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Rubik's Cube Patterns are creative, visually engaging designs made by arranging the colors of a solved Rubik's Cube into various patterns without scrambling it fully. Achieved through specific sequences of moves, you can transform your Rubik's Cube into amazing looks. This guide will walk through 20 cool Rubik's Cube patterns, and show you how to achieve them yourself.
Tip: Solve the Cube with AI
If you have trouble undoing the changes to a solved Rubik's cube, you can try the AI Rubik's Cube Solver app as your loyal cube assistant. Powered by AI, it can recognize the current pattern by a simple scan, and give you the optimum solution in seconds.
Pattern 1: The Superflip
The Superflip, can also be called 12-flip, is one of the most special Rubik's patterns, because it is the farthest scramble from a solved 3x3 Rubik's Cube. However, you can still solve the Rubik's Cube in 20 moves, and here's the formula for it:
U R2 F B R B2 R U2 L B2 R U' D' R2 F R' L B2 U2 F2
Pattern 2: The Easy Checkerboard
The Easy Checkerboard pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a fun and simple design that transforms each face of the cube into a checkerboard pattern without actually solving or scrambling the cube. The pattern alternates colors on each face, creating a visually striking effect with each square contrasting its neighbor. Its formula is listed below:
U2 D2 F2 B2 L2 R2
Pattern 3: Wire
The Wire pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually captivating design that makes it appear as if a blue wire on the front layer is connecting with the red wire on the right layer. This pattern can look complex, but it can be achieved with a specific set of moves that keep the cube in a solvable state. The formula is listed below:
R L F B R L F B R L F B R2 B2 L2 R2 B2 L2
Pattern 4: Checkerboard in the cube
The Checkerboard-in-the-cube pattern on a Rubik's Cube is an advanced and visually impressive design that combines elements of the traditional checkerboard pattern with the cube-in-a-cube effect. This pattern makes it look as though there are checkerboard faces inside a "cube within a cube", creating a complex yet symmetrical look on each face of the Rubik's Cube. The formula is listed below:
B D F' B' D L2 U L U' B D' R B R D' R L' F U2 D
Pattern 5: Perfect Scramble
The Perfect Scramble pattern on a Rubik's Cube isn't actually a random scramble; rather, it's a specific arrangement designed to look scrambled while following a set, repeatable sequence. Unlike a random scramble that you would solve, the Perfect Scramble gives the cube a chaotic appearance with every color on every face. In order to solve it, you can follow the formula listed below:
D2 F2 R2 D2 L2 U F2 U' F' U F2 U' R2 B' F R' D2 F' D' L
Pattern 6: Perpendicular Lines
The Perpendicular Lines pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually intriguing arrangement that creates single lines across each face of the cube. Unlike other patterns, where you see large shapes or checkerboards, this one features straight lines intersecting at right angles, giving a clean, geometric look. The formula is listed below:
L2 D' B2 L2 B2 D' F2 D U' B2 L B2 F' L B' F U' F' U L2
Pattern 7: Flipped Tips
The Flipped Tips pattern on a Rubik's Cube, also known as the Edge Flip pattern, involves flipping only the edge pieces while keeping the center and Rubik's corner pieces in their original positions. This creates a unique look where each edge appears rotated or "flipped", making it appear scrambled even though the overall structure of the cube remains intact. The formula is listed below:
U B D' F2 D B' U' R2 D F2 D' R2 D F2 D' R2
Pattern 8: Plus Minus
The Plus-Minus pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a distinct and interesting pattern where each face has a "+" or "–" sign formed by the arrangement of colors. This creates a visual effect where the center rows and columns of each face form a cross (+) shape, while the rest of the face contrasts it, resembling a plus-minus symbol across the cube. The formula is listed below:
U2 R2 L2 U2 R2 L2
Pattern 9: Deckerboard
The Deckerboard pattern on a Rubik's Cube is often confused with the Checkerboard pattern. However, the Deckerboard pattern has a distinct effect, giving the cube a layered or stacked look, with alternating colors on each face that resemble multiple "decks" or levels. The design is striking, as it makes the cube appear as though it's divided into sections of alternating colors. The formula is listed below:
U D R L' F' B U D' R2 U R2 L2 D2 F2 B2 D
Pattern 10: Spiral Pattern
The Spiral Pattern on a Rubik's Cube creates a visually captivating, swirling effect across each face, making it appear as though each side has a spiraling design. Unlike the simpler patterns, the Spiral pattern requires more moves to achieve, but it's popular for its intricate and unique look, with each color appearing to twist into the center of each face. The formula is listed below:
L' B' D U R U' R' D2 R2 D L D' L' R' F U
Pattern 11: Vertical stripes
The Vertical Stripes pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a straightforward and visually appealing design that creates vertical lines or "stripes" of color on each vertical face. This pattern is simpler to create than some of the more intricate designs, but it gives the cube a unique and organized appearance, with each face split into alternating vertical columns of three colors. The formula is listed below:
F U F R L2 B D' R D2 L D' B R2 L F U F
Pattern 12: Gift box
The Gift Box pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a fun and visually appealing design that mimics the appearance of a wrapped gift with a bow on top. It creates a box-like structure on the cube where each face features a cross or box shape, often with contrasting colors in the center and on the edges, resembling the look of a present. You can use the formula below to achieve it and use it as a gift at Christmas:
U B2 R2 B2 L2 F2 R2 D' F2 L2 B F' L F2 D U' R2 F' L' R'
Pattern 13: Cross
The Cross pattern on a Rubik's Cube refers to a specific arrangement of the cube's edge pieces where the four edge pieces of the same color as the center piece (usually white or another color) are correctly positioned on one face of the cube, forming a "cross" shape. This pattern is typically one of the first steps in solving the Rubik's Cube, often before proceeding to solve the corners in the first layer. The formula is listed below:
