Don't Fall Off Devils Tower 2023

The open hall of Prairie Sky Venue in Gillette, Wyoming, USA buzzed with focused energy on April 8, 2023, as timers rested on competition mats and solved puzzles clicked in rapid succession across the floor. A group of 56 competitors filled the room, testing their preparation against the clock throughout 12 packed rounds. This vibrant gathering for Don't Fall Off Devils Tower 2023 brought speedcubing enthusiasts together under one roof, providing a bright and welcoming arena for official solves across six distinct puzzle disciplines.

For those following the core speed cubing schedule, the premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered sharp head-to-head racing across three rounds. Daniel Mullen led the final round of the classic Rubik's Cube with an outstanding winning average of 8.87 seconds, backed by a tournament-best single solve of 7.60 seconds. Mullen held off Braik Hurm, who secured the runner-up spot with a 9.24 average, while Ellery Dillon earned third place with a 9.81 average in a competitive finish that defined the top tier of the 3x3 results.

The broader cubing competition expanded into several other disciplines where Mullen continued to set the standard on the competition floor. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Mullen claimed the top spot with a 34.99 average and a fast single of 32.70 seconds, staying ahead of Stephen Griggs, who recorded a 37.88 average, and Ryan Schock in third at 41.33. Mullen also secured gold in Skewb with a 3.95 average and prevailed on the 12-sided Megaminx by registering an average of 56.03 seconds, topping second-place Griggs and third-place Stone Amsbaugh.

The fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube tournament brought high excitement across its two rounds and featured 53 competitors. Ellery Dillon captured the event victory with a rapid 2.01 average, anchored by a best single effort of 1.63 seconds. Mullen added another podium result by taking second place with a 3.21 average, while Kaemon Vita took third with a 3.92 average. The event also saw numerous personal marks entered into the official ledger, including Ryan Schock posting a 3.33 single and a 5.04 average, and Jake Roberts logging a 4.52 single and a 5.57 average.

In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline, where competitors must commit the puzzle state to memory before donning a blindfold to solve without visual feedback, Elizabeth Cutting claimed victory at Don't Fall Off Devils Tower 2023. Cutting completed a winning single time of 51.17 seconds to secure first place among the 11 entrants. Stone Amsbaugh took second on the podium with a 58.73 single, while Mullen concluded an active schedule across multiple disciplines by taking third place with a 1:47.79 single.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones in the Prairie Sky Venue hall. Andrew Rogers delivered massive personal progression, lowering his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 52 percent to 1:23.87, dropping his Megaminx time by 26.5 percent to 3:57.40, and improving his 3x3x3 Cube mark to 18.14. Josh Page cut his 2x2x2 Cube personal record by 53 percent to 4.83 seconds, while also trimming his 3x3x3 Cube best by 27 percent to 20.07. Cashton Sharp improved his Skewb best by 41.8 percent to 8.56 seconds and notched a first attempt in 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.25. Carter Allred advanced his Skewb personal record by 38 percent to 6.74 seconds and registered his first 2x2x2 Cube attempt in 7.15 seconds.

The progress continued with Daniel Page, who improved his 4x4x4 Cube time by 38 percent to 56.11 seconds, finished 5th in Skewb with a personal best of 4.69, and made his first Megaminx attempt in 2:05.48. Samuel Murray lowered his Skewb best by 35.8 percent to 6.05 seconds and took his first attempt at Megaminx in 3:59.18. Jackson Giuseffi tackled five events, achieving a 9th-place Megaminx run in 2:05.04 along with first attempts in 4x4x4 Cube at 1:15.85 and Skewb at 5.88. Making their debuts at a WCA competition, Elijah Heilman posted a 1:21.04 first try on the 4x4x4 Cube, Luke Rankin achieved an 11th-place Megaminx result of 2:06.05, and Trey Linn registered a Megaminx time of 3:17.42.

Across all six events at Don't Fall Off Devils Tower 2023, competitors from the United States took all 18 podium positions, highlighting the depth of talent present in the region. The day combined championship-caliber performances from multi-event winners like Mullen and Dillon with significant personal milestones across the entire roster of participants.

As the equipment was packed away at Prairie Sky Venue, Don't Fall Off Devils Tower 2023 closed out an exciting one-day chapter for speedcubers in Gillette. With fresh personal records established and multiple puzzle divisions decided, competitors left the tables with new marks to target in future competitive seasons.