What OLL is
These OLL algorithms make the whole top of the cube yellow. OLL means orientation of the last layer: once the first two layers are done, every top piece is turned so its yellow sticker faces up, in one algorithm. Where the pieces end up does not matter yet; PLL moves them into place afterwards. There are 57 OLL cases, numbered 1 to 57 in the order most lists use, and our test shows they are every possible orientation pattern (all 216 of them, grouped by turns of the top) except solved.
Every algorithm here is tested. Each one was replayed move by move on a virtual cube: starting from a solved cube, undoing the algorithm must give exactly the case it is listed under, with the rest of the cube untouched, and every alternative must solve the same case. The case lists were also checked for completeness by listing every possible position of the pieces involved, so no case is missing and none appears twice.
The patterns were also compared, case by case, with the case images on the speedsolving.com wiki, so the numbers match the lists you will find elsewhere.
How to read the diagrams
The diagram is the top layer from above, green side at the bottom of the picture. Yellow squares are stickers that already face up; a yellow bar on the edge of the diagram is a yellow sticker facing that side. Hold your cube so it looks like the diagram, then do the algorithm. The cards also say in words how many edges and corners are yellow on top.
2-look OLL: 10 cases for beginners
Switch to 2-look OLL above the cards to see the short set. Step 1 makes the yellow cross with one of three edge cases: a line, an L, or a dot (the dot is just the line algorithm followed by the same moves with a two-layer front turn). Step 2 turns the corners with one of the seven cross cases, OLL 21 to 27, which include the Sune and Antisune. That is ten cases in all, and together with 2-look PLL it gives the 4-look last layer described on the algorithms overview.
Learning full OLL
Learn full OLL group by group: cases in a group share a shape, and often a trigger move such as R U R' U' or R' F R F'. The groups here are dot, cross, corners oriented, the shapes named after letters (P, T, C, W, I and small L), squares, fish, small and big lightning bolts, knight move and awkward. Many cases come in mirror pairs, such as 5 and 6, so learning one makes the other easier. Use the group chips and the "Not learned" filter to drill a few at a time in practice mode. Practice keeps your best and average time per case (open Your times per case, slowest first), and you can time whole solves with the cube timer.
Printable OLL sheet
Press Print sheet (or print the page from your browser) for a one-page sheet per set: all 57 OLL cases with diagram, name and main algorithm on one page, and the 10 cases of 2-look OLL on a second page. Choose Save as PDF in the print dialog to keep it as a PDF.
All OLL algorithms in one list
Moves are counted with a slice or wide turn as one.
| No. | Name | Group | Algorithm | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Runway | Dot | R U2 R2 F R F' U2 R' F R F' | 11 |
| 2 | Zamboni | Dot | F R U R' U' F' f R U R' U' f' | 12 |
| 3 | Anti-mouse | Dot | f R U R' U' f' U' F R U R' U' F' | 13 |
| 4 | Mouse | Dot | f R U R' U' f' U F R U R' U' F' | 13 |
| 5 | Lefty square | Square | r' U2 R U R' U r | 7 |
| 6 | Righty square | Square | r U2 R' U' R U' r' | 7 |
| 7 | Lightning | Small lightning bolt | r U R' U R U2 r' | 7 |
| 8 | Reverse lightning | Small lightning bolt | l' U' L U' L' U2 l | 7 |
| 9 | Kite | Fish | R U R' U' R' F R2 U R' U' F' | 11 |
| 10 | Anti-kite | Fish | R U R' U R' F R F' R U2 R' | 11 |
| 11 | Downstairs | Small lightning bolt | r U R' U R' F R F' R U2 r' | 11 |
| 12 | Upstairs | Small lightning bolt | r R2 U' R U' R' U2 R U' r' R | 11 |
| 13 | Gun | Knight move | F U R U' R2 F' R U R U' R' | 11 |
| 14 | Anti-gun | Knight move | R' F R U R' F' R F U' F' | 10 |
| 15 | Squeegee | Knight move | r' U' r R' U' R U r' U r | 10 |