R2 L' D F2 R' D' R' L U' D R D B2 R' U D2
Pattern 14: 4 Crosses
The 4 Crosses pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a more advanced concept. Instead of just one cross, four separate cross-like formations are created on different layers of the cube. This involves the edge pieces from multiple layers of the Rubik's Cube aligning to form individual "crosses." The pattern usually emerges in specific algorithms, particularly during advanced solving methods like CFOP (Fridrich method), where multiple crosses are simultaneously manipulated across different layers. The formula is listed below:
U2 R2 L2 F2 B2 D2 L2 R2 F2 B2
Pattern 15: Cube in the Cube
The Cube in the Cube pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually striking and complex pattern that creates the illusion of a smaller cube within a larger cube. This pattern is often used as a decorative or artistic configuration rather than a step in solving the Rubik's Cube. It's created through a series of rotations and algorithms that manipulate the cube's pieces to form a smaller, fully solved cube inside the solved larger cube. The formula is listed below:
F L F U' R U F2 L2 U' L' B D' B' L2 U
Pattern 16: Cube in a Cube in a Cube
The Cube in a Cube in a Cube pattern is an advanced and visually stunning configuration of a Rubik's Cube. It builds upon the Cube in the Cube pattern by adding an additional level of complexity, creating the illusion of three smaller cubes nested within each other, one inside the other. This pattern is an impressive feat of Rubik's Cube manipulation, often used to show off solving skills and the beauty of cube art. The formula is listed below:
U' L' U' F' R2 B' R F U B2 U B' L U' F U R F'
Pattern 17: Six Spots
The Six Spots pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually interesting and relatively simple pattern that creates six distinct spots, one on each face of the cube. These spots appear as small clusters of edge pieces placed in specific positions on each of the six sides of the cube. The pattern is often used for aesthetic purposes and is easy to execute with a specific set of moves. The formula is listed below:
U D' R L' F B' U D'
Pattern 18: Tetris
The Tetris pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a fun and visually striking configuration that mimics the appearance of the iconic shapes from the classic video game Tetris. The pattern features edge and corner pieces arranged in such a way that the cube looks like it has been divided into several segments, forming Tetriminos—the shapes of the game. The formula is listed below:
L R F B U' D' L' R'
Pattern 19: Displaced Motif
The Displaced Motif pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually intriguing configuration that creates a distinct and asymmetric arrangement of the cube's pieces. In this pattern, the pieces appear to be "displaced" or moved from their original positions, creating an unusual and dynamic look while still being solvable. It's not one of the most complex patterns but is visually striking and often used as a fun exercise in manipulating the cube. The formula is listed below:
L2 B2 D' B2 D L2 U R2 D R2 B U R' F2 R U' B' U'
Pattern 20: C U Around
The C U Around pattern on a Rubik's Cube is a visually interesting and relatively simple configuration that forms a pattern with a "C"-shaped arrangement of pieces around the cube, along with a surrounding "U"-shaped structure. The pattern is achieved by rotating specific layers of the cube in a way that the edge pieces are arranged to form a "C" and "U" on different faces of the cube. This pattern is often used for its striking appearance and is relatively easy to perform. The formula is listed below:
U' B2 U L2 D L2 R2 D' B' R D' L R' B2 U2 F' L' U'
Conclusion
The patterns shown above are either hard to solve, or in a unique shape. With methods provided, you can easily make the pattern and solve them. Also, if you find it hard to solve one of them, you can use the Rubik's Cube Solver app, and get them solved in a few touches.
Rubik's Cube Patterns FAQ
Q: What is the hardest 3x3 pattern?
The Superflip pattern is the hardest 3x3 pattern because it is the farthest possible pattern from the solved state that can be achieved on a 3x3 Rubik's Cube without changing the corner orientations.
Q: What is the super flip pattern?
The Superflip pattern is one of the most famous and visually striking patterns on a Rubik's Cube. In this configuration, every single edge piece on the cube is "flipped" or inverted, showing the opposite color than it would in a solved state, while all corner pieces remain correctly positioned. This results in a pattern where each face has the center piece in its original color, surrounded by edge pieces of the opposite color, giving the cube a mesmerizing and symmetric look.
Q: What is the easiest Rubik's Cube pattern?
The checkerboard pattern is one of the easiest Rubik's Cube patterns to learn. It uses a short and simple algorithm, making it ideal for beginners who are just starting to explore cube patterns. It's also popular because the result is visually clear and easy to recognize on all six faces
Q: What are Rubik's Cube patterns?
Rubik's Cube patterns are specific color arrangements created by applying a sequence of moves to a solved cube. Instead of solving the puzzle, the goal is to form a recognizable visual design, such as lines, shapes, or symmetrical patterns. These patterns follow fixed algorithms, so you can recreate them consistently and return to the solved state when needed.
Q: Are Rubik's Cube patterns useful for learning?
Yes. Rubik's Cube patterns help you practice algorithms and get more comfortable with common move sequences. They also improve your finger control and turning accuracy, which are important for faster solving. Over time, patterns can help you better understand how pieces move around the cube, making it easier to learn advanced methods.
Q: Do I need to solve the cube before making patterns?
Yes. Most Rubik's Cube patterns start from a fully solved cube, because the algorithms are designed with that starting point in mind. If the cube is not solved, the pattern will not appear correctly and may look random. Starting from a solved state ensures you get the exact design and can easily undo it later.