Kyoten
Nets of a cube

A cube has exactly 11 nets.

If you cut a cube (the shape of a die) along its edges and lay it flat, you get a net. Counting shapes that match after rotating or flipping as one, a cube has exactly 11 nets. Tap the button under any net to fold it into a cube right there.

Red dotted lines are fold lines

Fold every dotted line the same way and you get a cube. After folding, drag to rotate it.

The 11 nets by type
  • 1-4-1 type: 6 (a row of 4, with one square above and one below)
  • 2-3-1 type: 3 (rows of 2, 3 and 1)
  • 2-2-2 type: 1 (pairs shifted like a staircase)
  • 3-3 type: 1 (two rows of 3, shifted)

1-4-1 type6 nets · a row of 4, with one square above and one below

No.1
No.2
No.3
No.4
No.5
No.6

2-3-1 type3 nets · rows of 2, 3 and 1

No.7
No.8
No.9

2-2-2 type1 net · pairs shifted like a staircase

No.10

3-3 type1 net · two rows of 3, shifted

No.11

How to spot shapes that are NOT cube nets

Some shapes made of 6 squares still can't fold into a cube. The colored faces overlap, or the shape won't close.

✕ 5 in a row

At most 4 squares can be in a row. The 5th one lands on top of the 1st.

✕ Has a 2×2 block

A 2×2 block puts 4 faces around one corner, so it can't fold into a cube.

✕ A 3×2 rectangle

This also contains a 2×2 block, so faces overlap.

Finding opposite faces

  • In 3 faces in a straight line, the two ends are opposite each other (skip one).
  • A cube has 3 pairs of opposite faces. On a die, opposite faces always add up to 7.
  • If you're not sure, fold one of the nets above and check.

Got the cube? Try this next.

Kyoten is a puzzle where you look at a model solid, draw its net, and fold it up in 3D — from simple cubes and boxes to shapes that puzzle adults. No sign-up needed.

Learn to play in 1 minuteDaily problemAll problems
Net quiz →
Does it fold into a cube? 10 questions
Opposite faces & dice →
Tap to find the opposite face
Nets of a cuboid →
3 pairs of matching faces
Teachers who want to use this in class: For teachers