Noordhoek Quiet Xmas 2025

Inside the Noordhoek Community Center on December 27, 2025, the usual fast-paced clatter of plastic was replaced by deep focus and disciplined stillness. A compact field of nine solvers gathered for a day dedicated to some of the most demanding disciplines in speedcubing. Set against the coastal backdrop of Cape Town, South Africa, the stage was arranged for a single-day test of extreme puzzle-solving endurance and memory, where every single move demanded precision under the strict quiet required for blindfolded challenges.

Local standout Marike Faught delivered a masterclass across the board, capturing all four blindfolded titles on the schedule at Noordhoek Quiet Xmas 2025. Competing on home turf, Faught established absolute dominance in the memory events, navigating complex parity algorithms and intricate memorisation schemes. Her commanding performances across traditional blind solving, extended multi-blind sets, and massive big-cube variants showcased the highest level of concentration seen throughout the entire weekend.

In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, Faught produced the standout individual achievement of the tournament. Memorising and executing dozens of puzzles consecutively without sight, she successfully resolved 20 out of 21 cubes in a time of 55:57. Dylan Swarts took second place with a solid 16 out of 21 cubes in 53:13, while Daniel Rush claimed third place after solving 8 of 9 cubes in 47:10. The discipline requires extreme mental stamina, making Faught's near-flawless score the definitive performance of the meet.

Faught extended her golden run into the big-cube blind categories, claiming top honours in both the 4x4x4 Blindfolded and 5x5x5 Blindfolded competitions. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, she was the lone solver to record a successful time, securing first place with a single of 4:31.42. She repeated that solo success in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded division, recording a winning time of 9:51.81 as all other five competitors registered DNFs, underscoring the immense difficulty of tracking dozens of moving pieces without visual feedback.

The standard 3x3x3 Blindfolded contest proved equally competitive across two rounds of play. While standard Rubik's Cube categories draw wide participation at any WCA competition, blindfolded solving demands unmatched discipline. Faught topped the podium in the final with a best single of 1:17.09, while Timothy Lawrance took second place in 1:43.46 and Daniel Rush earned third in 1:50.37. Beyond the final podium, Dylan Swarts achieved a notable 36.58 single in the opening round alongside a 39.32 average.

While blindfolded disciplines took up the bulk of the schedule, large puzzles were solved with eyes wide open as Daniel Rush commanded the big cubes. In the 6x6x6 Cube, Rush secured victory with an average of 1:25.40, outpacing Daniel David Mizen who finished second with 2:28.54 and Maverick Pearson in third with 2:40.67. Rush then doubled his title count in the 7x7x7 Cube, posting a winning average of 2:03.17 to finish ahead of Jesse Osburn at 3:44.63 and Mizen at 3:53.57.

Beyond the podium battles, the competition highlighted important milestones for participants taking on new challenges. Stephen Scott, taking part in his seventh career speed cubing tournament, entered two disciplines and notched an eighth-place finish in the 6x6x6 Cube. It marked Scott's first ever attempt at the 6x6x6 Cube in official competition, putting up a time of 4:26.79 on the board. These first-time attempts represent the quiet personal breakthroughs that happen away from the top steps of the podium.

Across six demanding events and seven rounds of action, Noordhoek Quiet Xmas 2025 offered an intense showcase of South African puzzle solving. With local talent thriving across every discipline, all 24 podium positions were claimed by South African competitors. As the final 3x3 results and big-cube averages were logged into the official record, the gathering proved how much depth and technical capability exists within the Cape Town cubing community heading into the 2025 season.