Introduction

WARNING WARNING WARNING: THIS SECTION IS UNFINISHED!!! IT PROBABLY DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE RIGHT NOW! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HEADACHES CAUSED BY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS SECTION. :P

Intuitive Last Layer is a way of solving the last layer without memorizing algorithms. Its goal is for you to understand all the movements you are making as you are completing the layers. It is, however, significantly slower than using the algorithms in steps 4-7 of the regular beginner solution, and may be harder to learn.

Intuitive LL is broken down into the same four steps as the normal beginner solution: OLLE, OLLC, PLLC, PLLE. Unlike the regular solution, these steps can be executed in any order, because each step does what it needs to without messing anything up. For example, OLLC will twist all the corners without altering the relative positions of the pieces or the orientations of the edges. I find it easier to do the two orienting steps before the permuting ones.

While I give you sequences of moves for each step, do not treat these as algorithms. Do them slowly to see how they work.

For the two orienting steps, the method is:

  1. Alter one piece in the last layer. This initial process will mess up the already solved first two layers.
  2. Alter another piece in the last layer, using the reverse moves of (1). The process will restore the first two layers.

For the two permuting steps, the method is:

  1. Swap two pieces in the last layer. This initial process will mess up the already solved first two layers.
  2. Swap another two pieces in the last layer, using the reverse moves of (1). The process will restore the first two layers.

Notation

There is turn not used in the beginner solution that is very useful here. It is the E turn. E refers the slice in between the U and D faces and is turned in the same direction as the D face. Here, clockwise and counterclockwise make very little sense. E' turns the same slice, but in the opposite direction. E2 is turning the slice twice.

OLLE

  1. Initial process: To flip the edge in the UF position: F E F2 E2 F
  2. Reverse process: To flip the another edge in the UF: F' E2 F2 E' F'

OLLC

  1. Initial process: To rotate the corner in the UFR position: F D2 F' R' D2 R
  2. Reverse process: To rotate another corner in the UFR position: R' D2 R F D2 F'

PLLC

  1. Initial process: To swap the two corners in the UFR and UBL positions: R' L' D2 R L
  2. Reverse process: To swap another two corners in the UFR and UBL positions: R' L' D2 R L
Note that the move is the same forwards and backwards. The U-face may have to be turned a certain number of times before the R' and L' turns so that the correct corners are swapped.

PLLE

  1. Initial process: To swap the two edges in the UF and UB positions: F B E2 F' B'
  2. Reverse process: To swap another two edges in the UF and UB positions: F B E2 F' B'
Note that the move is the same forwards and backwards. The U-face may have to be turned a certain number of times before the B and F turns so that the correct edges are swapped.