rubiks-cube-NxNxN-solver

Overview

This is a rubiks cube solver that can solve any size cube, I have tested up to 17x17x17. The following tables show the reduction in move counts as the solver has evolved. The table starts in July 2018, the earlier releases of the solver had drastically higher move counts, I think it was over 400 moves the first time I solved a 5x5x5.

Solving a 2x2x2 takes around 9 moves while solving a 3x3x3 takes around 20 moves. I am not working on those solvers so I did not include them in the table below.

Move Counts

The move counts here are to reduce the cube to a 3x3x3. Solving the reduced 3x3x3 cube will add another ~20 moves.

Date	Commit	4x4x4	5x5x5	6x6x6	7x7x7	8x8x8	9x9x9	10x10x10
09/28/2021	60e964d4	51.6	78.9	135.7	193.8	306.4	368.6	523.4
09/26/2021	b6ab34f	51.6	78.9	139.7	193.8	320.6	394.4	549.2
09/09/2021	722673f	50	77.5	139	193	335	393	573
10/5/2019	TBD	50	79	145	202	353	406	618
10/17/2018	TBD	50	88	156	218	344	430	601
09/24/2018	TBD	50	88	156	218	344	454	630
09/17/2018	TBD	50	103	160	221	346	444	614
08/24/2018	9dc52a7	50	103	161	224	346	469	617
08/20/2018	39bf371	50	103	162	228	366	466	636
08/19/2018	6b8993a	50	103	165	244	362	513	669
08/13/2018	b754e60	50	107	165	244	362	513	669
08/13/2018	bdbbd46	52	107	165	244	362	513	669
07/16/2018	456ddd1	52	107	172	247	376	520	725
07/12/2018	c9484d9	60	107	176	247	386	520	743
07/12/2018	5cda2c8	60	107	181	247	386	520	743
07/08/2018	9c13b16	60	107	181	257	403	531	743
07/07/2018	e876493	60	107	181	272	408	556	768
07/04/2018		60	107	200	278	408	556	768

Install

Install the rubikscubennnsolver python module

$ cd ~/
$ git clone https://github.com/dwalton76/rubiks-cube-NxNxN-solver.git
$ cd rubiks-cube-NxNxN-solver
$ make init

Install 3x3x3 solver

The kociemba solver is required to solve the larger cubes that have been reduced to 3x3x3.

$ git clone https://github.com/dwalton76/kociemba.git
$ cd ~/kociemba/kociemba/ckociemba/
$ make
$ sudo make install

Download lookup tables from Amazon S3 bucket

A few hundred hours of CPU time were used to build the "lookup tables" used by this cube solver. These lookup table are stored in an Amazon S3 bucket and will be downloaded as needed (different size cubes will download different lookup tables). Once downloaded they will not need to be downloaded again.

Usage

Run rubiks-cube-solver.py where --state is your cube state in kociemba order (URFDLB). You must run rubiks-cube-solver.py from the directory that holds your lookup-table*.txt files

Example:

$ cd ~/rubiks-cube-NxNxN-solver
$ source ./venv/bin/activate
$ ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state LFBDUFLDBUBBFDFBLDLFRDFRRURFDFDLULUDLBLUUDRDUDUBBFFRBDFRRRRRRRLFBLLRDLDFBUBLFBLRLURUUBLBDUFUUFBD

History

One of my hobbies is building Lego Mindstorms robots that can solve rubiks cubes. I was able to find solvers for 2x2x2, 3x3x3, 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 but I couldn't find a solver for anything larger than that :( The solvers that I did find for 4x4x4 and 5x5x5 took quite a bit of RAM (several gigs) but I wanted to be able to run the solver on a Lego Mindstorms EV3 which is 300Mhz and 64M of RAM. So I decided to write my own solver and here we are :)

Here is the thread on speedsolving.com where I first posted looking for solvers. I ended up posting updates to this thread as my solver evolved: https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/5x5x5-6x6x6-7x7x7-or-nxnxn-solvers.63592/

