TITLE: Covering a Cube with a Square
QUESTION [25 upvotes]: Suppose you are given a single unit square, and you would like to completely cover the surface
of a cube by cutting up the square and pasting it onto the cube's surface.

Q1. What is the largest cube that can be covered by a $1 \times 1$ square when cut into at most $k$ pieces?

The case $k=1$ has been studied, probably earlier than this reference:
 "Problem 10716: A cubical gift," American Mathematical Monthly, 108(1):81-82, January 2001,
solution by Catalano-Johnson, Loeb, Beebee.
          

(This was discussed in an
MSE Question.)
The depicted solution results in a cube edge length of
$1/(2\sqrt{2}) \approx 0.35$.
As $k \to \infty$, there should be no wasted overlaps in the covering of the 6 faces,
and so the largest cube covered will have edge length
$1/\sqrt{6} \approx 0.41$.  What partition of the square leads to this optimal cover?

Q2. For which value of $k$ is this optimal reached?

I have not found literature on this problem for $k>1$, but it seems likely it has been explored.
Thanks for any pointers!

REPLY [16 votes]: Just illustrating Noam Elkies' 4-piece solution:



           


Bottom face is mostly yellow (except for a little green); two hidden back faces are mauve.