2-Side PLL Recognition Guide
Printable VersionThis 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.
- All corners solved.
- Two opposite corners swapped.
- 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:
- A: Two visible blocks, no visible set of headlights.
- B: One visible block, one set of visible set of headlights.
- C: No visible set of headlights, one visible block.
- D: No visible blocks, one set of visible set of headlights.
- E: No visible blocks, no visible set of headlights.
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:
When the block is on the right:
Category 2: No 3x1 Blocks & At Least One Opposite Edge
Ua:
Ub:
H:
Category 3: No 3x1 Blocks & No Opposite Edges
Ua:
Ub:
Z:
,
When there are no opposite edges:
Otherwise:
Diag. CP
Category 1: Two Blocks
V:
Y:
Na:
Nb:
Category 2: One Block
V:
,
Y:
,
Category 3: No Blocks
V:
Y:
E:
,
Adj. CP - No Headlights, Two Blocks
Category 1: A 3x1 Block & A 2x1 Block
Ja:
,
Jb:
,
When the 3x1 block is on the left:
When the 3x1 block is on the right:
Category 2: One Outer 2x1 Block and One Inner 2x1 Block
Ja:
,
Jb:
,
Category 3: Two Inner 2x1 Blocks
Aa:
Ab:
Adj. CP - B: Headlights, One Block
Category 1: Inner Block
T:
,
Ra:
Rb:
When the edge in between the headlights is adjacent:
Otherwise:
Category 2: Outer Block
Aa:
Ab:
Ga:
Gc:
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise:
Adj. CP - C: No Headlights, One Block
Category 1: A 3x1 Block
F:
,
Category 2: Inner Block
Ga:
Gc:
Gb:
Gd:
When the corner beside the block is adjacent:
Otherwise:
Category 3: Outer Block & Opposite Corner
Gb:
Gd:
Aa:
Ab:
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise:
Category 4: Outer Block & Adjacent Corner
Ra:
Rb:
T:
,
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise:
Adj. CP - D: Headlights, No Blocks
Category 1: Opposite Edge In Between Headlights
Gb:
,
Gd:
,
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise:
Category 2: Adjacent Edge In Between Headlights
Ra:
Rb:
Ga:
Gc:
Aa:
Ab:
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise:
Adj. CP - E: No Headlights, No Blocks
F:
,
Ga:
Gc:
Ra:
Rb:
When only three unique colours are visible:
Otherwise: