NYU Spring 2026

The competition floor inside the NYU Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life hummed with activity as 74 competitors gathered in New York, New York, USA. Between rounds, participants shared solving methods, compared turning styles on various puzzles, and caught up with familiar faces from across the regional circuit. Speedcubing thrives on these shared moments in the staging area, where competitors support one another before stepping up to the official timing stations.

Held on April 5, 2026, NYU Spring 2026 offered a focused slate of four events spanning seven rounds of play. The schedule gave attendees ample opportunity to test their skills across puzzles ranging from the pocket-sized 2x2x2 Cube up to the intricate 5x5x5 Cube. Across the venue, the atmosphere blended intense focus at the tables with widespread camaraderie along the sidelines, capturing the collaborative spirit that defines a modern WCA competition.

Jerry Yao produced a remarkable day of solving, claiming top honors across three separate disciplines. In the 3x3x3 Cube, the premier test involving the traditional Rubik's Cube, Yao led through three rounds to secure victory with a winning average of 6.07 seconds, backed by a tournament-best single solve of 5.32 seconds. Carson Widjaja followed in second place with a 6.98 average, while Milan Vincent Andric secured third place at 7.56 seconds.

Beyond the standard 3x3 results, Yao demonstrated sharp precision in the fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube. Through two competitive rounds featuring 62 entrants, Yao sealed the title with a winning average of 1.88 seconds and a single of 1.44 seconds. Milan Vincent Andric took second place on the podium with a 1.91 average, narrowly ahead of Nico Ozsvath, who finished third with an average of 2.02 seconds in a tightly contested final.

The larger puzzles brought further drama to the tables, starting with the 4x4x4 Cube. Carson Widjaja earned the championship with a winning average of 26.31 seconds, posting the best single of the event at 24.33 seconds. Yao claimed the runner-up spot with an average of 26.65 seconds, while Ishaan Lal placed third with a mark of 28.47 seconds. All twelve podium spots across the competition were earned by solvers representing the USA.

In the 5x5x5 Cube, Yao returned to the top step of the podium, posting a winning average of 47.86 seconds alongside the day's best single of 40.76 seconds. Widjaja completed a strong multi-event showcase by securing second place with an average of 51.37 seconds, while Lal collected another top-three finish with a 54.34 average. The heavy puzzle schedule rewarded patience and deep technical control across every stage.

Away from the podium battles, several solvers achieved notable personal breakthroughs at NYU Spring 2026. Ronan Brody achieved a 2x2x2 personal best of 6.27 seconds, trimming his prior mark by 66.4 percent, while Tanishq Sardana improved his 2x2x2 best to 6.09 seconds, 49 percent faster than before, alongside his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube resulting in 2:15.26. Jeffrey Zhang lowered his 3x3x3 best to 9.73 seconds, a 44 percent improvement, and logged a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 39.45 seconds. Lucas Mandelkorn recorded a 2x2x2 personal best of 5.00 seconds, 39.7 percent faster than his past record, and posted his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube of 2:06.50.

Other competitors took on fresh challenges across the program. Simon Miles Deshusses cut his 4x4x4 personal best by 31.2 percent to 49.82 seconds across four events entered, while Bode Lee secured a fourth-place finish in the 3x3x3 Cube and reduced his 5x5x5 mark to 1:27.80, an improvement of 28.9 percent. Roger Lin brought his 2x2x2 personal best down to 2.16 seconds, 28.5 percent faster than earlier marks, and Ethan Joo registered his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 1:05.39.

First-time participants also stepped up to experience their debut cubing competition in the city. Miles Sheinbaum made three event debuts, logging 37.20 in 3x3x3, 7.84 in 2x2x2, and 1:56.71 in 4x4x4. Ethan Elizar posted a 24.72 in his first 3x3x3 attempt, Shravan Potluri marked 19.55 in the same event, and Shourya Dokania finished his first official solve in 1:03.61. This vibrant gathering for speed cubing in New York highlighted how technical achievement and community connection continue to go hand in hand.