The Four Steps of CFOP
C
Cross
Solve the four edge pieces of the bottom layer to form a cross.
F
F2L
Pair each corner with its edge and insert them into the first two layers.
O
OLL
Orient the last layer so the entire top face is a single color.
P
PLL
Permute the last-layer pieces so the whole cube is solved.
Notation
R Right face clockwiseR' Right face counterclockwiseU Up face clockwiseU' Up face counterclockwiseF Front face clockwiseL Left faceD Down faceM Middle slicex / y Whole cube rotation2 180° turn
F2L · First Two Layers
Grip · Setup · Algorithm · Alternate
F2L 31
Home
U' (R' F R F') (R U' R')
Setup: R U R' F R' F' R U
Sledge + Insert
F2L 33
Home
(R U' R' U) R U' R'
Setup: R U R' U2' R U R' U
Special
F2L 34
U (R U R' U') (R U R')
Alt: Keyhole: D' (L' U L) D
Setup: R U' R' U2' R U' R' U'
Special + Insert
F2L 35
U' (R' F R F') U' y (L F' L' F')
Alt: U2 R U R' F R' F' R
Setup: F' U F U' R U' R' U
Sledge + Left Sledge + Mid insert
F2L 36
U' (R' F R F') U' y (L F' L' F')
Alt: U2 (R' F R F') U2 R U R'
Setup: R U' R' U2' F R' F' R U2'
Sledge + Left Sledge insert
F2L 37
(R' F R F') + F2L 12
Setup: R U' R U2' F R2' F' U2' R2'
Sledge + F2L 12
F2L 38
(R U' R') + F2L 5
Alt: y' (L' U L) U' (L' U2' L U' L' U L)
Setup: R U' R' U R U2' R' U R U' R'
Insert + F2L 5
F2L 39
(R U' R') + F2L 19
Alt: y' (L' U L) U (L' U' L U2' L' U L)
Setup: R U' R' U' R U R' U2' R U' R'
Insert + F2L 19
F2L 40
(R' F R F') + F2L 15
Setup: R U R' F U R U' R' F' R U R'
Sledge + F2L 15
F2L 41
(R' F R F') + F2L 23
Setup: R F U R U' R' F' U' R'
Sledge + F2L 23
OLL · Orient Last Layer
Yellow stickers face up
Sune
R U R' U R U2 R'
Anti-Sune
R U2 R' U' R U' R'
Headlights
r U R' U' r' F R F'
Chameleon (L)
F R' F' r U R U' r'
Alt: x (R' U R D') (R' U' R D)
Bowtie
F' r U R' U' r' F R
Pi
R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R
H
F (R U R' U')3 F'
Alt: R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R'
U
R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'
Alt: R2 D' R U2 R' D R U2 R
T
r U R' U' r' F R F'
Fortress
(r U R' U') (L' U R U')
PLL · Permute Last Layer
Grip-based cases from the workbook
Ub (Triangle)
Burger
(R U') (R U) (R U) (R U') R' U' R2
Alt: M2 U M U2 M' U M2
Ua (Triangle CW)
Golf
R2 U (R U R' U') R' U' (R' U R')
Alt: M2 U' M U2 M' U' M2
Solved side on left
Z
(M2 U M2 U) (M' U2) (M2 U2) (M' U2)
Alt: R' U' R U' R U R U' R' U R U R2 U' R'
H (Edge Across)
(M2 U) (M2 U2) (M2 U) M2
Alt: (M2 U2 M2) U (M2 U2 M2)
Na
(R U R' U) (R U R' F') (R U R' U') (R' F R2 U' R') U2 (R U' R')
Alt: (R U R') U (Jperm) U2 (Insert)
Y
F (R U' R' U') (R U R') F' (R U R' U') (R' F R F')
Special then Sledge
T
(R U R' U') (R' F R2 U' R' U') (R U R') F'
Alt: (Special) R U R' F'
E (Horizontal)
R2 U R' U' y (R U R' U')3 y' U R U' R2
F
R' U' F' (R U R' U') (R' F R2 U' R' U') (R U R') U R
Alt: R' U' F' (Tperm) U R
Special Moves
Building blocks used across the cases
Special (Sexy Move)
R U R' U'
Sledgehammer
R' F R F'
Left Sledgehammer
L F' L' F'
In the Back
Back-face trigger variants
Base (in front)
L U L' U'
In the back
L' B L B'
Left hamburger grip
R B' R' B
Simple & Clear CFOP Speed-Solving Formulas
For classroom use · Compiled from the Cube Algorithms workbook