Fridrich (CFOP) - Stage 1

If you have already read our beginners solution guide, you will
already know how to do this step. But here are a few tips on
how to get faster at the cross.
TIPS
Try solving the cross on bottom instead of top. This means you
can look ahead to the next step. You could even do it on the left
if you like; some people do this and there is no disadvantage to
it. A general hint is to never waste moves - know why youre
making moves when you do them. It may help if you turn a bit
slower- this means in the long run youll use fewer moves and
be faster. Try planning the cross in inspection time. Yes, in
official competitions you get 15 seconds to inspect the cube.
Try to imagine the moves youre making and track where the
cross pieces are going in your head. Instead of solving each
edge one by one, see if you can solve two in one go. You may
find this easier if, before you start, you already find where each
of the white cross edges are on the cube
Fridrich (CFOP) - Stage 2
This is the hard bit. But be patient! It is a lot faster than the
beginners way of solving the first two layers. Understand that,
once youve done the cross, there are four corner-edge slots for
you to fill, to complete solving the first two layers. Here we
solve the first two layers at the same time, by making corneredge pairs and then inserting the pairs into the empty slots.
Again making the corner-edge pairs is intuitive, but here are a
few hints:
HINTS

Try making sure that the corner and edge of the pair have the
same colour facing up, then you can use algorithms such as R U
R to pair them up. Be sure to pay attention to where the cross
is, so you dont break it. Just like with the cross, locate the two
pieces of the pair before trying to pair them up. Then you can
track them as you make moves. After pairing them up you can
easily insert the pair. See below for some algorithms.
ONE WAY OF SOLVING THE FIRST TWO LAYERS
STAGE 1: GET BOTH PAIR PIECES ON THE UPPER LAYER
STAGE 2: SEPARATE THE PAIR PIECES
STAGE 3: MAKE SURE THE CORNERS WHITE ISNT
FACING UP
STAGE 4: MAKE THE PAIR
STAGE 5: INSERT THE PAIR

GETTING BOTH THE PAIR PIECES ON THE UPPER LAYER

Try to get both the edge and corner on the top layer. If youre
stuck, try these algorithms to get them there. Be wary of if any
of the pieces in the indicated area are there. If they are, you
might need to move them away with a U move. This is because
the algorithm moves that piece into the D layer whilst you want
both of the pieces in the U layer. Step 1, get the edge on the U
layer. Rotate the cube such that the edge is in the green area,
and make sure the corner is not in the red area by doing U
turns. Then do the algorithm:

R U R
Step 2, get the corner on the U layer. Rotate the cube such that
the corner is in the indicated area. Then do the algorithm:

R U R
SEPARATING THE PAIR PIECES
If the pair pieces are together, it helps to separate them. It
makes them easier to work with. There are two possibilities for
how they are stuck together; rotate the U layer until you get
one of these- the pair is marked in green. Be aware of the slot
the algorithms affect (marked in blue); turn the bottom two
layers so that the indicated slot is clear before doing them.

R U R

R U R
MAKE SURE THE CORNERS WHITE STICKER IS NOT
FACING UP

This again makes it easier to work with the pairs. Again the
area that is affected by these algorithms is marked. If the white
sticker on the corner (marked in green) is facing up, you can
twist it anticlockwise using this algorithm.
R U R
If the edge is in the red area, then this algorithm will take it out
of the U layer. Instead you might want to do this algorithm in
that case.

R U2 R
This algorithm may cause the pieces to get stuck together- if
so, you know what to do.
MAKING THE PAIR
If the colours of the pair on top are the same, you have to move
the edge round via a U move to place it next to the corner in
the right place. Of course just doing a U move to move it there
will not work, because doing a U move will affect your corner
which is the U layer. So youll have to move the corner out of
the U layer, temporarily, into the D layer using (R,L, F or B),
then move the edge (orange) where it should be, then move it
back (this at the same time restores the cross. Generally you
want to move the corner out of the way using the face its white
is on. Notice where white is in each diagram, as well as which
slots are affected.

R UX R

F UX F
If the colours of the pair are different, then you can move them
opposite each other using the same method described above,
but instead of using the U layer to bring the edge next to the
corner, you use the U layer to bring the edge opposite the
corner. Then you can pair them together with one move (this
affects the cross), move the pair out of the way so you can
restore the cross. Here are two possible cases and algorithms to
solve them. The slot they affect is marked in blue.

R U R

R U R
INSERTING THE PAIR
Once you have paired them, you can insert them with one of
two algorithms depending on the pairs orientation:

U R U R

U F U F
Fridrich (CFOP) - Stage 3
SOLVING (ORIENTING) THE TOP SIDE
Just like in the other solution guide, our goal here is to get the
top side all yellow. To do this we orient (flip them up the right
way) the edges, followed by the corners. We first have to orient
the edges, and this is done in the same way as before, except
we have one extra algorithm that may help you save time for
the case where there are 4 edges flipped. This algorithm
consists of the first two, which you probably already know.

F R U R U F

F U R U R F

F R U R U F U2 F U R U R F

For corner orientation, it helps to learn all 7 cases. You might

notice some similarities between some of the algorithms.

R U R U R U2 R

R U2 R U R U R

L F R F L F R F

U R2 D R U2 R D R U2 R

L U L U R U L U R L

Fridrich (CFOP) - Stage 4

SOLVING THE TOP SIDE
Look around the top side corners, and look for where there are
two matching colours on the same face, and from this deduce
which corners must be swapped for them to be relatively solved
(this means that if you turn the U layer in some direction, all
the corners will be solved). If there are no matching colours,
then two corners must be swapped diagonally.

To swap C and D:
R F R B2 R F R B2 R2
To swap A and D:
F R U R U R U R F R U R U R F R F

Finally we have to position the edges correctly. This is the same

step as in the other solution guide, however we have additional
algorithms which you should learn to be faster. Check which
edges arent in the right place and determine which edges
should go where.

To cycle E to G to H:
M2 U M U2 M U M2
To cycle E to H to G:
M2 U M U2 M U M2
To swap E and F as well as G and H:
M2 U M2 U M U2 M2 U2 M
To swap F and H as well as E and G:
M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2