4x4 Advanced: Yau Method
The Yau method, invented by Robert Yau, is a faster alternative to the standard Reduction method for the 4x4 Rubik's Cube. The key difference: Yau solves cross edges early, which provides better lookahead and a smoother transition into the 3x3 phase. Most top 4x4 speedcubers use Yau or a variant of it.
Yau vs Standard Reduction
| Aspect | Reduction | Yau |
|---|---|---|
| Step order | All centers, then all edges | 2 centers, 3 cross edges, 4 centers, remaining edges |
| Cross | Built after reduction | Already partially done during reduction |
| Lookahead | Must find cross edges after pairing | Cross is nearly done, transition to F2L is seamless |
| Speed ceiling | Good | Higher — less pause between phases |
Notation Reminder
Standard moves (outer layer only):
- R = Right L = Left U = Up D = Down F = Front B = Back
Wide moves (outer two layers together):
- Rw = Right wide Lw = Left wide Uw = Up wide Dw = Down wide Fw = Front wide Bw = Back wide
A letter alone means clockwise 90°. Adding ' means counter-clockwise. Adding 2 means 180°.
Step 1: Solve Two Opposite Centers
Begin by solving the white and yellow center blocks (top and bottom). This is the same as the first part of the standard Reduction method.
Each center is a 2x2 block of pieces. Use wide moves to bring center pieces together while protecting already-placed pieces with outer-layer turns.
Basic center building — bring a center piece to the top using a wide move, position it, then reverse:
Joining two center halves — when you have two 1x2 center strips that need to be merged:
Tips:
- Solve white center first (on bottom), then yellow center (on top).
- Keep white on the bottom throughout — use only Rw, Lw, Fw, Bw moves to manipulate centers without disturbing the bottom.
- Do not worry about side centers yet. Leave them for Step 3.
Step 2: Solve 3 of 4 Cross Edges
This is where Yau diverges from Reduction. Before solving the remaining centers, pair and place 3 white cross edges into the bottom layer.
A cross edge consists of two pieces (e.g., white-red and white-red) that need to be paired and placed in the D layer. Leave one cross edge unsolved for now — this gives you freedom to use wide moves in the next step.
Pairing a cross edge using freeslice — the freeslice technique pairs edges without disrupting centers. Place one half of the edge in the front-right position and bring its partner from another slot:
Inserting a paired cross edge into the bottom — once paired, place the edge into its correct D-layer position:
Freeslice with wide moves — use Dw to bring an edge piece up for pairing without breaking the bottom cross edges already in place:
Tips:
- You only need 3 cross edges solved now. Deliberately leave one slot empty.
- Use the empty D-layer slot freely — the missing cross edge gives you more freedom for wide moves.
- Choose which cross edge to leave based on which is hardest to find or pair.
Step 3: Solve Remaining 4 Centers
Now solve the 4 side centers (red, orange, blue, green). The white and yellow centers are already done from Step 1.
Because you have one unsolved cross edge slot, you can still use some wide moves freely. This is a key advantage of Yau — the partially solved cross does not restrict center building as much as you might expect.
Building a side center — use wide moves to collect center pieces, then place them:
Center commutator — when you need to swap a center piece without disturbing others, use a commutator-style sequence:
Tips:
- Solve centers in opposite pairs when possible (e.g., red then orange, blue then green).
- Use the unsolved cross edge slot to your advantage — wide moves through that slot will not break cross edges.
- Be mindful of the 3 cross edges already in the D layer. Check before doing wide moves.
Step 4: Last Cross Edge + Complete Edge Pairing
This step has two parts: finish the 4th cross edge, then pair all remaining edges.
Part A: Solve the Last Cross Edge
Find the remaining cross edge pair and bring them together. Since all centers are now solved, you need to be more careful with wide moves.
Once paired, insert it into the last D-layer slot to complete the white cross.
Part B: Pair Remaining Edges (3-2-3 Technique)
You now have 8 unpaired edges. The 3-2-3 technique is the most efficient way to pair them:
- First 3 edges — pair them using standard slice-flip-slice moves. Place an unpaired edge in the front-right, find its partner on top, use Uw to bring them together:
- Next 2 edges — with fewer edges remaining, you can pair two edges in quick succession by storing one in the back:
- Last 3 edges — the final edges require more care to avoid breaking already-paired edges. Use Dw-based moves or flipping techniques:
Tips:
- During 3-2-3 pairing, always check that your wide moves do not break the cross edges on the bottom.
- If an edge is paired but flipped, you need to break it out and re-pair it.
- The transition from edge pairing to 3x3 should be seamless — your cross is already done.
Step 5: Solve as 3x3 (CFOP)
With all centers solved, all edges paired, and the cross already complete, the 4x4 now behaves like a 3x3. Since the white cross is already done (a major advantage of Yau), you can jump straight into F2L (First Two Layers).
Use only outer-layer moves from this point — no wide moves.
Proceed with standard CFOP:
- F2L — pair and insert corner-edge pairs into the first two layers.
- OLL — orient the last layer.
- PLL — permute the last layer.
This is the biggest advantage of the Yau method: the cross-to-F2L transition has zero pause, because the cross was built during the reduction phase.
Parity Algorithms
The 4x4 has two parity cases that cannot occur on a 3x3. These happen about 50% of the time each, regardless of whether you use Yau or Reduction.
OLL Parity (Single Edge Flip)
A single edge appears flipped on the last layer — impossible on a real 3x3.
Algorithm: Rw U2 x Rw U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Lw U2 Rw' U2 Rw U2 Rw' U2 Rw'
Apply this algorithm once, then continue with normal OLL/PLL.
PLL Parity (Two Edges Swap)
Two opposite edges need to be swapped — again impossible on a 3x3.
Algorithm: r2 U2 r2 Uw2 r2 Uw2
When to Learn Yau
- If you average under 2 minutes with Reduction, you have the fundamentals to switch to Yau.
- If you know CFOP for 3x3, Yau is a natural fit — the cross is already done when you enter the 3x3 phase.
- If you struggle with the Reduction-to-3x3 transition, Yau eliminates that pause entirely.
Practice Priorities
- Master freeslice edge pairing — this is the core technique that makes Yau efficient.
- Practice 2-center + 3-cross-edge recognition — learn to identify cross edges quickly during the first two steps.
- Drill the 3-2-3 technique — smooth edge pairing is where most time is saved.
- Work on the cross-to-F2L transition — since the cross is done, practice spotting your first F2L pair during edge pairing.
The Yau method is the standard for competitive 4x4 solving. The seamless transition from reduction to 3x3 solving, combined with better lookahead opportunities, makes it the preferred choice for speedcubers aiming for sub-40-second averages. Start by converting your Reduction solves to Yau one step at a time.