Oberlin Big Cubes 2025

Inside the Carnegie Library in Oberlin, Ohio, USA, the rhythmic turning of layers and the clatter of plastic against competition mats filled the room. Solving stations stood lined up beneath historic architecture as 31 competitors prepared for an intensive single-day schedule on November 15, 2025. The atmosphere balanced steady focus with rapid hand speed, gathering solvers across 13 rounds of play in an environment where precision meant everything.

In large puzzle solving, the mean-of-3 format leaves zero room for error. Unlike the standard average-of-five format used in smaller puzzles, there is no counting on dropped worst times or safety nets. Every single turn of the 6x6x6 and 7x7x7 cubes carries full weight, where a single lockup or parity mistake can completely unravel a final average. That unforgiving reality set the tone throughout Oberlin Big Cubes 2025 as contenders stepped to the tables.

Jack Pfeifer delivered a masterclass in handling the pressure of large puzzles. In the 6x6x6 Cube final, Pfeifer assembled a winning mean of 1:19.02, highlighted by a sharp single of 1:15.81, outpacing Sean Cutshaw who secured second place at 1:52.88 and Evan Brown in third at 2:01.75. The discipline carried straight into the 7x7x7 Cube, where Pfeifer claimed victory with an average of 1:50.86 and a top single of 1:43.39, while Cutshaw took second at 3:01.85 and Will Russo finished third with 3:12.36.

The dominance continued down through the mid-sized puzzles as well. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Pfeifer locked in first place with a 27.61 average, joined on the podium by Evan Brown at 31.46 and Sean Cutshaw at 33.41. The 5x5x5 Cube brought another gold for Pfeifer with a mark of 44.39, finishing ahead of China competitor Shuxiu Jiang at 1:03.12 and Cutshaw at 1:06.46. Pfeifer collected five victories on the day, managing the complexity of big cubes without suffering the severe errors that often disrupt long solves.

Beyond the heavy puzzles, the traditional events delivered intense competition. In the classic Rubik's Cube, 30 competitors entered the fray across three full rounds. Jack Pfeifer topped the 3x3 results by posting an 8.40 winning average, narrowly holding off Levi Gibson who finished second at 8.45, while Braden Richards placed third at 9.07. The fast-paced 2x2x2 Cube saw Sujan Feist capture the title with an exceptional 1.04 average, followed by Pfeifer at 1.53 and Xavier Ye at 1.67.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several participants logged outstanding breakthroughs across the schedule. Zayn Albeiroti entered four events, posting a personal best of 3.75 on the 2x2x2 Cube that was 51.6 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube of 2:44.48 and a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:02.93. Samih Tarabichi dropped their 3x3x3 Cube personal best to 22.24, an improvement of 18.7 percent, while logging a first 4x4x4 Cube attempt of 1:48.75 and a first 2x2x2 Cube solve of 7.69. Joud Albeiroti made a first attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 10.23 single and lowered their 3x3x3 Cube best to 46.34, cutting 28.7 percent off their prior mark. Alex J. Wood cut their 3x3x3 Cube best by 27.3 percent to 28.69, dropped their 2x2x2 Cube mark by 22.7 percent to 9.86, and improved their 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 2:14.71.

The progress continued across the field as Sean Van Alen improved their 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 23.6 percent to 1:15.12 to claim a 12th-place finish. Sage Thompson took on six events, achieving a 6th-place finish in 6x6x6 Cube with a personal best of 2:10.73 and lowering their 3x3x3 Cube record by 17.4 percent to 8.40. Wesley Miller tackled six events, earning a 5th-place finish in 7x7x7 Cube with a personal best of 3:10.33, an improvement of 17.4 percent, while also dropping their 5x5x5 Cube best to 1:00.18. Alexander Reno-Gaus attended their first WCA competition, recording first-ever attempts across four events including a 45.57 in 3x3x3 Cube and an 11:32.00 in 6x6x6 Cube.

The speed cubing community in Ohio closed out an eventful schedule marked by high-level performances and personal development. Every round reinforced how much focus is demanded by mean-of-3 events, where a single lapse can alter an entire standing. As the tables were cleared at Oberlin Big Cubes 2025, competitors wrapped up a memorable cubing competition defined by precision, endurance, and remarkable speedcubing mastery across all six events.