Speedcubing

Speedcubing or Speedsolving is a competitive mind sport centered around the rapid solving of various combination puzzles. The most prominent puzzle in this category is the 3x3x3 puzzle, commonly known as the Rubik's Cube. Participants in this sport are called "speedcubers" (or simply "cubers"), who focus specifically on solving these puzzles at high speeds to get low clock times and/or fewest moves. The essential aspect of solving these puzzles typically involves executing a series of predefined algorithms in a particular sequence with pattern recognition and finger tricks.

Competitive speedcubing is predominantly overseen by the World Cube Association (WCA), which officially recognizes 17 distinct speedcubing events. These events encompass a range of puzzles, including NxNxN puzzles of sizes varying from 2x2x2 to 7x7x7, and other puzzle forms such as the Pyraminx, Megaminx, Skewb, Square-1, and Rubik's Clock. Additionally, specialized formats such as 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5 blindfolded, 3x3 one-handed (OH), 3x3 Fewest Moves, and 3x3 multi-blind are also regulated and hosted in competitions.

As of February 2026, the world record for the fastest single solve of a Rubik's Cube in a competitive setting stands at 2.76 seconds. This record was achieved by Teodor Zajder at the GLS Big Cubes Gdańsk WCA competition event on February 8, 2026. Xuanyi Geng set the record for the average time of five solves in the 3x3x3 category at 3.84 seconds at Beijing Winter 2026 on January 10-11, 2025. Speedcubing is organized by numerous countries that hold international competitions throughout the year. The widespread popularity of the Rubik's Cube has led to an abundance of online resources, including guides and techniques, aimed at assisting individuals in solving the puzzle.