Oklahoma Quiet Championship 2024

Ten competitors sat down with pens, paper, and scrambled puzzles at the Oklahoma Quiet Championship 2024, trading raw turning velocity for pure analytical calculation. Held at the HFV Wilson Community Center in Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA, on September 22, 2024, the gathering stood apart from the usual frenzy of a speedcubing tournament. Fewest Moves demands deep spatial planning, requiring participants to construct the shortest valid sequence of turns within an allotted hour, turning the classic Rubik's Cube into a quiet battle of deliberate efficiency rather than rapid mechanical execution.

Fletcher Berry mastered the pen-and-paper discipline, taking first place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a commanding mean of 33.33 moves alongside a best single attempt of 33. Berry methodically dismantled the scrambles across the single round, outdistancing the rest of the field by a wide margin. Michael Conard secured second place on the podium with an average of 43.33 moves and a single of 41, while Carson Claud rounded out the top three by finishing with an average of 49.33 moves.

Beyond the thoughtful pauses of the writing desks, the weekend featured five distinct rounds dedicated entirely to non-traditional disciplines. A focused field of 11 competitors gathered for this unique WCA competition, testing memory and endurance across blindfolded categories. While standard speed cubing events celebrate instant reaction times and finger tricks, the events contested in Ardmore highlighted the intense concentration needed to solve complex puzzles entirely from recollection.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event saw eight entrants step forward to map out their solutions before pulling down their blindfolds. Ryan Pilat delivered the standout performance of the event, recording a blistering single solve of 29.87 seconds to claim the victory. Matthew Lugibihl earned the second spot on the podium by completing a successful attempt in 1:28.91, while Carson Claud captured third place with a solid time of 1:39.14, giving those tracking 3x3 results plenty of precision to study.

Pilat also carried his strong form into the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, conquering the massive layer complexity to take first place with a single time of 10:38.00. Carson Claud displayed remarkable focus to secure second place in the same event with a time of 24:52.00, navigating the extensive memorisation required for large-cube blindfolded solving. Fletcher Berry took third place after recording a DNF on his attempts in the three-person contest.

Away from the top of the podium, several experienced solvers achieved standout milestones that the final standings tend to overlook. Michael S. Lander made the biggest individual stride of the day in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, setting a new personal best single of 48 moves, which improved upon his previous best of 59 moves by 18.6 percent and earned him an eighth-place finish in his 65th career appearance. Jake Maddox took on the Fewest Moves event and finished in fourth place overall during his 81st career outing.

Other dedicated competitors embraced the challenge of multiple complex events throughout the schedule. Casey Ngo entered two separate events during his 71st career outing, achieving his best result of the day with a sixth-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Wesley Grady also tackled two events in his 67th career appearance, securing his strongest placement of the weekend by taking sixth place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, adding another determined chapter to his long competition journey.

The 4x4x4 Blindfolded event delivered a tense contest among six participants, where Michael Conard captured the victory with a successful solve of 13:38.00. James Wang followed in second place with a time of 21:02.00, while Fletcher Berry, Carson Claud, Luke Cowan, and Ryan Pilat finished tied for third place after each recording a DNF in the demanding discipline.

The weekend concluded with the ultimate test of memorisation in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, where eight competitors attempted multiple cubes in a single sitting. Fletcher Berry earned his second title of the Oklahoma Quiet Championship 2024 by successfully solving 23 out of 27 cubes in a time of 54:17. Ryan Pilat took second place with an impressive 20 out of 22 cubes in 58:35, and Michael Conard claimed third place by solving 10 out of 11 cubes in 50:52, wrapping up a memorable cubing competition defined by mental stamina.