| 16 | Anti-squeegee | Knight move | r U r' R U R' U' r U' r' | 10 |
| 17 | Slash | Dot | R U R' U R' F R F' U2 R' F R F' | 13 |
| 18 | Crown | Dot | R U2 R2 F R F' U2 M' U R U' r' | 12 |
| 19 | Bunny | Dot | S' R U R' S U' R' F R F' | 10 |
| 20 | Checkers | Dot | r U R' U' M2 U R U' R' U' M' | 11 |
| 21 | H | Cross | R U R' U R U' R' U R U2 R' | 11 |
| 22 | Pi | Cross | R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R | 9 |
| 23 | Headlights | Cross | R2 D' R U2 R' D R U2 R | 9 |
| 24 | Chameleon | Cross | r U R' U' r' F R F' | 8 |
| 25 | Bowtie | Cross | F' r U R' U' r' F R | 8 |
| 26 | Antisune | Cross | R U2 R' U' R U' R' | 7 |
| 27 | Sune | Cross | R U R' U R U2 R' | 7 |
| 28 | Stealth | Corners oriented | r U R' U' r' R U R U' R' | 10 |
| 29 | Spotted chameleon | Awkward | R U R' U' R U' R' F' U' F R U R' | 13 |
| 30 | Anti-spotted chameleon | Awkward | F U R U2 R' U' R U2 R' U' F' | 11 |
| 31 | Couch | P shape | R' U' F U R U' R' F' R | 9 |
| 32 | Anti-couch | P shape | S R U R' U' R' F R f' | 9 |
| 33 | Key | T shape | R U R' U' R' F R F' | 8 |
| 34 | City | C shape | R U R2 U' R' F R U R U' F' | 11 |
| 35 | Fish salad | Fish | R U2 R2 F R F' R U2 R' | 9 |
| 36 | Wario | W shape | L' U' L U' L' U L U L F' L' F | 12 |
| 37 | Mounted fish | Fish | F R' F' R U R U' R' | 8 |
| 38 | Mario | W shape | R U R' U R U' R' U' R' F R F' | 12 |
| 39 | Fung | Big lightning bolt | L F' L' U' L U F U' L' | 9 |
| 40 | Anti-fung | Big lightning bolt | R' F R U R' U' F' U R | 9 |
| 41 | Awkward fish | Awkward | R U R' U R U2 R' F R U R' U' F' | 13 |
| 42 | Lefty awkward fish | Awkward | R' U' R U' R' U2 R F R U R' U' F' | 13 |
| 43 | Anti-P | P shape | R' U' F' U F R | 6 |
| 44 | P | P shape | f R U R' U' f' | 6 |
| 45 | Suit up | T shape | F R U R' U' F' | 6 |
| 46 | Seein' headlights | C shape | R' U' R' F R F' U R | 8 |
| 47 | Anti-breakneck | Small L shape | R' U' R' F R F' R' F R F' U R | 12 |
| 48 | Breakneck | Small L shape | F R U R' U' R U R' U' F' | 10 |
| 49 | Right back squeezy | Small L shape | r U' r2 U r2 U r2 U' r | 9 |
| 50 | Right front squeezy | Small L shape | r' U r2 U' r2 U' r2 U r' | 9 |
| 51 | Bottlecap | I shape | F U R U' R' U R U' R' F' | 10 |
| 52 | Rice cooker | I shape | R U R' U R U' B U' B' R' | 10 |
| 53 | Frying pan | Small L shape | l' U' L U' L' U L U' L' U2 l | 11 |
| 54 | Anti-frying pan | Small L shape | r U R' U R U' R' U R U2 r' | 11 |
| 55 | Highway | I shape | R' F R U R U' R2 F' R2 U' R' U R U R' | 15 |
| 56 | Streetlights | I shape | r U r' U R U' R' U R U' R' r U' r' | 14 |
| 57 | Mummy | Corners oriented | R U R' U' M' U R U' r' | 9 |
Next: PLL algorithms. Before OLL comes F2L; the full method is explained on the CFOP page.
Sources: Speedsolving.com wiki: OLL. Rules checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
How many OLL algorithms are there?
There are 57 OLL cases. Our test generates every way the top pieces can be turned (216 patterns) and confirms that, ignoring turns of the top layer, they make exactly these 57 cases plus solved.
What is 2-look OLL?
OLL done in two steps with a much smaller set: first the yellow cross (three edge cases), then the yellow corners (seven cases, OLL 21 to 27). Ten cases in all, and the dot case reuses the other two edge algorithms.
Should I learn full OLL or PLL first?
A common plan starts with 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL, then full PLL (21 cases), then full OLL (57 cases), because PLL is the smaller set. Either order works.
What do the OLL numbers mean?
They are a fixed numbering used across most OLL lists, so OLL 27 (the Sune) is the same case everywhere. The numbers on this page were checked against the case images of the speedsolving.com wiki.
What is the Sune?
OLL 27, R U R' U R U2 R', used when the cross is done and one corner is yellow on top. Its mirror twin, the Antisune, is OLL 26. Do the Sune six times in a row and a solved cube comes back to solved, which our test checks.