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The cross is the first step of CFOP: you build a plus sign of four edge pieces around one center, and in standard CFOP you build it on the bottom. The goal is to finish it in 8 moves or fewer while planning the whole thing during the 15-second inspection, so your hands start moving the moment the timer does. This guide covers what the cross is, how to plan it, how to stay efficient, and the mistakes that keep beginners stuck at 4–5 seconds on a step that should take 1–2.

What the cross actually is

A cross is four edge pieces placed around a center so that each edge matches both its center colors. If you solve white on the bottom, you need the white-red, white-blue, white-orange, and white-green edges sitting in the bottom layer, with each edge's side color aligned to the matching side center.

Two conditions define a finished cross:

• All four edges are in the bottom layer.
• Each edge's side sticker matches the center it touches.

An edge that is in the bottom layer but rotated wrong, or aligned to the wrong center, is not solved. This matters because F2L assumes the cross is correct — a misaligned cross edge means you will hunt for a piece that is already "placed" but wrong.

Why the bottom layer

Solving the cross on the bottom means you never have to look at it again. The solved cross stays out of sight while you work on F2L in the top and middle layers, and you can verify it by feel and by the side stickers alone. Solving on top forces a cube rotation (or a full re-inspection) before F2L, which costs time and breaks the flow between steps.

If you are coming from a beginner method that solves the cross on top, the switch is uncomfortable for a few days and then strictly better. Commit to bottom.

Planning the cross during inspection

Inspection is where the cross is actually won or lost. You get 15 seconds; use most of it on the cross, not on staring at the cube.

A workable routine:

1. Pick your color. Most solvers fix one cross color (commonly white) so planning becomes automatic. Color neutrality — solving whichever cross is easiest — is faster in theory but a separate skill; do not mix it in while you are still learning to plan one color.
2. Find all four edges. Locate each cross edge and note its position and orientation in your head.
3. Choose an order and a solution. Decide which edge goes first, how the others follow, and whether any move solves two edges at once.
4. Count the moves. If your plan is over 8 moves, look for a better one before you start.
5. Track the first F2L pair if you can. Once cross planning is comfortable, use the leftover inspection time to spot a corner-edge pair. This is the bridge to F2L.

The hard part is not finding the edges — it is holding the whole plan in your head while executing. Start by planning 2–3 moves, then 4–5, and build up. Planning a full cross under 8 moves is a trainable skill, not a talent.

Tracking pieces instead of memorizing moves

Beginners memorize a move sequence and lose track when the cube looks different than expected. Stronger solvers track pieces: "this edge goes down here, which pushes that edge to the top, which I then insert." If you track where pieces end up, a wrong turn is recoverable because you still know the state. If you only memorized moves, a wrong turn means starting over.

Efficiency: 8 moves or fewer, no rotations

The cross is short enough that small inefficiencies dominate your time. Two rules carry most of the benefit.

Solve in 8 moves or fewer. The cross has a low theoretical maximum, and most scrambles allow 4–6 moves with practice. If your solution is 10+ moves, you are almost certainly inserting edges one at a time instead of letting one move set up the next.

Avoid cube rotations. Rotating the cube during the cross wastes time and makes the rest of your plan harder to execute. Solve the cross in the orientation you inspected it in. Rotations during F2L are sometimes necessary; during the cross they are almost always avoidable.

Other habits that help:

• Use the bottom and side layers. Most cross solutions are built with D, R, L, U, and F moves. Slice moves (M, E, S) are rarely the efficient choice here.
• Solve relative positions, not absolute ones. You do not need each edge in its final spot immediately; you need the four edges correctly arranged relative to each other. Then one D or D' aligns the whole cross to the centers.
• Let one insertion fix another. A single R or L turn can drop one edge into place while bringing another edge to a better position.

A quick example

Suppose the white-red edge is in the top layer with white facing up, and the white-blue edge is in the middle layer. Instead of turning the top to bring white-red over its slot and inserting it, then separately handling white-blue, look for a turn that places white-red while moving white-blue closer to the bottom. Two edges per move is the difference between a 6-move cross and a 10-move one.

Common beginner mistakes

The "one edge at a time" habit is the most common and the most costly. It feels safe because each edge is a small, verifiable task, but it turns a 5-move cross into a 12-move one and trains you to solve reactively instead of planning.

