I made a written tutorial about solving the 4-dimensional physical 2x2x2x2

[Renslay]

A while ago I developed my own method to solve the physical 2x2x2x2 hypercube, also known as Melinda's 2x2x2x2. I dubbed the method as "Dimension Reduction Ortega", since the main idea is to reduce the 4D puzzle into two 3D 2x2x2 cubes in a way that is vaguely similar to a regular 3D Ortega. Though I doubt I came up with the idea first, as it is a very basic approach.

I am not fond of making video tutorials, so instead I made a written guide, with a complete step-by-step example solve where I explain the entire solution, with screenshots. You can even play back the scramble and the solution with Zasharan's excellent virtual-physical implementation: https://zasharan2.github.io/2x2x2x2/

Maybe there are more useful guides out on youtube, but as far as I know, this is the longest / most detailed guide in written form. Hopefully at least some people will find it useful!

Here is the link to the guide:

GitHub - HantosNorbert/Dimension-Reduction-Ortega: Dimension Reduction Ortega - A Beginner Method to Solve the Physical 4D 2x2x2x2 Rubik's Cube

Dimension Reduction Ortega - A Beginner Method to Solve the Physical 4D 2x2x2x2 Rubik's Cube - HantosNorbert/Dimension-Reduction-Ortega

github.com

Happy hybercubing!

 

[chiknborger]

Super cool! Definitely gonna take a look.

 

[cubedude333]

Pls someone make a simulator for the 2*2*2*2

 

[Deleted member 36445]

Pls someone make a simulator for the 2*2*2*2

There are plenty of simulators already

Software - Hypercubing

hypercubing.xyz

 

[Deleted member 36445]

A while ago I developed my own method to solve the physical 2x2x2x2 hypercube, also known as Melinda's 2x2x2x2. I dubbed the method as "Dimension Reduction Ortega", since the main idea is to reduce the 4D puzzle into two 3D 2x2x2 cubes in a way that is vaguely similar to a regular 3D Ortega. Though I doubt I came up with the idea first, as it is a very basic approach.

View attachment 42337

I am not fond of making video tutorials, so instead I made a written guide, with a complete step-by-step example solve where I explain the entire solution, with screenshots. You can even play back the scramble and the solution with Zasharan's excellent virtual-physical implementation: https://zasharan2.github.io/2x2x2x2/

Maybe there are more useful guides out on youtube, but as far as I know, this is the longest / most detailed guide in written form. Hopefully at least some people will find it useful!

Here is the link to the guide:

GitHub - HantosNorbert/Dimension-Reduction-Ortega: Dimension Reduction Ortega - A Beginner Method to Solve the Physical 4D 2x2x2x2 Rubik's Cube

Dimension Reduction Ortega - A Beginner Method to Solve the Physical 4D 2x2x2x2 Rubik's Cube - HantosNorbert/Dimension-Reduction-Ortega

github.com

Happy hybercubing!

Thanks for this tutorial!

Thank God people still make written tutorials and documentations.

Is difficult to follow video tutorials sometimes

 

[Renslay]

Thanks for this tutorial!

Thank God people still make written tutorials and documentations.

Is difficult to follow video tutorials sometimes

Thank you!

I also prefer written tutorials, that's one of the reasons I chose this form.

 

[Renslay]

I updated the webpage, since I discovered that on Twizzle you can also simulate a physical-virtual 2x2x2x2, although there are caveats. For example, there is no direct notation for a yx-gyro, but you can still build it from substeps. (Notably, Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2 is equivalent to an yx-gyro in twizzle).

