4x4 makes me nervous

[Skyz]

Hi! I had a 4x4 a little while ago. I could solve everything but the last layer by myself. I Remember how messed up i got when i could not solve it, not even with every tutorial in the world. It was like my problems with it COULD NOT even happen, no one covered them. I managed to solve it once, and i got really lucky that time. It broke after a while and i was thinking about getting a new one. But i am afraid i will get depressed again, i remember trying to solve it from morning to night, non stop, for days. That is almost as sad as i have been in my life, because every other cube i have tried i have managed to solve in about 3 hours at most. i could not solve the 4x4 for days. Should i try it again? Or should i get something else?

Thanks, Skyz.

 

[Competition Cuber]

TRY AGAIN!!!!!

Its always good to try again, it took me like 3 weeks to learn how to solve a 2x2 (after I could solve a 3x3)

 

[Malkom]

Hi! I had a 4x4 a little while ago. I could solve everything but the last layer by myself. I Remember how messed up i got when i could not solve it, not even with every tutorial in the world. It was like my problems with it COULD NOT even happen, no one covered them. I managed to solve it once, and i got really lucky that time. It broke after a while and i was thinking about getting a new one. But i am afraid i will get depressed again, i remember trying to solve it from morning to night, non stop, for days. That is almost as sad as i have been in my life, because every other cube i have tried i have managed to solve in about 3 hours at most. i could not solve the 4x4 for days. Should i try it again? Or should i get something else?

Thanks, Skyz.

You just solved it the wrong way, learn a proper method and it will be easier.

 

[shadowslice e]

Do you want to be able to solve it yourself without any outside help?

If so, keep experimenting but if you get stuck try looking up commutators and conjugated as well as parity if you get more stuck.

Spoiler: If not

Most speedsolvers nowadays use reduction methods; the methods where the 4x4 cube is reduced to be solvable using only outer layer moves so it works like a 3x3. You'll be able to find many many tutorials on this on youtube, the forums, the internet in general etc. If you want to use this you should definitely be aware of parity.

Alternatively, if you want a direct solving method look up k4 and some videos on commutators and conjugated etc

Hope this helps!

You just solved it the wrong way, learn a proper method and it will be easier.

It's not the *wrong* way. It's just a different way that most speedsolvers don't use.

 

[Skyz]

TRY AGAIN!!!!!

Its always good to try again, it took me like 3 weeks to learn how to solve a 2x2 (after I could solve a 3x3)

Yeah, but i am so worried, i am finally sort of getting my life together after many years depression, and i dont want those late nights of crying and anxiety. I might try again, but i am on a budget and i am worried i will spend my money on something that will make me depressed...

 

[shadowslice e]

Yeah, but i am so worried, i am finally sort of getting my life together after many years depression, and i dont want those late nights of crying and anxiety. I might try again, but i am on a budget and i am worried i will spend my money on something that will make me depressed...

If money is a problem you can get very cheap 4x4s online at various cube stores depending on where you live (if you say the general then we should be able to tell you the best stores near you in terms of price and shipping).

Also, I know this might not be terribly helpful but when you finally solve a puzzle it is one of the greatest feelings in the world

 

[Skyz]

If money is a problem you can get very cheap 4x4s online at various cube stores depending on where you live (if you say the general then we should be able to tell you the best stores near you in terms of price and shipping).

I live in sweden, and order all my cubes from cuboss.se, i will go with a thunderclap 4x4 or a cyclone boys g4 if i get another one, both of them are about 10 Dollars.

 

[Skyz]

You just solved it the wrong way, learn a proper method and it will be easier.

i tried tutorials too, but it would not work for me..

 

[shadowslice e]

I live in sweden, and order all my cubes from cuboss.se, i will go with a thunderclap 4x4 or a cyclone boys g4 if i get another one, both of them are about 10 Dollars.

