Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New Rubik's Cube World Record Set

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the i-still-hate-the-rubik's-cube dept.

LinuxCowboy writes "CNN is reporting that a 20 year old Cal Tech student set a new record by solving a 3x3 rubrics cube in 11.13 seconds. In addition, he was blindfolded while doing it." From the article: "Still, the world record alone didn't gain Lo the overall champion's title at the event, which was determined by averaging three of five solution times in the final round. For that title, Lo went up against the teenager widely considered the fastest Rubik's Cube solver on the planet -- Shotaro "Macky" Makisumi, a 15-year-old from Pasadena."

19 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Minor Correction to Article Summary... by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 4, Funny


    a 20 year old Cal Tech student set a new record by solving a 3x3 rubrics cube in 11.13 seconds.

    <pedant>
    Surely it was a 3x3x3 cube, since '3x3' doesn't describe a cube at all.
    </pedant>

    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

    1. Re:Minor Correction to Article Summary... by Schickie · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Neither is the second.

    2. Re:Minor Correction to Article Summary... by nomadic · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well then it's a hypercube since we have a fourth dimension. So 3x3x3x11.13s.

    3. Re:Minor Correction to Article Summary... by Kelson · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, for some reason the 3x3 Rubik's Square never caught on.

  2. NOT blindfolded by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    The record for a 3x3x3 blindfolded is just under 2 minutes. Lo was most definately looking at the cube while solving it.

    1. Re:NOT blindfolded by fprintf · · Score: 5, Informative

      Memorization. You get a certain amount of time to memorize the cube before beginning. Then you orient the cube with the centers in the direction you prefer, then you put the blindfold on and begin. You know when you are done when you have done all the moves you planned in your head. If you have done it correctly the cube is solved once you put it down. If not, well then it isn't really 100% blindfolded then is it?

      http://www.speedcubing.com/ has a pretty decent FAQ as well as good links to other more robust blindfold or regular speedcubing tutorial sites.

      --
      This post brought to you by your friendly neighborhood MBA.
    2. Re:NOT blindfolded by ecryder · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think the audience yells out "hotter" and "colder."

  3. Tyson Mao by reynols · · Score: 2, Informative

    One of the previous record holders, Tyson Mao, can be seen on WB's Beauty and the Geek 2.

  4. Hmmm by Otter · · Score: 2, Funny
    So is the guy on Beauty and the Geek 2 now more or less of a dork now that he's the ex-record holder?

    My advice to Ashton Kutcher is to kick him off the show and replace him with Leyan Lo, in a stunning plot twist. Unless Leyan Lo has a girlfriend, but that seems implausible.

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  5. randomness... by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 3, Interesting

    shouldnt records for solving something which starts in a random state be taken as an /average/ of solving times?

    in other inqueries: do competative rubix-cubers use special rubix grease or something for smooth spinning?

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
    1. Re:randomness... by dozer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      They do. They disassemble and reassemble their cubes and oil them to where there's almost no sliding friction at all. They don't twist a face, they flick a side with a fingertip and let momentum do the rest while they move their hands for the next move. It's amazing to watch.

  6. Does it have anything to do with age by Rac3r5 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The reason I ask this is because when I was between gr 7- gr 9 I was quite good at solving puzzles.
    When I was in gr.7 or 8, we had a rubix cube at home.. and I was able to solve it, not fast, but I was able to solve it none the less.
    Then when I was in gr 9-10, I was really good at chess and chinese checkers. I was also good at solving tiled puzzles in under a minute. I don't remember what I did, but I had some sort of procedure for doing it and stuff just worked out all the time.

    Now I'm 24 and my sister bought me a rubix cube for christmas and I still haven't been able to solve it. I have no idea what I did when I was a kid.
    Maybe it had something to do with puberty?

    1. Re:Does it have anything to do with age by Stuart+Gibson · · Score: 4, Funny

      Probably

      next up...... the clitoris. nature's rubik's cube.....

      Stuart

      --
      It's all fun and games until a 200' robot dinosaur shows up and trashes Neo-Tokyo... Again
    2. Re:Does it have anything to do with age by ArsonSmith · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yea I think something happens at age 21 that suddely our brain power begins to drop off faster than usual. I don't know what it would be either. Guess I'll drink a beer and think about it.

      --
      Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
  7. Stuff that Matters by jazman_777 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Slashdot:
    News for nerds, stuff that matters.

    I see that that really means:
    stuff that doesn't matter, stuff that matters.

    --
    Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
  8. Bah by Enjoi · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ignorance gets it wrong again. - He wasn't blindfolded, that was a different even. - It was a bit lucky, but not too much, as he is still quite fast. It was actually a PLL skip (permutating all the pieces of the top layer) Yes, the cubes are at random states, no, you can't peel the stickers off, yes, he has done times near this before that wern't lucky. I'm a speedcuber, I average about 23 seconds and I've solved it fastest in 17.78, non-lucky. You're gonna wanna visit speedcubing.com for more info.

  9. Beauty and the Geek by starlabs · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If you go to the link and RTFA, you'll see a picture of Tyson Mao. Interestingly enough he's not mentioned in the article (nor was he the winner).

    But he is a contestant on this season's Beauty and the Geek ;)

  10. What the cube has taught me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I spent a lot of time in high school getting good at the cube. I was never in the range of these guys, but I could do it in about a minute and a half. What did I learn?

    -- Rubix Cube skills transfer to absolutely nothing
    -- In no manner whatsoever does it impress members of the opposite sex

  11. Re:Yes, there are other than 3x3 rubiks by stupid_is · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yup - go to Rubiks site and buy a 2x2x2, 3x3x3, 4x4x4 or even (The Professor) 5x5x5 (although they refer to them as nxn too!)

    --
    -- Intelligence is soluble in alcohol