Here are the complete list of twizzle moves:

 Twizzle link 

// cube rotations
x x' x2 y2 z2

// yx-gyro sequence (no direct notation for it...)
(Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2)

// left/right cell turns
Lx Ly Lz Rx Ry Rz
Lx' Ly' Lz' Rx' Ry' Rz'
Lx2 Ly2 Lz2 Rx2 Ry2 Rz2

// up/down/front/back cell turns (double only)
U2 D2 F2 B2

// canonical inner/outer cell turns
Mx Ox
Mx' Ox'
Mx2 Ox2

// non-canonical (but valid) inner/outer turns
My2 Mz2 Oy2 Oz2

// INVALID INNER/OUTER TURNS, use only in scrambles!
My Mz Oy Oz
My' Mz' Oy' Oz'

Here is the full solution (including the scramble) I presented on the webpage:

 Twizzle link 

// SCRAMBLE /////////////////////////////////////
Rx U2 (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) Mx F2 Ry Mx' U2 Lz' F2 (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) Ry Lx' U2 F2 Rz F2 (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) Mx' Rz
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Rx2 D2 Rz Lz Ly // Step 1a (only one purple on U/D cells)
Mx Ly Mx Lz Mx Lz' Mx' Lz Mx' Lz' Ly' Mx' // left F R U R' U' F'
Rz (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) // Step 1a finished
Rx' U2 Ly' Mx2 Rz' D2 Rz // Step 1b (purple/pink build on R side)
Mx Lz' Mx' Ly' Ox2 // Step 1b (purple/pink on L side bottom)
Ly2 Mx Ly Mx Lz Mx Lz' Mx' Lz Mx' Lz' Ly' Mx' // left F R U R' U' F'
Lx' Rz (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) // Towards parity fix
Lz' Rz x // prep for parity fix
Ly2 x Ly Mx Lz Mx Lz' Mx' Lz Mx' Lz' // parity fix: R U R' U'
Ry x (Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) Rz // Step 1b finished
(Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) // Step 1c finished
Mx' Rz' U2 Rz Ly' Mx Rz U2 // Step 2 finished
Lz Mx Ly' Mx Lz' Mx2 Ly' Mx' x' Ly Mx Lz Mx2 Lz' Mx' // Step 3a (bottom left 1x2x2)
D2 Rz Mx2 Lz Mx2 Ly Mx' Lz Mx Lz' Mx' Lz Mx Lz' Mx' // Step 3b (other 1x2x2)
Rz D2 // Step 3b finished
Lz' Mx Ly Mx' x2 Lz Mx' Lz' Ly' Mx2 Lz Mx Lz' Mx2 // Step 4 (bottom left 1x2x2)
Mx' Lz Mx' Lz' Mx' Ly' Mx Ly Mx Ly' Mx' Ly Mx Lz Mx' Lz' Mx' Lz Mx2 Lz' Mx // Step 4 (R' U' R' F R F' R U' R' U2 R)
Mx2 Ly' Mx2 Ly Mx2 Lz Mx Lz' Mx2 Ly' Mx2 Ly Mx2 Lz Mx' Lz' // RKT parity (R2 F2 R2 U R2 F2 R2 U')
Lx2 Ly' // AUF

I will also include more example solves in the Example Solve Game thread:

Thread 'Melinda's Physical 2x2x2x2 Example Solve Game'

Jul 10, 2026

Welcome to the Melinda's Physical 2x2x2x2 Example Solve Game!

As you might noticed, Twizzle supports Melinda's 2x2x2x2, but for some reason, there is no single notation for a gyro move. But it supports some moves that although are NOT valid moves, can be easily performed on an actual physical cube: and with them, I discovered a yx-gyro move that contain only 6 sub-steps.

This is the yx-gyro move:
Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2

 Twizzle link 

(Oy My' B2 U2 Lx2 F2) // gyro

Although I do not recommend to perform this specific series of...

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• example solve hypercube hypercubing melinda's 2x2x2x2 physical
• Replies: 25
• Forum: Example Solves Forum

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[ikindalikeclock]

wow! i did not know twizzle supported the 2^4! also, thank you for a written tutorial. maybe i could finally get a sub 10 min /j

 

[Renslay]

wow! i did not know twizzle supported the 2^4! also, thank you for a written tutorial. maybe i could finally get a sub 10 min /j

Go for it!
If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer!