Step 4: How to Make the Yellow Cross

Step 4 is where the cube starts to feel like it's cooperating. After solving the first two layers, you'll look at the top face and see yellow edges scattered around. Your goal here is to orient those four yellow edges so they form a cross pattern on the top. The corners don't matter yet, and neither does whether the edges are in the right spots around the sides. All you're doing in this step is getting the yellow cross to appear.

This step uses a single algorithm. You'll run it once, twice, or three times depending on which of three starting patterns you see. Once you recognize those patterns, the rest falls into place quickly.

The One Algorithm You Need

The algorithm for the yellow cross is: F R U R' U' F'

Read it left to right. Each letter is a face: F is the front face, R is the right face, U is the top face. A letter on its own means turn that face clockwise (when looking at it head-on). A letter followed by an apostrophe means turn it counterclockwise.

Work through it slowly a few times before worrying about the patterns. Get the moves into your fingers first.

The Three Starting Patterns

Before you run the algorithm, look at the top face of your cube. You'll see one of exactly three patterns formed by the yellow stickers on the edges (ignore the corners for now):

The Dot -- No yellow edges are pointing up at all. You see only the yellow center sticker. This is the starting point that takes the most repetitions.

The L-shape (also called the hook) -- Two yellow edge stickers are pointing up, and they form a 90-degree corner shape, like the letter L. The two yellow edges are adjacent to each other, not across from each other.

The Line -- Two yellow edge stickers are pointing up, and they're directly across from each other. They form a straight line through the center.

If you already see a yellow cross, you're done with this step. Skip ahead to step 5.

How to Orient the Cube Before Each Attempt

The algorithm works on all three patterns, but for the L-shape and line cases you need to hold the cube a specific way before you run it.

For the dot: Hold the cube any way you like. Run F R U R' U' F' once. You'll get a line or an L-shape next. Follow the instructions below for that pattern.

For the L-shape: Hold the cube so the two yellow edge stickers form an L in the back-left corner of the top face. In other words, one yellow edge points toward the back and one points toward the left. With the cube in that position, run F R U R' U' F' once. You should see a yellow cross.

For the line: Hold the cube so the yellow line runs left to right across the top face (horizontal, not toward and away from you). Run F R U R' U' F' once. You should see a yellow cross.

Running Through the Dot Case Step by Step

The dot case is the most common starting point when you first get to the last layer, so it helps to walk through it once in detail.

1. Look at the top face. See the dot. Hold the cube however you like.
2. Run F R U R' U' F'. Look at the top again. You'll see either an L-shape or a line.
3. If you see an L-shape, orient the cube so the two yellow edges are in the back-left corner. Run F R U R' U' F'. You should now have a cross.
4. If instead you got a line after the first run, hold the cube so that line goes left to right. Run F R U R' U' F'. You should now have a cross.

In total, the dot case takes three runs of the algorithm. The L-shape case takes two. The line case takes one.

Starting pattern	Runs of F R U R' U' F' needed
Dot	3
L-shape	2
Line	1
Already a cross	0

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Losing track of the L-shape orientation. The L-shape can sit in four different positions on the top face. Only one of them is correct before you run the algorithm. Take a moment to identify the two yellow edge stickers, then rotate the whole cube (not a layer) until those two edges sit in the back-left corner. Don't rush this part.

Spinning the top layer instead of rotating the whole cube. When you reposition for the L-shape or line case, rotate the entire cube in your hands. Don't turn just the U layer. If you spin the U layer, you'll move edges out of the positions you've already solved below.

Stopping too soon. After one run of the algorithm from the dot, the top face won't look like a cross yet. That's expected. Check which pattern you now have, reorient if needed, and run the algorithm again.

Rushing the finger movements. F R U R' U' F' has six moves, and the front face appears twice. It's easy to skip the final F'. Say the moves aloud until the sequence feels automatic.

Where This Fits in the Solve

If you're following the layer-by-layer method, the yellow cross comes after you've finished the first two layers completely. You built the white cross in step 1, placed the first layer corners in step 2, and solved the middle layer edges in step 3. The top face is the last layer, and step 4 is the first of several moves on it.

After the yellow cross, you'll orient the yellow corners, then permute (move) the corners and edges into their correct positions. Those steps each have their own algorithms, and they build on the cross you're creating now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I see three yellow edges pointing up, not two? That won't happen with a properly scrambled, unmodified cube. The OLL edges beginner approach here works on a standard 3x3 where pieces can only be in valid states. If you see three, the cube may have been taken apart and reassembled incorrectly, which can create impossible states. Try solving from a fresh scramble.

Does it matter which way the yellow cross edges are pointing around the sides? Not for this step. Right now you only care that the four yellow edge stickers on the top face are pointing upward. The edges may not be in their correct positions around the sides yet, and that's fine. You'll fix the edge positions later.

I ran the algorithm and now I have fewer yellow edges on top than I started with. What happened? This usually means a layer shifted when it shouldn't have, often the top layer being bumped between moves. Undo your moves and try again, holding the cube firmly and making each turn deliberately. It helps to set the cube on a flat surface while you practice.

Is F R U R' U' F' the only way to do this step? There are other algorithms that handle the last layer cross, including some used in the full OLL (orientation of the last layer) system. But for a last layer cross cube beginner approach, this single algorithm handles every case with at most three repetitions. It's a good one to learn because it also appears in other contexts as you progress.

My yellow cross is done but the edges look wrong on the sides. Did I mess up? No. After step 4, the yellow cross edges are correctly oriented on the top but likely not in their correct positions around the ring. That's completely normal. The next steps will move them into place. You did step 4 correctly.