# Recognizing PLLs from only 2 sides



## JL58 (Mar 17, 2010)

I created this quick excel tool for those of us who are interested in recognizing PLLs looking only at 2 sides (6 stickers).

Several reasons one might be interested:
- bored of learning all these 57 OLL cases and looking for a new challenge
- saving a tenth of a second might be worth a lot of learning
- tired of this metronome sound when practicing F2L
- already spent too much time on this forum tonight

Seriously, I believe there might be some merit to it if you are already sub 15  (not my case by several miles...)

So here it is.

The first tab of the workbook provides a decision tree to recognize all PLL’s.
The next tab provides the complete list of all 71 non-trivial cases. The colors can be changed by changing the color 
index number (value 1 to 4). Unfortunately it assumes a standard color scheme, with yellow on top. I would be ready to 
build a more flexible model if there is enough demand. The PLL name is identified, with the corresponding adjustment (AUF)
based on the most common algorithms (mine…). On the right side of the more difficult cases the discriminating 
parameters are flagged with an “X” in line with the decision tree, for easier reference and memorization. I added a quick 
drill tool that “calculates” a new pattern at each hit of F9 function key.
The last tab is only here for reference and lists all 21 non-trivial PLL cases, with modifiable color index.

I did not protect the workbook so you can make any change you want, at your own risk.  Tell me what you think.

View attachment PLL recognition.zip


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## rubiknewbie (Mar 17, 2010)

Sounds like fun! I'll check it.


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## Cride5 (Mar 17, 2010)

Nice work! Cheers


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## JL58 (Mar 17, 2010)

Thanks!


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## rubiknewbie (Mar 17, 2010)

I think I can only know up to the easy cases and possibly the double headlights. All the rest are too darn difficult! G perms are too similar to too many things. I will have to settle for the 1-2s for recognition :fp.


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## rahulkadukar (Mar 17, 2010)

Thanks man good work


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## JL58 (Mar 17, 2010)

@rubiknewbie: I think there is a way to get there. I found out that if I really put my head to it I can develop a decent learning of the decision tree. It took me a few hours. Then as I train more the photographic memory starts to sink in. For instance I thought that recognizing the E-perm would be hard. It became fairly simple: that's the only one with just 2 ugly pairs (no bookend, no block). The more I see it the more faster it jumps at me.

Also focus on one group or sub-group at a time. I can't learn more than 3 or 4 in a single session. The beauty is that you just need a few of them to already be more efficient. It's like learning partial OLL's.


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## rubiknewbie (Mar 19, 2010)

Actually I don't find E perm that difficult. It is the only ugly kid to me from the beginning. It is trying to remember the other perms from angles that look ugly that is difficult .

If I spend enough time it is probably nice, but I have to make it significantly faster than just tilting the cube to justify it.


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## deadalnix (Mar 20, 2010)

This is nice !

I use different recognition tirck than yours and don't know them for all PLL. But I'm working on.

Is the AUF code easy to modify ? It could be great to customize the document to make it math with our own PLL.


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## JL58 (Mar 20, 2010)

The worksheet is not locked or protected, so you can modify it as you want. You just have to find the 4 cases in the list covering the four cases (-, U, U' and U2) and change them AUF field. The drill will adjust automatically.

I would be interested to know what tricks you use. I am sure there are ways to improve the tool.


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## AndyK (Mar 20, 2010)

Woah, nice! I have a draft of a similar thing in my queue, except it is totally different and less realized

I think it would be cool if you color coded certain characteristics of the PLLs. Like if one of the main distinguishing characteristics is headlights then always make those headlights in blue (this only works if there is one set of headlights of course) or maybe the first bar of 2 would always be green. I think that would allow for quicker comprehension of the important parts of each pattern. I did something similar in my CLL guide http://www.kungfoomanchu.com/#2x2x2cll


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## deadalnix (Mar 20, 2010)

JL58 said:


> I would be interested to know what tricks you use. I am sure there are ways to improve the tool.



I have made a table with in colomn the stickers in front and in line the stickers in left. It is based on identic colors and opposites colors (like red and orange). Here are the patterns :

I use R as red, B as blue, G as green and O as orange for exemples.

Type A : corner match.
- All sticker match (BBB)
- Opposite edge (BGB)
- no match (BOB)

Type B : no corner match.
- Block left (BBO)
- Block right (OBB)
- Antiblock left (BGO)
- AntiBlock right (OBG)

Type C : corner opposites
- Block Left (BBG)
- Block right (BGG)
- no blocks (BOG)

This is enought in many cases to detect which PLL you have. However, some cases require to look for correspondacies between front sticker and right stickers.


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