Yeah they seem like good choices but if you don't mind waiting a little longer then you could also get a cube from cubezz or similar Chinese cube stores where some off them are only about $8 or so.

e: actually some are under $6

 

[Tabe]

i tried tutorials too, but it would not work for me..

Have you tried this tutorial?

 

[Ghost Cuber]

I live in sweden, and order all my cubes from cuboss.se, i will go with a thunderclap 4x4 or a cyclone boys g4 if i get another one, both of them are about 10 Dollars.

I just got the ThunderClap 4x4 today and I really wouldn't recomment it. It is smooth but really sliggish. It has a nice feel if you don't mind a slow cube though.

 

[cubing master]

Here's my advice, if getting a piece of plastic is going to make your life miserable, then just don't get it. But, if I were you, I would get it again. About 5 years ago when I started cubing, I got a super square 1. It took me way too long to figure out how to do it, probably about 2.5 years, but I stuck with it and eventually I solved it.

 

[Skyz]

Have you tried this tutorial?

Yeah, thats the one i tried to follow...

 

[xyzzy]

Sometimes you just need a different perspective.

Very often I see beginners ask about how to swap two corners, and some tutorials just don't cover that case. What do you do there? Combine it with swapping two edge pairs, and now you can solve it like a 3×3×3. (This is something that experienced cubers might find obvious, but beginners struggle with a lot, especially if they learnt an edge-first last layer method for 3×3×3.)

I'd suggest getting a new 4×4×4 and playing with it for a while, and if you do encounter a situation you can't figure out, just post a couple of photos here and we'll help you out.

(It's also possible that your old cube was simply unsolvable. For example, if you had a single corner twisted, the only way to "solve" it would be to disassemble and reassemble.)

 

[Skyz]

Sometimes you just need a different perspective.

Very often I see beginners ask about how to swap two corners, and some tutorials just don't cover that case. What do you do there? Combine it with swapping two edge pairs, and now you can solve it like a 3×3×3. (This is something that experienced cubers might find obvious, but beginners struggle with a lot, especially if they learnt an edge-first last layer method for 3×3×3.)

I'd suggest getting a new 4×4×4 and playing with it for a while, and if you do encounter a situation you can't figure out, just post a couple of photos here and we'll help you out.

(It's also possible that your old cube was simply unsolvable. For example, if you had a single corner twisted, the only way to "solve" it would be to disassemble and reassemble.)

Thanks alot, might do that.

Thanks for all the advice everyone

 

[unirox13]

Any chance you've looked for anyone in your area that's also into cubing? Facebook? On these forums?

Maybe a first person tutorial would be the best way for you to learn how to solve the 4x4. Plus you might make a new friend. A bit of a long shot, I know, but still worth a try.

 

[Stuart Wade]

It’s understandable that big cubes make you nervous. Just stick with it, you will get it soon. I highly recommend J Perm.s videos on YouTube especially if you’re looking to get faster later.

 

[Zerksies]

Probably organically took me about 4 days to get it down. The big thing is learning the parity that comes with even numbered cubes other then that it's pretty easy

 

[Skyz]

Update: Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to try again. My 4x4 which i ordered came in today and i can now solve it Still gotta learn the parity though xd

 

[NewbieCuber]

Sometimes you just need a different perspective.

Very often I see beginners ask about how to swap two corners, and some tutorials just don't cover that case. What do you do there? Combine it with swapping two edge pairs, and now you can solve it like a 3×3×3. (This is something that experienced cubers might find obvious, but beginners struggle with a lot, especially if they learnt an edge-first last layer method for 3×3×3.)

OK, That makes sense to me. Great comment!. So in this particular case where the 4x4 is solved except for 2 corners on the same face, would I do (in a 3x3 sense) a T perm to swap the corners and then do some edge perms to correct the now incorrect edges? No wait, I'd still have only 2 edges to swap which is a 4x4 specific alg I think. I don't think you could ever have only 2 edges out of place on a 3x3.

Is that right?