Step 4: Last Layer
In the final step, solve the last layer. The major advantage of ending in LL is that recognition for each step is easy. Most of the stickers are on the sides of the last layer, with two out of three sides in view.
Part 1: Last Six Centers
Solve the last six center pieces. In the basic version, this step is accomplished in 2 sub steps. First, solve two adjacent centers. Then solve the remaining four center pieces.
To position center pieces, only five algorithms are required. Make use of these algorithms two swap centers to solve an adjacent pair of center pieces. Then swap the final two centers.
U' F' r U R' U' r' F R
Swap LF and RB
U' R' F' r U R U' r' F
Swap LB and RB
BR r' U' R U r BR' R'
Swap LB and RF
L U' r' F R F' r U R' L'
Swap LF and RF
U BR' R r' F r U' r U' r' F R' BR
Four Swap
Additional Useful Algorithms
BR U' BR' U' BR U' BR'
Cycle all clockwise
Alt: r' F' r U' r' F' r
BL' U BL U BL' U BL
Cycle all counterclockwise
Alt: r' F r U r' F r
One Look
At the advanced level, algorithms can be learned to solve all cases in one step. A one look algorithm document will be developed and provided here.
Part 2: Last Three Corners (L3C)
Finally, the last three corners will be solved. In the basic version, the corners are oriented then permuted. There is just one algorithm for orientation and two for permutation. In the one look version, there are only five algorithms.
Orient Corners
R U R' U' F' U r U R U' r' U' F R'
Permute Corners
br' R br' U' br R' br' U br'
Clockwise permutation
Alt: R' D R U' R' D' R U' R' D R U' R' D' R
br U' br R br' U br R' br
Counterclockwise permutation
Alt: R' D R U R' D' R U R' D R U R' D' R
One Look
One look L3C is only five algorithms. Combine the following three algorithms with the two corner permutation algorithms for a one look L3C finish. You will already know the first of the following algorithms. So only two additional algorithms are needed.
R U R' U' F' U r U R U' r' U' F R'
Two flip clockwise permutation
(U) R F' U r U R' U' r' U' F U R U' R'
Two flip counterclockwise permutation
r' U' R' F' U r' F r U' F U' R U r
Pure two flip
PLL Variant
An even more advanced variant is to orient the corners then permute all pieces of the last layer. There is only one algorithm for orienting the corners, so it will likely be best to combine the corner orientation with solving the last triple of the first two layers. This will then lead directly into PLL.
The corners can be easily and intuitively oriented while placing the bottom triple. It may also be viable to combine it with solving the second center of the triple or in a much larger set of one look last triple and corner orientation. Combining corner orientation with the last triple leads to a one look last layer similar to reducing to ZBLL.
1LLL
The ultimate goal for the last layer is to learn 1LLL. This set contains 377 algorithms. Sets can be learned while using the two look last layer method.
Other Last Layer Ideas
Outside of 1LLL and the last layer methods presented above, below are some other interesting ideas:
Leave out the bottom right corner and solve all center pieces. Then solve the final four corners in a single step.
Solve one triple in one alg then solve the other two corners and four centers of the last layer in one alg. The second alg set would likely be useful to know even if not always doing LL this way.
Solve the three corners then the last six centers.
Form the three triples on the last layer then solve the triples.
Solve two centers of the last layer then solve the remaining pieces.