Don't DNS Denton 2024

A total of 29 competitors gathered at the University of North Texas Union on September 28 and 29, 2024, stepping into a packed schedule featuring ten distinct disciplines across fifteen rounds of play. For those making their debut at an official WCA competition, stepping onto the competition floor meant experiencing the distinct rhythm of official timers, side-by-side judge tables, and the relentless focus required in high-stakes speedcubing. Stepping up to the solving station for the first time turns solitary practice into an exciting public trial.

Among those experiencing their very first WCA tournament was Gavin Urquidez, who took on the grueling challenges of both the 6x6x6 Cube and 7x7x7 Cube right out of the gate. Facing massive layered puzzles under tournament regulations requires immense stamina, and Urquidez delivered solid opening marks, including a best finish of 11th place in the 7x7x7 Cube with a time of 4:08.31 and a 6x6x6 Cube mark of 2:31.27. Making a competitive debut in such complex events set a determined tone for the entire gathering in Denton, Texas, USA.

The broader field at Don't DNS Denton 2024 showcased remarkable depth across specialized categories beyond the standard Rubik's Cube. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Noah Swor secured first place with an exceptional winning single of 18.12 seconds in the final round, edging out Ryan Pilat, who claimed second place with a 21.08, and Fletcher Berry, who finished third with a 28.24 single. Swor also captured the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves crown, producing a winning average of 22.33 across three rounds, ahead of Daniel Karnaukh at 23.67 and AJ Kamal at 24.33.

Joshua Gao proved to be a dominant force in memory disciplines throughout the weekend. Gao earned victory in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a winning single of 2:44.80, finishing ahead of Pilat at 3:07.73 and Chris Chi at 5:51.60. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, Gao solved 32 out of 35 puzzles in a time of 59:28 to take the top step on the podium. Swor followed closely in second place by resolving 29 of 35 cubes in 59:40, while Pilat earned third with 19 of 23 cubes solved in 56:37.

Big cube specialists enjoyed extensive competition across both days. In 5x5x5 Cube, Ryan Pilat took first place with a 52.86 average, narrowly besting Noah Swor at 54.11 and Jeremy Sheng at 1:02.45. Swor answered in the 6x6x6 Cube, taking the win with a 1:39.40 average over Pilat at 1:41.91 and Sheng at 1:52.73. Pilat returned to the top of the podium in the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 2:39.58, followed by Swor at 2:55.48 and Daniel Karnaukh at 2:57.50. Pilat also secured victory in 5x5x5 Blindfolded with an 8:17.46 single.

Away from the championship podiums, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their individual programs. Luke Cowan entered nine events, logging a 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best of 2:10.45, which was 22.7 percent faster than his prior mark, while also posting a 10.6 percent improvement in 7x7x7 Cube at 5:56.25 and completing his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with 4 of 7 cubes. Jude Langhout delivered a major leap in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a personal best of 5:50.76, an improvement of 20.8 percent over his previous best. David Hunt tackled six events, achieving a 15.7 percent reduction in his 5x5x5 Cube personal best down to 1:51.94, alongside first attempts in the 6x6x6 Cube at 4:59.90 and 3x3x3 Fewest Moves at 43.

Other participants similarly expanded their skill sets across diverse events. Matthew Bidwell completed nine events over the weekend, setting a 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best of 27, which improved his previous benchmark by 15.6 percent, and earning a 5th place finish in 4x4x4 Blindfolded. Jonah Stradtner registered a 12.8 percent improvement in 5x5x5 Cube with a 2:44.10 personal best and made his first attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a score of 47. Sever Verdin Arambula improved his 6x6x6 Cube personal best by 11.5 percent to 3:35.94 and completed a first attempt in 5x5x5 Cube at 1:55.92. Cole Dugger posted a 5x5x5 Cube personal best of 1:15.86 and improved his 6x6x6 Cube mark to 2:54.82, while James Wang competed in nine events, recording a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 4:41.50.

Short-format puzzles rounded out the tournament program with lively two-round brackets. Dylan Baumbach secured the Square-1 title with a winning average of 6.45, setting the best single of the event at 5.10 among a field of 27 competitors. Jude Stradtner led the Clock competition from start to finish, recording a winning average of 4.39 and the event's top single of 3.07 to top a 25-player field. These fast-paced rounds brought great variety to the heavy schedule of big cubes and blindfolded events.

As the cubing competition concluded, every entrant left with meaningful progress on the official tables. Between the intensive big cube contests and the varied 3x3 results across speed cubing and memory disciplines, Don't DNS Denton 2024 provided a stage where first-timers and veteran solvers alike could test their limits. The combination of intense focus, intricate puzzle strategy, and steady personal improvement made the two days in Denton a memorable chapter for the Texas cubing community.