Examples

2x2x2
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state DLRRFULLDUBFDURDBFBRBLFU


3x3x3
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state RRBBUFBFBRLRRRFRDDURUBFBBRFLUDUDFLLFFLLLLDFBDDDUUBDLUU


4x4x4
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state FLDFDLBDFBLFFRRBDRFRRURBRDUBBDLURUDRRBFFBDLUBLUULUFRRFBLDDUULBDBDFLDBLUBFRFUFBDDUBFLLRFLURDULLRU


5x5x5
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state LLFBRBFUDULBULBBDDUBBBBLDFDULDLURFBDFRLDUFDBRLDUFBLURFRFRDRBULFBLLLBURUFRFURDDLBULLLRLRDFRDRBBRUDFDUFRBUDULFDUFULDFRBRBULLUFFBLRDDDDFRRBUBRLBUUFFRRDFF


6x6x6
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state FBDDDFFUDRFBBLFLLURLDLLUFBLRFDUFLBLLFBFLRRBBFDRRDUBUFRBUBRDLUBFDRLBBRLRUFLBRBDUDFFFDBLUDBBLRDFUUDLBBBRRDRUDLBLDFRUDLLFFUUBFBUUFDLRUDUDBRRBBUFFDRRRDBULRRURULFDBRRULDDRUUULBLLFDFRRFDURFFLDUUBRUFDRFUBLDFULFBFDDUDLBLLRBL


7x7x7
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state DBDBDDFBDDLUBDLFRFRBRLLDUFFDUFRBRDFDRUFDFDRDBDBULDBDBDBUFBUFFFULLFLDURRBBRRBRLFUUUDUURBRDUUURFFFLRFLRLDLBUFRLDLDFLLFBDFUFRFFUUUFURDRFULBRFURRBUDDRBDLLRLDLLDLUURFRFBUBURBRUDBDDLRBULBULUBDBBUDRBLFFBLRBURRUFULBRLFDUFDDBULBRLBUFULUDDLLDFRDRDBBFBUBBFLFFRRUFFRLRRDRULLLFRLFULBLLBBBLDFDBRBFDULLULRFDBR


8x8x8
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state DRRRURBDDBFBRBDDBRRDUFLLURFBFLFURLFLFRBRFUBDRFDFUUBLFFFUULBBFDBDFBUBBFRFLRDLFDRBBLLFRLDFDRBURULDDRFFBFUUBLLFBRUUFDUBRDBBRDFLURUUFFUDLBRRFDUBFLRUUFFRLBFRFLRULUDFRUBBDBFFLBBDFDFLDBFRRRDDLFLBRBFBBRULDDUUBLBBURULLDDLDRUDRBUDRLUULDURLRDFLFULUFLFULRDDDUBBULRBRDFBBLFURRLULUBDDULRFBRFURBRLBRUBULBDDFBUFFBBRLRUUUFRULLBFFRFDDFFDULLDLBUDLLLLUUBBLDLLBBULULBDUDDFUBFLLDLDLFRDUDDBRRFRURRFRRLDDDDRD


9x9x9
=====
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state RFBLRUFLLFFLRRBDUDDBBBDUDFRUDUFFFBBFRBRDURBULFUDDFLLLDLFLRDLDBBBUUBRDBBBDFUFRUURULURBURDLFDUBFFDRDFRUBDUBRFLRRLUDLRLFBLBRRLLRDRBRBLURBLLRFRLDDFFFRBFUFURDFRRUDUFDDRRRLFLLUBBLBFDRRDLBRLUUBRDBBUBFLUUFBLLDBFFFBUFBFDBRDDDFLRFFBFFFLFRRDUUDDBUBLUUDURRBDBFFLFURDDLUBULUULULBFBRUBLLDDFLRBDBRFDUUDFURLLUBUFBLULLURDLLLBLFFRLLBLUDRLRDBLDDBRBUDRBLLRDUUUBRRFBFBBULUDUDLDRFUDDDFULRFRBDUDULBRRDBDFFRUUFRRFBDBLFBBDFURLRFDUUFRLUBURFURDDFLDFUBDFRRURRDLUDRBRBDLBFLBBRDLRDBFDUBDFFUBLFLUULLBUDLLLURDBLFFFDFLF