When to move on to F2L

Move on when the cross is solved and aligned — all four bottom edges matching their centers — and you have at least a rough idea of where one F2L pair is. Do not stop to admire the cross or re-check it; the side stickers confirm it as you transition.

A reasonable progression:

• First: solve the cross on the bottom, any number of moves, no timer.
• Then: plan the full cross during inspection and finish in 8 moves or fewer.
• Then: use leftover inspection time to locate the first F2L pair.
• Then: push cross time toward 1–2 seconds.

If your cross is consistently under 2 seconds and you can usually spot a pair during inspection, the cross is no longer your bottleneck — F2L is. That is the signal to shift your practice there.

If you want structured cross and EOLine/EOCross practice, trainers built for CFOP and ZZ (like the ones at crystalcuber.com) let you drill the first step in isolation instead of running full solves.

EO stands for edge orientation. In speedcubing, it describes whether an edge piece is oriented correctly — meaning it can be solved using only R, U, and L moves (and their inverses), without needing F, B, D, or slice moves to flip it. EO is the first step of the ZZ method, where you orient all twelve edges before continuing the solve. It also appears in CFOP as a recognition skill and in methods like Roux and Petrus as a substep. If you are learning ZZ, EO is mandatory; if you use CFOP, understanding EO helps you avoid unnecessary rotations and inefficient edge handling.

Why edge orientation matters

An edge is "good" (oriented) if it can be placed into its correct position and orientation using only moves that keep the first two layers intact — typically R, U, L, and their inverses. An edge is "bad" (misoriented) if it requires an F, B, or D move to flip it into place.

The practical consequence: bad edges force you to break your solve flow. In CFOP, a misoriented edge in the cross or F2L often means an extra cube rotation or a longer insertion. In ZZ, you eliminate that problem entirely by fixing all edges at the start.

EO in the ZZ method

ZZ begins with EO, then builds either a line (EOLine) or a cross (EOCross) on the bottom. After EO, the rest of the solve uses only R, U, and L moves — no F or B turns, and no cube rotations for edge handling.

EOLine

EOLine combines edge orientation with the DF and DB edges placed on the bottom layer, forming a line. The result is a solved line plus all edges oriented. From there, you solve the first two layers using only R, U, L moves, then finish with last layer.

• Step 1: Inspect the cube and plan EO + DF/DB placement during inspection.
• Step 2: Execute EO while placing DF and DB.
• Step 3: Solve F2L with R, U, L only.
• Step 4: Last layer (typically OCLL + PLL, or ZBLL for advanced solvers).

EOCross

EOCross extends EOLine by solving the full cross (four bottom edges) during EO, rather than just a line. This gives you a complete cross after step one, similar to CFOP's cross but with all edges oriented.

• Advantage: You enter F2L with a solved cross and no misoriented edges.
• Trade-off: EOCross is harder to plan in inspection than EOLine because you must track four cross edges plus orientation.

Both EOLine and EOCross are trained on crystalcuber.com, which offers speedcubing trainers for CFOP and ZZ.

EO in CFOP and other methods

CFOP does not have a dedicated EO step, but edge orientation still affects efficiency:

• Cross: If a cross edge is misoriented, you may need an extra move or rotation to insert it correctly.
• F2L: Misoriented edges can force F or B moves, breaking the R, U, L-only flow that ZZ guarantees.
• Last layer: OLL and PLL handle orientation and permutation, but recognizing EO patterns (like the dot, line, and L cases) is part of OLL preparation.

In Roux, EO is handled after the first two blocks, often using M and U moves. In Petrus, EO is done after the 2x2x3 block, before the last layer.

How to recognize and fix bad edges

A bad edge is one that cannot be solved with R, U, L moves alone. To identify them:

1. Check the U and D layers: An edge in the U or D layer is good if its side sticker matches the adjacent center color when the edge is in its correct position.
2. Check the middle layer: An edge in the E slice (between U and D) is good if its stickers align with the F/B or R/L centers in a way that allows R, U, L insertion.
3. Count bad edges: In ZZ, you typically have 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 bad edges. The number is always even.

To fix bad edges, you use moves that flip them — typically F, B, or D moves combined with U turns. The goal is to reduce the count to zero.

