2-look OLL & PLL tutorial for Rubik's Cube

[rushyrulz]

This is an original work that I am using for CIST 1300 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha during the fall 2012 semester.

So, it's been a while since I said I was gonna make this thread, but yeah.. here it is.

Rubik's Cube 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL tutorial
If you can't solve a 3x3 cube, click here.
And while I'm linking you shit, check out my 4x4 tutorial as well.
Now that these threads are relevant again, don't be afraid to bump if they helped you.

Table of Contents
I. .....Definitions
II. ....OLL
IIa. ...First look OLL
IIb. ...Second look OLL
III. ...PLL
IIIa. ..First look PLL
IIIb. ..Second look PLL
IV. ....Quick-reference algorithms

I. Definitions
The structure of this tutorial will be different than the other ones, as this only pertains to the third layer of the cube. To start I'll explain what an OLL and a PLL are.

OLL (Orientation of the Last Layer): This is the process of performing an algorithm (or in this case algorithms) to solve the top layer of the cube for color only. You know how generally when people who have never solved a cube before attempt to solve one side for color only, ignoring that each little cubelet has 1-2 other colors that need to be matched as well? This is the same type of concept, except we're doing it on purpose. The only purpose of this step is to get the top of the cube to be all the same color, shown here:


PLL(Permutation of the Last Layer):This is the process of performing an algorithm (or in this case algorithms) to move the cubelets in the top layer around without disturbing their orientation, thus solving the cube completely.

First look/Second look: There are a total of 57 OLL algorithms and 21 PLL algorithms, but fear not! With this tutorial, I will teach you a method to significantly cut down the number of algorithms to memorize. Two look simply means that you're using two algorithms to tackle each step instead of just one. With the two look method, you only need to memorize 2 algorithms for the first look OLL (and you should already know both) and 7 algorithms for the second look (one of which you already know). For PLL, there is one algorithm for first look, and 4 algorithms for second look. Sorry these are all new algorithms, but they are very easy to memorize. So without further ado, let the learning begin.

II. OLL
As a reminder, OLL is the orientation of the last layer, and the only concern is to get the top layer have the same top color on all 9 cubelets.

IIa. First look OLL
So, you've just finished solving the second layer of the cube. You're ready to take your first look. Recall that in the beginner method, the first step after solving the second layer is to get a cross on the top layer. This is actually the first look OLL (betcha didn't know you were doing it all along). So as a refresher, here are the algorithms to solve for the top cross:

case 1: F R U R' U' F' to get case 2. OR ([F R U R' U' F] [Ff R U R' U' Ff']) to get case 4.
case 2: F U R U' R' F' to get case 4.
case 3: F R U R' U' F' to get case 4.
case 4: first look OLL complete.

IIb. Second look OLL
After getting the top cross, there are seven unique cases to complete the OLL. Each case has a name (that already existed or I made up because the pre-existing name is stupid) that can be used to help you along in the process..

First case: Fish swimming right
In this case, 6/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, resembling a fish-like figure on top. What determines which direction it is swimming depends on which face has the (in this case) blue sticker facing out. In the fish swimming right case, the visible blue sticker is on the right face.

Think of the visible blue sticker as fish food and the fish wants to swim towards it.
Algorithm: turn the cube so that the right face is now facing you and do the familiar algorithm R U R' U R U2 R'.

Second case: Fish swimming left
In this case, 6/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, resembling a fish-like figure on top. This case is different from fish swimming right in that the visible blue sticker is on the front face instead of the right face.

Algorithm: Turn the cube so that the 'fish head' is at the top left corner and do the algorithm R' U' R U' R' U2 R.

Third case: Headlights
In this case, 7/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, leaving two corners out. This case is called headlights since looking at the front face resembles headlights of a car.

Algorithm: Turn the cube so that the headlights are on the front face and do the algorithm R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'.

Fourth case: Chameleon
In this case, 7/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, leaving two corners out. This case is called chameleon since, unlike headlights, the two blue stickers will be facing outwards like the eyes of a chameleon.

AlgorithmTurn the cube so that the chameleon is facing you, do an X' turn (whole cube rotated counterclockwise on X axis, top should now be front.) and do the algorithm R U R' D R U' R' D'.

Fifth case: Double Headlights
In this case 5/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, leaving 4 corners out. In this case, it appears that there are two separate cases of headlights.

Algorithm: Turn the cube so that one set of headlights is on the left and the other on the right and do the algorithm R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R'.

Sixth case: Chameleon car
In this case 5/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, leaving 4 corners out. In this case, it looks like a chameleon with tail lights, so I called it a chameleon car.

Algorithm: Turn the cube so that the headlights are facing left and the chamelion is facing right and do the algorithm R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R.

Seventh case: Diagonals
In this case, 7/9 of the cubelets are oriented correctly, leaving 2 corners out. The two missing corners are diagonal from each other.

Algorithm: turn the cube so that one corner with an outward facing, top-colored sticker is in the bottom left and do the algorithm X' D R U R' D' R U' R'. Note: This is the chameleon algorithm backwards.

