This page is dedicated to solving the first 2 layers of the Rubik's cube.
Resources
Intro
This page is dedicated to solving the first two layers of the Rubik's cube, after making the cross on the D face.
The principle is to always fall back in one of the 4 basic cases. A basic case is one that requires only 3 moves to solve:
- Case /R1/:
R U' R'
and case /L1/: L' U L
(mirror)
- Pair next to each other, horizontal and left (right) of target slot.
- Case /R2/:
R U R'
and case /L2/: L' U' L
(mirror)
- Corner above target slot, edge on UB. Corner white sticker facing right (left), front sticker same as edge up sticker.
Notes:
- Always put the corner above the slot, and solve from the right side first, then switch to left if necessary.
- In algorithm below, whitespaces
indicate that we reached a basic case.
- We can always replace
U2 R U' R'
with U sledgeR'
.
- Case solve are coded for fast reference. (R2, BR) means we want to get a basic case /R2/ by bringing the corner above BR corner. (R2, BR, rot) means we aim at obtaining a /R2/ case by using the BR corner, but this time with rotation of the corner; this means that the corner is moved above the BR corner not using a U move (followed by R ... R' that would preserve orientation of the corner), but with a R moves that changes orientation of the edge. So rot indicates that the solves change the F2L family.
We follow Bob's Burton classification.
Corner correct, edge not placed
01
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02
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- (FR)
U R U' R' y U' L' U L y'
- (FR) FASTER Using inverse SH
U R U' R' F R' F' R no y but re-grip
- (FR)
U R U R' U' F' U' F small re-grip
- (FL)
- (BR) (R U R U) (R U' R' U') TRAINME (See 2:30)
- (BL)
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- (FR) This move is called Le Belge.
- (FR) A faster option using an inverse sledgehammer, but requires a small regrip.
- (FR)
- (FL)
- (BR)
- (BL)
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03
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- (FR) FAST (no y / y')
R U' R' U' R U' R' U R U R' grip: LH F/B, index doing all U' and first U, RH U/D, index 2nd U
- (FR) FASTER (no y / y')
U' R' F R F' R U R' 2nd U with LH index
- (FL)
U' L' U L y' U R U' R' y
- (FL) FASTER Using inverse SH
U' L' U L F' L F L' no y but re-grip
- (BR)
- (BL)
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- (FR) (R U' R' to create a known F2L case)
- (FR) With a sledgehammer, 2nd U with LH index)
- (FL) Mirror of 02.
- (FL) Mirror of 02.
- (BR)
- (BL)
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Edge correct, corner slot free
- Case 05 can be easily inserted from any angle without cube rotation.
04
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sexy sexy sexy
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This is different from case 15 because corner and edge color mismatch.
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05
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- FR:
y U L' U L U2' L' U L y'
- FR: Faster, no y / y'
U R U R' U2 R U R'
- FL: Faster, no y / y'
U L' U L U2' L' U L
- BR: Faster, no y / y'
U R' U R U2' R' U R
- BL: Faster, no y / y'
U L U L' U2' L U L'
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- FR: (L1, FL) Get a /L1/ using FL corner, and U then L' move.
- FR: Create a /R2/ with
U R . The rest follows naturally.
- FL: alt using sledge:
U L' U L L F' L' F, F with thumb)
- BR:
- BL:
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06
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- FR:
U' R U' R' U2 R U' R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R1, BR) Get a /R1/ using BR corner.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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Corner in first layer twisted clockwise
- White sticker on FRONT / RIGHT face
- First move edge on its color, then
- If white sticker is on the SAME face → use a double sexy or sexyL.
- If white sticker is on DIFFERENT face → use a TRUNCATED double sexy' or sexyL' , where first UP rotation is skipped.
- Cases are identified by the visible colors on corner and lateral color on the edge. This is useful when solving the F2L in the wrong slot.
07
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08
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09
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y sexyL sexyL y'
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col-white F-col — (alt. U2 R U' R' y L' U' L y' )
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10
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R U' R sexy' (best grip, RH: front/back, index to prepare for U)
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white-col1-col2 — (alt. R U' R' R' F R F' or y L' U2 L y' R U2 R' )
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Corner in first layer twisted counter-clockwise
- White sticker on FRONT / RIGHT face
- First move edge on its color, then
- If white sticker is on the SAME face → use a double sexy or sexyL.
- If white sticker is on DIFFERENT face → use a TRUNCATED double sexy' or sexyL' , where first UP rotation is skipped.
- Cases are identified by the visible colors on corner and lateral color on the edge. This is useful when solving the F2L in the wrong slot.
11
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12
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13
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y L' U L sexyL' y'
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col2-col1-white — (alt. R U R' U' F R' F' R )
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14
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sexy sexy
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col-white R-col — (alt. U2 L' U L y' R U R' )
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Corner in U-layer with cross-color on U-face
- Not touching cases
- There are four such cases. Get a basic base by
- bring edge to its color
- raise empty slot
- bring corner above the edge, then
- turn back slot.
