OLL and PLL Explained for Beginners

If you have ever watched a speedcuber finish a solve in under fifteen seconds, you probably noticed something odd: the last layer seemed to snap into place in just two quick bursts of moves. Those two bursts are OLL and PLL, the final pair of steps in the CFOP method, the most widely used speedsolving system in the world. Understanding what each step actually does (and why they are ordered the way they are) makes the whole system click into place.

At a Glance

• OLL (Orient Last Layer) makes every sticker on the top face point up. It does not fix positions, only direction.
• PLL (Permute Last Layer) moves the now-correctly-facing pieces into their final spots. Run in that order, the cube ends up solved.
• Full OLL has 57 algorithms and full PLL has 21. Together that is the 78-algorithm set most people associate with "real" CFOP.
• 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL cut that to roughly 16 algorithms total by splitting each step into two smaller passes.
• Sune (R U R' U R U2 R') is the single most useful OLL algorithm to learn first, since it covers a large share of corner-orientation cases.
• Most people go from the beginner method to solid 2-look OLL and PLL in two to four weeks of regular practice.

What Is OLL?

OLL stands for Orient Last Layer. By the time you reach this step, your first two layers are completely solved. All the corner and edge pieces are in the right spots on the bottom two-thirds of the cube. The top layer is still scrambled, though. OLL fixes that by turning every piece on the top face to show the top color (usually yellow) facing upward.

The key detail is that OLL only cares about which direction each piece faces. It does not care where on the top ring each piece ends up. After a successful OLL, the entire top face is one solid color, but the side stickers on those top pieces might still be pointing in random directions. That is fine; that is exactly what PLL is for.

Full OLL vs. 2-Look OLL

Full OLL covers every possible pattern the top face can show before you start. According to the reference entry on the CFOP method, there are 57 distinct cases, each with its own algorithm. Advanced speedcubers memorize all 57 so they can orient the last layer in a single burst of moves, with no re-looking and no setup moves required.

For beginners, 57 algorithms is a lot to absorb before you even feel comfortable with the basic method. That is where 2-look OLL comes in. Instead of handling every case in one pass, you split OLL into two smaller steps:

1. Edge orientation. Run one of a small set of algorithms to make the four top edges show yellow, forming a yellow cross on the top face.
2. Corner orientation. Run one of a handful of algorithms to flip all four top corners to yellow.

Together these two stages use roughly 10 algorithms instead of 57. Solves take a few extra seconds compared to full OLL, but the learning curve is gentle. It is a great bridge between the beginner method and full CFOP. For most people learning 2-look, the edge-orientation half comes first: there are only three shapes to recognize (dot, L-shape, line), so it is a fast win before you tackle the busier corner set.

A Classic OLL Algorithm: Sune

The most famous OLL algorithm is called the Sune. Written in standard notation, it looks like this:

R U R' U R U2 R'

Sune orients three corners at once and appears in several OLL cases. Its name comes from speedcubing history rather than anything mechanical: as documented on the speedsolving.com wiki entry for Sune, the term was coined by Lars Petrus for his own solving method. Sune is a Swedish given name, and the algorithm and its mirror image, the Anti-Sune, cover a large share of corner-orientation situations during the 2-look stage. Many cubers learn it early because the finger movement becomes almost automatic with practice, roughly a week of daily reps for most people.

What Is PLL?

PLL stands for Permute Last Layer. After OLL you have a solid yellow top, but the edge and corner pieces on that top layer probably are not in the right positions relative to each other. PLL moves those pieces around, swapping and cycling them, until every piece lands in its correct final spot. When PLL finishes, the cube is solved.

Where OLL is about facing, PLL is about placement. That distinction is worth holding onto because it explains why the two steps are always done in this order. You cannot meaningfully sort pieces by position until they are all facing the right direction.

Full PLL vs. 2-Look PLL

Full PLL has 21 algorithms, covering every possible arrangement of the last-layer pieces after OLL. Speedcubers who know all 21 can permute the layer in one smooth pass, which is fast and satisfying.

For beginners, 2-look PLL reduces that to about 6 algorithms split across two stages:

1. Corner permutation. Cycle or swap the four top corners into correct positions relative to each other, without worrying about the edges.
2. Edge permutation. Cycle or swap the four top edges until every piece is home.

Because the corner step often leaves the layer partially aligned, you may need to rotate the whole top face (a U move) between the two stages to line things up. That is normal and expected in 2-look PLL; it is part of the method, not a mistake.

OLL and PLL by the Numbers

Seeing the algorithm counts side by side makes the "start with 2-look" advice easier to believe. Here is a worked comparison of what each path actually costs you to learn, and roughly what it costs you in moves per solve:

Version	OLL algorithms	PLL algorithms	Total to learn	Typical extra moves per solve vs. full
2-look	~10	~6	~16	4-8 extra moves
Full	57	21	78	0 (baseline)

The gap in moves is small. The gap in memorization is not. Going from 2-look to full CFOP means learning roughly five times as many algorithms to save a handful of moves per solve, which is why most people spend months on 2-look before filling in the rest case by case.

