Rubik's Cube PLL Edges
This page provides an interactive case guide after JavaScript loads; the list below covers every case.
Case recognition
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Opposite-edge swap (H-perm)
Opposite-edge swap (H-perm): the four top edges swap in opposite pairs (front↔back, left↔right), with no edge in place.
U align
Edge formula
Recognize · opposite-edge swap
U align · no U adjustment needed
H-perm is insensitive to U direction (any U orientation gives the same result), so there's no anchor to find and no U adjustment — just keep the standard grip.
In position
H-perm is insensitive to U direction; it can be executed at any U orientation with no U adjustment — just keep the standard grip.
H-perm · M2 opposite-edge swap
0 anchors + all four top edges misplaced → trigger the H-perm; the M2-slice (four M2s around U/U2/U) swaps the opposite edges into place.
None of the four top edges is in its original spot, and they swap in opposite pairs (front↔back, left↔right). Checking each side sticker, you can't find a single edge that matches the adjacent center's color.
All four edges' side stickers mismatch the adjacent centers; each edge has moved to the spot directly opposite (front↔back, left↔right), so there's no in-place edge to use as an anchor.
Confirm: opposite edges swap in pairs (H-perm). The structure is four M2s around U / U2 / U, i.e. M2 U · M2 U2 · M2 U · M2; all four M2s are 180° and direction-independent — only the middle U / U2 sets the rhythm. The formula only touches the middle-layer M2 and U, never the corners; the four top edges swap in pairs.
If you don't want to memorize the M-slice, you can replace it with two U-perms: fire off any U-perm blind (Ua: R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2, or Ub: R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R') with the standard grip and no U adjustment, and exactly 1 in-place edge will appear on the top layer as the anchor; move it to the back (UB), then finish with the matching Ua/Ub. Two U-perms complete it.
H-perm formula
Execute M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2: four M2s (180°, direction-independent) around U / U2 / U, swapping the opposite edges into place in pairs.
Top layer done
U layer aligned; edge permutation complete
U finish
Rotate the U layer so all the edges' and corners' side colors line up with the centers; the cube is solved.
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Adjacent-edge swap (Z-perm)
Adjacent-edge swap (Z-perm): the four top edges swap in adjacent pairs (front↔right, back↔left), with no edge in place.
U align
Edge formula
Recognize · adjacent-edge swap
U align · no U adjustment needed
Z-perm is insensitive to U direction, so there's no anchor to find and no U adjustment — just keep the standard grip.
In position
Z-perm is insensitive to U direction; it can be executed at any U orientation with no U adjustment — just keep the standard grip.
Z-perm · M′ adjacent-edge swap
0 anchors + all four top edges misplaced → trigger the Z-perm; M2 U M2 U with a symmetric M' core swaps the adjacent edges into place.
None of the four top edges is in its original spot, and they swap in adjacent pairs (front↔right, back↔left). Checking each side sticker, you can't find a single edge that matches the adjacent center's color.
All four edges' side stickers mismatch the adjacent centers; each edge has moved to an adjacent spot (front↔right, back↔left) — distinct from the H-perm's opposite-edge swap — so there's no in-place edge to use as an anchor.
Confirm: adjacent edges swap in pairs (Z-perm). The structure is 'front M2 U M2 U + symmetric core M' U2 M2 U2 M' + finishing U2'; the M' at each end of the core is symmetric, and M' is the middle layer in the inverse direction (same direction as L'). The formula is built from the middle-layer M2, M' and U, never touching the corners; the four top edges swap in adjacent pairs.
If you don't want to memorize the M-slice, you can replace it with two U-perms: fire off any U-perm blind (Ua or Ub) with the standard grip and no U adjustment, and exactly 1 in-place edge will appear on the top layer as the anchor; move it to the back (UB), then finish with the matching Ua/Ub. H-perm and Z-perm don't need to be distinguished under this strategy — two U-perms complete it.