15
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R U2' R' y U2 (L' U L)
- Faster, FR:
U' R' F R F' R U' R'
- Fast!!!, FR:
R U' l U' R' U l' (LH thumb on U, 1st U' with R thumb).
- Faster, FL:
- Faster, BL:
L U' L' y' L' U2 L (B with RH index).
- Faster, BR:
R' U R' F R F' R
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- Get the pair out, then reinsert (alt.
R U2' R' U' F R' F' R' )
- FR:
U' , then connect with SH, then insert.
- FR: a combo
R U' R' + l R U' R' U l' (Victor's video 7)
- FL: left SH, or
y' , the subcase FR above.
- BL: Victor's formula.
- BR: This is usual code. Victor uses
R' U R d' R U' R' (d' = U' y).
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16
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y L' U2 L U (L' U' L) y'
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(L2, FL, rot) create a /L2/ case by using BL corner with y L' move, and U2.
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17
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- FR:
y U L' U L U y' R U R' (R' F R F')
- FR: Faster
R U R' U2' sexy sexy
- FR: Faster
[U2] (R2 U2') (R' U' R U' R2')
- FR: Fastest sexy' (U' R U' R') sexy' TRAINME
- BL: Faster
[U2] (L2 U2') (L' U' L U' L2')
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- FR: (LLLU1, FL) idem, fall-back using BL corner (with y U then L' ).
- FR: perso, using sexy moves
- FR: Source: Bob Burton
- FR: Perso, very easy and fast
- BL: Source: Bob Burton
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18
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y U' L' U2 L L F' L' F y'
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Not touching case — see above.
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19
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U2 R U R' R' F R F'
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Not touching case — see above.
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20
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R U2' R' U' (R U R')
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(R2, BR, rot) create a /R2/ case by using BR corner with R move, and U2.
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21
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- FR:
U' R U' R' U' y L' U' L (L F' L' F)
- FR: Fastest (U' R U R') (R' F R F') (R U' R') First U with LHTRAINME
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- FR:
- FR: Something I found, very easy. To setup, do inverse and mirror of case 17.
(LLBU2, BR) fall-back to case 22 using BR corner with U' then R, .
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22
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U R U2' R' R' F R F'
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Not touching case — see above.
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23
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y U2' L' U' L L F' L' F y'
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Not touching case — see above.
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Corner in U-layer with cross-color on R-face
24
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- FR:
y U L' U' L y' U' R U R'
- FR: Faster, no y / y' :
U2 R' F R F' U2 R U R' TRAINME
- FL: Fast, standard grip, no regrip:
[U2] L' U L' R B L B' M'
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, FL) Get a /R2/ case using FL corner, and U then L' move.
- FR: Using a sledgehammer. First U² with LH, 2nd with RH.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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25
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- FR:
L' U L THIS IS WRONG
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L1) We directly have a basic case /L1/
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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26
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- FR:
y' U R' U2 R y U' R U R'
- FR: faster
R U' R' U + case 06 (except 1st U' ) (no regrip) TRAINME
- FR: sexy' U' sexy sexy (with last U' optional)
- FR: (R U R' U) (R' F R F') (R U R' U') (with last U' optional)
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, FL) We want to get a /R2/ case. We can with FL corner (or
y U L' U2 L U' y' R U R' )
- FR: This is actually inverse of my variant for #17, with init. U moves optimized out. Standard grip.
- FR: Perso
- FR: Another perso w/o cube rotation
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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27
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- FR:
y' U R' U2 R U' U' R' U R y
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L1, FL) (alt:
y U L' U2 L U' L F' L' F y' ).
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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28
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- FR:
U' R U R' U R U R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, BR): we need to shift our edge by a single U move
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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29
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- FR:
U' R U' R' U R U R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, BR) we get a /R2/ case using BR corner and U' R move
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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30
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- FR:
R U' R' U2 y L' U' L y'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L2, BR, rot) we get a /L2/ case using BR corner and R U' move
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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31
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- FR: (R2): this time we directly get a /R2/
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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32
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- FR:
y' U R' U' R U' U' R' U R y
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L1, FL): Here the best is to solve FR then send it to BR (alt:
y' U R' U' R U' y F R' F' R or y U L' U' L U' L F' L' F y' ).
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Corner in U-layer with cross-color on F-face
33
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- FR:
U' R U R' U y L' U' L
- FR: Faster, no y / y'
U2 R U R' F R' F' R
- FL: Faster, no y / y'
U2' L F' L' F U2' L' U' L
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L2, BR) goal is to get a /L2/ using BR corner.
