Join a Rubik's Cube group and you will soon see messages like "PB 25 seconds, ao5 31", "that one was a DNF" or "just got a PLL skip". This post explains the Rubik's Cube terms beginners run into most often, in simple words, with pictures wherever there is an algorithm. The competition terms follow the WCA rules, the organisation that runs official Rubik's Cube competitions.
Find your case fast
Look at your cube from above and tap the picture that matches it to see how to solve it. Grey cells are stickers you can ignore.
The post has three parts: times and competitions, the solving steps, and hand technique. There is a quick reference table at the end.
Terms about times and competitions
What is a PB?
PB (personal best) is your own best result. Cubers usually say which kind of PB they mean: "PB single 18 seconds" is their fastest solve, and "PB ao5 24 seconds" is their best average of 5.
Every time you beat your PB, you know you are getting better. The EasyRubic timer (3x3) saves your solves automatically so you can keep track.
Single and average
A single is the time of one solve. An average is the average time of a group of solves. At WCA competitions, every competitor gets both results, and the rankings list singles and averages separately.
An average tells the truth about how good you are. A great single can be luck; a great average cannot.
ao5, ao12 and mo3
ao5 (average of 5) is the average of 5 solves, but not a normal average. Under WCA regulation 9f8, the fastest solve and the slowest solve are dropped, and you take the average of the 3 that are left.
For example, say you do 5 solves:
| Solve | Time |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12.50 |
| 2 | 14.20 |
| 3 | 11.80 (fastest, dropped) |
| 4 | 13.10 |
| 5 | DNF (slowest, dropped) |
ao5 = (12.50 + 14.20 + 13.10) / 3, about 13.27 seconds.
As the example shows, a DNF counts as the slowest solve and is dropped. But under regulation 9f9, if there are two or more DNFs, the whole ao5 is a DNF.
ao12 works the same way with 12 solves: drop the fastest and the slowest, then average the 10 in the middle. ao12 is not part of the competition rules, but cubers use it a lot when practising at home.
mo3 (mean of 3) is the plain average of 3 solves, with nothing dropped. The WCA uses mo3 for long events such as 6x6 and 7x7. Under regulation 9f11, a single DNF makes the whole mo3 a DNF.
What is a DNF?
DNF (Did Not Finish) means the solve does not count. Two cases beginners often run into:
- Stopping the timer when the cube is more than one move away from solved (regulation 10e4).
- Inspecting for too long and only starting the solve at 17 seconds (regulation A4d2).
At home, many people also mark a solve as DNF when the cube pops or when they mess up an algorithm.
What is a +2?
A +2 is a penalty that adds 2 seconds to your time. The two most common reasons:
- Stopping the timer when the cube is exactly one move away from solved (regulation 10e3). For example, the cube on the left in the picture below needs just one turn of the right face (R) to finish. If you stop the timer at that point, the solve counts but gets a +2.
- Starting the solve after 15 seconds of inspection but before 17 seconds (regulation A4d1).
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
So before you slap the timer, take one quick look to make sure the cube is really solved.
What is a DNS?
DNS (Did Not Start) is when you were allowed to do a solve but did not start it (regulation 9f5), for example because you went home early. In an ao5, a DNS counts the same as a DNF.
Inspection
Inspection is the time you get to hold and look at the cube before you start solving. At WCA competitions it has to be under 15 seconds (regulation A3a1). Cubers use it to plan the cross before making the first move. See the post on 15-second inspection for more.
Scramble
A scramble is the list of moves used to mix up the cube before a solve. At competitions everyone gets the same computer-generated scramble, so everyone solves the exact same position. The post on how to scramble a cube the WCA way shows how to do it at home.
WCA and sub-X
The WCA (World Cube Association) is the organisation that runs official Rubik's Cube competitions and records around the world. The post on WCA competitions walks through a competition day in detail.
Sub-X means "under X seconds". "I'm sub-30" means your average is now under 30 seconds. When cubers say sub-X, they usually mean their average, not their single.
Terms about the solving steps
Most speedcubers solve the 3x3 with CFOP, a method with 4 steps: Cross, F2L, OLL and PLL (Wikipedia). The terms below follow that same order. If the letters R, U and F are new to you, read the post on Rubik's Cube notation for beginners first. The post What is CFOP covers the whole method.
Cross
The cross is the plus shape: the 4 edges of one colour (usually white) in the right places around the centre. It is also step 1 of the EasyRubic guide:
- You start with (input)A scrambled cube
- Result you will get after finishing this stepWhite cross done
Beginners make the cross on top. CFOP solvers make it on the bottom so they can see the other pieces while they solve.
F2L
F2L (First Two Layers) is the step where you solve the first two layers at the same time. You join a corner and an edge into a "pair", then put the whole pair into one of the four slots. Full CFOP has 41 F2L cases.
The picture below shows an easy case. The cube is held with the yellow face on top and the white cross on the bottom. The corner sits right above the front right slot, with its white sticker facing right; its edge is at the back of the top layer. Just 3 moves, R U R', bring the two pieces together into a pair and into the slot.
See it in 3D, before and after
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
OLL
OLL (Orientation of the Last Layer) is the step that makes the whole top face one colour (usually yellow), without worrying yet about where each piece goes. Full OLL has 57 cases.