Z-perm formula
Execute M2 U M2 U M' U2 M2 U2 M' U2: M' is the middle layer in the inverse direction (same direction as L'), the rest clockwise, swapping the adjacent edges into place in pairs.
Top layer done
U layer aligned; edge permutation complete
U finish
Rotate the U layer so all the edges' and corners' side colors line up with the centers; the cube is solved.
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Clockwise 3-edge cycle (Ua-perm)
Clockwise 3-edge cycle (Ua-perm): exactly one top edge is in place as the anchor, and the other three cycle clockwise.
U align
Edge formula
Recognize · clockwise 3-edge cycle
U align · move the in-place edge to the back UB
Rotate the U layer to move the in-place edge to the back (UB position) to serve as the fixed anchor for the 3-edge cycle.
Keep anchor
Move the in-place edge (the one whose side sticker matches the center color) to the back UB position to serve as the anchor for the Ua-perm.
Ua-perm · clockwise 3-edge cycle
1 anchor (moved to UB) → trigger the Ua-perm; the R/U formula cycles the other three edges clockwise into place.
Exactly one top edge is in place (its side sticker matches the adjacent center's color); the other three need a clockwise cycle.
Find the edge whose side sticker matches the center color to use as the anchor; the other three edges' side stickers all mismatch the centers, offset clockwise.
Confirm: the UB edge is the anchor and the other three cycle clockwise (Ua-perm). Memory aid: Ua and Ub are inverses — both 'fix UB, cycle three edges', differing only in direction; picking the wrong one just leaves it unsolved, so switch to the other. The formula only touches R and U, never the corners; it fixes the UB edge and cycles the other three clockwise. Formula R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2.
Ua-perm formula
Execute R U' R U R U R U' R' U' R2; the three edges cycle clockwise into place (R clockwise, U' counter-clockwise).
Top layer done
U layer aligned; edge permutation complete
U finish
Rotate the U layer so all the edges' and corners' side colors line up with the centers; the cube is solved.
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Counter-clockwise 3-edge cycle (Ub-perm)
Counter-clockwise 3-edge cycle (Ub-perm): exactly one top edge is in place as the anchor, and the other three cycle counter-clockwise.
U align
Edge formula
Recognize · counter-clockwise 3-edge cycle
U align · move the in-place edge to the back UB
Rotate the U layer to move the in-place edge to the back (UB position) to serve as the fixed anchor for the 3-edge cycle.
Keep anchor
Move the in-place edge (the one whose side sticker matches the center color) to the back UB position to serve as the anchor for the Ub-perm.
Ub-perm · counter-clockwise 3-edge cycle
1 anchor (moved to UB) → trigger the Ub-perm; the R/U formula cycles the other three edges counter-clockwise into place.
Exactly one top edge is in place (its side sticker matches the adjacent center's color); the other three need a counter-clockwise cycle (the opposite direction from Ua).
Find the edge whose side sticker matches the center color to use as the anchor; the other three edges are offset counter-clockwise.
Confirm: the UB edge is the anchor and the other three cycle counter-clockwise (Ub-perm). Memory aid: Ub and Ua are inverses — both 'fix UB, cycle three edges', differing only in direction; picking the wrong one just leaves it unsolved, so switch to the other. The formula only touches R and U, never the corners; it fixes the UB edge and cycles the other three counter-clockwise. Formula R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'.
Ub-perm formula
Execute R2 U R U R' U' R' U' R' U R'; the three edges cycle counter-clockwise into place (R2 is 180°, the remaining R and U alternate).
Top layer done
U layer aligned; edge permutation complete
U finish
Rotate the U layer so all the edges' and corners' side colors line up with the centers; the cube is solved.
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Top edges in place
Top-edge permutation is done (the cube is solved).
U align
Edge formula
U align
Edge formula
All top edges are in place; no action is needed.
Top-edge permutation is done and the cube is solved.
Top layer done
U layer aligned; edge permutation complete