Lex Mini IV 2024

Evan Brown delivered a masterclass in versatility at Lex Mini IV 2024, securing three separate event victories to headline an action-packed Saturday of speedcubing. Held at the Lexington Public Library Northside Library in Lexington, Kentucky, USA on November 16, 2024, the tournament brought together 20 competitors across six events and eight rounds. Brown captured first place in Square-1, 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, and 4x4x4 Blindfolded, demonstrating supreme focus across both algorithmic speed and complex memory disciplines.

The 2024 gathering proved to be a showcase for seasoned campaigners returning to peak form across several categories. In Square-1, Brown took the title through two rounds of competition with a winning average of 15.19 seconds, helped by a tournament-best single of 11.91 seconds. Carson Miller followed in second place with a 17.22 average, while Jack Bohning took third with 18.44. Brown also finished second in Megaminx with an average of 1:07.39, showing remarkable endurance across a crowded schedule.

The blindfolded events highlighted some of the weekend's most demanding tests. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, Brown successfully resolved 6 out of 7 cubes within a time of 41:43, finishing ahead of Eric Dodson, who placed second by logging 2 of 3 cubes in 24:47. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, an event requiring immense spatial recall, Brown was the sole competitor to log a successful attempt, taking the title with a single time of 14:15.00 over Roland Ababat and Scott Cousteau.

Beyond the blindfolded triumphs, standard twisting puzzles provided rapid action throughout the room. The 4x4x4 Cube competition saw Jack Bohning produce a sharp 33.86 winning average, backed by a quick 29.30 single to take first place out of 19 entrants. Garrett Hadaway earned the silver position with an average of 37.11, while Carson Miller secured another podium spot in third with 37.68. Bohning also made the finals in other categories, keeping pace at the top of the table.

Garrett Hadaway had his moment atop the podium in Megaminx, navigating the twelve-sided puzzle with an impressive winning average of 56.37 seconds and a best single of 49.67 seconds across 15 contenders. Evan Brown took second place with his 1:07.39 average, while Roland Ababat rounded out the podium in third with a 1:09.02 mark. The event demonstrated the broad technical skill present in this compact Kentucky field, where classic Rubik's Cube mechanics meet expanded geometric variants.

While the podium battles took center stage, several competitors delivered massive personal breakthroughs away from the trophy presentations. Sebastian Stone achieved a dramatic 41 percent improvement on his 2x2x2 Cube personal best, lowering it to 4.03 seconds, while also recording his first ever official attempts in Square-1 at 41.00 and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:58.73. David Sellards took on three events, taking 8th in 2x2x2 Cube with a personal best of 3.05 seconds, cutting his previous mark by 19.9 percent, alongside a 30.9 percent improvement in Megaminx to 1:29.28 and a first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 1:21.82.

Sawyer Dean Douglass had an equally productive weekend, taking 15th in Megaminx during a first attempt of 3:29.29, while slashing his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 20.6 percent to 4.48 and his 4x4x4 Cube best by 19 percent to 1:44.72. Liam Engle logged a first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:49.20 and lowered his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 5.70. Aidan Gifford tackled three events and registered his first official Megaminx result with a time of 2:05.61. Meanwhile, Andrew S. M. Park posted a 50.95 in 4x4x4 Cube, a 10 percent improvement, along with a 22.90 personal best in Square-1, while Michael Stoops improved his Megaminx standard to 1:56.48.

The 2x2x2 Cube event concluded the day's action with two rounds among 20 entrants, capped by a victory from Sujan Feist. Feist won the final with an average of 2.38 seconds after posting an opening best single of 1.26. Ethan Kopechek claimed second place with an average of 2.76 seconds, and Joseph Meidal took third with a 3.41 average. Feist also registered an earlier 1.17 single and 1.78 average during the competition, leading a very fast field.

With 19 podium places claimed across six official disciplines, this WCA competition offered an exciting blend of classic speed cubing sprints and grueling blindfolded challenges. The tournament allowed experienced veterans to demonstrate their refined form alongside newer competitors making strides across unfamiliar puzzles. As the cubing competition circuit moves deeper into the calendar, Lex Mini IV 2024 stands as a testament to high-level execution and steady personal progress across the community without waiting for traditional 3x3 results to define the meet.