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CFOP · Fridrich

The speedcuber's
method

CFOP is how nearly every record is set. Same last-layer logic as the beginner method — but the first two layers go in together, and the top is finished with short, memorised algorithms. Here is every stage, animated.

C

Cross

Four edges of one face, matched to the side centers. Aim to plan it in inspection.

F

F2L

First two layers solved together — corner + edge pairs slotted in, intuitively.

O

OLL

Orient the last layer so the whole top face is one colour. 57 cases, or 10 for 2-look.

P

PLL

Permute the last layer — slide every piece home. 21 cases, or 6 for 2-look.

Step 1 — Cross

Build the cross, ideally blind

The cross is four edges on the bottom, each aligned to its side center. It is short — usually under 8 moves — and the goal is to plan the whole thing during your 15 seconds of inspection, then execute without looking.

  • Solve it on the bottom so you can see the layers above.
  • Keep it efficient — every wasted cross move is time lost.
  • Colour-neutral solvers build the cross on whichever colour is fastest.
Step 2 — F2L · First Two Layers

Pair, then insert

F2L solves a corner and its matching edge as a pair, dropping both into the bottom two layers in one motion. There are 41 named cases, but the real skill is intuitive: join the two pieces in the top layer, then tuck them in. These four triggers cover most of what you'll do.

Insert right

F2L
U R U' R'

Pair already joined in the top layer — tuck it into the front-right slot.

Insert left

F2L
U' F' U F

Mirror of the above for a pair heading into the front-left slot.

Pair & insert

F2L
R U' R' U R U' R'

Separate corner and edge: join them with one trigger, then insert with the next.

Re-pair

F2L
R U R' U' R U R'

When the white sticker faces up, lift the pair, rotate, and re-seat it.

Step 3 — OLL · Orient Last Layer

Make the top one colour

Full OLL is 57 algorithms. Almost everyone starts with 2-Look OLL — just 10 algorithms — by first orienting the edges into a cross, then orienting the corners. Learn these ten and you can solve any last-layer orientation.

First look — orient the edges

Dot

Edges
F R U R' U' F' f R U R' U' f'

No yellow edges up. Do both lines to build the cross.

L-shape

Edges
f R U R' U' f'

Two adjacent edges up — hold the bend at the back-left.

Line

Edges
F R U R' U' F'

A horizontal bar of two edges — hold it left-to-right.

Second look — orient the corners

Sune

Corners
R U R' U R U2 R'

One corner oriented (front-left). The workhorse.

Anti-Sune

Corners
R U2 R' U' R U' R'

Mirror of Sune.

H / Cross

Corners
R U2 R' U' R U R' U' R U' R'

Two opposite corners face you.

Pi

Corners
R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R

The 'bruno' — no headlights.

T

Corners
R U R' U' R' F R F'

Headlights on one side, bar opposite.

U

Corners
R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'

Headlights at the front, fish tail back.

L

Corners
F R' F' r U R U' r'

Diagonal corners — the 'bowtie'.

Step 4 — PLL · Permute Last Layer

All 21 permutations

The final step slides every last-layer piece into place. Here are all 21 PLL cases, grouped and animated. Each cube shows the case first, then solves it — press Watch it solve to replay. New to PLL? The four edge cases (U, H, Z) and the T-perm are the classic 2-Look starting set.

Edges

Ua

Edges
M2 U M U2 M' U M2

3-edge cycle, counter-clockwise.

Ub

Edges
M2 U' M U2 M' U' M2

3-edge cycle, clockwise.

H

Edges
M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2

All four edges swap opposite.

Z

Edges
M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U2 M'

Two adjacent edge swaps.

Corners

Aa

Corners
x L2 D2 L' U' L D2 L' U L' x'

Corner 3-cycle.

Ab

Corners
x L2 D2 L U L' D2 L U' L x'

Reverse of Aa.

E

Corners
x' L' U L D' L' U' L D L' U' L D' L' U L D x

Two diagonal corner swaps.

Adjacent

T

Adjacent
R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F'

The famous T-perm.

F

Adjacent
R' U' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' U R

Edge + corner swap on the front.

Ja

Adjacent
R' U L' U2 R U' R' U2 R L

Adjacent swap, left bias.

Jb

Adjacent
R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R'

Adjacent swap, right bias.

Ra

Adjacent
R U' R' U' R U R D R' U' R D' R' U2 R'

Block + swap.

Rb

Adjacent
R' U2 R U2 R' F R U R' U' R' F' R2

Mirror of Ra.

G perms

Ga

G perms
R2 U R' U R' U' R U' R2 U' D R' U R D'

Corner 3-cycle + edge 3-cycle.

Gb

G perms
R' U' R U D' R2 U R' U R U' R U' R2 D

G-perm variant.

Gc

G perms
R2 U' R U' R U R' U R2 U D' R U' R' D

G-perm variant.

Gd

G perms
R U R' U' D R2 U' R U' R' U R' U R2 D'

G-perm variant.

Tricky

Na

Tricky
R U R' U R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U2 R U' R'

Diagonal corner swap.

Nb

Tricky
R' U R U' R' F' U' F R U R' F R' F' R U' R

Mirror diagonal swap.

V

Tricky
R' U R' U' y R' F' R2 U' R' U R' F R F

Corner + edge diagonal.

Y

Tricky
F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F'

Adjacent corner + edge swap.

Practice

Train your recognition

Recognition is half of speed. Drill the 21 cases until you name them on sight.

PLL recognition trainer

Which permutation is this?

Look at the top face and sides. Name the case in your head, then reveal the algorithm and watch it solve. The cube shows the case before the algorithm runs.

1 / 21 cases

Beyond CFOP

Curious about other methods?

Roux, ZZ and Petrus reach a solved cube by very different routes.

Explore the methods →