2-look OLL and PLL: all 16 algorithms with diagrams
2-look OLL and PLL finishes the cube in four steps using 16 cases: make a yellow cross, finish the yellow face, place the corners, then place the edges. That is 10 OLL cases (3 edge and 7 corner) and 6 PLL cases (2 corner and 4 edge). Every algorithm on this page was tested on a simulated cube.
Hold the cube with yellow on top. Diagrams show the top face from above with the front of the cube at the bottom of the picture. In the orientation diagrams, a yellow strip beside the grid is a yellow sticker facing that side.
Notation in 30 seconds
Each letter is a face of the cube. A letter on its own turns that face a quarter turn clockwise as you look at it; ' (prime) means anticlockwise; 2 means a half turn.
| Letter | Face | Letter | Face |
|---|---|---|---|
R | Right | L | Left |
U | Up (top) | D | Down (bottom) |
F | Front | B | Back |
Lowercase r and f are wide moves: they turn the outer face and the middle slice next to it together, in the same direction as R or F. M turns the middle slice between left and right, in the same direction as L. x and y turn the whole cube like R and U.
AUF means a final U, U' or U2 turn to line up the top layer. It is not part of the algorithms below.
Step 1: OLL edges (make the yellow cross)
Look at the yellow stickers on the top face and ignore everything else. If all four edges are yellow you already have a cross, so skip to step 2. Otherwise match your top face to one of these three.
F R U R' U' F'f R U R' U' f'F R U R' U' F' f R U R' U' f'After one algorithm you may need a second look: a line or L-shape turns into a cross in one go, and the dot needs the two algorithms back to back.
Step 2: OLL corners (finish the yellow face)
With the cross done, count the yellow stickers on top corners. Four means the face is done. Otherwise match one of the seven cases below.
R U R' U R U2 R'R U2 R' U' R U' R'F R U R' U' R U R' U' R U R' U' F'R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 RR2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R'r U R' U' r' F R F'F R' F' r U R U' r'Sune and Anti-Sune are the same algorithm played in opposite directions: they are each other's inverse.
Step 3: PLL corners
Now ignore the top face and look at the side colours of the top corners. Headlights are two corners next to each other that show the same colour on the same side.
- Headlights on all four sides: the corners are already right. Turn the top layer (AUF) until the corners match their centres and go to step 4.
- Headlights on one side: turn the cube so they are at the back and do the A perm.
- No headlights: do the Y perm from any hold.
Or with a cube rotation:
x R' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2 x'R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F'One algorithm is enough for the corners. Afterwards, turn the top layer (AUF) until each corner matches its centre. The arrows in the diagrams point from where a piece is now to where it has to go.
Step 4: PLL edges
With the corners matching their centres, look at the top edges. An edge is solved when its side colour matches the centre below it.
- All four solved: finish with an AUF.
- One solved edge (a bar): turn the cube so the bar is at the back. If the front edge matches the right centre do the Ua perm. If it matches the left centre do the Ub perm.
- No solved edges: if the front edge matches the back centre do the H perm. Otherwise turn the cube until the front edge matches the left centre and do the Z perm.
R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2M' U M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U'Finish with an AUF if needed. The Z perm on this page already ends with its own U'.
All 16 cases at a glance
| Step | Case | Algorithm |
|---|---|---|
| OLL edges | Line | F R U R' U' F' |
| OLL edges | L-shape | f R U R' U' f' |
| OLL edges | Dot | F R U R' U' F' f R U R' U' f' |
| OLL corners | Sune | R U R' U R U2 R' |
| OLL corners | Anti-Sune | R U2 R' U' R U' R' |
| OLL corners | H | F R U R' U' R U R' U' R U R' U' F' |
| OLL corners | Pi | R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R |
| OLL corners | U | R2 D R' U2 R D' R' U2 R' |
| OLL corners | T | r U R' U' r' F R F' |
| OLL corners | L | F R' F' r U R U' r' |
| PLL corners | A perm (Aa) | R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2 |
| PLL corners | Y perm | F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F' |
| PLL edges | Ua perm | R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2 |
| PLL edges | Ub perm | R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R' |
| PLL edges | H perm | M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2 |
| PLL edges | Z perm | M' U M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U' |
How to practise
- Learn the OLL edge cases first, then the corner cases one or two at a time.
- Learn the A perm and the Ua perm before the rest: they come up most often in the first look of each step.
- Drill one case at a time until you can recognise it and finish it without stopping.
- Use a trainer: the OLL trainer and PLL trainer repeat random cases from each set.
How we checked this page
Every algorithm was run on a simulated cube. We then tested the recognition rules above on all 216 ways to orient the last layer and all 288 ways to permute it, and the 10 OLL and 6 PLL cases solved every one. The diagrams are drawn from the same simulation, so each picture matches its algorithm.
New to the cube? Start with the F2L guide. To see how many algorithms each stage needs, read how many algorithms you need for CFOP.
Practise this. Drill each case in the OLL trainer and PLL trainer.
Related guides
- How to solve a Rubik's Cube: beginner method
- How many algorithms do you need for CFOP?
- How to learn F2L (the intuitive method)
- CFOP vs Roux: which is faster and easier to learn?
- Best cubing timers and apps (2026)
Frequently asked questions
How many algorithms are in 2-look OLL?
10 cases: 3 for the edges (dot, L-shape and line) and 7 for the corners (Sune, Anti-Sune, H, Pi, U, T and L). The dot case is the line algorithm followed by the L-shape algorithm, so there are 9 different sequences to memorise.
How many algorithms are in 2-look PLL?
6: the A perm and Y perm for the corners, and the Ua, Ub, H and Z perms for the edges.
What is the order of 2-look OLL and PLL?
First make a yellow cross (OLL edges), then finish the yellow face (OLL corners), then place the corners (PLL corners), then place the edges (PLL edges).
Do I need both Ua and Ub?
Yes. They are the two directions of the three-edge cycle: with the solved bar at the back, Ua is used when the front edge matches the right centre and Ub when it matches the left centre.
What are headlights in PLL?
Headlights are two corners next to each other that show the same colour on the same side. They tell you which corner algorithm to use: put a single pair at the back for the A perm, or use the Y perm if there are none.
What comes after 2-look OLL and PLL?
Most cubers learn full PLL (21 cases) and then full OLL (57 cases). See the algorithm count guide for the full picture.