Edinburgh Autumn 2025

Inside Meadowbank Sports Centre on September 20 and September 21, the rhythmic clack of plastic pieces echoed through the hall as competitors gathered for a packed weekend of puzzles. Across nineteen total rounds, a committed team of organizers, delegates, and volunteer runners ensured that every station ran on schedule. Managing scrambles, overseeing judging tables, and keeping scorecards flowing steadily made the weekend seamless for everyone involved. For a busy WCA competition, that tireless operational effort provided the exact structure needed for intense puzzle solving.

The tournament brought together 122 competitors in Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, drawing participants across eight distinct events. From newcomers stepping up to their first solve to seasoned solvers chasing podium finishes, the cubing competition carried great energy from the opening round to the final showdowns. In total, players from the United Kingdom took fifteen podium spots, while entrants from Macau, Poland, the United States, and Sweden also captured podium silverware across the two days of competition.

On the tables, Johnny Morello Kerlaff produced a commanding run throughout the weekend. Kerlaff captured first place in the main Rubik's Cube event with a winning average of 6.99 seconds and a best single of 6.24 across three rounds of 118 competitors. Max Kwok U Sam secured second place with an 8.80 average, while Charlie Harrison claimed third with an 8.86 average. Those decisive 3x3 results highlighted an impressive showcase of classic speedcubing at the highest standard.

Kerlaff was far from finished with just the classic cube. He went on to sweep three other events, winning the 2x2x2 Cube with an average of 1.83 seconds ahead of Oscar Bickmore and Sam Jones, while also securing the 4x4x4 Cube crown in 27.80 seconds over Max Kwok U Sam and Adam Black. Kerlaff added another victory in the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, recording an 11.59 average to finish ahead of Kwok U Sam and Harrison, rounding out a four-title haul across Edinburgh Autumn 2025.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, several solvers achieved huge milestones that showed the depth of the community. Imre Godley delivered a massive breakthrough in the 3x3x3 Cube, posting a personal best of 21.26 seconds that improved on their previous mark by 68.6 percent, while also tackling their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 53.62 seconds. Freya McGovern dropped their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 67.6 percent down to 1.78 seconds and logged a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:06.45. Sebastian Henry improved their 2x2x2 Cube best by 64.4 percent to 3.10 seconds and registered a first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 2:30.98 single.

Other competitors took on fresh challenges across diverse formats. Daniel Edmond slashed their 2x2x2 Cube personal best by 53.6 percent to 3.67 seconds and recorded a first ever attempt at Pyraminx in 6.46 seconds. Piru Tang chopped 53 percent off their 2x2x2 Cube best down to 2.73 seconds alongside a first ever attempt at Skewb in 8.78 seconds. Gus Robertson reduced their 2x2x2 Cube record by 47.7 percent to 5.94 seconds, while Christopher King made a first ever attempt at the 3x3x3 Cube with a 23.85 single. Lekh Grewal took on seven events, recording a first ever attempt at Megaminx in 4:03.08.

The alternate events delivered plenty of drama across the schedule. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline, where competitors must commit the entire puzzle state to memory before donning an eye cover, Charlie Harrison earned first place with a 23.43 average, followed by Ryan Eckersley in 30.26 and Max Kwok U Sam in 1:12.49. In the Skewb event, Sam Jones took top honors with an average of 3.81 seconds, finishing ahead of Dominik Szajek and Eckersley.

The remaining podiums brought international variety to the Scottish capital. In Pyraminx, Bo Forsell of Sweden earned the victory with a 2.39 average, leading Liam Stuart Ferreira of Poland and Rylan Cheng-Brown of the United Kingdom. In Megaminx, Elijah Layne of the United States secured first place with an average of 42.80 seconds, holding off Poland's Marcel Borkowski and Kerlaff. The speed cubing action throughout Edinburgh Autumn 2025 concluded in 2025 with memorable performances and smooth coordination from start to finish.