Record falls as best Rubik's 'cubers' meet in S.F.

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He won the standard 3x3x3 solve competition, beating out more than 60 others, by posting an average time of 14.91 seconds. However, that time was below his world record average solving time of 14.59 seconds.

He also came in third in the 3x3x3 one-handed contest, second in the 3x3x3 blindfolded and third in the 4x4x4.

Not just for the boys
And as the sound of the clacking of rapidly spinning Rubik's Cube layers dominated the area of the Exploratorium where the event was being held, it wasn't only males who were amazing the crowd with their prowess.

Casey Pernsteiner, a 14-year-old girl from Gonzales, Texas, was making her second trip in recent months--after visiting Orlando, Fla., in November for the Rubik's Cube world championships--to states far from home to compete with the world's best. And while she didn't win any of the categories she entered, she came in a respectable ninth in the main 3x3x3 competition, posting an average time of 20.77.

By her own reckoning, however, that time places her just a notch below what she called the "elite" group of cubers who, she said, score times in the sub-20 seconds.

Still, she said, she's been "cubing" for only a year, and is already hooked on the pastime for much the same reason as Shotaro.

"It's sort of a competition with yourself to beat your best time," she said. "I like that, and it's a challenge. I like challenges."

Of course, with an average 3x3x3 time nearly six seconds slower than Shotaro, Casey is just as awed by seeing what the best cubers can do as anyone on hand Saturday.

(Lo's world record) "was incredible," she said. "I really didn't expect the record to be set. (The previous record) lasted a year, so I didn't expect the record to be set so soon."

In any case, while much of the focus Saturday was on the blazing times set by Lo, Shotaro and others in the standard 3x3x3, some in the crowd were more interested in watching the contestants solve their cubes in the blindfolded and one-handed categories.

Mao, who participated only in the blindfolded contest, said the trick to solving a Rubik's Cube without being able to see--competitors examine the cube before putting on their blindfolds--is to memorize all the layers and then, once blind, apply algorithms they've learned to finish the puzzle. There is no room for error.

"If you make a mistake, it's over," Mao said. "One mistake and it's all off."

[Charleston Charge]

Did my

time machine finally work to send me back to the 80's?

[zaznet]

Pretty cool thing...

The 80's with the Internet and streaming video. That's a pretty cool thing. :)

[DoohanOK]

Wow! That is fast!

Only way I could solve it that quickly is to pull it apart and put it back together again. I still have my cube lying around somewhere too - and Donkey Kong.

[tmccann11]

Record holder

The funny part is I just saw the record holder Tyson on Beauty and the Geek. He seems like a funny guy.

[netblazergrl]

Re: Record holder

OMG!!! I can't believe Tyson is on THAT show. I'm cringing at the moment *sigh*; but, I'll have to check the tele next week. Yikes!

Are Cnet's articles proofread?

There's two mistakes in this article alone...

Still, she said, she's only be "cubing" for a year, and is already hooked on the pastime for much the same reason as Shotaro.

Lo took just 11.13 seconds to set the world record for solving of one of the iconic red, white, blue, green, yellow and red cubes.

It's a reoccuring problem...

Bryon I had mentioned this many months ago (see the link below:
http://news.com.com/5208-1002-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=10682&messageID=78338&start=-1). This confirms my initial thoughts.

Spelling

But then again i'm guilt of spelling words incorrectly (Reoccurring).

[Lolo Gecko]

just think ...

if they establish a new category for a Nobel Prize in Rubic's cubeology. the US will surely outperform the rest of the free world. if not, then at least we have a lock on hype and spin doctors.

[zaznet]

Open to more than US

I'm sure the event attracted a few from outside the US.

[Seaspray0]

Not a U.S. Invention

The rubic's cube was invented by a polish mathematician who wanted to teach his children about sets. It is perhaps the hardest puzzle invented to date and was a huge hit when introduced in the 80's. Since then, variations have appeared such as the 4x4x4 (4 rows, columns, deep). This last christmas I encounted a 5x5x5 (5 rows, columns, deep) and snatched it up as it was the only one I've ever seen. All the cubes follow the same principles to solve them so I knew I would be able to solve it before purchasing it. I was more interested in the colorful patterns I could generate given all those rows. My current collection includes a standard cube, a round 3x3x3 illustrated as the earth, a 4x4x4 and my new prize the 5x5x5. As for those competitions, those cubes are no doubt well lubricated. I've heard that petrolium jelly is commonly used. How long did it take me to solve my first cube? 4 months and I didn't cheat. Today, 180 seconds or less. If you have ever solved every puzzle you've been given, then the cube is truely something you should try.

[208774626618253979477959487856]

go rubik!

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