Advanced F2L: empty slot tricks

Once your first three F2L pairs are reliable, start using empty slots as workspace. Set up a pair with the FR slot empty — sometimes a pair you’d insert in BL inserts faster after a setup that uses FR as a holding spot.

Other techniques

• Multi-slotting: shape the next pair while inserting the current one (so-called free pairs).
• Pseudo-slotting: insert a pair into the “wrong” slot but pre-set up the cube so a later U turn fixes it.
• X-cross: solve the cross and one F2L pair simultaneously during inspection.