Practicing EO

• Start with inspection: Give yourself unlimited inspection time to count bad edges and plan a fix. Reduce the time as you improve.
• Use a trainer: Tools like crystalcuber.com provide EO scrambles and practice modes for ZZ.
• Drill EOLine separately: Practice only EO + DF/DB placement until it becomes automatic, then add F2L.
• Track your bad edge count: After each solve, note how many bad edges you had and whether your fix was optimal.

Key takeaways

• EO means edge orientation — whether an edge can be solved with R, U, L moves only.
• ZZ uses EO as its first step, either as EOLine or EOCross.
• CFOP does not have a dedicated EO step, but misoriented edges cost you moves and rotations.
• Recognizing and fixing bad edges is a trainable skill that improves efficiency in any method.

Cubing is the hobby of solving twisty puzzles—most often the 3x3 Rubik's Cube—and speedcubing is the competitive branch of it: solving those puzzles as fast as possible, usually under a timer and with a method you've deliberately practiced. If you already know how to solve a cube casually and want to get faster, or you're starting from zero and want to begin the "right" way, this covers what the events are, what gear you actually need, and a realistic beginner path. The main condition to keep in mind: speedcubing rewards consistency and deliberate practice far more than raw puzzle knowledge, so the order in which you learn things matters.

Cubing vs. speedcubing

Casual solving means getting the cube solved by any means—often by memorizing a single beginner method or even by taking it apart. Speedcubing means solving with a fixed, efficient method, timed, with the goal of lowering your average. The distinction isn't the puzzle; it's the intent and the measurement.

The main events

Speedcubing isn't just the 3x3. Official-style competition covers a range of puzzles, and each has its own methods and records. The Speed Cube Database, a free online speedcubing algorithm and reconstruction database, covers algorithms for 2x2 through 6x6 as well as Square-1, Pyraminx, and Megaminx.

• 2x2 — solved largely with the same ideas as the 3x3 last layer; fast and beginner-friendly.
• 3x3 — the flagship event and where most people start.
• 4x4, 5x5, 6x6 — "big cubes," solved by reducing them to a 3x3-like state.
• Square-1 — a shape-shifting puzzle with its own notation and method.
• Pyraminx — a tetrahedral puzzle, quick to learn.
• Megaminx — a dodecahedral puzzle solved like a layered 3x3 with extra steps.

How solves are timed

A solve is timed from the moment you start the timer to the moment the cube is solved and you stop it. In practice, cubers use a stackmat-style timer (hands on pads) or a keyboard/spacebar timer in software. Results are usually reported as an average of 5 (the middle three of five solves, dropping best and worst) or an average of 12, because a single lucky solve isn't a fair measure of skill. Inspection time—looking at the cube before starting—is typically limited, so part of the skill is planning your first moves during that window.

Essential gear

You need very little to start, but the right few items make practice measurable.

• A speedcube. A cube designed to turn fast and corner-cut, rather than a stiff display cube. This is the one purchase that matters most early on.
• A timer. Either a physical stackmat timer or free timer software/apps. The point is consistent, recorded times.
• Algorithm references. A database of algorithms (often called "algs") and, ideally, reconstructions—breakdowns of how fast solvers actually executed a solve—so you can see method in action rather than just memorizing sequences.

The Speed Cube Database is one such free resource: it hosts algorithms and reconstructions across the puzzles listed above, which makes it useful both for looking up a specific case and for studying how faster solvers handle a scramble.

A beginner path

The order below front-loads the things that pay off longest. Skipping straight to advanced methods usually backfires because you lack the notation fluency and finger speed to use them.

1. Learn cube notation. Letters like R, U, F (and their primes and doubles) describe turns. Every algorithm and tutorial assumes you can read this, so it's the true first step.
2. Learn a basic method. A layer-by-layer beginner method gets you solving reliably. The goal here is completion, not speed.
3. Practice fingertricks. These are the finger movements that let you turn faces without regripping the whole cube. They're the difference between "knowing" an algorithm and executing it quickly.
4. Look up algorithms for the cases you keep hitting. This is where an algorithm database earns its place—you find the specific case, learn the alg, and drill it.
5. Study reconstructions. Watching how a fast solve breaks down shows you where time is actually lost (usually the cross and the transition into the first pair, not the last layer).
6. Track your averages. Time yourself in sets and record the average, not the single best. Progress in speedcubing shows up in averages first.

