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 3×3×3 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 eidetic prediction 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 N×N×N puzzles of sizes varying from 2×2×2 to 7×7×7, and other puzzle forms such as the Pyraminx, Megaminx, Skewb, Square-1, and Rubik's Clock. Additionally, specialized formats such as 3×3, 4×4, and 5×5 blindfolded, 3×3 one-handed (OH), 3×3 Fewest Moves, and 3×3 multi-blind are also regulated and hosted in competitions.

As of May 2025, the world record for the fastest single solve of a Rubik's cube in a competitive setting stands at 3.05 seconds. This record was achieved by Xuanyi Geng at the Shenyang Spring 2025 WCA competition event on Apr 13, 2025. Yiheng Wang set the record for the average time of five solves in the 3×3×3 category with 3.91 seconds at Lishui Open 2025 on May 25, 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.