So, you’re looking at 3x3 3 3 3 and wondering if your keyboard just glitched out or if there’s some secret code you’re missing. It looks like a typo. Honestly, it probably is a typo most of the time, but in the world of twisty puzzles and speedcubing, these strings of numbers actually mean something specific to the people who spend their weekends lubing plastic gears and memorizing algorithms.
Usually, when someone types out 3x3 3 3 3, they are talking about the standard Rubik's Cube, but they’re getting tripped up on the dimensions or specific scramble notations. A standard cube is 3x3x3. Three layers across, three layers high, three layers deep. When you add those extra "3s" at the end, you’re often venturing into the territory of multi-phase solves or specific hand-scrambling sequences that people share on forums like Reddit’s r/Cubers or the Speedsolving.com forums.
It’s easy to get lost in the jargon.
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What is the 3x3 3 3 3 thing anyway?
If we're being totally real here, the most common reason you see 3x3 3 3 3 pop up in search results or forum titles is a mix of SEO spam and genuine human error. People try to type "3x3x3" and their finger hits the space bar or they just keep hitting the number. However, in technical cubing notation, specifically when discussing "Big Cubes" or "Relays," these numbers start to take on a life of their own.
Think about a relay race. In competitive speedcubing, a "2-3-4 relay" means you solve a 2x2, then a 3x3, then a 4x4 as fast as possible. If someone mentions a 3x3 3 3 3 relay, they are likely talking about a marathon session of five consecutive 3x3 solves. This is a standard "Average of 5" (Ao5) format used by the World Cube Association (WCA).
The Ao5 is the gold standard for measuring how good a cuber actually is. You do five solves. You throw away the fastest time. You throw away the slowest time. You average the middle three.
Why do we do this? Because luck is a massive factor in cubing. You might get a "PLL Skip" (where the last step of the solve is already done for you) and get a fluke 5-second solve, but if your other four solves are 15 seconds, you aren't a 5-second cuber. The 3x3 3 3 3 structure forces consistency. It’s grueling. Your fingers get tired. Your brain starts to lag. But it’s the only way to prove you actually know what you’re doing.
The Geometry of the 3x3x3
The math behind the basic cube is actually terrifying. You have 26 visible pieces: 8 corners, 12 edges, and 6 centers. The centers don't move. They are the anchors. If you see a white center piece, that side will always be the white side, no matter how much you twist it.
Most people don't realize there are 43 quintillion possible permutations. That's $43,252,003,274,489,856,000$ to be exact. If you had a different 3x3 3 3 3 configuration for every second since the Big Bang, you still wouldn't have gone through all of them. Yet, thanks to "God’s Number," researched heavily by mathematicians like Morley Davidson and Herbert Kociemba, we know any of those positions can be solved in 20 moves or fewer.
Why People Search for 3x3 3 3 3 in 2026
We’ve seen a weird resurgence in analog hobbies lately. Maybe it’s screen fatigue. Maybe people just want something tactile. Whatever it is, the 3x3 3 3 3 query often links back to "Smart Cubes."
These aren't your grandpa’s Rubik's Cubes. Modern ones like the GAN 14 MagLev or the MoYu WeiLong V10 have Bluetooth sensors inside. They track every move. They sync to your phone. When you do a 3x3 3 3 3 set of solves, the app records your turns per second (TPS), your "move count," and how long you hesitated during the cross.
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It’s data-driven obsession.
I talked to a local competitor at a WCA event last month who told me that "the 3x3 is the only puzzle that matters." He was being elitist, sure, but he had a point. The 4x4 and 5x5 are just 3x3s with extra steps. Once you finish the "reduction" phase of a big cube, you're just left with a 3x3 solve.
Misconceptions and Logic Errors
A lot of beginners think they need to be good at math to solve a 3x3 3 3 3 sequence. You don't. It’s muscle memory. It’s more like playing the piano than doing calculus. Your eyes see a pattern, and your hands execute a set of moves (an algorithm) without you even thinking about it.
There's also this myth that you have to be a "genius." Look, Max Park and Yusheng Du are incredibly talented, but they didn't get world records because they were born with "cube brains." They got there by doing 3x3 3 3 3 solves thousands of times a day. It’s boredom-induced mastery.
The Best Way to Master the 3x3x3
If you're stuck looking at a scrambled cube and typing 3x3 3 3 3 into Google for help, stop looking for "tricks." There is only one path.
- The Cross: You build a cross on the bottom (usually white). It sounds easy. It’s actually the hardest part to master because it’s purely intuitive.
- F2L (First Two Layers): Instead of doing one layer at a time, you slot the corner and the edge piece together. This saves a massive amount of time.
- OLL (Orientation of the Last Layer): You make the top face all one color. There are 57 different cases here. It’s a lot of memorization.
- PLL (Permutation of the Last Layer): You move those top pieces into their final spots. 21 algorithms.
Most people quit at F2L. It’s the "valley of despair" in cubing. You’ll actually get slower when you first start learning it. Your times will jump from 60 seconds to 90 seconds. You'll want to throw the cube across the room. Don't.
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Once F2L clicks, your times will plummet.
The Hardware Evolution
You can't talk about 3x3 3 3 3 without talking about magnets. In the old days, cubes were held together by friction and prayers. If you turned too fast, the whole thing exploded in a "pop." Pieces flying everywhere.
Now? We have magnets. Small neodymium magnets are placed inside the pieces to help them snap into alignment. It’s like having power steering for your fingers. Some high-end cubes even use "MagLev" technology—using opposing magnets instead of springs to reduce friction further. It makes the cube feel like it’s floating.
Is it worth spending $60 on a plastic toy? If you're doing an average of five (3x3 3 3 3), yes. The hand strain on a cheap, $5 dollar-store cube will give you carpal tunnel within a week.
Actionable Next Steps for Cube Enthusiasts
Stop searching for the "magic move" that solves everything. It doesn't exist. Instead, focus on these three things to actually get faster:
- Slow down your turning. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you turn slower, you can look ahead to the next piece. "Lookahead" is the secret sauce of sub-10 second solvers. If your hands never stop moving, you'll be faster than someone who turns at light speed but pauses for two seconds between every step.
- Learn "Finger Tricks." Stop using your whole hand to turn the faces. Use your index fingers for the top layer (U moves) and your ring fingers for the bottom layer (D moves).
- Film yourself. Record a 3x3 3 3 3 session. You'll be shocked at how much time you waste rotating the cube in your hands looking for pieces. We call this "cube rotations," and they are the enemy of speed.
The 3x3 3 3 3 notation might be a weird quirk of the internet, but the puzzle behind it is a legitimate sport with a global community. Whether you're trying to break the 10-second barrier or just want to impress your cousins at Thanksgiving, the path is the same: learn the patterns, buy a cube with magnets, and start drilling.
Consistency beats brilliance every time. Get a timer app like CSTimer, put your phone in "Do Not Disturb" mode, and start your first Ao5. You'll be frustrated for the first hour. You'll be hooked by the second.