NYU Winter 2024

A blistering 1.07-second final average by Zayn Khanani in the 2x2x2 Cube set the benchmark at the NYU Global Center for Academic & Spiritual Life, delivering the sharpest victory of the meet. The one-day gathering on March 2, 2024 brought 61 competitors together in New York, New York, USA for four distinct events spread across eight rounds. The competition structure pushed solvers to perform under varying formats, from single-round straight finals to multi-stage brackets that demanded survival through progressive cutoffs.

The 3x3x3 Cube unfolded across three complete rounds, testing endurance and consistency under standard tournament conditions. Carson Widjaja emerged on top with a winning average of 6.60 seconds, backed by a best single solve of 4.80 seconds in the main Rubik's Cube category. Alexei Sinyavin claimed the second spot on the podium with a 7.62 average, while Zayn Khanani added a third-place finish with a mark of 7.73. These 3x3 results rewarded solvers who maintained their pace across fifteen total solves.

In the 2x2x2 Cube, a three-round progression allowed competitors to refine their solutions and drop times with each stage. Khanani took first place with his 1.07 average, followed by Ayden Dincher in second at 1.97 and Jared Buske-Fehrle in third at 1.99. The tiered format sparked exceptional individual marks, with Khanani dropping a 0.82 single and 1.63 average in early stages, while Dincher logged a 1.37 single and 1.93 average. Buske-Fehrle posted a 1.13 single, Eli Rogers recorded a 1.13 single and 1.54 average, and Hassan Khanani delivered a 0.98 single and 1.53 average.

By contrast, the 4x4x4 Cube was staged as a single-round contest for 49 entrants, leaving zero margin for error. Alexei Sinyavin mastered the immediate pressure, winning the event with an average of 29.31 seconds and a best single time of 27.33 seconds. Carson Widjaja secured second place with an average of 30.30 seconds, and Kymberlyn Calderon earned third with a 32.65 average. The one-and-done setup meant competitors had to lock in their execution right from the opening turn.

The 3x3x3 One-Handed event also ran as a direct single-round final among 48 participants, where isolated manual dexterity dictated the standings. Minghao Zhang captured the title for China with a winning average of 12.50 seconds alongside the round's best single of 9.86 seconds. Carson Widjaja took the runner-up position with a 13.66 mark, edging Zayn Khanani, who finished third with a 13.72 average. Across all events at NYU Winter 2024, the United States collected 11 podium spots and China secured one.

Beyond the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across the schedule at NYU Winter 2024. Ethan Joo entered four events and delivered a standout performance in 3x3x3 One-Handed, recording a personal best of 15.40 seconds, which was 42.3 percent faster than his prior mark, while also improving his 2x2x2 Cube best to 2.56 seconds. Noah Lee took on four events, setting a 2x2x2 Cube best of 3.01 seconds, an improvement of 38.1 percent, while also completing his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:19.09. Noah Cudilla cut his 4x4x4 Cube mark by 37.7 percent to a personal best of 50.63 seconds and lowered his 2x2x2 Cube time to 2.82 seconds. Malek Altaouil logged his first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:04.82 and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 21.8 percent to 24.90 seconds.

The tournament also marked important debuts and breakthrough attempts across diverse puzzles. Tamar Bober-Tsafrir completed a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 45.60 seconds and a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt in 1:21.23, while cutting their 2x2x2 Cube best by 29.9 percent to 5.50 seconds. Daniel Junhyuk Kim posted a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 2.65 seconds, 32.4 percent faster than before, alongside an improved 3x3x3 Cube solve of 11.78 seconds. Theodore Frere-Bateup improved his 3x3x3 One-Handed mark by 31.2 percent to 28.91 seconds across four events entered. Jason Xavier Davila participated in his first WCA competition, recording initial marks of 5.23 in the 2x2x2 Cube, 22.36 in the 3x3x3 Cube, and 1:24.66 in the 4x4x4 Cube.

The dynamic between single-round pressure and multi-round endurance defined the entire weekend in New York City. Participants navigating a modern cubing competition must constantly adapt their preparation to match the demands of each puzzle and bracket structure. As speed cubing continues to evolve through the 2024 calendar, the results from NYU Winter 2024 demonstrate how varied event formats continue to draw out top-level precision and remarkable individual breakthroughs across the speedcubing community.