Manhattan Mini AM 2024

A razor-thin margin in the Pyraminx final defined the competitive spirit of the day as Parker Trager secured victory with a 2.33 average, edging runner-up Marcus Kamen who posted the exact same 2.33 mark. Clem Tucker took third place right behind them with an average of 2.35. The event produced intense speed from the outset, including a rapid 1.36 single that stood as the fastest solve of the round. Across two rounds of play, the triangular puzzle demanded near-flawless execution from every finalist on the stage.

The high-tempo drama was hosted at Little Dreams Event Space in New York, New York, USA on December 15, 2024. Operating as a targeted morning gathering, Manhattan Mini AM 2024 brought together a field of 25 competitors for six rounds of play across three featured events. Participants engaged in top-tier speedcubing, navigating a focused roster of puzzles in a classic WCA competition environment that showcased elite dexterity and precision.

While traditional Rubik's Cube categories test foundational puzzle mechanics, Clock offered pure speed-event action across three rigorous rounds. Hridhaan Shetty took the top spot on the podium with a winning average of 3.54, highlighted by the day's best single of 3.09. Quinn Maloney mounted a serious challenge to finish second with a 3.73 average, while Carter Williams claimed third place with a 4.46 mark, capping a rapid sequence of rounds among 24 competitors.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest added mental endurance to the lineup, drawing 13 entrants for a single high-stakes round. Andrew Tao claimed the victory with a winning average of 24.33 and an exceptional single of 20.22. Kevin Liu followed in second place with an average of 27.15, while Tamás Horváth Deák took third with a single of 52.64. Blindfolded solving requires thorough memorisation before execution, making clean completions a major test of concentration in live cubing competition settings.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones and personal progression during the morning. Lukas Voigt delivered two massive personal bests across his two events, dropping his Pyraminx mark to 3.83, which was 28.5 percent faster than his previous 5.36, and shaving his Clock best to 16.36, an improvement of 15.4 percent. Bode Lee also found major speed in Pyraminx, cutting his personal best by 21.2 percent down to 4.71 to finish 7th overall. Taking on a completely new challenge, Alex Hamburg registered a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a time of 8:02.78 to take 11th place.

Steady gains continued through the Clock tables, where Noah Cudilla lowered his personal best by 15.5 percent to 6.62 across his two events. Elliot Voigt cut his personal standard to 5.33, an improvement of 15.3 percent, while Miles Schwarz improved by 8.9 percent to set a new personal record of 6.78. Reilly Squadron achieved a personal best of 4.73 in Clock, a 4.8 percent reduction, alongside a 12th-place finish in blindfolded solving. Ryan Hughes entered three events and delivered a personal best single of 2:15.19 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded on his way to 6th place.

The tournament highlighted strong international representation alongside domestic talent, with United States competitors earning eight podium places and Hungary securing one podium finish. From fast-paced sprint puzzles to the intellectual discipline of blindfolded solves, the tournament delivered a comprehensive showcase of modern speed cubing skill in the heart of New York.

As the morning wrapped up, the gathering demonstrated the depth of the regional scene in 2024. Without standard 3x3 results dominating the schedule, the specialty formats took center stage and delivered compelling finishes across the board. Manhattan Mini AM 2024 concluded as a fast-paced fixture that tested turning speed and problem-solving sharpness in equal measure.