Rubik's Cube & puzzles
The CFOP method explained: how speedcubers solve the cube
What CFOP stands for, how each of the four stages works, how many algorithms you need, and a sensible order for moving from the beginner method to CFOP. With links to every algorithm.
CFOP is the method most speedcubers use to solve the 3×3. It is named after its four stages: Cross, F2L, OLL and PLL. It is also called the Fridrich method, after Jessica Fridrich, who developed and popularised it among speedcubers in the 1980s and 1990s.
If you can already solve the cube with the seven-step beginner method, you have met every idea in CFOP. CFOP simply combines steps and replaces long routines with shorter, smarter ones.
The four stages
1. Cross
Build the cross on one face, usually the one the solver chooses to hold on the bottom, with each edge matched to its centre. In the beginner method you build a daisy first and drop the petals in. In CFOP, solvers plan the whole cross during the 15 seconds of inspection and build it directly, often in about eight moves or fewer.
2. F2L (first two layers)
Instead of solving the corners and then the middle-layer edges separately, F2L solves each corner together with its matching edge, as a pair. There are four pairs and 41 basic cases, but most can be found by thinking rather than memorising, so it is usually learned intuitively at first. Read what F2L is for the first cases.
3. OLL (orientation of the last layer)
Turn every piece of the last layer so the top face is one colour. There are 57 cases, but you can start with the 10 algorithms of two-look OLL: first make the cross, then orient the corners.
4. PLL (permutation of the last layer)
Move the pieces of the last layer to their right places. There are 21 cases, and you can start with five or six algorithms: see two-look PLL.
How CFOP compares with the beginner method
| Beginner method | CFOP | |
|---|---|---|
| Cross | Daisy, then drop each petal | Planned in inspection, built directly |
| First two layers | Corners, then middle edges | Corner and edge together (F2L) |
| Yellow cross and corner turn | Cross, then three more steps | Two looks of OLL, later one look |
| Last pieces | Corner and edge algorithms | Two looks of PLL, later one look |
| Algorithms to learn | About 7 short ones | 10 for two-look OLL, about 6 for two-look PLL, plus F2L cases |
A sensible order for learning CFOP
- Solve the cube reliably with the beginner method and time yourself with the cube timer.
- Learn to build the cross on the bottom without flipping the cube.
- Learn two-look OLL and two-look PLL. These finish the cube faster even before you know F2L.
- Replace the beginner-method corners and middle layer with F2L, one case at a time.
- Learn the rest of PLL, then the full OLL set, adding a few algorithms a week.
You do not need to do all of this to enjoy cubing. Many people stay at two-look OLL and PLL for years and still solve the cube quickly.
What it takes
A fast CFOP solve is built from short, repeatable pieces. Practising each stage on its own helps: do a hundred crosses, then a hundred F2L pairs, then the last layer algorithms. Looking ahead to the next piece while your hands do the current move, called lookahead, matters more than moving your fingers faster.
Other methods
CFOP is not the only choice. The Roux method builds blocks on the left and right and solves the middle slice last, using far fewer rotations. ZZ and Petrus are other popular choices. All of them are used at the top level. CFOP is a good first choice because there are so many tutorials, algorithms and practice tools.
Common questions
Do I need to learn all 78 OLL and PLL algorithms?
No. Two-look versions let you solve the last layer with around 15 algorithms, and you can add the rest at your own pace.
How many moves is a CFOP solve?
Fast solvers average somewhere around 50 to 60 moves for a whole solve, compared with 100 or more for a beginner method solve. The best solves have a very short cross and clever F2L pairs.
Is CFOP good for children?
Yes, once the beginner method feels comfortable. Children often learn two-look OLL and PLL well because they enjoy memorising short sequences. See Rubik's Cube for kids and our Rubik's Cube classes.
This guide is general information. For exams, follow your school, teacher and official exam board, and use your own judgement about what suits your child.