10x10x10
========
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state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


11x11x11
========
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state URBDLBURUBUFDDRBUFDDUBFRDBLRFUUBLDRLBBUBLUFBLRBFFDDLLLDRULRBUDBBRLULBUUUFFRUBLUFUUBRLBLUUDRLDUBLUFDLBLFDBLFRLFLRUDFLLLDFULDRFDFLLFLLRDUUDRFRFFFFBFRBFRFUUBBUULURLULBBLLDDLBUFRURBLFFBRFFRRURFUFLLRUFDBDDDBLRDUBLBRBLRLBUBULLBBFRBFRBLFUDDULLFBRLDUFBBLDBBFBDBDUFFRRDBUUULDDBRFRDBDDRDRFUDBBFULDLUDBLRRFDBLDBLRFFBDLRBUBLDLUDFUFBDDRUDRDFUBLFFRBDFDDDBULBDRBUDBBDRLUFUFFFFDRBDLRLRDRRBFRLUBFFURFRLRLRRLDBLFLFULBURULDURURBLUFUULFBFULULUDLFLLUFLRFLRLFFDRBLLFRDDDBFBFFBLULDLRUDUURLRUFDRFRDURDUFFFULRRUURUDFURBDLBLLDFBBRDRLUBULFRDLRUFUFDBBDLRRURFULBBBBDBRUDUUULFFBUDLRUBRDDRBFDDBURRLURRDDRRRUURURFUBRRBFRFFFBLBLLDURBDRDFDFRRDRDDLDUFUFFLBDLBBDFLLLFDULDBLDRUUFDURBDLUBBLBDDFFDUURBLDRBRLDBLUDRLRFBFDUFUUBFBRDRFFFFUDDDRFFLDFLRRBLDRRDRFBFBLUDBFBBB


14x14x14
========
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state FBDRLBLRRURRLDRBDLBURDFDDDRBLBBFBRDLLFDUBLFRLDFUUBFRDBFBBBULFRLBUFLBDDDLLDRBFLLBBLFBFFDFBFDDFRRRBDRRBRBDUFDRLRUDLDFDDURFLBUBBUUDLBRRDUDRDBBBLDBRBBBUFLBLRUURBDDLDRLUFFBLFRLDFBRFLDLBULFFBRLDBDDFLLRFLUBFDFBRLRLFDBLBURLBLFRFBLLDULUDURLBUUULLRRLUBDDLURLLRFURFRFRBDDUBLDFBLUDRLRDRRBLFUFRDUFFRULBLRBBRUFDBUBBBBLDBRBLDDRRFDDBFFUUBRBLFUBBRFUURBFDRLURLRBFUUFUBRUDRBDFBBFURFLFFDRDFUFFULFLUBDFUFFDLRRFRUDUDLBBBDLLLDUFUDRFDBLRRFFLRUFDRFURDLRRDRDLFBRLRLULRFBDLFDRLFRDDFLLDBFBUBBRLLDLFURFRFULUBLUBFLFFBFDFBDUUBURUUUBFUBDLLFLUUUFDUDLUUULDLLUDDBUFRDRULRLLULRULFBLUDFURFLFUBDLLFLFUBUUBBUFLUDUBRDBLFFUUUFDRLRULUDDRLRBLRUUFBRRRRULBDLFBFLDLRDFUBLUBRDDFUULFLDLUBFURRURUBDFFFDLRFFLBRFRDRUDUULURULLDFRBUDRDLFUFULDBLUBFRFBURDLLUUFDURLRDBLFFRFDBFURLFUBLUUUFFRULUBURRURFDDBFUFRBURBBDRFUDDFDLRUURFBBDBDRLUBRRBFDFRDFDLRDUFFUBRRBDBBLDLFDUDDRLFRRRBUUUBRFUFBUFFBRRDRDDBBDRUULDRFRFBUFLFFBLRBFLLLRUDFDRUDLDRLFRLUFLUBRDUFDDLLUDDRBUBBBDRDBBFRBDDRRLRRUUBBUDUDBLDBDFLFRFUBFLFDBBLRLULDBRFBRRLUUURDFFFDBLDUDBRFDDFFUBLUUURBBULFUFUDFBRDLLFURBULULBUDLUFFBDRBRRDBUUULFDURRDFDDLUDBDRBFBUFLULURUFDRFRFBBFBBBDRLBLUDLDRDLLDRRLLDLFBRBRLDUFBDDUDBLDFRFBBBDRDRDDLDRULFFLLFLBLDFLURLBUDFBDLRBLFDFLUDDFUBUBLURBBBLFRLFLBDDBURFFBFRRL


