New York New Year 2025

Forty-five competitors gathered in Malta, New York, USA from December 31 to January 1, 2026 to ring in the calendar turn across eleven rounds of head-to-head racing. Speedcubing often balances pure manual dexterity against methodical planning, where turning fast on standard puzzles stands apart from the deliberate study required in theoretical formats. Across seven different disciplines at the Hyatt Place Saratoga/Malta, the weekend served up relentless speed and technical discipline under the official oversight of the World Cube Association.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube competition provided the central showcase of the weekend, drawing the entire forty-five competitor field through two rounds of fierce turning. Curtis Chai of the United States secured victory with a decisive winning average of 6.30 seconds, bolstered by the competition-best single of 5.62 seconds. Jerry Yao took second place on the podium with a 7.01 average, while Ayden Dincher completed the top three with an average of 7.29 seconds. The official 3x3 results capped a high-caliber Rubik's Cube display that set the pace for the entire gathering.

Big cubes tested stamina and reduction efficiency over the holiday schedule. Jerry Yao dominated the 5x5x5 Cube, claiming first place with a 46.98 average and a tournament-best single of 41.07 seconds, finishing ahead of Ayden Dincher at 49.21 and Darshan Bhavanasi of India at 53.03. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Evan Liu captured gold with an average of 1:34.23 and a best single mark of 1:27.19. Dincher followed in second with 1:36.55, while Chai earned third place on the podium with an average of 1:41.81.

Short-format speed cubing produced breathtaking margins in the 2x2x2 Cube and Pyraminx. Dincher earned the top spot on the 2x2x2 podium with a 1.27 average and a 0.81 single, narrowly edging William Lavoie of Canada at 1.37 and Chai at 1.42. In Pyraminx, Parker Trager claimed the title with a 2.25 average and a 1.41 single, prevailing over Bhavanasi at 2.30 and Dincher at 2.32. Darshan Bhavanasi also captured first place in Megaminx with a 46.55 average, followed by Chai at 47.42 and Dincher at 48.52.

Mechanical shape-shifting and alignment took center stage in Square-1, where Chris Chi prevailed with a winning average of 8.38 seconds alongside a single of 6.77. Wang Ma of China finished runner-up with an 8.59 average, while Dincher placed third at 10.11 seconds. Across all podium positions, competitors from the United States secured sixteen awards, while India earned three, Canada captured one, and China took one.

Behind the top podium spots, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule. Wesley Wood delivered a dramatic breakthrough in the 2x2x2 Cube, cutting his personal best down to 4.22 seconds, which was 33.6 percent faster than his previous mark. Yili Yi registered a huge leap in Megaminx with a 2:28.33 personal best, improving by 27.7 percent, alongside an 18.22 personal best in Square-1. Theo Lee improved his Megaminx standard by 26.3 percent with a 1:00.72 personal best, while Yiyul Jung took on seven events, recording a 20.2 percent drop in the 5x5x5 Cube to 2:14.93 and logging first-ever official attempts in Square-1 at 26.85 and Megaminx at 3:40.80.

Other competitors delivered equally memorable personal milestones across multiple puzzle formats. Ming Chai recorded a 13.7 percent improvement in Megaminx with a 2:32.43 personal best, while also logging personal bests in 3x3x3 Cube at 15.23 and 5x5x5 Cube at 3:15.22. Tess Weinstock achieved personal bests in three events, posting a 2:45.15 in 6x6x6 Cube, 1:03.67 in Megaminx, and 1:30.96 in 5x5x5 Cube. Jeremiah Lee attended his first WCA competition, tackling four events and recording initial marks of 13.95 in Pyraminx, 19.89 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 9.09 in 2x2x2 Cube. Charles J. Hoffmann also made his competitive debut, posting initial marks of 23.23 in 2x2x2 Cube and 42.86 in 3x3x3 Cube.

The diverse lineup of disciplines highlighted the complete range of modern puzzle solving, balancing rapid tactile precision with deep geometric recognition. New York New Year 2025 closed out the 2025 competition slate with memorable performances from veteran speedcubers and newcomers alike. Every division delivered competitive intensity and personal progression at the Hyatt Place Saratoga/Malta as the speedcubing community concluded its holiday schedule.