An Afternoon in Nyack 2024

Ninety-three competitors gathered for an intense slate of solving as An Afternoon in Nyack 2024 took over the Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York, USA. Staged on September 29, 2024, the tournament brought together a dedicated crowd of puzzle enthusiasts across two fast-paced disciplines. In speedcubing formats where a single mistake can drastically shift an average, every turn carried genuine consequence. Across four total rounds of play, solvers aimed for absolute precision under the ticking tournament timer.

The 3x3x3 Cube served as the primary centerpiece of the schedule, drawing 91 competitors into a crowded preliminary stage. Carson Widjaja delivered the standout performance of the event, securing first place with a winning average of 6.76 seconds. Widjaja also registered the fastest single solve of the entire discipline at 5.73 seconds, demonstrating exceptional consistency across both rounds. Alex Niedland took the second step on the podium with a mark of 7.39 seconds, while Parker Trager earned third with a 7.74 average.

The 3x3 results highlighted the exacting nature of modern cubing competition, where split-second margins separate the podium finishers from the rest of the field. Every competitor tackling the classic Rubik's Cube faced the pressure of stringing together consistent solutions without a single lockup. Widjaja navigated that challenge cleanly through both rounds, maintaining control across every phase of the solve to seal the victory at this memorable speed cubing gathering.

The 2x2x2 Cube featured equally tight margins, as 89 competitors pushed the limits of quick-turn execution across two competitive rounds. Ayden Dincher captured the title with a tournament-best average of 1.58 seconds, edging out Eli Rogers who finished in second place with a 1.69 mark. Levi Gibson rounded out the all-American podium in third place with a 1.89 average. Dincher also recorded the fastest single solve of the discipline with a blistering 0.93-second effort.

Beyond the championship battles, An Afternoon in Nyack 2024 proved to be a major stage for personal breakthroughs across the roster. Marcus Tan took on two events and generated substantial gains, dropping a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 6.41 seconds that was 56.6 percent faster than his previous standard, while also shaving 5.4 percent off his 3x3x3 mark at 27.40 seconds. Dylan Erwin contested two events and achieved a 45th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube with a personal best of 14.04 seconds, an improvement of 39.7 percent, alongside a 4.65-second 2x2x2 result that was 52.6 percent faster than before.

Other competitors similarly redefined their personal records on the competition floor. Masaru Hsiao lowered his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 42.9 percent to 31.05 seconds and cut his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 42.2 percent to 11.14 seconds. Wataru Hsiao achieved a 37.2 percent improvement on 2x2x2 Cube with a 10.30-second time and brought down his 3x3x3 best to 36.21 seconds, a 30.8 percent drop. Saro Amerkanian improved by 33.1 percent in 3x3x3 Cube with a 24.94-second solve and lowered his 2x2x2 personal best to 7.82 seconds, a 17.7 percent reduction. Jaxon Furlong delivered a 47.62-second 3x3x3 Cube solve to improve by 35.9 percent, while Mason Davila logged his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 23.13-second time. Vosh Paulino also marked a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube, posting a 7.95-second effort across two entered events.

The WCA competition also welcomed newcomers making their tournament debuts on the regional circuit. Riley Reichenberg tackled their first official tournament by entering two disciplines, setting initial marks of 6.98 seconds in 2x2x2 Cube and 33.23 seconds in 3x3x3 Cube. Jake Pearlman likewise completed their first official attempts across both categories, recording 9.02 seconds in 2x2x2 and 25.00 seconds in 3x3x3. Alfie Silbert set marks of 11.53 on 2x2x2 and 55.30 on 3x3x3, while Thomas Oluwole Akinyemi established initial baselines of 10.88 on 2x2x2 and 32.71 on 3x3x3.

By the close of the afternoon, United States competitors swept all six podium spots across the two disciplines. An Afternoon in Nyack 2024 delivered a concentrated display of high-speed solving, balancing the sharp precision demanded at the highest levels with widespread personal milestones across the full roster of participants. As the 2024 season continues, the performances in West Nyack stand as a clear demonstration of execution under pressure.