Mississauga Blindfolded 2024

Two minutes and 20.15 seconds was the benchmark that defined the day. In the grueling arena of blindfolded big cubes, solving a 5x5x5 without sight demands immense mental stamina, vast memory palaces, and complete spatial control. That single solve of 2:20.15 by Stanley Chapel in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded final delivered the American a decisive victory and set the tone for an extraordinary display of endurance. Held on November 23, 2024, at the Tomken Twin Arena in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the gathering brought together a dedicated field of 20 competitors across 4 events and 5 rounds of high-pressure speedcubing.

The 5x5x5 Blindfolded discipline proved to be the ultimate test of attrition throughout the day. Four competitors stepped up to attempt the massive puzzle without sight, but the unforgiving complexity of the event yielded Did Not Finish results for three of them. Nicholas Patterson of Canada, Alvin Hiu Yeung Cheng of Hong Kong, and Max Xiong of Canada each registered a DNF, leaving Chapel as the sole solver to complete a successful attempt with his winning 2:20.15. The sheer mental taxation required to track every center, wing, and corner without looking makes success on the big puzzle one of the rarest feats in any WCA competition.

Chapel extended his mastery of blindfolded big puzzles into the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event. Facing a field of six competitors, Chapel produced a winning single of 58.68 seconds, breaking the one-minute barrier in stunning fashion. Alvin Hiu Yeung Cheng secured the second step on the podium with a solid 2:02.66 single, while Max Xiong claimed third place with a time of 8:40.32. Across both big-cube blindfolded events, the competitors showcased the immense concentration required to manage hundreds of puzzle permutations purely from memory, setting a high bar for speed cubing excellence in the region.

In the classic 3x3x3 Blindfolded division, the competition reached its peak participation with 19 competitors battling across two rounds. Chapel completed a sweep of his individual events by taking first place in the final with a winning average of 20.28 seconds and a best single of 20.00. Michael Mao of Canada claimed second place on the podium with an average of 23.73, followed by Alvin Hiu Yeung Cheng in third with a 30.73 average. The tournament also featured an opening round where Chapel posted an 18.72 single, while Mao registered a 27.36 single, highlighting the fierce chase for premier 3x3 results on the blindfolded stage.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event brought a different dimension of strategic endurance to the floor, requiring competitors to memorize and solve multiple puzzles consecutively under a strict time limit. Abdullah Gulab of Pakistan took top honors by successfully solving 7 out of 7 Rubik's Cube puzzles in a time of 37:13. Nicholas Patterson earned second place with a flawless 6 out of 6 in 38:48, while Max Xiong rounded out the podium in third place after completing 6 of 7 cubes in 32:35. The event tested the absolute limits of memory retention over long stretches of intense focus.

Beyond the top podium spots, several competitors delivered standout personal milestones that defined the depth of the field. William Kitching produced one of the largest breakthroughs of the day in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging a personal best of 2:16.43, which was 41.3 percent faster than his prior mark, on his way to a 10th-place finish. Lucas Nieuwland achieved a major milestone by taking on his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, securing 4th place with 2 out of 3 cubes in 22:16, while also cutting 22.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best with a time of 3:35.12. Steven Phang improved his 3x3x3 Blindfolded best by 8 percent with a 1:09.89 single, finishing 6th.

Other competitors made their presence felt through consistent execution across their selected events. Kevin Tang achieved a personal best single of 4:58.37 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded to finish in 9th place. Philip Chiang entered the single blindfolded event and earned an 8th-place finish with a best time of 3:40.11. Matthew Krawczyk took on two events and claimed a 6th-place finish in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, while Nicholas McKee tackled two events during the day to secure 5th place in Multi-Blind. Emile Compion of South Africa rounded out the strong performances by entering two events and finishing 5th in the 4x4x4 Blindfolded contest.

When the final scores were tallied, the podium distribution reflected a diverse gathering of talent, with Canadian competitors capturing six podium places, followed by three for the United States, three for Hong Kong, and one for Pakistan. Mississauga Blindfolded 2024 provided a memorable showcase of memory, technique, and stamina, leaving an indelible mark on the 2024 cubing competition calendar as competitors look ahead to the challenges of the next season.