How to Plan the Cross During Inspection
Reviewed by CuberPal Editorial Team · Updated 2026-07-07 · Get faster at 3x3 learning path
Quick answer
To plan cross during inspection, first choose your cross color, locate the four cross edges, and build a move sequence of about 8 moves or fewer before starting the timer. At sub-30, planning the full cross is enough. At sub-20, start tracking where your first F2L pair will be after the cross.
The cross is the only phase you are allowed to plan before the timer starts. That makes it free time if you use inspection well, and a silent time loss if you start with only one or two edges planned.
This guide breaks inspection into a repeatable process for white-cross solvers, color-neutral solvers, and anyone trying to reach sub-20.
The inspection routine
Use the same sequence every solve so inspection does not become random searching:
- Find all four cross edges first. Do not start planning moves until you know where the pieces are.
- Choose the easiest cross if you are color neutral; otherwise commit to your usual cross color quickly.
- Plan edge order. Good crosses often solve one edge while moving another into place.
- Keep the solution under roughly 8 moves. If it is longer, look for a different order.
- Rehearse the exact moves in your head once before starting the timer.
Common cross planning mistakes
The biggest mistake is planning edge-by-edge while solving. If you place one edge, stop, find the next, and repeat, your cross may take five seconds even with fast turning.
Another mistake is rotating the cube during the cross. Learn to solve cross on bottom, using D moves and wide awareness, so your first F2L pair is visible when the cross finishes.
Cross plus first pair
Once full cross planning is reliable, the next upgrade is tracking one F2L pair through the cross. You do not need to solve it during inspection; just know where the corner and edge will land so F2L starts instantly.
This is a major sub-20 skill because it removes the dead pause between cross and F2L, one of the most common stalls in intermediate solves.
Training cross planning with CuberPal
CuberPal helps you connect cross planning to actual solve outcomes instead of guessing whether inspection improved:
- 1Use the WCA-style timer with 15-second inspection so every practice solve matches competition rhythm.
- 2Record solves and check AI phase timings to see whether your cross consistently lands near the target range.
- 3Review the solve video when cross-to-F2L has a pause; that usually means the first pair was not tracked.
- 4Ask Cubey for cross drills based on your current average and phase times.
- 5Track ao12 and ao100 to confirm better inspection is improving complete solves, not just the first phase.
Frequently asked questions
How many moves should a 3x3 cross take?▾
A good cross is usually 8 moves or fewer, and many scrambles have solutions in 5-7 moves. Move count matters, but a planned 8-move cross is usually faster than an improvised 5-move cross with pauses.
Should I solve cross on top or bottom?▾
For speedcubing, solve cross on bottom. It lets you see F2L pieces immediately after the cross and avoids rotating the cube before F2L.
When should I learn color neutrality?▾
Color neutrality is easiest to learn early, but not required for sub-20. If switching colors makes every solve slower, first master planning your normal cross color.