Megaminx notation

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Although the Megaminx has twice as many faces as a Rubik's cube, there are usually only three adjacent faces used in one algorithm, which allows 3x3x3 notation to be used. There are some algorithms that require four or five adjacent faces that are not related in a way where 3x3x3 notation could be used. Thus, extra notation is needed to write these algorithms without confusion.

All of the algorithms that require four or five adjacent faces and therefore extra notation are for the last layer; however, if you are familiar with the Fridrich method, the only time you will really need algorithms at all is on the last layer. The Megaminx has five faces that surround the top face of the last layer while the 3x3x3 has four faces that surround the top face of the last layer. This means that two of those faces that surround the top face on the Megaminx are in the spot of one face that surrounds the top face on a 3x3x3. The one face on the 3x3x3 is commonly the back face (B), and the two faces on the Megaminx that are in its spot are the backright (BR) and backleft (BL) faces.

Here is an example of an algorithm that requires extra notation:

R BR BL U BL' U BR' U2' R'

This algorithm orients all of the edges on the top layer when one edge is already oriented. A clockwise turn of the right face is followed by a clockwise turn of the face that is next to it, which is followed by a clockwise turn of the face that is next to that one. Notice that there is a U2' in this algorithm. On a 3x3x3, a U2' would be the same as a U2, making it useless unless you are specifying finger tricks. On a Megaminx, a U2' is different from a U2. A U3' would be the same as a U2, and a U4' would be the same as a U, however.