4x4 Parity Guide: OLL & PLL Algorithms Explained
How to Solve 4x4 Parity (OLL + PLL Cases)
What is 4x4 Parity?
Parity occurs on all 4x4 cubes because they have no fixed centers. But hold on, what does that mean? On a 3x3, the center pieces cannot be moved, Yellow will always be opposite white, Red opposite Orange and Green opposite Blue.
In basic terms, on a 4x4 you actually build these centers yourself. In the images below, you can see the white face has a logo on one of center pieces, this piece has 4 locations it can actually go in, either 1 of the 4 center blocks that makes up the center 2x2 block. If you put it in the wrong place, you'll get parity.
4x4 OLL Parity (Edge Flip Algorithm)
4x4 OLL parity occurs when your 4x4 has two flipped adjacent edge pieces. There is only one OLL parity case, and the fix is a single algorithm.
How to Solve 4x4 OLL Parity Step by Step
- Hold the cube with the two flipped edges facing you.
- Apply this algorithm:
r2 B2 U2 l U2 r' U2 r U2 F2 r F2 l' B2 r2. - Follow each move carefully without changing cube orientation.
- Check the top layer – edges should now be fixed.
- Continue solving the cube as normal.
4x4 PLL Parity (4 Cases + Algorithms)
4x4 PLL parity consists of four cases where your cube appears unsolvable in a 3x3 state (e.g., two corners that must swap). Use the matching algorithm below.
How to Solve 4x4 PLL Parity
- Check which PLL parity case your cube has.
- Match it to one of the four cases below.
- Perform the correct algorithm for that case.
- Verify the parity is resolved.
- Finish solving like a standard 3x3.
4x4 Parity FAQ
Parity happens on a 4x4 cube because there are no fixed center pieces like on a 3x3. This means the cube can reach states that look impossible to solve without special algorithms.
OLL parity occurs when two edge pieces are flipped incorrectly during the last layer orientation. PLL parity occurs when pieces appear swapped in a way that is impossible on a 3x3 cube.
No. Parity only happens on even-layered cubes such as 4x4, 6x6, and 8x8. A 3x3 cube has fixed centers, so it cannot enter a true parity state.
The most common OLL parity algorithm is r2 B2 U2 l U2 r' U2 r U2 F2 r F2 l' B2 r2. It flips the two misoriented edges and restores the cube back to a normal state.
There is one OLL parity case and four PLL parity cases on a 4x4 cube. Each has a specific algorithm to fix it.