PLL

The PLL (Permutation of the Last Layer) phase in speedcubing is the final step where all the pieces on the top layer are moved into their correct positions. At this stage, the entire top face should already be a single color (from OLL), and the goal is to arrange the pieces so they match the sides. There are 21 standard PLL cases, categorized by the type of piece swaps needed. PLLs are grouped into edge-only swaps (like H, Ua, Ub, Z), adjacent swaps (like T, Ja, Jb, F, Ra, Rb, Ga, Gb, Gc, Gd), and diagonal swaps (like E, Na, Nb, V, Y). Mastering PLL recognition and execution is essential for fast solving. Good PLL recognition relies on identifying headlights (matching adjacent corners) and other patterns to quickly determine which algorithm to use.

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Adjacent swap

12 algorithms

Aa Perm

15 moves
x R' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2 x'
+1 more alg
Setup:
x R2' D2' R U R' D2' R U' R x'

Ab Perm

15 moves
x R2 D2 R U R' D2 R U' R x'
Setup:
x R' U R' D2' R U' R' D2' R2' x'

F Perm

18 moves
R' U' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' U R
+1 more alg
Setup:
R' U' R U' R' U R U R2' F' R U R U' R' F U R y'

Ga Perm

15 moves
R2 U R' U R' U' R U' R2 D U' R' U R D'
+1 more alg
Setup:
R' U' R D' U R2' U R' U R U' R U' R2' D

Gb Perm

15 moves
R' U' R U D' R2 U R' U R U' R U' R2 D
+1 more alg
Setup:
R2' U R' U R' U' R U' R2' D U' R' U R D'

Gc Perm

15 moves
R2 U' R U' R U R' U R2 D' U R U' R' D
+1 more alg
Setup:
D' R U R' U' D R2' U' R U' R' U R' U R2'

Gd Perm

15 moves
R U R' U' D R2 U' R U' R' U R' U R2 D'
+1 more alg
Setup:
R2' U' R U' R U R' U R2' D' U R U' R' D

Ja Perm

16 moves
x R2 F R F' R U2 r' U r U2 x'
+2 more algs
Setup:
L' R' U2' R U R' U2' L U' R y'

Jb Perm

13 moves
R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R'
+1 more alg
Setup:
R U R2' F' R U R U' R' F R U' R'

Ra Perm

15 moves
R U' R' U' R U R D R' U' R D' R' U2 R'
+2 more algs
Setup:
R U2' R D R' U R D' R' U' R' U R U R' y'

Rb Perm

13 moves
R' U2 R U2 R' F R U R' U' R' F' R2
+1 more alg
Setup:
R' U R U R' U' R' D' R U R' D R U2' R

T Perm

14 moves
R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F'
Setup:
F R U' R' U R U R2' F' R U R U' R'

Diagonal swap

5 algorithms

E Perm

22 moves
x' R U' R' D R U R' D' R U R' D R U' R' D' x
+1 more alg
Setup:
x' D R U R' D' R U' R' D R U' R' D' R U R' x y'

Na Perm

21 moves
R U R' U R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U2 R U' R'
+1 more alg
Setup:
R U R' U2' R U R2' F' R U R U' R' F R U' R' U' R U' R'

Nb Perm

17 moves
R' U R U' R' F' U' F R U R' F R' F' R U' R
+1 more alg
Setup:
F r' F' r U r U' r2' D' F r U r' F' D r

V Perm

16 moves
R' U R' U' R D' R' D R' U D' R2 U' R2 D R2
+1 more alg
Setup:
D2' R' U R D' R2' U' R' U R' U R' D' R U2' R'

Y Perm

17 moves
F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F'
+1 more alg
Setup:
F R' F' R U R U' R' F R U' R' U R U R' F'

Edges only

4 algorithms

H Perm

8 moves
(M2 U M2 U2)2
+1 more alg
Setup:
M2' U' M2' U2' M2' U' M2'

Ua Perm

7 moves
M2 U M U2 M' U M2
+2 more algs
Setup:
M2' U' M' U2' M U' M2'

Ub Perm

7 moves
M2 U' M U2 M' U' M2
+2 more algs
Setup:
M2' U M' U2' M U M2'

Z Perm

9 moves
M' U' M2 U' M2 U' M' U2 M2
+1 more alg
Setup:
M U2' M2' U2' M U' M2' U' M2'