III. PLL
A reminder that PLL is the permutation of the last layer and that these algorithms will only work when the top layer is already oriented with an OLL.

IIIa. First look PLL
Now that your top layer has been oriented, it's time to permute it. The first look is to make all the corners line up with the rest of the cube. To do this, search around your top layer for a pair of any-colored headlights and face those away from you (on the back face) and do the algorithm Ll' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2. If your cube doesn't have a headlights pair already, just do the algorithm anyways, do a Y turn and repeat it. Alternatively, you can do a corner swap algorithm (L U' R U2 L' U R')2. Your cube should now look similar to this:

Your first look PLL is complete.

IIIb. Second look PLL
There are four cases (five if you count solved as a case) to second look PLL.

Case 1: 3 edges rotated clockwise
This is a case where 3 of your edges are rotated in a clockwise direction and one edge is solved.

Figure a shows the case and figure b shows what needs to be done to fix it: A counterclockwise edge rotation. To rotate three edges counterclockwise, put the solved edge on the back face and do the algorithm R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2.

Case 2: 3 edges rotated counterclockwise
This is a case where 3 of your edges are rotated in a counterclockwise direction and one edge is solved.

Figure a shows the case and figure b shows what needs to be done to fix it: A clockwise edge rotation. To rotate three edges clockwise, put the solved edge on the back face and do the algorithm R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'. Note: Naturally, this is the counterclockwise edge rotation backwards.

Case 3: Opposite edge switch
This is a case where all four edges are opposite of where they should be on the top face.

Figure a shows the case and figure b shows what needs to be done to fix it: A swap of the edges to the opposite side of the top face. To do this, hold the cube in any way, keeping the top face on top and do the algorithm M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2.

Case 4: Adjacent edge switch
This is a case where there are two sets of edges that are swapped adjacently to their correct place.

Figure a shows the case and figure b shows what needs to be done to fix it: A swap of the edges to an adjacent side on the top face. To do this, hold the cube so that a pair of edges being switched are on the front face and the right face and do the algorithm M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U2 M' U2.

Your second look PLL is complete and your cube is solved! Here, have some pie.


IV. Quick-reference algorithms

OLL
first look:
solve top cross
F R U R' U' F'
F U R U' R' F'
4 edge flip: ([F R U R' U' F] [Ff R U R' U' Ff'])

2nd look:
sune(fish with sticker facing right): R U R' U R U2 R'
anti-sune(fish with sticker facing left): R U' R U' R' U2 R
Chamelion: X' R U R' D R U' R' D'
Headlights: R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'
chamelion car: R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R
double headlights: R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R'
diagonals: D R U R' D' R U' R'

PLL
first look: set of headlights to back
Ll' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2
corner swap: (L U' R U2 L' U R')2

2nd look:
CCW edge rotation: R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2
CW edge rotation: R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'
opposite edges: M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2
adjacent edges: M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U2 M' U2


Thank you for viewing my thread !

[Tristana]

eyo mrrubix where u at

[qqwref]

This isn't actually a 2-look guide as it's written. You would need a 4-edge-flip OLL (e.g. FRUR'U'F fRUR'U'f') as well as an opposite-corner-swap PLL (e.g. (LU'RU2L'UR')2), otherwise you aren't using two looks for OLL and PLL, just separating it into two steps. Each look should always be completable by only looking at the cube once.

Also, LL on blue ewwwwww

[rushyrulz]

Originally Posted by qqwref

This isn't actually a 2-look guide as it's written. You would need a 4-edge-flip OLL (e.g. FRUR'U'F fRUR'U'f') as well as an opposite-corner-swap PLL (e.g. (LU'RU2L'UR')2), otherwise you aren't using two looks for OLL and PLL, just separating it into two steps. Each look should always be completable by only looking at the cube once.

Also, LL on blue ewwwwww

For the 4 edge flip, I tried to keep the algorithms as concise as possible, and sticking to the algorithm that beginning cubers know (F R U R' U' F').

For the opposite corner swap PLL, I just do my algorithm, followed by a Y turn and repeat it (and yes I only look once. [long ass algorithm = [Ll' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2]Y[Ll' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2]) I did forget to include this in the OP though, thanks.

Technically, by definition, I can do any of the looks in this thread with my eyes closed, so it is a one-look-per-look method, which is true to form.

[qqwref]

Well, there are people who can do the whole CFOP method by memorizing moves and tracking pieces. Doesn't mean it's a one-look method. Prediction doesn't count

And if you already have ~15 algs, why not add one more and make it a complete method that covers ALL cases?

Not saying it's a bad post or anything btw, I just don't want to have wrong info out there if someone is really serious about learning this.

[rushyrulz]

Yeah, I'll add them. Thanks for the input.

EDIT: what are the mechanics of the corner swap algorithm, as I'm still getting a 3-look solution on that one (how are you supposed to hold the cube when you do it?)