2-Side PLL Recognition Guide

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This is my method for recognizing any PLL case by only seeing two sides.

  • Introduction
  • CP Recognition
  • Patterns
  • CP Sections

  • EPLL
  • Diag. CP
  • Adj. CP - A
  • Adj. CP - B
  • Adj. CP - C
  • Adj. CP - D
  • Adj. CP - E

Introduction

This will be a guide showing how to recognize any PLL case by only looking at two adjacent sides. During the PLL stage of a solve, the PLL case can always be figured out by only looking at the six visible stickers above the E layer. There are many ways of doing this; this guide just shows the approach that I would take.

The naming system from the PLL wiki will be used.

CP Recognition

All of the cases will be divided into three sections based on their corner permutation.

  1. All corners solved.
  2. Two opposite corners swapped.
  3. Two adjacent corners swapped.

The corner permutation can always be figured out by looking at the four visible corner stickers.

It'll be important to be familiar with your colour scheme, especially knowing the colours that are opposite of each other. 

When there are a set of 'headlights' on each side (two of the same corner sticker colours on a face), no corners are swapped.

When each side has a set of two opposite colours, two diagonal corners are swapped.

, When only one side has a set of 'headlights', two adjacent corners are swapped.

, When only one side has a set of two opposite colours, two adjacent corners are swapped.

The headlights will be on the opposite side of the side with the two opposite colours.

Patterns

Opposite and adjacent pieces will be mentioned often in this guide. For simplicity, a piece is "opposite" when its sticker is the opposite colour of its adjacent pieces'/piece's sticker(s), and likewise for when a piece is "adjacent".

Blocks will sometimes be used to disinguish cases. Unless otherwise indicated, a "block" will refer to a 2x1 block on one face. When there is a visible 2x1 block, it is located in one of two places, the 'outside' or the 'inside'. When it is on the outside, the block will include one of the two far corners, and when it is on the inside it will include the corner located in the center.

Outside block: , Inside block: ,

A 'checker pattern' will sometimes be used to distinguish cases. It is a pattern made by two alternating adjacent colours.

They look like this: , . ,

The first checker pattern is on the inside, the second one is one the outside, the third one is on the left, and the fourth one is on the right.

Single corner stickers can also be on the 'outside' or the 'inside'.

CP Sections

All of the cases will be divided into seven section.

The first two sections are for the EPLL and Diagonal CP cases.

The remaining five are Adjacent CP cases. Here are the five Adjacent CP sections:

Here are the PLL cases that are found under each section:

EPLLs: H, Ua, Ub, Z

Diagonal CP: E, Na, Nb, V, Y

Adjacent CP (A): Ja, Jb

Adjacent CP (B): Aa, Ab, Ga, Gc

Adjacent CP (C): Gb, Gd, Aa, Ab, Ga, Gc Ra, Rb, T

Adjacent CP (D): Gb, Gd, Ga, Gc, Ra, Rb, Aa, Ab

Adjacent CP (E): Ra, Rb, F, Ga, Gc

EPLL

Category 0: Two 3x1 Blocks

PLL skip:

I hope you can recognize this.

Category 1: One 3x1 Block

Ua: , Ub: ,

When the block is on the left:

  • It’s Ub when an opposite edge colour is on the right
  • It’s Ua when an adjacent edge colour is on the right
  • When the block is on the right:

  • It’s Ua when an opposite edge colour is on the left
  • It’s Ub when an adjacent edge colour is on the left
  • Category 2: No 3x1 Blocks & At Least One Opposite Edge

    Ua: Ub: H:

  • It’s Ua when an opposite edge colour is on the right
  • It’s Ub when an opposite edge colour is on the left
  • It’s H when an opposite edge colour is on each side
  • Category 3: No 3x1 Blocks & No Opposite Edges

    Ua: Ub: Z: ,

    When there are no opposite edges:

  • It’s Ua when a checker pattern is only on the left
  • It’s Ub when a checker pattern is only on the right
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Z
  • Diag. CP