- FR: Using a
SLp to insert the basic case.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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34
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- FR:
y U L' U L U' L' U' L
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, FL) we use FL corner to get a /L2/
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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35
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- FR:
y L' U L U2' y' R U R'
- FR:
F' U F U2' R U R' , faster, TRAINME
- FR:
R U R' U2 R U' R' U R U' R' , FAST + edge control! (Normal grip, 1st U with LH), trainme
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R2, FL, rot) we use FL corner to get a /R2/
- FR: Same as above, but without
y y' rotations.
- FR: Use this variant to avoid a dot OLL. Setup with (R U R' U') (R U R' U') (U' R U' R')
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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36
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- FR:
y L' U' L
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L2) We directly have a /L2/.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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37
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- FR:
U' R U2 R' U2 R U' R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R1, BR).
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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38
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- FR:
U R U' R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R1) we have directly a basic case /R1/.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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39
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- FR:
U' R U2 R' U y L' U' L
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L2, BR) Get a /L2/ using BR corner.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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40
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- FR:
U' R U R' U2 R U' R'
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (R1, BR) Get a /R1/ using BR corner.
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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41
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- FR:
y U L' U' L U' L' U' L
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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- FR: (L2, BR) Because U color are different, goal is to get a /L2/ case here using BR corner (alt.
U' R U' R' U y L' U' L ).
- FL:
- BR:
- BL:
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More tricks
- Tutoriel F2L avancés - Partie 1 (déconjugaison intelligente)
- Déconjugaison intelligente
- Tutoriel F2L avancés - Partie 2 (Insertions sous différents angles)
- Avoid
y2
moves, but solve the F2L cases as is (with empty slots in the back).
- This is true for all "base" cases, both contiguous and not.
y
and y'
is ok. When choosing between both, favor the one that leads to R
and U
moves.
- For instance, better do
y' R' U R
than y L' U L
to insert a base case.
- Tutoriel F2L avancés - Partie 3 (Utilisation des slots libres)
- Tutoriel F2L avancés - Partie 4 (Eviter les rotations y et y')
- Goal of this part: Avoid
y
and y'
move whenever possible.
- Introduce another commutator, the sledgehammer:
R' F R F'
F'
move must be done with the right thumb!
- Case:
R U' R y L' U2' L y'
, white sticker UP, FR corner.
- Subcase FR. Use sledgehammer
U' R' F R F' R U' R'
- Subcase FL. Use left sledgehammer, or
y'
then subcase FR above.
- Subcase BL. Use
L U' L' y' L' U2 L
. Or sledgehammer also possible, but with re-grip (B with right hand index).
- Subcase BR. Usual solution is
R' U R' F R F' R
, but R' U R y U' R U' R'
(U' while y) is also ok.
- Case:
U y L' U' L U' y' R U R'
- Avoid cube rotation with sledgehammer:
U2 R' F R F' U2 R U R'
- Case:
U y L' U L U2' L' U L y'
- Can be inserted from any angle. Either pick contiguous base case or separated.
- If corner in FR or BL:
U R U R' U2 R U R'
or U L U L' U2' L U L'
.
- If corner in FL or BR:
U L' U L U2' L' U L
(alt using sledge: U L' U L L F' L' F
, F with thumb) or U R' U R U2' R' U R
- See my shortcuts above with sexy moves above.
- When corner in FRD, and correct edge on UR, two solutions:
R U' R' U' R U' R' U R U R'
(grip: LH F/B, index doing all U' and first U, RH U/D, index 2nd U) (R U' R' to create a known F2L case)
U' R' F R F' R U R'
(with a sledgehammer)
- Tutoriel F2L avancés - Partie 7 (Eviter les regrips et les rotations de cube)
r' U' R U M'
(to solve L U L' U' y
, normally solved with d L U' L
)
r' R2 U' R' U M'
(to solve L' U L U y'
, normally solved with d' L' U' L
)
l R U' R' U l'
(grip: LH thumb U face) (to solve L' U2 L y'
, normally solved with y' R U2 R'
)
- Reverse formula,
l U' R U R' l'
(grip: LH thumb U face, RH thumb D face, or better LH thumb U face first, then U
done by pushing with right ring finger, and U R' l'
is executed like U R2'
in the Ub PLL perm), is an alternative to R U R' U R U' R'
, where 2nd U
must be done by pushing with left index.
- TRAINME — Sometimes a mere d or d' is the easiest way to get an easy pair to insert (instead of all the other tricks given here). But should see which one is the fastest.
- TRAINME — Insertion with F U' F' or F' U' F. Note that Victor does not like the left mirror, and instead do a d or d'.
- Android - Fridrich Solver (Algorithms summary)
- This app shows solutions for all F2L cases.
- FAST: Use
d
and d'
move instead of y' U
or y U'
. This happens extremely frequently, and is very useful to solve pair in any slot without turning the cube.