Branchburg Bizarre Blocks 2026

Fifteen competitors gathered in Branchburg, New Jersey, USA on June 27, 2026, setting aside the standard three-layered puzzle to take on a lineup focused entirely on geometric variety. Held at the Hyatt House Branchburg / Bridgewater, Branchburg Bizarre Blocks 2026 featured five rounds of action spanning three distinct formats: the massive 6x6x6 Cube, the twelve-sided Megaminx, and the shape-shifting Square-1. Speedcubing enthusiasts who follow standard 3x3 results know that branch events demand an entirely different technical foundation, testing sheer layer stamina, multi-axis spatial planning, and shifting slice mechanics over the course of a dense single-day schedule.

The 6x6x6 Cube drew fourteen entrants across two demanding rounds, requiring exceptional patience and turn accuracy to avoid costly mid-solve misalignments. Evan Liu of the United States secured the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 1:37.90, supported by the event best single of 1:32.98. Fellow American Shaun Mack maintained intense pressure throughout the final round, posting an average of 1:38.91 to claim second place just over a second behind Liu. Can Uzun of Turkey rounded out the top three with an average of 1:46.79, ensuring an international presence on the podium in the biggest puzzle of the day.

In the single-round Megaminx contest, thirteen solvers navigated the twelve-faced challenge where visual tracking across opposite dodecahedral planes often decides the standings. Can Uzun delivered a commanding performance to take victory, establishing a Turkish national record average of 43.06 alongside the round best single of 39.80. Shaun Mack secured his second runner-up finish of the day with an average of 52.15, while Daniel Hong captured third place for the United States with a 58.83 average, demonstrating the deep mastery required to keep solve times under the minute mark in this unique speed cubing discipline.

The Square-1 competition introduced dramatic shape-shifting complexity across two fast-paced rounds featuring thirteen entrants. Zach Ridall of the United States clinched the title with an impressive winning average of 9.20 and a best single of 7.65 in the final round. Can Uzun earned second place with a 10.43 average, highlighted by an extraordinary Turkish national record single of 6.23 during the event. Shaun Mack added a third podium placement to his productive day by taking third place with a 10.74 average, concluding a tightly contested final for the American and Turkish contingents.

Beyond the championship tier, the tournament served as an ideal platform for competitors to record substantial personal milestones and branch out into fresh formats. Dean Angert enjoyed a stellar day across three events, lowering his Square-1 personal best to 9.29, an improvement of 22.1 percent over his prior mark of 11.93, while also locking in a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 2:36.18 and a 6th place finish. Ledger Ramirez took on all three disciplines and trimmed his Square-1 personal best to 10.64, which was 12.7 percent faster than his previous 12.19, while finishing 5th in the 6x6x6 Cube. Yili Yi made significant strides on the big cube, setting a new 6x6x6 personal best of 2:30.67, an 11.4 percent reduction from his prior 2:50.05, and earning 9th place.

First-time event appearances also defined the depth of the weekend roster. Pyr Xin tackled three events at the competition, recording a debut 6x6x6 Cube mark of 2:57.44, an inaugural Square-1 result of 41.33, a first-ever Megaminx time of 1:21.54, and a 9th-place finish. Felix Chun-Hei Liu (廖駿希) completed two events, logging his first official Megaminx attempt at 2:25.66 to finish 11th and posting a debut 6:50.58 on the 6x6x6 Cube. William Duque notched a Megaminx personal best of 3:54.36, Tyler Lindow Tsao took 5th in Megaminx while posting a 2:13.62 personal best on the 6x6x6 Cube, and Ryan Hughes set a Megaminx personal best of 1:09.53 while claiming 4th in Square-1.

The geographic tally reflected six podium positions for United States competitors and three for Turkey, underscoring how non-traditional events bring focused international specialists together. While a classic Rubik's Cube may be the familiar entry point into the hobby, the intricate mechanics of twelve-sided dodecahedrons and non-cubic slice puzzles offer a specialized athletic appeal of their own. Every successful resolve under the competition timer contributed valuable data to the official World Cube Association standings.

As the final timers were cleared at the Hyatt House venue, Branchburg Bizarre Blocks 2026 stood as an effective showcase of technical range and personal progress. A dedicated cubing competition that sidelines standard speed categories gives alternate disciplines room to shine, rewarding solvers who invest their preparation into complex big cubes and shape-shifting mechanisms. With national records rewritten and numerous individual benchmarks surpassed, the gathering offered a compelling snapshot of puzzle variety heading into the remainder of the competitive year.