SkewbLoading…

Skewb simulator and solver

Play a virtual Skewb in your browser, or enter the colors of your own Skewb and get a solution.

Info

Pieces
TypeCountStickersPositionsOrientation (physical)Orientation (visual)
461621
443433
443433
One row per orbit. Orientation counts are per position; multiple values mean positions differ.
Stickers
30
Axes
44 cut planes across them
Solver
Available
Distinct-piece states
≈ 3,149,28037,791,360 arrangements of the stickers the moves reach (Schreier–Sims)÷ 12 turns of the whole puzzle= 3,149,280Tracks individual sticker identities, even on identical-looking pieces; whole-puzzle rotations are identified. Invisible rotations of a piece and internal pieces are not counted.
Visually distinct states
Not computedVisually distinct states = distinct-piece states ÷ reachable indistinguishable arrangements.Reachable indistinguishable arrangements = 1 × reachable fraction.No visually interchangeable sticker-bearing pieces were found.The reachable fraction accounts for restrictions such as permutation parity. Computing the correct fraction and the final visual state count is not yet implemented.
Put together at random
1 in 72 reaches the original sticker identities6!·1⁶ · 4!·3⁴ · 4!·3⁴ = 2,720,977,920 ways to put the pieces in: per type of piece, its pieces in any order and each in any orientation that looks different÷ 37,791,360 arrangements the moves reach = 72This uses distinct piece identities; the chance of reaching a visually solved state may be higher.

Moves

Vertex turns

F
UL
UR
U

Skewb beginner method

Jaap's corner-first beginner method: align a reference tetrad, solve the free corners, then cycle the face centers.

Use the diagonal frame of corners UFL, URB, DFR, and DBL. Their turn names in this app are UL, UR, D, and B. All are 120° turns. Prepare hold establishes the working hold; face-turn setups restore the affected pieces.

Three reference corners

Align the three fixed corners at U–F–L, U–R–B, and D–B–L.

  1. These three corners belong to the reference tetrad; their positions fix the tutorial's diagonal hold.
  2. Use UL, UR, and B turns to orient them one at a time. Ignore the moving face centers.

UL turn

UL

Rotate this reference corner in place until all three stickers match the reference colors. The other reference corners stay in their positions.

Reference free corner

Place and orient the free corner that belongs at U–L–B.

  1. Find the U–L–B corner among the four moving corners.
  2. Use D to bring it into the working position, then apply the suggested insertion or orientation sequence.
  3. Restore the three reference corners when the sequence finishes.

Before this phase: Three reference corners.

Place the reference free corner

UR D UR D UR

Insert or twist the U–L–B corner. The three reference corners already aligned return to their solved orientations.

Place the reference free corner

D' UR D' UR'

Insert or twist the U–L–B corner. The three reference corners already aligned return to their solved orientations.

Fourth reference corner

Orient the fixed D–F–R corner to match the other reference colors.

  1. Turn only the D axis until this corner matches.
  2. The U–L–B corner and the three earlier reference corners stay solved.

Before this phase: Three reference corners, Reference free corner.

D turn

D

Rotate the fourth fixed corner until its three stickers match the neighboring reference colors.

D reverse turn

D'

Rotate the fourth fixed corner until its three stickers match the neighboring reference colors.

Remaining corner orientations

Correct the orientations of the final three free corners.

  1. The remaining corners are at U–F–R, D–F–L, and D–R–B.
  2. Use a two-corner twist or a three-corner twist in the suggested hold.
  3. All eight corners are solved before moving on to the centers.

Before this phase: Three reference corners, Reference free corner, Fourth reference corner.

Twist two free corners

UL UR' UL' D' UR D

Correct the remaining corner orientations. The four fixed corners and the U–L–B corner are restored at the end of the sequence.

Twist three free corners

(UL UR)3

Correct the remaining corner orientations. The four fixed corners and the U–L–B corner are restored at the end of the sequence.

Face centers

Cycle three face centers or exchange two pairs to complete the Skewb.

  1. Match each center's color to the solved corners around its face.
  2. Use the suggested center cycle or pair exchange, with its explicit setup and undo.
  3. The corner stage is preserved by every complete center algorithm.

Before this phase: Three reference corners, Reference free corner, Fourth reference corner, Remaining corner orientations.

Exchange two pairs of centers

[D', UR'] [D, UL]

Move only the face centers. All eight solved corners remain solved. The conjugate chooses the required pair exchange or three-cycle.

Cycle three centers

[UR', D'] [B', UL']

Move only the face centers. All eight solved corners remain solved. The conjugate chooses the required pair exchange or three-cycle.

Well known algorithms and patterns

Beginner triggers

Sledgehammer

[R', L]

Hedgehammer

[R', L]'

Patterns

Four spots

[R, L] [U', L']

Derived pattern, verified to exchange four centers while keeping all eight corners solved.