This puzzle is basically just a 4x4, so if you know how to solve a 4x4, you know how to solve this(Except for the parity algs, they don't work on this puzzle). Out of the box, the inner layers turn reaaally smooth, and the outer layers are pretty stiff, but it does become smoother over time. Mine arrived with beige internals, although I would have liked it to have purple internals like shown in the picture. The color shades are also beautiful and vibrant. Highly recommended.