Mississippi Cubing Dawgs 2024

Precision, finger dexterity, and relentless efficiency define one-handed solving, and Teri McAcy put on an absolute masterclass at the Colvard Student Union. Facing 49 competitors in the 3x3x3 One-Handed discipline, McAcy captured first place with an outstanding winning average of 12.78 seconds, anchored by a blistering single of 11.00 seconds. Dylan Miller pressed hard throughout the final round to claim second place with a 13.46 average, while RJ Gohn secured the third spot on the podium at 14.79. It was a standout demonstration of single-handed turning mechanics that set an electric standard for the entire gathering.

The action was part of Mississippi Cubing Dawgs 2024, held on August 24, 2024, bringing together 67 competitors in Starkville, Mississippi, USA. Across seven diverse events and 13 total rounds of high-tempo speedcubing, competitors tackled everything from traditional twisty puzzles to complex geometric shapes. The atmosphere inside the venue highlighted the breadth of talent across the region, where seasoned tournament veterans and rising talents pushed their limits on the official WCA competition stage.

McAcy did not stop with the one-handed crown, putting together a truly dominant campaign across the larger puzzle formats. In the 4x4x4 Cube, McAcy secured victory across two rounds of play, capturing top honours with a winning average of 28.85 seconds and a best single of 26.49. Miller followed closely in second with a 29.90 average, while Chance Ritchey took third with 38.52. Moving onto the 5x5x5 Cube, McAcy once again topped the podium with a 55.82 average and a 54.34 single, holding off Miller who finished second at 57.87, and Elliott Ashe who finished third at 1:18.39.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube contest delivered exceptional drama across three full rounds of head-to-head speed cubing. Dylan Miller surged to the top of the 67-player field, clinching first place with a remarkable winning average of 6.33 seconds and a sharp single of 5.55 seconds. McAcy took second place on the podium with a 7.41 average, while RJ Gohn earned another medal on the day with a solid third-place average of 9.48. In earlier round action, Miller set the standard with a 5.51 single and a 6.23 average, leading the weekend 3x3 results.

Beyond the classic Rubik's Cube variations, the side events brought fierce battles and international flair to Starkville. Ireland's Declan Mangan-Lamb claimed top honours in Skewb, posting a winning average of 3.67 seconds and a best single of 2.27, edging out Todd Goodwin with 4.15 and RJ Gohn with 5.36. In Square-1, Gunner Engelsman navigated the shape-shifting puzzle to win with an 11.73 average and an 8.25 single, besting Gohn at 13.72 and Goodwin at 14.64. Miller added another gold medal in Megaminx, winning with a 37.90 average ahead of David Heaton at 59.57 and Mangan-Lamb at 1:00.57.

Away from the top of the podium, the deeper brackets revealed remarkable personal triumphs and substantial milestones for dedicated solvers. Sawyer Adams delivered one of the weekend's largest leaps, shaving significant time to record a Square-1 personal best of 30.21 seconds, which was 54.6 percent faster than their previous benchmark. Kyle Solomon tackled all seven events on the schedule, achieving an eighth-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube while dropping their Square-1 personal best by 53.6 percent down to 31.51 seconds. Bradley Parker entered five events, registering a first ever attempt at Skewb with a 9.60 and cutting their 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 42.6 percent to 53.04 seconds.

New milestones continued across multiple disciplines as competitors expanded their repertoires at Mississippi Cubing Dawgs 2024. Joseph Zaiden took on five events and posted a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 13.94 seconds, which was 36.5 percent faster than their prior mark, alongside a first attempt at one-handed solving of 58.78. Oliver Rojahn took on six events, achieving a 19th-place finish in Square-1 with a debut mark of 30.73 and lowering their Skewb personal best by 34.1 percent to 6.73 seconds. Zion Benjamin Stewart completed a first 5x5x5 Cube attempt in 2:37.74 and improved their one-handed best by 26.1 percent to 20.00. Gavin Reed Gatlin made their official tournament debut across six events, logging a 14.24 first attempt in Skewb, while Owen Carter also completed their debut tournament across five events, securing a 39.43 first mark in one-handed solving.

The single-day tournament demonstrated the impressive depth of American solving alongside international representation, with the United States earning 19 podium places and Ireland claiming two. From technical mastery in the one-handed event to rapid turn speeds on big cubes, the gathering highlighted the focus and community spirit that make each cubing competition memorable. Solvers departed Starkville with new milestones achieved, records updated, and clear targets in sight as the 2024 calendar heads toward its next phase.