# How to Get Faster using the ZZ Method



## uvafan (Nov 18, 2012)

**I don't take full credit for this content. These are my edits to a draft that CubeRoots sent me.**
This tutorial is meant to provide a guide for those who have never learned how to solve a cube to get to sub12 using the ZZ method. However, if you have already learned another method, you may be able to skip a few steps after watching asmallkitten's ZZ tutorial and practicing a bit. The estimated time for each step is an estimation; it may take you longer or shorter than that amount of time to complete each step. This is not meant to be followed exactly; remember that everyone progresses differently! Good luck!

How to get faster using the ZZ method
Step 0
Current Average: 60 - ∞ seconds
Goal Average: 40 - 60 seconds
Estimated Time: 2 – 4 weeks
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 Buy a decent cube, learn the notation and choose a color scheme(i.e. blue front yellow top).
 Learn the following (more) beginner-friendly version of ZZ from this tutorial - part 2 may be especially helpful:
Edge Orientation 
Line 
Intuitive ZZF2L 
Beginners Last Layer: Three algorithms: Sune for corner orientation, A-perm for corner permutaion, U-perm for edge permutation. Explained more in this video at 17:48.
 Try to reduce pauses during solves: when possible, glance around the cube while solving one aspect of the cube to see what case is about to come next.
 Learn clever ways to perform certain sequences of moves and algorithms.
 Practice lots - especially EOLine.

Step 1
Current Average: 40 – 60 seconds
Goal Average: 30 – 40 seconds
Estimated time: 2 – 4 weeks
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 Learn OCLL & 2-Look PLL -
 Begin to predict where line edges end up after EO, or even combining EO and Line.
 Practice/Experiment/optimize/learn with ZZF2L – an efficient ZZF2L is an art, practice a lot and do slow solves to experiment with different (possibly more efficient) ways of doing things. 

Step 2
Current Average: 30 – 40 seconds
Goal Average: 20 – 30 seconds
Estimated time: 2 – 4 weeks
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Learn the rest of the PLL’s.
 Ensure that EO is planned during inspection and that you can accurately predict where line edges end up during EO – this should give you a seamless EOLine. Completion time for EOLine should be comfortably under 6 seconds at this stage.
 Practice looking-ahead during EOLine and ZZF2L, turn more slowly if need be to avoid awkward time-consuming pauses between EOLine and ZZF2L, and during ZZF2L.


Step 3
Current Average: 20 – 30 seconds
Goal Average: 15 – 20 Seconds
Estimated time: 4 – 10 weeks
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 Go through each LL algorithm you use, check to see that there are no better algorithms and practice them over and over, almost all algorithms should take less than 3 seconds to perform.
 Practice EOLine blindfolded, this should enable you to look ahead even more and make the transition from EOLine to ZZF2L seamless.
ZZF2L:
 Learn some multi/open-blocking techniques
 Optimize the more awkward/time consuming cases by learning an algorithm to deal with that case.
 Try to gradually increase tps while maintaining the ability to look ahead.
 With decent tps, look-ahead and efficiency, you should be able to complete ZZF2L in around 10 seconds or less.
 Don't forget to turn slowly and look ahead; it sounds counter-intuitive to turn more slowly, but it works because of reduced pauses!

Step 4
Current Average: 15 – 20 seconds
Goal Average: 12 – 15 seconds
Estimated time: 2 - 4 months
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 Learn some or all of COLL - at least all of the H cases and most of the Pi cases
 Try to preserve pairs that come up during EOLine or that are premade in the scramble. Experiment with looking very far ahead into the solve; try to solve the cube in the least amount of looks possible when not speedsolving.
 Complete EOLine in around 2 seconds, on average.
 Go through ZZF2L cases in detail, learn new finger-tricks for ZZF2L cases and practice them over and over. Assuming look-ahead is good, tps will now become a limiting factor in your ZZF2L.
 Experiment with solving 2 pairs at once during ZZF2L, with practice these techniques can lead you to an extremely efficient ZZF2L. 
 ZZF2L should be completed in around 8 seconds on average.


Step 5
Current Average: 12 – 15 seconds
Goal Average: sub 12 seconds
Estimated time: 6 – 12 months+
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There is probably no last layer method that is "the answer" - maybe learn a little or all of COLL as well as some easy CLS cases. Explore last layer options here.
 Do LOTS of slow solves - there should be practically no pauses in your solves.
 Play around some with other methods - it could help you understand the cube overall
 With great efficiency, tps and lookahead, anything is possible. In theory a cuber could: 
Do EOF2L and influence the last layer in under 30 moves
Turn at 5+ tps during EOF2L
Perform all algs from large sets sub 2.
These three combined would give you times around 8 seconds or maybe even less.

