What one corner turn moves
The pyramid has four corners. Turning one takes five pieces round with it: the small tip, the single piece under the tip, and the three edge pieces beside them.
Only the three edge pieces change places. The tip and the piece under it turn where they stand, and they turn together, so their alignment with each other does not change.
That is why a corner turn can never put a tip right and can never spoil one. The tips are free. Leave them until the end and turn each one on its own.
One turn of the top corner
Start from the solved pyramid and turn the top corner once.
The three edge pieces around the top swap round. On the green face the four stickers nearest the top are now blue. On the blue face they are now red. Every sticker further from the top stayed where it was.
The tip on top went round with the piece under it, so those two still match each other.
Two turns, then back
A corner has three positions, not four. Turning it the same way three times brings it back to the start.
Someone turns the top corner the same way twice. Work out the quickest way back.
Try it
What is the quickest way back after two turns of one corner?
- The same turn once more
- The same turn twice more
Show the answer
The same turn once more
Correct. Three of the same turn bring a corner back to the start, so one more finishes the set.
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Practice Turn the pyramid