15x15x15
========
reset; ./rubiks-cube-solver.py --state RLURLURBDDULFUUURFLRBLURUBFDBULFLUBBFLDUFBDRFRBRUDFULFRUFLUDFRLFDFLLFDBULURRLBFBUURDULFDFBLRRRLFULLFFFDUULRRRUUUUFDBLDDFFLRDLLUURUBBULUFFURBRRLBBUUBBFDRRBRBRLUDLUDRBFBFULLRRBBFBFRDDDLDDDFRFUFLURUFLBDLUBRLDFRRDBDBFLFUDFLDFFURLFULLDDRURRDLRFLDFLULUUDDRFDRBLRBRBFUFDBDUUDBRRBDFBLBLRBBLBFLLDUBFFFFBDDRLBBBRFDFFUBBDURFLUUDDDRDDLDBRLBULLFLFBRBRBLUDDLRDRDUDFLFRUFLDLBLURDDDRUFDLBRDRLFBDBLDRFBFFBURULUDRRBRDFRFFLULLUBRDRRRDUFRBLFULUBBUFFBRBBFRLFDRRDBLDFRDRDDRLRUULBDURDURFDDLFDUUDBFLBDUFBULFRRDUDUBFBUDBBFUDFUUDLUDDRFDDDFRRRBUDRBFBBULLUFBLRLFLLBRRRRUBDRFLFDFDBLRFLURULULFFBUUUUFDBBLDLUBBRUBBBRBFLULLBLUUULLUBFFDULDFFBFFFUFFDUDRFBUFLDDLURFLRFLRFBUUBLRFDDRULUUUFFRDDBLRDULFURUDDBDLBBUUBFURFRFBRLBUULBLDDDBUBRFFULLUDFFDLDFUBLLBLDFFDDLBDUFUFFLBBBUBULDDFBRRFFLDUDDFRBLRRDDUDLBDBLURBUDBRRLUBBDRFBUFRDRDRBBDULBUFFDRBBDFBUULFFRLLDURRRDFFUUFULDULURLDLUUUDLBBUDLDRFBDBBDLUFBRRFDFLLDLFDBRBBRFUDDDBURDRBUBRUBDUBLDLLDLURLDFDBRUBDLDFRRRBRLULFRFLDRLBUBRUBLFBFDFFLFRFDFLBRULLRBLDRBBFURRRDUUULLULLDLBLBBDFBUUUBRRUFFBRUDBFRDFDLFLFFRFFFFRULDFFDFRUBBBRURBUFLBDFBBBBBRRRLFLFBDRRUFLURDDLRRBRLLFURRURBRFLLLFFURBFULFRFFBLDUUUUBDDUFFDRBRLDDFRBULDDDFFRURUFLDRFLDFBLRUFFUBBDFFDBLLDBDUBDLDLUDFBFLRULRRBDBLRBLDLUURRLLRULDBLBLLRRFDDRBBRBUBDDULDRFBFBBFLUFBLUULDDFDBRLLUBUBBDFBBLBBUBLULDRUDBLRULDUDLUFRRDLLUDDBUFLFLBUFUURFDRDLBURLLRRRULRBFFRRBRFBUBRBUUFRLRDRDLBBRFLLLDDBRFUFRBULFLFDRDDRRDBF