I would appreciate any critiques, and I would be happy to answer any questions!


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## TheNextFeliks (Nov 18, 2012)

Thanks for making this! I am at step 1.5. I know full pll but I need to practice eoline.


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## F perm (Nov 18, 2012)

Awesome guide uvafan! What a great way to quantify improvement time. Hopefully this will get more people to learn about and try ZZ. I am on step 3, but I seem to have rushed on COLL :fp


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## uvafan (Nov 18, 2012)

F perm said:


> Awesome guide uvafan! What a great way to quantify improvement time. Hopefully this will get more people to learn about and try ZZ. I am on step 3, but* I seem to have rushed on COLL *:fp



That's fine! Remember, it's just a guide, not everyone progresses in exactly the same way.


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## Akiro (Nov 18, 2012)

Great guide! Makes me wanna learn ZZ...

But my biggest problem is EO detection. Do you know a good tutorial?


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## a small kitten (Nov 18, 2012)




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## Akiro (Nov 18, 2012)

Thanks. The rules really help! 
Now i can detect my EOs 3x faster!


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## aznanimedude (Nov 19, 2012)

Not bad. Looks like some fun was had while I wasn't looking rofl


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## TheNextFeliks (Nov 19, 2012)

Akiro said:


> Great guide! Makes me wanna learn ZZ...
> 
> But my biggest problem is EO detection. Do you know a good tutorial?




BLDMaster has a good eoline tutorial. That is how I learned and I find eo pretty easy.


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## CubeRoots (Nov 19, 2012)

thanks for finishing this. Been busy and having a method crisis, and a.s.k's tutorials were really comprehensive. glad to see it online though. I want a Oh version since i'm only using Zz for oh now.


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## uvafan (Nov 19, 2012)

CubeRoots said:


> thanks for finishing this. Been busy and having a method crisis, and a.s.k's tutorials were really comprehensive. glad to see it online though. I want a Oh version since i'm only using Zz for oh now.


I'm not interested in OH enough to do one - maybe you and asmallkitten can work together on one or something.


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## Ickathu (Nov 19, 2012)

Yo, sweet. I'm doing an ao100 with all the big 4 methods and columns, and I'm gonna track statistics like time improvements, best averages, # of sub20s, etc, then see which method(s) I decide to use. I finished my ZZ one the other day and I must say it got really fun. Plus I had a pretty good improvement rate just by using it a lot. Like at the beginning the ao12s were like 27, but by the end I was at like 23-25. I'll definitely be considering it, [probably] unlike Petrus - my average (of 42 times so far) is 27.5

edit: oh yeah and I got to the point that I didn't have to put my fingers on the bad edges to keep track of EOLine 



uvafan said:


> I don't take full credit for this content.



but he's still a beast at ZZ. Just sayin'


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## Alcuber (Nov 19, 2012)

Thank you SO MUCH!! 

Yeah, I'm kinda at step 3.5 ish, but I may have to backwards to go forwards if ya know what I mean


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## pkvk9122 (Nov 19, 2012)

Hey!

Thanks for writing this guide ^_^ gonna be using it to teach my friends lol. I average about 15 with ZZ and im trying to sub 12 lol, my CFOP is about 12 though. Im attempting to make a full switch from CFOP to ZZ because I reckon it has more potential. Just one question, would you prefer COLL or Winter Variation? and what are its advantages and disadvantages? (Other people's opinions are welcome too!)

Thanks

pkvk9122


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## stoic (Nov 19, 2012)

Good guide! I've been playing around with ZZ and really enjoying it


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## Petro Leum (Nov 19, 2012)

Great stuff, nice effort  i just read over it, but i will probably give you a few things to add later today


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## ZZer (Nov 19, 2012)

Sholuld be also sub-6 goal -> E-O with 2x2x3 block and full zbll  nice work


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## uvafan (Nov 19, 2012)

pkvk9122 said:


> Hey!
> 
> Thanks for writing this guide ^_^ gonna be using it to teach my friends lol. I average about 15 with ZZ and im trying to sub 12 lol, my CFOP is about 12 though. Im attempting to make a full switch from CFOP to ZZ because I reckon it has more potential. Just one question, would you prefer COLL or Winter Variation? and what are its advantages and disadvantages? (Other people's opinions are welcome too!)
> 
> ...



Dude I average like 14.5 with ZZ! Wanna race to sub12? Personally, I would say Winter Variation for TH but COLL for OH. COLL seems to be of great use to OH solvers such as asmallkitten, but I think with enough practice and recognition, Winter Variation - PLL could be faster for two handed solving. That is just my theory, of course.

