Brilliant Big & Blind Blast Orlando 2023

Twenty-three competitors converged on the Black Belt Center on December 17, 2023, turning a specialized program of big puzzles and memory disciplines into an exacting test of endurance. Staged across nine rounds in Orlando, Florida, USA, the gathering demanded precision at every station. With six demanding events on the roster, reaching a final round was a grueling task where every second gained or lost separated podium contenders from the rest of the tightly packed roster at Brilliant Big & Blind Blast Orlando 2023.

The large puzzles required relentless consistency across lengthy solves, and the battle at the top of the 7x7x7 Cube demonstrated just how tough advancing proved to be. Sean Hartman led the pack with a winning average of 2:31.49, bolstered by a best single of 2:15.44. Vishwa Sankar secured second place with an average of 2:39.95, while Carter Bitz earned third with 2:43.18. Every turn on the massive layers counted, as 18 competitors fought through two full rounds of high-pressure speedcubing to claim those few remaining seats at the table.

In the 6x6x6 Cube, Carter Bitz turned the tables to seize victory with a winning average of 1:32.30 and a best single of 1:30.94 across two rounds of play. Sean Hartman followed closely behind with an average of 1:33.51 to take second place, while Vishwa Sankar locked down third place at 1:35.83. The tiny margins between the top three highlighted the punishing standard required to stay ahead in big-cube speed cubing, where even a slight lockup on an outer layer could alter the standings completely.

The blindfolded events proved just as unforgiving, requiring complete memorisation and flawless execution without sight. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Tommy Cherry captured the top spot with a best single of 14.53, while Sean Hartman took second place at 40.03 and Jacob Ambrose finished third with 57.35. That level of speed under a blindfold underscored the rigorous standard across the discipline, setting a high bar for the 18 entrants who took on the opening round at Brilliant Big & Blind Blast Orlando 2023.

Memory tests expanded dramatically in the big blindfolded events, where the difficulty spiked and completions became hard currency. Jacob Ambrose triumphed in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a winning single of 7:34.85, finishing ahead of Chris Hardwick who recorded a 7:55.35 single. In 5x5x5 Blindfolded, Tommy Cherry secured another victory with an 8:34.91 single, leaving Sean Hartman in second with 20:59.00 and Chris Hardwick in third with 18:54.00, demonstrating the patience required for complex puzzles beyond the standard Rubik's Cube.

Beyond the podium battles, significant milestones unfolded across the tables as several entrants achieved massive improvements. Jackson Lewis dropped huge chunks of time, delivering a 6x6x6 Cube personal best of 3:56.78 that was 37.8 percent faster than before, along with a 7x7x7 Cube mark of 5:24.17 that shaved 34.4 percent off his previous standard. Brian Zhou also made major strides, cutting his 7x7x7 Cube personal best down by 29.9 percent to 3:23.82 and lowering his 6x6x6 Cube best by 17.2 percent to 2:34.70. Nolan Tusing delivered a 7x7x7 Cube time of 5:20.52, a 24 percent improvement, improved his 6x6x6 Cube mark by 12.3 percent to 3:31.12, and completed a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded in 5:49.62.

First-time event appearances added further depth to the competition. Gabriel Nash tackled two events, logging a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 7:41.61 alongside a first 6x6x6 Cube mark of 3:51.83. Brandon Sareh entered three events, recording a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 5:40.71 and a first 3x3x3 Blindfolded solve of 4:52.57. Stephen Narwold took on two events and posted a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded of 5:03.66, while Qiyue Wang marked a first ever attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 9:30.16. Roxana Johnson rounded out the strong performances by lowering her 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 5.3 percent to 4:29.90 at Brilliant Big & Blind Blast Orlando 2023.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event brought the weekend to a dramatic conclusion as 13 competitors attempted to resolve multiple scrambled cubes from memory in under an hour. Noah Swor earned the victory by successfully solving 25 out of 31 cubes in an exact time of 1:00:00. Sean Hartman delivered a flawless 10 out of 10 cubes in 53:07 to claim second place, while Chris Hardwick rounded out the top three by putting up 6 out of 9 cubes in 54:57, closing out another intense chapter of competition.

With 21 podium places going to competitors representing the USA and one to Colombia, the event highlighted the concentration of talent present at this specialized WCA competition. From veterans looking over the latest 3x3 results to competitors pushing into longer formats, the action in Florida showed how much effort goes into mastering the most complex events on the schedule. As the year drew to a close, Brilliant Big & Blind Blast Orlando 2023 proved that elite preparation remains the defining factor in any major cubing competition.