Other roads
to solved
CFOP is the highway, but it isn't the only way down the mountain. These three methods reach a solved cube with fewer moves, fewer rotations, or a completely different mental model. Many top cubers swear by them.
Roux
Build blocks, then finish with only M and U.
Roux ditches layers for blocks. You build a 1×2×3 block on the left, a matching one on the right, solve the top corners in one algorithm (CMLL), then orient and permute the last six edges using nothing but middle-slice and top turns. Famous for tiny move-counts and almost no cube rotations.
Strengths
- Lowest move-count of the big methods
- Rotationless — great for one-handed
- Heavy on intuition, light on memo
Trade-offs
- M-slice recognition takes practice
- Less mainstream tutorial coverage
- 1 First block
A 1×2×3 block on the left, built entirely intuitively.
- 2 Second block
A mirror 1×2×3 on the right, keeping the first intact.
- 3 CMLL
Orient + permute the last six corners in one algorithm — ignoring edges.
- 4 LSE
Last Six Edges, solved with only M and U moves.
ZZ
Orient all edges first, then never turn F or B again.
ZZ front-loads the hardest thinking. In one planned step — EOLine — you orient every edge and place two bottom edges. From then on the entire solve uses only R, U and L turns, which are the fastest, most ergonomic moves your hands can make. The reward is blistering, rotationless F2L.
Strengths
- Super-ergonomic R/U/L turning
- Edges pre-oriented — easier last layer
- Scales to ZBLL for elite speed
Trade-offs
- EOLine is hard to plan at first
- Big memo ceiling (ZBLL is 400+ algs)
- 1 EOLine
Orient all 12 edges and lay a line on the bottom — the signature step.
- 2 F2L
Finish the first two layers with only R, U, L turns. No rotations.
- 3 Last layer
OCLL+PLL, or full ZBLL for the brave (one-algorithm last layers).
Petrus
Grow one block from 2×2×2 to the whole first two layers.
Petrus is the thinking-cuber's method. Start with a 2×2×2 block, expand it to a 2×2×3, fix edge orientation while the block protects itself, then finish the two layers and the last layer. It pioneered block-building and edge-control years before they were fashionable, and stays remarkably move-efficient.
Strengths
- Extremely low move-count
- Deeply teaches how the cube works
- Light memorisation
Trade-offs
- Block-building is hard to do fast
- Fewer modern speed resources
- 1 2×2×2
A single corner block — total freedom, fully intuitive.
- 2 2×2×3
Extend the block along one edge.
- 3 Edge orientation
Flip any bad edges before they're locked in.
- 4 Finish F2L
Complete the first two layers.
- 5 Last layer
Orient then permute, like CFOP's finish.
Which one is for you?
| Method | Core idea | Memorisation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFOP | Cross → F2L → OLL → PLL | Medium → high | Most people, most records |
| Roux | Blocks + M-slice finish | Low → medium | One-handed, low move-count |
| ZZ | Orient edges, then R/U/L only | Medium → very high | Ergonomic turners |
| Petrus | Grow one block | Low | Efficiency & understanding |
Play with any algorithm you like
Paste a sequence, generate a scramble, or time a solve in the tools.