Learning hub
Everything you need to go from a beginner method to a sub-20 CFOP solve. Start with the overview, drill F2L, then pick up 2-look OLL and PLL.
CFOP — the method most sub-20 cubers use
CFOP stands for Cross, F2L, OLL, PLL — the four steps you solve in order.
Cross: solve the four edges of one face (usually white) around the correct centers. Aim to plan it during inspection and solve it in ≤8 moves.
F2L (First Two Layers): pair each corner with its matching edge and insert them together, solving the first two layers at once. This is where most of your time savings to reach sub-20 will come from.
OLL (Orient Last Layer): make the whole top face one color. The beginner-friendly '2-look OLL' below does this in two steps with only ~10 algorithms.
PLL (Permute Last Layer): move the last-layer pieces into their correct spots. '2-look PLL' does this with just a handful of algorithms.
F2L: pairing intuitively
Instead of memorizing 41 cases, learn F2L intuitively: find a corner/edge pair, join them in the top layer, then insert into the correct slot.
Golden rule: if the corner is in the top layer, position it above its target slot, then set up the edge so the pair connects, and insert with a simple U R U' R' (or mirrored) style move.
Look ahead — while finishing one pair, let your eyes track the next one. Slow down turning, speed up recognition. This is the single biggest habit change for breaking sub-20.
2-Look OLL
2-Look OLL · Step 1: orient edges
Get the yellow cross on top. Look at the yellow edge pattern (dot, L, or line) and apply the matching algorithm.
- Line
F R U R' U' F'Two edges form a horizontal line.
- L-shape
f R U R' U' f'Two adjacent edges (an 'L'). Point the L at top-left.
- Dot
F R U R' U' F' then f R U R' U' f'No edges oriented — do Line then L-shape.
2-Look OLL · Step 2: orient corners (OCLL)
With the cross done, orient the corners so the whole top is yellow. These 7 cases cover it.
- Sune
R U R' U R U2 R' - Antisune
R U2 R' U' R U' R' - H (double Sune)
R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R' - Pi
R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R - T
r U R' U' r' F R F' - U (headlights)
R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R' - L
F R' F' r U R U' r'
2-Look PLL
2-Look PLL · Step 1: permute corners
Cycle the last-layer corners into place. Find a face with two matching 'headlight' corners; if none, do the algorithm from any angle first.
- Aa perm
x L2 D2 L' U' L D2 L' U L' - Ab perm
x L2 D2 L U L' D2 L U' L - E perm (diagonal)
x' L' U L D' L' U' L D L' U' L D' L' U L D
2-Look PLL · Step 2: permute edges
With corners solved, cycle the edges. Ua/Ub are 3-edge cycles; H swaps opposite pairs; Z swaps adjacent pairs.
- Ua perm
M2 U M U2 M' U M2 - Ub perm
M2 U' M U2 M' U' M2 - H perm
M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2 - Z perm
M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U2 M'
Level up
Handy full PLLs to learn next
Once 2-look is comfortable, these three cover the most common one-look PLL cases and are quick wins toward faster solves.
- T perm
R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F' - Y perm
F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F' - Ja perm
x R2 F R F' R U2 r' U r U2Adjacent corner + edge swap.
Advanced CFOP: WVLS
WVLS (Winter Variation) — orient corners while inserting the last pair
WVLS is an advanced CFOP technique that saves you the OLL-corners step. Instead of inserting your last F2L pair and then orienting the last-layer corners separately, you do both at once — the insert itself orients all four top corners.
Prerequisites: it only applies when the final corner-edge pair is already connected in the top layer AND all last-layer edges are already oriented (i.e. you already have the yellow cross / edge orientation done). After WVLS every piece is oriented, so you finish with just a PLL.
There are 27 Winter Variation (WV) cases, one per corner-orientation configuration. It's a lot of algorithms for a small time save, so most cubers pick it up gradually after their F2L look-ahead is solid. Start with the handful below.
Winter Variation — starter cases
A representative subset of the 27 WV cases. The pair is connected in the U layer and all LL edges are oriented; the algorithm inserts the pair and orients the corners. (Verified from Speed Cube Database.)
- WV 2
U R U' R'Corner already oriented — this is just the free insert.