Advantages of COLL-EPLL:
-EPLL skips
-One-handed friendliness
-EPLLs can easily be performed from all angles
-COLL recognition can be very quick with practice
Advantages of WV-PLL:
-Slightly lower movecount in theory
-Recognition can also be very fast with practice
-PLL can be just slightly slower than EPLL with lots of practice

@Petro Leum: I would appreciate suggestions!

@ZZer: lol maybe


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## Petro Leum (Nov 19, 2012)

uvafan said:


> Dude I average like 14.5 with ZZ! Wanna race to sub12? Personally, I would say Winter Variation for TH but COLL for OH. COLL seems to be of great use to OH solvers such as asmallkitten, but I think with enough practice and recognition, Winter Variation - PLL could be faster for two handed solving. That is just my theory, of course.
> 
> Advantages of COLL-EPLL:
> -EPLL skips
> ...



my pb avg12 is 12.71, but i am very inconstant, normally doing 14-15s times. i would like to race with you two


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## aznanimedude (Nov 19, 2012)

inb4 i surprise all of you O_____O

all joking aside, another advantage of COLL is the potential to step from that to ZZLL or ZBLL. but yes EPLL skip is quite convenient, or even just not having to worry about corners period


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## CubeRoots (Nov 19, 2012)

I know COLL, and all WV cases 9 moves or less, if a cool case comes up i do it if not i COLL. Gonna learn some CLS and 2GLL too for my OH, starting to take it seriously now . I think an eclectic mix of all the nice cases from different alg sets gives an extra kick to a solve. sometimes you get OLL skip sometimes 2GLL, if none then you still have COLL to an easy EPLL


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## F perm (Nov 19, 2012)

uvafan said:


> Dude I average like 14.5 with ZZ! Wanna race to sub12? Personally, I would say Winter Variation for TH but COLL for OH. COLL seems to be of great use to OH solvers such as asmallkitten, but I think with enough practice and recognition, Winter Variation - PLL could be faster for two handed solving. That is just my theory, of course.
> 
> Advantages of COLL-EPLL:
> -EPLL skips
> ...



What do you think of SV? Should one learn that too if going down the WV path? I've heard that the algorithms aren't as fast...


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## CubeRoots (Nov 19, 2012)

F perm said:


> What do you think of SV? Should one learn that too if going down the WV path? I've heard that the algorithms aren't as fast...



it okay, but not as natural as WV as often it sets up into WV then does WV. imo RUR' to OLL is usually better, but some nice 5-8 move cases are nicee


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## cubingawsumness (Jan 3, 2013)

I am trying to do the EOLine blindfolded, but I can only do it about 25% of the time. I can easily do the EO part, but keeping track of the two line edges afterwards is hard. The only way I manage to do it is when EO is not a lot of moves, or when I put my fingers on the line edges to keep track of them, which doesn't seem like the right way to do it. Should I just try more and practice more? Tips, anyone? Thank you.


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## uvafan (Jan 3, 2013)

cubingawsumness said:


> I am trying to do the EOLine blindfolded, but I can only do it about 25% of the time. I can easily do the EO part, but keeping track of the two line edges afterwards is hard. The only way I manage to do it is when EO is not a lot of moves, or when I put my fingers on the line edges to keep track of them, which doesn't seem like the right way to do it. Should I just try more and practice more? Tips, anyone? Thank you.



Honestly, it's just practice. It'll get way easier if you continue to practice.


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## Petro Leum (Jan 4, 2013)

uvafan said:


> Honestly, it's just practice. It'll get way easier if you continue to practice.



i feel that the way "memorising EO and tracking the Line edges blind" is not a good way, because tracking the line requires you to think, and there for blocks your lookahead for the blockbuilding..... but maybe (hopefully) there is a natural transition from tracking the line edges to memorising the whole EOLine.


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## uvafan (Jan 4, 2013)

Petro Leum said:


> i feel that the way "memorising EO and tracking the Line edges blind" is not a good way, because tracking the line requires you to think, and there for blocks your lookahead for the blockbuilding..... but maybe (hopefully) there is a natural transition from tracking the line edges to memorising the whole EOLine.



It's better to think while doing EOLine then to have to look for line edges after EO.


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## Petro Leum (Jan 4, 2013)

uvafan said:


> It's better to think while doing EOLine then to have to look for line edges after EO.



but its equally bad tracking them with open eyes or tracking them blind.


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## mDiPalma (Jan 4, 2013)

if you really wanted to gain anything significant from blinded practice, it'd probably be from doing EOL+1 BLD or xeoline BLD, the latter being far superior to the former.


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## Petro Leum (Jan 4, 2013)

mDiPalma said:


> if you really wanted to gain anything significant from blinded practice, it'd probably be from doing EOL+1 BLD or xeoline BLD, the latter being far superior to the former.



thats my point. starting off with this is pretty hard though, when you cant even "plan out" the entire EOLine. for me, BLD EO + Tracking takes 5-6 seconds, BLD xeoline takes 3-4 minutes. with a success rate of ~30-40%.