How OLL and PLL Fit Into CFOP

If you are new to CFOP, here is a quick map of how the four steps connect:

Step	Full Name	What It Solves
C	Cross	Four bottom edges
F	F2L (First Two Layers)	Bottom corners and middle edges
O	OLL (Orient Last Layer)	Top face color, direction only
P	PLL (Permute Last Layer)	Top layer positions, final solve

OLL and PLL always come last, in that order. You cannot skip one or swap them. Everything before them, including the cross and F2L, is preparation so that OLL has a clean, predictable surface to work with.

How to Start Learning 2-Look OLL and PLL

If you can finish a solve with the beginner layer-by-layer method, you are already in a good position to add 2-look OLL and PLL. Here is a practical order to learn them:

• Learn the yellow cross algorithms first. There are only a few edge-orientation cases. Most people learn to recognize them by the shape the yellow edges make on the top face: a dot, an L-shape, or a line. Expect to have this stage down within a few days.
• Then learn Sune and Anti-Sune. These two algorithms handle the corner orientation step and appear far more often than any other OLL algorithm. Getting comfortable with them pays off quickly, since together they resolve a large fraction of the corner cases you will actually see.
• Move to corner PLL next. The two most common corner-permutation algorithms are the A-perm and the diagonal swap. Learn to spot which case you have before you grab your cube.
• Finish with edge PLL. The U-perms (there are two mirrored versions) and the Z-perm cover nearly all edge cases you will see. The H-perm is rare but worth knowing.

Practice one algorithm at a time. Do not try to learn OLL and PLL simultaneously in the same session. That is a reliable way to mix them up mid-solve. Most people spend a week or two getting the OLL cases solid, then another week on PLL, before both feel automatic. A realistic target for the whole 2-look set, from a cold start with no algorithms memorized, is three to four weeks of ten to fifteen minutes of dedicated drilling most days.

Common Mistakes When Learning OLL and PLL

A few stumbling blocks come up again and again for people learning these last-layer steps.

Mixing up OLL and PLL cases before they are automatic. This is mostly a pattern-recognition issue. Spend time drilling case identification away from the cube: look at images of OLL patterns and name them without running the algorithm. Five minutes of pure recognition drilling, no cube in hand, often fixes this faster than more solves do.

Forgetting to realign the top face between 2-look PLL stages. After you permute the corners, check whether the layer needs a U, U2, or U' move to line up the corners with their correct sides before running the edge permutation. Skipping this realignment is the most common reason 2-look PLL leaves the cube unsolved.

Learning algorithms from inconsistent sources. There are multiple valid algorithms for each OLL and PLL case. Pick one trusted resource, learn the version it teaches, and stick with it until the moves are automatic. Mixing algorithm sources for the same case is a reliable way to get confused mid-solve.

Rushing into full OLL or full PLL too soon. The 21 PLL algorithms and 57 OLL algorithms are genuinely useful, but only once 2-look versions feel effortless. If you still have to think hard about each 2-look case, adding more algorithms will slow you down rather than help. A rough rule of thumb: only add a new full-OLL or full-PLL algorithm once you can execute the 2-look version of that case without pausing to think.

FAQ

Do I need to learn OLL and PLL to get faster at cubing?

Not strictly, but they are the most efficient path. The beginner method solves the last layer using multiple shorter algorithms that handle one piece at a time, which adds many extra moves. OLL and PLL, especially in their 2-look forms, reduce those moves significantly without requiring you to memorize dozens of algorithms all at once.

How long does it take to learn 2-look OLL and PLL?

Most people who practice daily get comfortable with 2-look OLL and PLL in two to four weeks. The algorithms themselves are not long, but your fingers need repetition to make them feel natural. Expect your times to dip briefly when you first switch over, then improve steadily as recognition gets faster.

Can I learn PLL before OLL?

Technically you can learn the algorithms in any order, but there is no practical path to using PLL without OLL. You need the top face oriented before permutation is meaningful. Learning OLL first is the only order that makes sense in a real solve.

What is a "skip" in OLL or PLL?

A skip means the step is already solved when you get there, so you do not need to run any algorithm. An OLL skip means every top piece is already facing upward after F2L. A PLL skip means every last-layer piece is already in its correct position after OLL. Both are rare and feel like a pleasant surprise mid-solve.

How many algorithms do I need for full CFOP?

Full CFOP uses 78 distinct last-layer algorithms: 57 for OLL and 21 for PLL. Most speedcubers also learn a set of F2L algorithms for common pair situations, which adds more. But you can solve the cube efficiently with 2-look OLL and PLL (around 16 algorithms total) and intuitive F2L long before you need all 78.

Is it worth learning full OLL if I only compete casually?

Usually not right away. Full OLL mainly saves a few moves per solve compared to 2-look, which matters at the competitive level but barely registers for casual solving. Most hobbyists get more benefit from cleaner F2L pairing and faster recognition than from filling out the last 47 OLL cases.