- WV 1
U L' U2 R U R' U2 L - WV 3
R' F R U R U' R' F' - WV 4
U R2 D R' U' R D' R2 - WV 5
U R U' R' U R' U' R U' R' U2 R - WV 15
L' U R U' R' L - WV 27
U R U R' U' R U R' U' R U' R'
Alternative method: Roux
The Roux method — a low move-count alternative to CFOP
Roux is a popular alternative to CFOP that's block-building based and very turn-efficient (often ~45 moves vs CFOP's ~55), with heavy use of the M slice instead of cube rotations. Many top solvers use it — it's a legitimate path to sub-20 and beyond.
Step 1 — First Block (FB): build a 1×2×3 block on the bottom-left (spanning the left face). Fully intuitive, ~7–8 moves. This is the hardest part to learn to plan.
Step 2 — Second Block (SB): build a matching 1×2×3 block on the bottom-right without breaking the first. Now the whole bottom two blocks are solved, leaving the U layer and M slice free to turn.
Step 3 — CMLL: orient AND permute the four top-layer corners in one step, ignoring the M-slice edges. 42 algorithms in full, but many overlap with corner cases you already know (Sune, Anti-Sune, etc.). See the starter set below.
Step 4 — LSE (Last Six Edges): solve the remaining six edges using only M and U moves, in three sub-steps — (4a) orient edges, (4b) place the UL/UR edges, (4c) cycle the last M-slice edges. Almost no memorization; it's mostly intuition + a couple of short M/U sequences.
CMLL — starter algorithms
Common CMLL cases to begin with (they orient and permute the top corners in one step). Notation includes wide moves like r. (Verified from Speed Cube Database.)
- Sune
U R U R' U R U2 R' - Anti-Sune
U R' U' R U' R' U2 R - H (columns)
U R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R' - Pi
F R U R' U' R U R' U' F' - T
U' R U R' U' R' F R F' - U
U' F R U R' U' F' - L
U' F' r U r' U' r' F r
2×2 Cube
New to cubing? The 2×2 is the friendliest place to start. Learn the beginner method first, then speed up with Ortega.
2×2 — Beginner method (Layer by Layer)
The 2×2 (Pocket Cube) has no centers or edges — just 8 corners. That makes it the perfect first cube: it's basically the last layer of a 3×3, so everything you learn here carries straight over.
Step 1 — First layer: pick a color and solve all four corners of one face so the whole bottom layer is done, with the side stickers matching. It's intuitive — just place each corner where it belongs, like the corners step on a 3×3.
Step 2 — Orient the top: turn the cube so the unsolved layer is on top, then repeat the Sune algorithm (R U R' U R U2 R') until the entire top face is one solid color.
Step 3 — Permute the top: the top is one color but some corners may be in the wrong spot. Use a permutation algorithm (see Ortega PBL below) to swap them into place. Solved! 🎉
2×2 — Ortega method
Ortega is the popular speed method for 2×2 — only about 12 algorithms, and it regularly gets sub-5-second solves. A great next step once the beginner method feels comfortable.
Step 1 — First face: solve one full face (all four corners the same color on top) WITHOUT worrying about the side stickers matching. Faster and more flexible than a full layer.
Step 2 — OLL: orient the last layer so the opposite face becomes one solid color. The 7 cases below cover it — many you already know from 3×3 (Sune, Anti-Sune…).
Step 3 — PBL: permute both layers at once — the corners on top AND bottom drop into place in a single algorithm. The 6 cases below finish the solve.
Ortega OLL — orient the top (7 cases)
Make the top face one solid color. Recognise the pattern of oriented/twisted corners and apply the matching algorithm.
- Sune
R U R' U R U2 R' - Anti-Sune
R U2 R' U' R U' R' - Pi
F R U R' U' R U R' U' F' - P (T-shape)
F R U R' U' F' - L
y F' R U R' U' R' F R - T
R U R' U' R' F R F' - H
R2 U2 R' U2 R2
Ortega PBL — permute both layers (6 cases)
With the top oriented, these swap the corners on both layers into place at once — finishing the solve. Case names follow Speed Cube Database's Ortega PBL labels.
- Opp / Opp
R2 F2 R2The shortest — learn this one first.
- Adj
y R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' - Opp
R U' R' U' F2 U' R U R' U F2 - Adj / Adj
R2 U' B2 U2 R2 U' R2 - Adj / Opp
R U' R F2 R' U R' - Opp / Adj
y R2 U R2 U' R2 U R2 U' R2
Notation: R U F = clockwise face turns, R' = counter-clockwise, R2 = 180°. Lowercase (r, f) and M are wide/slice moves.