Step 5/12 · Reduction

Last two edges

Read more

Five normal and five parity cases for the last two edges. Compare the wings with the middle piece to tell them apart.

Goal

Pair the last two edges once the centers and the other ten edges are done, without breaking anything.

How to recognize it

Bring the last two edges to the top. For each edge, compare its two wings with its own middle piece:

  • Matches: same colors, same way round as the middle piece.
  • Flipped: same colors but reversed.
  • Belongs to the other edge: the wing has the colors of the other edge's middle piece.

The first five cases pair with normal algorithms. The last five are parity: a 3x3 never has this state, so it needs its own algorithm.

How to hold the cube

The five non-parity cases: the two edges on the left and right of the top, except the rare case at the front and back. Parity: the two edges at the front and back.

Memory tips

  • The first two algorithms start with x' and a d slide, like pairing the last two edges on a 4x4.
  • Parity with one flipped edge uses the exact 4x4 OLL parity algorithm.
  • The two cases in bold in the source are Swap a wing 1 and Swap both wings. Learn those first.

Common mistakes

  • Turning Uw2, Rw2 in Swap both wings as single slices. They must be two layers.
  • Mistaking parity for a flipped case. First count which wings belong to the other edge.

Next lesson

Go to White cross, the first lesson of the 3x3 stage.

Step 1 / 8

x': Whole cube: turn 90°, front face goes down

Left edge: the back wing matches, the front wing belongs to the right edge. Right edge: the back wing belongs to the left edge, the front wing is flipped.

The last two edges on the left and right of the top. The x' at the start brings them to the front.

Step 1 of 8: x'. Whole cube: turn 90°, front face goes down