    Category 1: Two Blocks

    V: Y: Na: Nb:

  • It’s V when the blocks are both on the inside
  • It’s Y when the blocks are both on the outside
  • It’s Na when the fully-visible corner is part of a left block
  • It’s Nb when the fully-visible corner is part of a right block
  • Category 2: One Block

    V: , Y: ,

  • It’s V when there’s a block on the outside
  • It’s Y when there’s a block on the inside
  • Category 3: No Blocks

    V: Y: E: ,

  • It’s V when there’s a checker pattern on the inside
  • It’s Y when there’s a checker pattern on the outside
  • It’s E when there’s no checker pattern at all
  • Adj. CP - No Headlights, Two Blocks

    Category 1: A 3x1 Block & A 2x1 Block

    Ja: , Jb: ,

    When the 3x1 block is on the left:

  • It’s Ja when the 2x1 block is on the inside
  • It’s Jb when the 2x1 block is on the outside
  • When the 3x1 block is on the right:

  • It’s Jb when the 2x1 block is on the inside
  • It’s Ja when the 2x1 block is on the outside
  • Category 2: One Outer 2x1 Block and One Inner 2x1 Block

    Ja: , Jb: ,

  • It’s Ja when the 2x1 block on the outside is on the left
  • It’s Jb when the 2x1 block on the outside is on the right
  • Category 3: Two Inner 2x1 Blocks

    Aa: Ab:

  • It’s Aa when the outer corner on the right is opposite
  • It’s Ab when the outer corner on the left is opposite
  • Adj. CP - B: Headlights, One Block

    Category 1: Inner Block

    T: , Ra: Rb:

    When the edge in between the headlights is adjacent:

  • It’s Ra when the block is on the right
  • It’s Rb when the block is on the left
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s T
  • Category 2: Outer Block

    Aa: Ab: Ga: Gc:

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s Aa when the block is on the right
  • It’s Ab when the block is on the left
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Ga when the block is on the right
  • It’s Gb when the block is on the left
  • Adj. CP - C: No Headlights, One Block

    Category 1: A 3x1 Block

    F: ,

  • It’s F
  • Category 2: Inner Block

    Ga: Gc: Gb: Gd:

    When the corner beside the block is adjacent:

  • It’s Ga when the block is on the left
  • It’s Gc when the block is on the right
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Gb when the block is on the left
  • It’s Gd when the block is on the right
  • Category 3: Outer Block & Opposite Corner

    Gb: Gd: Aa: Ab:

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s Gb when the block is on the right
  • It’s Gd when the block is on the left
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Aa when the block is on the left
  • It’s Ab when the block is on the right
  • Category 4: Outer Block & Adjacent Corner

    Ra: Rb: T: ,

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s Ra when the block is on the right
  • It’s Rb when the block is on the left
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s T
  • Adj. CP - D: Headlights, No Blocks

    Category 1: Opposite Edge In Between Headlights

    Gb: , Gd: ,

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s Gb when the block is on the left
  • It’s Gd when the block is on the right
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Gb when the block is on the right
  • It’s Gd when the block is on the left
  • Category 2: Adjacent Edge In Between Headlights

    Ra: Rb: Ga: Gc: Aa: Ab:

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s Ra when the headlights are on the left
  • It’s Rb when the headlights are on the right
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Ga when the headlights are on the right and there is no checker pattern
  • It’s Gc when the headlights are on the left and there is no checker pattern
  • It’s Aa when the headlights are on the right and there is a checker pattern
  • It’s Ab when the headlights are on the left and there is a checker pattern
  • Adj. CP - E: No Headlights, No Blocks

    F: , Ga: Gc: Ra: Rb:

    When only three unique colours are visible:

  • It’s F
  • Otherwise:

  • It’s Ga when an opposite outer corner is on the right
  • It’s Gc when an opposite outer corner is on the left
  • It’s Ra when an opposite inner corner is on the right
  • It’s Rb when an opposite inner corner is on the left