center, matching the colors of that center and each of the adjacent centers, forming the eponymous cross shape on the first layer. Most beginner methods start in identical fashion, so this step will be familiar, however while the beginner method typically recommends looking at the cross while solving it, most CFOP tutorials recommend solving the cross on the bottom side to avoid cube rotations and to get an overall better view of the important pieces needed for the next step (known as "lookahead"). This step is usually performed intuitively, with competition speedsolvers given up to 15 seconds to inspect the puzzle, most of which is spent planning the most efficient moves to create the cross. The white cross is most commonly used for demonstration and by beginner and intermediate speedsolvers, though more advanced speedcubers can use any of the six colors to form the cross (choosing the one that requires the fewest/easiest moves), a practice known as "color neutrality". First Two Layers (F2L) While the Nourse method focuses on solving the four white corners and then matching the vertical edges to the corners, the CFOP method solves each corner along with its vertical edge at the same time. There are 41 unique cases for the permutations of a corner and its matching edge on the cube, and the most efficient algorithm to solve each case without "breaking" any already-solved pair is known and can be memorized. All these algorithms are based on a simple sequence which brings the pieces to the top layer, aligns them with the color faces showing, and then inserting them into the pair's "slot" between the matching centers. This sequence can be intuitively followed, and there are special cases that can improve on the general-case solution for a pair if other conditions are met (such as another slot being unsolved or "open"). Orient Last Layer (OLL) This stage involves manipulating the top layer (yellow, if the cross is solved on white) so that all the pieces have the correct color on top, while largely ignoring the sides of these pieces. This stage involves a total of 57 algorithms, each solving a unique permutation of the top layer in a single sequence. A simpler version, called "two-look OLL", orients the edges first to produce a cross, then uses a second algorithm to orient the corners. Many beginner methods use OLL algorithms from CFOP, so this stage is