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## mDiPalma (Jan 4, 2013)

yeah, i just did my first 12 BLD eoline solves: 8.00, 3.28, 4.28, 8.61, 6.78, 7.75, 5.49, 5.75, 1.71, 3.17, 5.78, 8.50 = 5.88avg12

it's difficult to focus on optimality or ergonomics when you are rushing yourself to close your eyes as fast as possible.

I don't think timing EOline BLD does very much more than teaching people how to inspect for bad edges very quickly. Once you've learned that, as many of us already have, I think we should only time the EXECUTION of EOline BLD and not the inspection. In that, at least optimality and ergonomics are a factor, because we can use the <15 seconds of inspection to plan a fast line (as in a real speedsolve).

But even better, as Petro Leum pointed out, we'd do better to time EOline+1 *sighted* solves, because they directly mimic a true solve scenario.


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## ZZ-Boio (Oct 29, 2018)

Awesome guide I'm about at step 2, one thing I would add at step 2 is to start practising Y-Axis neutrality. So that you can do EOLine in less than 10 seconds from any orientation of the cube having yellow top. I found this really useful to be able to do and made my times drop like a stone.


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## PapaSmurf (Oct 29, 2018)

As this thread has been bumped, I'd like to put forward some advances in theoretically best ZZ: firstly, full ZBLL, no question. Definitely the best option. Learn them as early as possible. Secondly, doing eocross seems to be better for 2h and eoline for oh, but on all solves, you want to plan xeocross or xeoline. Y axis neutrality is definitely important, but you should also try to be z2 neutral too, which opens up the possibility of every block, so you can take advantage of pairs in inspection. ZZ is definitely capable of being faster than cfop as it's more efficient (by about 8-10 moves) and you have the same tps. The hard part is getting to that stage, but once achieved, ZZ will go further than CFOP and is equal to roux (think about it, roux is backward zz. Kinda meme, but kinda true). Whoever reads this, good luck with zz!


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## CraZZ CFOP (Nov 17, 2018)

I've been using ZZ for a week, and I have trouble tracking EO pieces when 6-8 edges are misoriented. Can someone help?


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## PapaSmurf (Nov 18, 2018)

Just practice. It'll get time to get used to, but if you try to see as far as you can in inspection, it should be quicker.


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## CraZZ CFOP (Dec 7, 2018)

OK. I got better at planning EO, and I am somewhat transitioning into EOLine, but how can I improve my lookahead?


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## PapaSmurf (Dec 7, 2018)

You should plan out the whole eoline in inspection, and then learn how to ignore it and look for pieces while you solve it. So look for your first square. Then while you're solving that, look fo4 your next pieces etc.


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## CraZZ CFOP (Feb 1, 2019)

Should I switch to CT or should I transition from COLL to ZZLL to ZBLL?
(These are just plugin methods.)
(I'm leaning towards CT)


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## WombatWarrior17 (Feb 1, 2019)

CraZZ CFOP said:


> Should I switch to CT or should I transition from COLL to ZZLL to ZBLL?
> 
> (I'm leaning towards CT)


I used to use it, I would suggest going the ZBLL route. CT is cool, by waaay too over hyped. The algs are ok, but about as good as ZBLL for ergonomics (aside from CT having more 2-gen).


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## PapaSmurf (Feb 1, 2019)

No, as ZZ-CT is straight up worse than ZZ-A in terms of movecount and ergonomics (as you have to leave the FR slot open). And I'd suggest just learning ZBLL straight up. You can learn ZZLL if you want, but there's no good reason in the long run.


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## Underwatercuber (Feb 14, 2019)

PapaSmurf said:


> No, as ZZ-CT is straight up worse than ZZ-A in terms of movecount and ergonomics (as you have to leave the FR slot open). And I'd suggest just learning ZBLL straight up. You can learn ZZLL if you want, but there's no good reason in the long run.


Agreed, even Chris said it was bad from what I have heard


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## Thom S. (Feb 14, 2019)

Underwatercuber said:


> Agreed, even Chris said it was bad from what I have heard



Furthermore
It's not entirely bad, but simply a budget method. In the sense that if you have too few resources for ZBLL, ZZLL, or any other big Set, ZZ-CT can be a viable Alternative. If one has the mental ability and time to manage such a set, CT is the clear loser. Chris is just so good in marketing the upsides of his set that it appeared as the ultimate LL-Skip method.

(Now Opinion)
Basically, in terms of movecount and ergonomics, CT is above ZZ with OCLL/PLL but definitely way below ZZ-A/B


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