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Official 5x5 notations
Want to learn the correct notations of the 5x5 cube? We have included both the WCA official and unofficial notations in the guide below. In this guide we learn the outer moves, inner moves, center slice moves and wide moves all on the 5x5. In the images below the part of the puzzle that is greyed out is the part of the puzzle which does not move. The pieces in colour are the pieces that we will rotate.
Please Note: All images used in this guide are generic pictures of 5x5 Speed Cubes and may not be genuine Rubik's brand cubes. All images are for illustrational and educational purposes only
Single Layer Turns (Outer)
When You see an UPPERCASE 'F' you should move the front most layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an UPPERCASE 'B' you should move the far back most layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an UPPERCASE 'U' you should move the top most layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an UPPERCASE 'D' you should move the bottom layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an UPPERCASE 'R you should move the far right layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an UPPERCASE 'L' you should move the far left layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
Single Layer Turns (Inner)
When You see an LOWERCASE 'f' you should move the inner-front layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an LOWERCASE 'b' you should move the inner-back layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an LOWERCASE 'u' you should move the inner-top layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an LOWERCASE 'd' you should move the inner-bottom layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an LOWERCASE 'r' you should move the inner-right layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
When You see an LOWERCASE 'l' you should move the inner-left most layer in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotation.
Dual Layer Turns
The following list of wide layer moves are the WCA official notation. However, you will find many websites and other people use a slightly different notation such as Ff, Bb, Uu, Dd, Rr or Ll
When you see 'Fw' this indicates to move both of the front most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'Bw' this indicates to move both of the back most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'Uw' this indicates to move both of the top most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'Dw' this indicates to move both of the bottom most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'Rw' this indicates to move both of the right most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'Lw' this indicates to move both of the left most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
3 Layer Turns
When you see '3Fw' this indicates to move both of the front most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see '3Bw' this indicates to move both of the back most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see '3Uw' this indicates to move both of the top most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see '3Dw' this indicates to move both of the bottom most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see '3Rw' this indicates to move both of the right most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see '3Lw' this indicates to move both of the left most layers in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
Middle Slice Turns
When you see 'M' this indicates to move the center layer as shown in the image above in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'S' this indicates to move the center layer as shown in the image above in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
When you see 'E' this indicates to move the center layer as shown in the image above in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise rotations.