Common sticking points

• Memorizing algs without fingertricks. You'll plateau fast; the alg is only half the skill.
• Chasing a new method too early. A beginner method solved smoothly often beats an advanced method solved clumsily.
• Measuring by best single. It's noisy. Averages of 5 or 12 tell you whether you're actually improving.
• Ignoring inspection. Planning your first steps during inspection is free time you're otherwise wasting.

Where to go next

Once you can solve reliably and read notation, the productive loop is: identify the cases slowing you down, look up the algorithm, drill it with proper fingertricks, then check reconstructions to see how faster solvers chain their steps together. Free databases that cover algorithms and reconstructions for 2x2 through 6x6, Square-1, Pyraminx, and Megaminx give you a single place to do most of that lookup work, which keeps your practice focused on solving rather than searching.

Speedcubing is solving twisty puzzles for time rather than just for completion. You start by learning a beginner layer-by-layer method on a decent speed cube, then move to an advanced method like CFOP, Roux, or ZZ once you can solve without looking at instructions. The gear that actually matters at the start is a cube with good corner cutting, some lube, a timer, and a mat; everything else is optional until you know you'll stick with it.

Speedcubing vs. casual solving

A casual solver is done when the cube is solved. A speedcuber is done when the timer stops, and the number on the timer is the point. That single shift changes everything about how you practice:

• You measure solves and track averages instead of just finishing.
• You learn algorithms as muscle memory, not as steps you read off a page.
• You care about fingertricks, because how you turn a face matters as much as which face you turn.
• You compare your times against your own past times, not against whether the puzzle got solved.

The main events and puzzle types

Speedcubing is not one event. The Speed Cube Database covers algorithms for 2x2 through 6x6, plus Square-1, Pyraminx, and Megaminx, which gives a sense of how wide the competitive range is.

You do not need to pick an event on day one. Most people start on 3x3 because that's where the method resources, algorithm sets, and community knowledge are deepest, then branch out.

Method progression: beginner to advanced

The usual path runs from a beginner layer-by-layer method to one of the advanced methods. The beginner method breaks the solve into many small, easy steps with few algorithms. Advanced methods cut the step count and raise the algorithm count, which is why they're faster once the algorithms are automatic.

• Beginner layer-by-layer. Solve the first layer, then the second layer, then orient and permute the last layer. Low algorithm count, high step count. This is where you should start.
• CFOP. Cross, F2L (first two layers), OLL (orient last layer), PLL (permute last layer). The most widely documented advanced method, and the one most algorithm databases are organized around.
• Roux. Block building on the left and right, then last-layer and middle-slice work. Fewer rotations, more emphasis on block-building intuition.
• ZZ. Starts with an edge-orientation step, which sets up a last layer with fewer cases and lets you solve without rotating the cube as much.

The right time to switch is when your beginner-method solves feel automatic and your times have plateaued, not before. Switching early means learning advanced algorithms while still thinking about basic turning.

Gear that actually matters

• A speed cube. The defining feature is corner cutting: the cube lets you turn a face even when a layer isn't perfectly aligned. A cube that locks up on slight misalignment will cap your improvement no matter how well you know your algorithms.
• Lube. Changes the feel and speed of the cube. Different lubes give different results, so treat this as tuning rather than a requirement.
• A timer. Needed to measure solves and track averages. Without recorded times you have no feedback loop.
• A mat. Protects the cube and the surface, and gives you a consistent place to solve.

Everything beyond this list is preference. Do not buy gear to solve a practice problem.

Using algorithms and algsheets

An algorithm (alg) is a fixed sequence of moves that produces a specific result, written in standard notation. An algsheet is a collection of algorithms organized by case, usually one sheet per step or per puzzle. The Speed Cube Database is a free online speedcubing algorithm and reconstruction database covering every algorithm for 2x2–6x6, Square-1, Pyraminx, and Megaminx, and it also hosts video content.

A workable way to use them:

1. Identify the case you keep getting stuck on.
2. Look up the alg for that case on an algsheet or database.
3. Learn the move sequence slowly, then drill it until it's automatic.
4. Practice the fingertricks for that alg so the turns flow instead of stopping between moves.
5. Add it to your solves only after it's faster than what you were doing before.