The most famous OLL algorithm is the Sune, R U R' U R U2 R'. It solves the case where the yellow face is only missing three corners, like this:
See it in 3D, before and after
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
PLL
PLL (Permutation of the Last Layer) is the last step: the top face is already yellow, and now you move the top layer pieces into their right places. Full PLL has 21 cases, each named after a letter such as T, J, U or Y.
For example, the T-perm swaps two corners and two edges:
See it in 3D, before and after
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F'
2-look OLL and 2-look PLL
2-look means "look twice": you split one step into two smaller steps so there are fewer algorithms to remember. According to Wikipedia, 2-look OLL needs only 10 algorithms instead of 57, and 2-look PLL needs only 6 instead of 21. This is the path beginners should take first. See the posts on 2-look OLL and 2-look PLL.
AUF
AUF (Adjust U Face) means turning the top face once, with U, U' or U2, to line up the top layer, either before an algorithm or as the very last move of a solve (Speedsolving Wiki).
For example: at the end of a solve, all the pieces match each other, but the whole top layer is one turn off. One AUF and you are done:
See it in 3D, before and after
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
This is exactly the "one move away" situation from the +2 section: if you forget the AUF and stop the timer, you get a 2-second penalty.
OLL skip, PLL skip and LL skip
A skip is when a step is already done by itself, with nothing to do, thanks to luck in the step before.
- PLL skip: after OLL, the top layer is already fully solved (you may still need one AUF). According to Wikipedia, this happens about once in 72 solves.
- OLL skip: after F2L, the top face is already yellow. About once in 216 solves.
- LL skip (last layer skip): both OLL and PLL are done by themselves, so finishing F2L means the cube is solved. About once in 15,552 solves.
PLL skips are why many single PBs are surprisingly fast, and also why an average is more reliable than a single.
Four moves.
One at a time.
Tap each symbol and follow one piece. This is an exercise in watching the movement.
Terms about technique
Sexy move
Sexy move is the fun nickname for the 4-move sequence R U R' U', probably the most used sequence in all of cubing. You will find it in the layer-by-layer method, in F2L and in many OLL and PLL algorithms.
- You start with (input)
- After the formula
See the post on the sexy move algorithm for how to use it.
TPS
TPS (turns per second) is how many moves you make in one second (Speedsolving Wiki). Divide the number of moves by the number of seconds. The post What is TPS explains how to measure it and why beginners do not need to chase this number yet.
Finger tricks
Finger tricks are ways of turning the cube with your fingertips instead of your whole hand, for example pushing the top face with your index finger. Turning with your fingers means you change your grip less often, so your solves get faster and smoother.
Look-ahead
Look-ahead means finding your next pieces while you are still turning, so you do not have to pause between steps. It is the skill that lets top cubers almost never stop their hands. See the post on look-ahead.
Colour neutral
A colour neutral cuber can start with a cross of any colour, instead of always starting with white. The benefit is being able to pick the easiest cross in every scramble. Beginners should get comfortable with one colour first.
Lockups and pops
A lockup is when the cube gets stuck halfway through a turn because the layers are not lined up. A pop is when a piece flies out of the cube. Both usually happen when you turn too hard before the layers are straight. A good cube with sensible tension settings will lock up and pop less.
Quick reference table
| Term | Short meaning |
|---|---|
| PB | Your best result |
| Single | The time of one solve |
| ao5 | Average of 5 solves, dropping the fastest and slowest |
| ao12 | Average of 12 solves, dropping the fastest and slowest |
| mo3 | Plain average of 3 solves |
| DNF | A solve that does not count |
| +2 | A 2-second penalty |
| DNS | Allowed to solve but did not start |
| Inspection | Looking time, under 15 seconds |
| Scramble | The moves used to mix up the cube |
| Sub-X | Average under X seconds |
| Cross | The plus shape of 4 edges |
| F2L | Solving the first two layers pair by pair |
| OLL | Making the top face one colour |
| PLL | Moving the top layer pieces into place |
| AUF | Turning the top face into position |
| PLL skip | No PLL needed, about 1 in 72 |
| TPS | Moves per second |
| Look-ahead | Finding the next pieces while turning |
Video
Want to see it in motion? The short video below from the DNA Cubing channel on YouTube shows more of what this post covers. It is in Vietnamese. The video belongs to that channel and is embedded straight from YouTube.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What do PB and DNF mean?
PB is your best result, and DNF is a solve that does not count. "PB" and "DNF" are the two terms you will see most often in Rubik's Cube groups.
What happens if I stop the timer before the cube is solved?
If the cube needs exactly one more move, you get a +2 second penalty. If it needs more than one move, the solve is a DNF.
How is an ao5 different from a normal average?
An ao5 drops the fastest and slowest solves, then averages the 3 that are left. That way, one lucky solve or one bad solve does not throw off the result.
How often do you get a PLL skip?
About once in 72 solves. If you do a few dozen solves every day, you will get one fairly often.
Which terms should a beginner know first?
PB, ao5, DNF and +2 so you can read results; then cross, F2L, OLL and PLL once you start on CFOP.
This information is based on competition results owned and maintained by the World Cube Association, published at worldcubeassociation.org/results as of 15.10.2026.