WitEden 4x4x4 Mixup

Had higher hopes

With classic 4x4 and the 3x3 Mixup cube being among my favorite puzzles to pick up and solve, you'd think this puzzle would be a no-brainer. However, some turning issues and an overall less-interesting solve leads to this puzzle rarely being grabbed. Build: Just like the 3x3 mixup, this puzzle allows you to exchange the position of edges and centers via 45-degree slices of the middle layer. An additional obstacle as a result of this is some minor bandaging due to rotated edges blocking middle-layer slices. Both the 3x3 mixup and 4x4 mixup share the same internals, but on this puzzle they aren't bandaged together by large edge and center caps. This added freedom in the pieces' movement unfortunately result in more frequent catches and potential pops if those snags are ignored. Turning: Just like the 3x3, the outer layers are very rough at first and require a decent amount of breaking in. The inner-layers, however, turn super smooth due to this puzzle being a 2x2 at its core. This combination of smooth inner-layers and not-so-smooth outer layers leads to some frequent catching. As you try to turn an outer-layer, the inner will want to turn with it. Stickers: Although by no means a deal breaker, some stickers on this puzzle were fairly off-center, to a point where they scraped against other pieces or were so close to the edge that you could feel them during a solve. Additional Thoughts: I found the solving process to be less interesting than the original mixup. On the original, solving the 3x3 and the return to cube-form were interchangeable steps, and you could have an interesting parity to deal with. On the 4x4 mixup however, it feels the best course of action is to return to cube form first, which then just leaves you with an awkwardly-turning 4x4 to finish. Below is a demonstration of turning both the 3x3 and 4x4 mixups, a comparison between the two builds, and examples of the sticker placement mentioned above.

Nice idea, terrible execution.

I really wanted this puzzle to work, but it is impossible to move. It seizes up and catches on every move, and even the slightest movement makes pieces pop out.