NUS Open 2025

Sixty-one competitors gathered under one roof as NUS Open 2025 brought a packed roster of ten events and nineteen rounds of action to Singapore, Singapore on September 13, 2025. Held at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the one-day gathering captured the warm spirit of the regional community. Between rounds, participants shared solve analyses, tested each other on puzzle setups, and traded turning techniques across tables lined with mats and timers. While the trophies waited at the end of the schedule, the shared enthusiasm across age groups and experience levels shaped the tone of the entire Saturday.

The 3x3x3 Cube served as the centerpiece of the gathering, attracting a field of fifty solvers across three rigorous stages. Malaysia's Tee Kai Yang claimed top honors in the final, taking victory with a crisp 6.35 winning average after posting a sharp single of 5.90. The 3x3 results demonstrated intense consistency at the front of the pack, as Singapore's Ng Yong Teng locked in second place with a 7.20 average and Deng Zhengping took third on a 7.54 mark. Spectators gathered around the main stage area, celebrating every clean rotation of the classic Rubik's Cube.

Beyond the main event, the variety of side disciplines kept the energy buzzing throughout the venue. Nigel Phang had a standout day across two distinct disciplines, taking the 2x2x2 Cube title with an exceptional 1.52 average and a 0.93 single, while also prevailing in Clock with a 3.54 average and a 2.64 best single. On the 2x2x2 podium, Phang finished ahead of China's Yuxuan Wu (2.06) and Singapore's Aiden Lim Tze Choon (2.27). The Clock victory highlighted the precision required on the mechanical face, adding another dimension to the quick-turn challenges.

The larger puzzles demanded serious stamina and deep concentration from the field. Deng Zhengping delivered a dominant showing in the 4x4x4 Cube, posting a winning average of 26.37 and a best single of 21.15 to edge Emmanuel Kao (28.03) and Tee Kai Yang (28.24). Kao answered in kind across the bigger cubes, securing the 5x5x5 Cube title in 40.24 seconds ahead of Deng (47.81) and Anyu Zhang (48.09). Kao also earned first place in the 7x7x7 Cube with an average of 1:49.28, topping Anyu Zhang (1:58.13) and Tristan Chua Yong (2:18.33).

Specialized events continued to highlight the breadth of the cubing competition. Anyu Zhang took first in the single round of 6x6x6 Cube with a winning average of 1:28.21, besting Dylan Seah Tze Siang (1:33.57) and Ng Yong Teng (1:35.01). In Megaminx, Tristan Chua Yong controlled the twelve-sided puzzle, capturing the title with a 28.15 average to finish clear of Beth Lee (31.84) and Deng Zhengping (40.53). Jovan Lee earned a tight Pyraminx victory with a 2.21 average, closely followed by Nigel Phang (2.33) and Evan Tan Yitian (2.35), while Malcolm Walter Ang secured the Square-1 event with an 8.27 winning mark.

Away from the top podium steps, the heart of the speed cubing gathering beat through individual breakthroughs and milestone attempts. Reyansh Sameer Chawan produced a massive drop in Clock, cutting his personal best to 10.34 seconds, an improvement of 40.8 percent over his previous 17.46. Luke Chen Xiang Wei similarly shattered his previous standards, lowering his Pyraminx mark to 4.78 for a 34 percent jump, alongside a 26.5 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube down to 14.94. Kyle Ho Kai Le trimmed his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 48.10, running 32.1 percent faster than his previous 1:10.86 mark, while Liyao Chen improved by 27.9 percent on the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.02 solve.

Other competitors marked significant progress by taking on new challenges for the very first time in competition. Ong Yee Teck Ethan stepped onto the floor for his first WCA competition, recording initial marks of 9.31 in 3x3x3 Cube, 35.34 in 4x4x4 Cube, and 1:27.20 in 5x5x5 Cube. Timothy Pang tackled four events, registering his first official attempts in 2x2x2 Cube (5.64) and 5x5x5 Cube (2:03.61). Advay Hari took on nine events, logging his first 7x7x7 Cube attempt at 5:50.23 while finishing 8th in 6x6x6 Cube with a personal best of 2:53.84. Lee Jun Yee Allen competed in seven events, logging his first attempts at 6x6x6 Cube (3:54.25) and 7x7x7 Cube (5:58.29) while improving his 4x4x4 Cube time by 11.4 percent to 36.58.

Across every table and stage, the day highlighted the enduring strength of the local and regional speedcubing community. Singapore's solvers collected 24 podium placements on home soil, with China taking four and Malaysia securing two across the weekend. As timers were packed away and final averages tallied, NUS Open 2025 concluded having delivered exceptional times alongside the shared camaraderie that defines modern cubing.