Learning algs you never encounter in real solves is wasted effort. Learn the cases that show up in your own solves.

A simple practice routine

• Timed solves. Do sets of solves with the timer running. This is your raw data.
• Track averages. A single fast solve means little; an average over many solves shows whether you're actually improving. Watch the trend, not one number.
• Learn fingertricks. Practice turning technique on their own, separate from full solves, so the movements become automatic.
• Drill weak cases. When one step keeps costing you time, isolate it and repeat it rather than doing more full solves.
• Review reconstructions. A reconstruction is a step-by-step breakdown of a solve. Comparing your solve to a faster one shows where you lost time.

Getting started, in order

1. Learn the beginner layer-by-layer method until you can solve a 3x3 without instructions.
2. Get a cube with good corner cutting, a timer, and a mat.
3. Start timing your solves and tracking averages.
4. Learn fingertricks for the moves you already use.
5. Pick one advanced method (CFOP is the most documented) and learn it in stages.
6. Use an algsheet or algorithm database to learn cases as you meet them.
7. Branch into other events once 3x3 feels comfortable.

EOLine is the first step of the ZZ method: you orient all twelve edges and simultaneously solve the two bottom edges of the line (DF and DB) in one planned sequence. It is used in ZZ solves, not CFOP, and its purpose is to leave the rest of the solve with only R, U, and L turns needed for the F2L and last layer. If you are learning ZZ, EOLine is the step you plan during inspection and execute first.

What EOLine actually does

Two things happen at once:

• Edge orientation (EO): every edge is turned so it can later be solved using only R, U, and L moves, without F or B turns.
• Line: the DF and DB edges are placed correctly, forming a line along the bottom-front-to-bottom-back axis.

The result is a cube state where the remaining F2L pairs and the last layer can be handled with a restricted, more ergonomic move set. That restriction is the whole point of ZZ — it removes the need for rotations and makes the later steps more predictable.

Why edge orientation matters

In a normal solve, edges can be "bad" — they need an F or B turn to be solved. Those turns are awkward and force cube rotations. Orienting all edges up front means:

• No F or B moves are needed after EOLine.
• The cube stays in one orientation for the rest of the solve.
• F2L becomes a matter of pairing and inserting with R, U, L.
• Last layer algorithms can be chosen from a smaller, rotation-free set.

So EOLine is not just a setup step; it is what makes the rest of ZZ efficient.

EOLine vs EOCross vs plain EO

These three are related but not the same:

Plain EO leaves the entire bottom layer to be built later. EOLine adds the two line edges, which anchors the solve and makes the transition into F2L smoother. EOCross goes further and solves the whole cross, but it is harder to plan in inspection and generally costs more moves. EOLine is the standard ZZ choice because it balances planning difficulty against a clean F2L start.

How to plan and execute EOLine

The step is done in two phases: planning during inspection, then execution.

1. Inspect and identify bad edges. Scan the cube and count edges that are not oriented. A typical EOLine has around 4–6 bad edges to fix.
2. Choose an orientation. Decide which face will be your front for the solve. This choice affects how easy the EO and line are to combine.
3. Plan the EO sequence. Work out the moves that orient all bad edges. This is usually a short sequence of F, B, and other turns.
4. Fold in the line edges. While planning, track where DF and DB need to end up and adjust the sequence so they land correctly.
5. Execute without pausing. The goal is to finish EOLine and flow straight into F2L with no hesitation.

The hard part is step 3 and 4 together — combining EO with the line placement in one mental plan. Beginners often plan EO and then hunt for the line edges mid-solve, which breaks the flow.

Practice and trainers

EOLine is a planning skill, so it improves with repetition on scrambles rather than with algorithms. Useful approaches:

• Use a trainer. crystalcuber (crystalcuber.com) provides speedcubing trainers for CFOP and ZZ, including EO and EOLine practice, which lets you drill the orientation and line step in isolation.
• Time your inspection. Give yourself a fixed inspection window and try to complete the full EOLine plan within it.
• Count moves. Track your EOLine move count and aim to bring it down over time.
• Review scrambles. After a solve, check whether a different orientation would have made the EOLine easier.

The goal is not a fixed move count but a plan you can execute without stopping. Once EOLine flows into F2L automatically, the rest of ZZ becomes much easier to learn.