North Star Cubing Challenge MN 2026

Inside the spacious hall of the Eagan Community Center, stacks of diverse puzzles lined the competition tables as timers flickered to life. The atmosphere carried the distinct rhythm of focused concentration and rapid mechanical turns, setting a determined tone for the two-day gathering. Speedcubing enthusiasts arrived ready to tackle an expansive slate of challenges spanning ten different disciplines. Hosted in Eagan, Minnesota, USA from January 31 through February 1, the North Star Cubing Challenge MN 2026 brought together 93 competitors across 16 rounds of intense, high-level action.

While standard speed cubing always commands attention, this winter weekend stood out for its demanding niche categories. Blindfolded disciplines and efficiency challenges tested the absolute limits of spatial memory and deep analytical technique. In 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, Carter Kucala delivered a masterclass in solution efficiency, claiming the win with an average of 21.33 moves and a single of 20, leading Walker Welch at 24.00 and Nathan Phillips at 35.67. Kucala extended that problem-solving prowess into 5x5x5 Blindfolded, where memorising the vast puzzle without sight proved decisive, taking top honours with a winning single of 8:43.65 ahead of Welch and Nolan Wayman.

The blindfolded drama continued in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, another discipline where visual memory and execution must align perfectly. Andy Wong secured first place with an impressive single solve of 5:00.21, navigating the layered permutations cleanly. Nolan Wayman captured second place with a time of 5:47.73, while Ivan ThanhDanh Duong rounded out the podium with an 8:06.80 single. Pushing memory across big cubes remains one of the steepest challenges in the WCA competition scene, making these completed attempts some of the most remarkable feats of the entire gathering.

Specialised mechanical puzzles also brought fierce battles to the staging tables. In Clock, Ivan ThanhDanh Duong paced a 60-competitor field over two rounds, winning the final with an average of 2.57 seconds and an event-best single of 2.18, finishing ahead of Nathan Rahn at 4.58 and Carter Kucala at 4.79. Square-1 saw Nathan Rahn take top honors, posting a winning average of 8.44 seconds and a single of 7.97 across two rounds. Pyraminx drew 79 competitors across three rounds, culminating in a victory for Carl Overbye with an average of 2.84 seconds and a blistering single of 1.53.

Beyond the podium finishes, the weekend provided a platform for dramatic individual milestones and personal breakthroughs. Peter Fielder took on five events, improving his Square-1 personal best to 28.60 seconds, which was 65.6 percent faster than his previous mark of 1:23.05, while also logging a first attempt at Clock in 12.30. Zuhayr Jafri entered five disciplines, recording a 12th-place finish in 5x5x5 Cube while making a first attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 4:41.41. Theodore Lounsbery stepped up to six events, notching a 19th-place finish in 7x7x7 Cube and making a first attempt at Clock in 10.75 seconds. Nico Sawyer completed four events, which included a first attempt at Pyraminx in 9.24.

The progress across the floor highlighted the depth of the regional community. Jonah Sandstrom contested five events, securing 7th place in 4x4x4 Cube and logging a first attempt at Pyraminx in 3.32 seconds. Calvin Schwartz handled five events and posted a first attempt at Pyraminx in 8.37. Dean Angert took on a massive schedule of all ten events, achieving 4th place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, making a first attempt at 7x7x7 Cube in 4:12.72, and cutting his Square-1 best by 45 percent down to 11.93 seconds. Vihaan Shah participated in five events, reducing his Pyraminx personal best to 5.83 seconds, an improvement of 43.6 percent.

When attention shifted to big-cube speed, Nathan Phillips demonstrated remarkable versatility and stamina across the heavier hardware. Phillips captured the 5x5x5 Cube crown with an average of 48.49 seconds, holding off Kaius Young at 52.40 and Carl Overbye at 57.47. In the massive 7x7x7 Cube, Phillips struck gold again, averaging 2:11.74 with a top single of 2:05.66, outpacing Young and Walker Welch. Young, however, claimed his own title on the 4x4x4 Cube, winning with a decisive average of 25.76 seconds over Kucala and Phillips.

The classic 3x3x3 Cube closed out the competition schedule with three rounds of action featuring 92 competitors. In the final round of Rubik's Cube solving, Nathan Phillips capped off a multi-gold weekend by taking the victory with an average of 7.11 seconds and a best single of 6.24. Carter Kucala took second place in the 3x3 results with an average of 7.44, while Tyler Robinson placed third with 7.87, securing all 30 podium places across the weekend for USA competitors.

The North Star Cubing Challenge MN 2026 demonstrated the incredible breadth of the modern puzzle community in 2026, pairing traditional speed events with rare and technically exacting disciplines. From blindfolded marathons to clock dials and big-cube turn speeds, competitors met every format with composure and skill. As the timers were packed away in Eagan, the weekend wrapped up having showcased the immense dedication and versatility that drive the sport forward.