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All 2x2 Methods Explained in 5 minutes

A 2×2 cube has just eight corner pieces, but there are plenty of ways to solve them. Some methods keep the learning simple, while others let you finish the cube in fewer stages by recognising more cases and learning more algorithms.

 

If you have come across names such as Ortega, CLL and EG, you might be wondering what actually changes between them. This guide explains how the main 2×2 methods work, what their advantages are, and where the more advanced extensions fit in.

First, Understand the Difference Between a Face and a Layer

This is the distinction that makes most 2×2 methods easier to understand.

A solved face has four stickers of the same colour on one side. The colours around its edges do not necessarily match.

A solved layer has that same solid-colour face, with its four corners also arranged correctly. Each pair of side-facing stickers around the layer matches.

For example, four white stickers together make a white face. To make a white layer, the side stickers must form matching pairs all the way around.

You will also see two useful terms:

  • Orientation: turning a corner so its stickers face the correct directions.
  • Permutation: moving a corner into the correct position.

Different methods solve these two jobs separately or combine them.
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2×2 Methods at a Glance

Some of these are complete solving methods. Others are algorithm sets or techniques that expand the options available within an existing method.
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Beginners Method

The beginner’s method, often called Layer-by-Layer or LBL, is a straightforward starting point.

 

You build a complete first layer, then solve the remaining corners using a small number of sequences. Depending on the tutorial, you might position the last-layer corners before twisting them, or orient them before finishing their positions.

The advantage is a manageable amount to learn. You can concentrate on understanding where each piece belongs and completing a reliable solve.

The trade-off is repetition. A simple sequence may need to be repeated, and you usually stop between stages to check what comes next.

 

Best for: first-time solvers who want a clear route to solving a 2×2 consistently.

View PDF Guide

Ortega

Ortega, also known as Varasano, changes your first goal: you only need to complete a face.

 

That gives you more freedom during the opening. If all four white stickers are together, you can move on even when the side colours do not match.

The method has three stages:

  1. Build a face.
  2. Orient the opposite face using OLL, or Orientation of the Last Layer.
  3. Finish with PBL, or Permutation of Both Layers.

PBL sorts the corners in both layers together. This is what allows Ortega to work without a fully solved first layer. 

A common Ortega learning set contains 12 algorithms: seven for OLL and five for PBL.

 

Best for: cubers who want a compact speedsolving method with a relatively small algorithm set.

For practice, focus on finding a short first-face solution and recognising the finishing cases without turning the cube around repeatedly.

View PDF Guide

CLL

CLL stands for Corners of the Last Layer.

 

You start by building a complete layer, including matching side colours. Then one CLL algorithm handles both the orientation and permutation of the remaining four corners. A final top-layer adjustment may still be needed to align the cube. 

Compared with Ortega, CLL asks more of your opening but combines the finish into one algorithm.

The main learning challenge is recognition. Two cases can have the same pattern on top while needing different algorithms because the side stickers are arranged differently.

Full CLL is commonly taught as 42 cases. You can learn it gradually, using your existing method whenever you encounter a case you have not learned yet. 

 

Best for: cubers who enjoy learning algorithms and want to reduce the number of stages in their solves.

View PDF Guide

EG

EG combines the freedom of Ortega’s first-face approach with a finish that solves the remaining cube in one algorithm.

After building a face, you check the arrangement of its corners. That tells you which algorithm set to use.

EG-1

EG-1 applies when the first face is complete but its layer needs an adjacent corner swap.

 

You will find a matching pair of side stickers, commonly called a bar. The usual EG-1 approach holds this bar at the back before executing the appropriate algorithm.

The finish solves the top corners and fixes the bottom-layer swap together. 

 

Best for: CLL users who want more choices when planning their opening.

View PDF Guide

EG-2

EG-2 applies when the completed first face needs a diagonal corner swap underneath.

 

Like EG-1, its algorithms solve the top corners while correcting the bottom arrangement.

Learning EG-2 means you can use these first-face solutions directly, instead of changing the opening or handling the case through another technique. 

 

Best for: experienced solvers expanding their EG coverage.

View PDF Guide

Guimond

Guimond takes a different approach to the opening.

 

Early in the solve, opposite colours are treated as a group. On a standard colour scheme, that could mean working with white and yellow together rather than immediately building an entirely white face.

You orient the corners using these mixed opposite colours, separate the colours into their respective faces, then finish by permuting both layers.

This makes Guimond an interesting alternative for cubers who like orientation-based solving.

 

Best for: solvers who want to explore a different approach from the first-face and first-layer methods.

Our suggested starting route is Beginner’s Method followed by Ortega, but Guimond is worth exploring if its opening feels more natural to you.

LEG-1

LEG-1 covers EG-1-style positions with the bottom-layer bar held on the left.

 

Its purpose is to give you useful algorithms from that holding angle. Depending on the case and your preferred finger tricks, this can make the transition from your opening into the finish more comfortable. 

 

Best for: EG-1 users refining their execution and reducing awkward regrips or rotations.

TEG

TEG stands for Twisty EG. Its sets include TEG-1 and TEG-2.

 

These extend the adjacent-swap and diagonal-swap ideas by also allowing a twisted corner in a supported first-layer setup. The matching algorithm handles both problems while finishing the cube. 

 

Best for: advanced solvers who already recognise ordinary EG cases reliably and want more ways to approach a scramble.

LS

LS stands for Last Slot.

 

You solve three first-layer corners, leaving the fourth slot unfinished. An LS algorithm then solves the remaining five corners together.

Compared with TCLL, the unfinished corner does not simply have to sit in its correct slot with a twist. LS covers a broader collection of positions, which brings a much larger recognition and algorithm workload. 

 

Best for: experienced 2×2 specialists seeking more flexibility in their opening.

FH

FH is a specialised advanced set that covers supported first-layer arrangements with two twisted corners.

 

A matching algorithm corrects those twists and solves the remaining cube together. It extends the same general idea behind TCLL: leave part of the opening unfinished when you know an algorithm that can handle it efficiently.

 

Best for: advanced cubers who already have strong recognition skills and want to expand their available solutions.
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Which 2×2 Method Should You Learn Next?

We suggest choosing your next method around the skill you want to improve:

  • You are still learning to solve: start with Beginner’s Method.
  • You want faster solves with modest memorisation: learn Ortega.
  • You want a single-algorithm last-layer finish: start learning CLL.
  • You know CLL and want easier opening choices: add EG-1.
  • You want to handle diagonal-swap faces: learn Anti-CLL or EG-2.
  • You are comfortable with the main EG sets: explore TCLL, LEG-1 and selected advanced cases.

You can mix what you know. For example, use CLL when you recognise the case and fall back on Ortega when you do not. Gradual learning lets you keep solving while expanding your skills.