39 || {{flagicon|USA}} Rubik's WCA World Championship 2025 || 1:41.60, 1:36.94, 1:39.62
|-
|8|| {{flagicon|USA}} Graham Siggins || 1:41.67 || {{flagicon|USA}} Bay Area Slowcubin' 2025 || 1:37.82, 1:45.70, 1:41.50	
|-
|9|| {{flagicon|MYS}} Hill Pong Yong Feng || 1:42.27 || {{flagicon|SGP}} Sunday Silence Singapore 2022 || 1:38.67, 1:33.11, 1:55.04
|-
|10|| {{flagicon|AUS}} Amy Smith || 1:43.42 || {{flagicon|AUS}} Jog Your Memory Joondalup 2025 || 1:41.97, 1:43.90, 1:44.38
|}

== In popular culture ==
In "Cube Wars", an episode from the animated series ''[[Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones?]]'', the students play a colored cube called the Wonder Cube which is similar to the Rubik's Revenge.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/51093-Cube-Wars
|title=Cube Wars
|access-date=2016-07-17
|publisher=Big Cartoon DataBase
}}</ref>{{dead link|date=May 2025}}

==Reception==
''[[Games (magazine)|Games]]'' included ''Rubik's Revenge'' in their "Top 100 Games of 1982", finding that it helped to solve the original Rubik's Cube that the center pieces did not move, but noted "That's not true of this Supercube, which has added an extra row of subcubes in all three dimensions."<ref name="games">{{cite magazine|editor-last=  Schmittberger|editor-first= R. Wayne | date=November 1982 |title=The Top 100 Games 1982|magazine=[[Games (magazine)|Games]]| issue=33|pages=42}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Pocket Cube]] (2×2×2)
* [[Rubik's Cube]] (3×3×3)
* [[Professor's Cube]] (5×5×5)
* [[V-Cube 6]] (6×6×6)
* [[V-Cube 7]] (7×7×7)
* [[V-Cube 8]] (8×8×8)
* [[Combination puzzle]]

== References ==
<references/>

==Further reading==
* ''Rubik's Revenge: The Simplest Solution'' by William L. Mason
*''Speedsolving the Cube'' by Dan Harris, 'Rubik's Revenge' pages 100-120.
*''The Winning Solution to Rubik's Revenge'' by [[Minh Thai]], with Herbert Taylor and M. Razid Black.

==External links==
{{commonscat}}
* [https://www.speedcubing.com/chris/4-solution.html Beginner/Intermediate solution to the Rubik's Revenge] by Chris Hardwick
* [http://snk.digibase.ca/k4/ 'K4' Method] Advanced direct solving method.
* [https://www.randelshofer.ch/rubik/patterns_revenge.html Patterns] A collection of pretty patterns for Rubik's Revenge
* [https://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/4x4x4_Parity_Algorithms 4x4x4 Parity Algorithms] at the Speedsolving Wiki
* [http://kubrub.googlepages.com/rubikscube Program Rubik's Cube 3D Unlimited size] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309232911/http://kubrub.googlepages.com/rubikscube |date=2009-03-09 }}

{{Rubik's Cube}}

[[Category:Rubik's Cube]]
[[Category:Novelty items]]
[[Category:Single-player games]]
[[Category:1980s toys]]
[[Category:1980s fads and trends]]
[[Category:Ideal Toy Company]]