Don't DNF Denton 2024

Fifteen competitors stepped into the University of North Texas Union on December 7, 2024, setting the stage for a concentrated day of high-level puzzle solving. Held in Denton, Texas, USA, the gathering brought together regional specialists across nine separate rounds of competition. The single-day schedule placed a substantial spotlight on memory and big cubes, testing endurance across seven events. For the contenders in attendance, every round presented an immediate test under the clock.

American competitor Ryan Pilat produced a standout display across multiple disciplines in front of the Texas crowd. Pilat captured four event titles over the course of the weekend, balancing standard speedcubing pace with exceptional blindfolded solving. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Pilat secured top honors with a decisive single solve of 20.53 seconds, setting the standard across two rounds of play. The field looked toward the classic 3x3 results to measure the sharpness of the blindfolded lineup.

The blindfolded events formed the core of the competition schedule, demanding complete accuracy during memorization and execution phases. Joshua Gao emerged as the victor in both big-cube blindfolded disciplines, claiming gold in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a winning single time of 2:01.84 and adding a title in 5x5x5 Blindfolded with a mark of 6:10.74. Pilat took the runner-up spot in both events, posting a 2:12.21 in the 4x4x4 variation and a 9:38.63 on the larger 5x5x5 cube.

Luke Cowan rounded out the 4x4x4 Blindfolded podium in third place with a time of 19:04.00, while Fletcher Berry, Connor Lyons, Luke Cowan, and Humberto Martinez III all registered DNFs on the challenging 5x5x5 Blindfolded layout behind Gao and Pilat. In the expansive 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, Pilat returned to the top of the podium by successfully solving 20 out of 25 cubes within the one-hour time limit. Fletcher Berry placed second by solving 16 out of 27 cubes in 59:04, while James Wang finished third with 6 out of 8 solved in 53:01.

Standard big cubes also saw intense action as Pilat maintained momentum in the sighted categories. In the 6x6x6 Cube final, Pilat posted a winning average of 1:41.36 and a best single solve of 1:36.98 to secure first place. Kari Guthrie took the second spot on the podium with an average of 2:03.39, while Connor Lyons finished in third position with an average of 2:23.80. The event proved to be a smooth demonstration of high-order puzzle mechanics.

The 7x7x7 Cube round featured a similar finishing order at the top of the table. Pilat secured the victory with a calculated average of 2:35.27, backed by a quick single solve of 2:27.48. Kari Guthrie earned another silver podium finish with a 2:59.62 average, and Connor Lyons claimed the bronze medal with an average of 3:29.76. The heavy hardware required stamina and precision across all nine participants in the group.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several dedicated participants delivered important personal milestones during the meet. Cole Dugger entered four separate disciplines and earned a best finish of 5th place in the 7x7x7 Cube, while also logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a registered time of 5:35.69. Michael S. Lander focused his day entirely on a single bracket, earning a best finish of 4th place in Square-1. Michael Conard took on two events during the schedule, securing a solid best finish of 5th place in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division with a single of 2:06.93 and an average of 2:35.69.

The Square-1 bracket delivered some of the most frantic turning of the entire cubing competition. Dylan Baumbach claimed the title across two rounds, averaging 5.23 seconds in the final round and recording a blistering best single of 3.57 seconds. CJ York followed closely in second place with a final average of 6.50 seconds, while Pilat collected his sixth podium placement of the day by securing third place with a 6.90 average.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest concluded with Fletcher Berry capturing second place behind Pilat with a single solve of 26.35 seconds, while James Wang secured third place with a time of 1:28.09. Across all events, competitors represented the United States, sweeping all 24 podium positions awarded. Don't DNF Denton 2024 delivered a memorable showcase of speed cubing excellence in the heart of Texas, setting high standards for future Rubik's Cube gatherings at the WCA competition level.