Rubik’s cube is one of the most popular puzzles in the world. Most people try to solve it for days, weeks or even months and are not able to solve it.
If you learn a method to solve the Rubik’s cube you will be able to do it in minutes. And after a few days or weeks of practice, you will even be able to do the cube in about half a minute.
However, there are those who are able to go much further. Or, rather, much faster. Here are the records of the Rubik’s cube and other similar puzzles (with their corresponding video, in case you don’t believe them, hehe).
3×3 Rubik’s Cube Record
The current Rubik’s cube record is, since 2018, in possession of Chinese Yusheng Du. He was able to solve the Rubik’s cube in 3.47 seconds. Yes, yes, less than 4 seconds.
Less than it took you to read this sentence.
The funny thing is that he is not one of the best competitors (hence the only video available is not very good), but he was able to solve that cube exceptionally fast.
The average record (5 cubes are solved and the average is made discarding the best and the worst cubes) is held by the Australian Feliks Zemdegs with an average of 5.53 seconds.
If you want, you can buy the Rubik’s Cubes they use.
One-handed Rubik’s cube record
There are those who don’t find solving the Rubik’s cube complicated enough.
“With two hands? That’s too easy.”
When solving the cube with two hands, usually one hand is in charge of holding the cube while the other is the one that performs the moves. When using only one hand, you have to use some fingers for holding the cube and others to perform the moves.
The world record for solving the Rubik’s cube with only one hand is, since 2019, in possession of the American Max Park. He was able to solve it in just 6.82 seconds using only his left hand.
Rubik’s cube record with your feet
Yes, with your feet. No kidding.
In January 2020 it ceased to be an official modality, so the record of the Indian Mohammed Aiman Koli, achieved in 2019, will be the last official world record in solving the Rubik’s cube with feet (something I say to put on the resume, no doubt). And at a speed (15.56 seconds) that many of us would want it in our hands.
Blindfolded Rubik’s Cube Record
Surely, the most spectacular modality. The time starts when you uncover the cube and you can begin to memorize where each piece is and with what orientation. Once memorized, you cover your eyes and you can start solving it. When the time stops, you take off your blindfold and check if you got it right.
The best competitors solve it so fast that they make it look like it’s not as difficult as it really is. The record is held by the American Max Hilliard, who in just 15.50 seconds was able to memorize and blindly solve the Rubik’s cube. Seeing is believing, never better said.
Multi-Blind Rubik’s Cube Record
Why not try memorizing two or three cubes and then blindfold yourself and solve them one by one? And with five cubes? And with ten? It got so out of hand that they had to limit the maximum time for memorizing and solving to one hour.
Each competitor decides before starting how many cubes he or she wants to try. The score obtained is the number of solved cubes minus the number of unsolved cubes (since there are so many cubes, it is likely that not all of them will be solved). The record is held by the American Graham Siggins with 59 out of 60 cubes. He practically used up the hour he had, spending about 40 minutes memorizing the 60 cubes and about 20 minutes solving them.
Different sizes Rubik’s cubes records
The original Rubik’s cube is also known as the “3×3 Rubik’s cube”, since it is 3 pieces wide. There are other Rubik’s cubes of different sizes. Some are smaller, such as the 2×2, and others are larger, such as the 4×4, 5×5, 6×6 and 7×7.
The larger the size of the cube, the longer it takes to solve it. For example, the record for the 7×7 Rubik’s cube is just over a minute and a half, while the record for the 2×2 Rubik’s cube is under half a second (yes, you read that right).
If you want, you can buy the Rubik’s Cube puzzles they use.
Blindfolded 4×4 and 5×5 Rubik’s cube records
Of course, there are also those who thought of solving these cubes (with many more pieces than the original Rubik’s Cube) blindfolded.