Parsippany Mini PM 2024

36 competitors gathered at Parsippany United Methodist Church for a packed afternoon of high-level puzzle solving. Operating across seven fast-moving rounds, the single-day schedule delivered a concentrated showcase of efficiency, dexterity, and mechanical mastery. Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, USA served as the backdrop on January 27, 2024, as specialists and newcomers alike converged to test their routines under tournament pressure. The compact venue provided an intimate setting for this dynamic cubing competition.

While single-handed technique has long stood out across speedcubing as an art that isolates fingertrick control, ergonomic turn mechanics, and uninterrupted foresight, the classic two-handed events in New Jersey demanded comparable discipline. Without the margin of error that larger multi-day tournaments afford, every rotation carried immense weight. Solving against the clock on the standard Rubik's Cube required precise inspection planning and flawless execution across all three rounds.

The 3x3x3 Cube event drew all 36 competitors, culminating in Carson Widjaja securing first place with a 7.09 winning average and a best single of 6.29. Widjaja delivered strong rounds throughout, outpacing Daniel Karnaukh, who claimed second place with a 7.76 average. Dana Yi rounded out the top tier in third position, posting an 8.45 mark in the final round. The 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency at the front of the pack across the entire afternoon.

Widjaja doubled his gold medal tally in the 4x4x4 Cube, topping a field of 29 competitors with an impressive 28.34 winning average and an event-leading single of 23.47. Dana Yi captured the second-place podium spot with a 33.55 average, narrowly edging out Karnaukh, who posted a 34.07 average to take third. The 4x4x4 Cube competition showed Widjaja operating in absolute command across the complex parity sequences of the four-layer puzzle.

Karnaukh staged a decisive response in the remaining two events, sweeping both 5x5x5 Cube and Square-1. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Karnaukh bested 24 competitors with a 57.06 average, anchored by a best single of 53.59. Widjaja took second place with a 1:00.59 average, while Yi followed in third with a 1:03.84 mark. Karnaukh then took command of the shape-shifting Square-1, securing victory among 21 entrants with a 6.74 average and a 6.22 single.

Behind Karnaukh on the Square-1 podium, Zach Ridall took second place with a 10.38 average, followed by Egypt's Rafik Eskandar, who registered an 11.09 average for third. The podium breakdown across the event saw 11 placements earned by United States representatives, with Eskandar capturing the lone international podium result. Parsippany Mini PM 2024 delivered intense matchups across all four featured puzzle formats.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several competitors generated significant progress on the official scoreboards. Valmik Revankar delivered one of the weekend's sharpest breakthroughs, trimming his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 45.9 percent down to 14.49. Siddhu Nagarajan tackled four events, slicing 32.6 percent off his 4x4x4 Cube personal best to hit 1:35.94 while logging first ever official attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 3:38.67 and Square-1 at 52.24. Eric Yu completed four events, notching his first 4x4x4 Cube result at 58.02, his first Square-1 attempt at 21.54, and cutting his 3x3x3 Cube best by 23.7 percent to 13.16.

The personal milestones continued as Justin Cawley lowered his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 19.3 percent to 19.72 and logged his first 4x4x4 Cube attempt at 2:15.37. Ranveer Kapoor took on four events, setting a 5.8 percent personal best of 14.52 in 3x3x3 Cube alongside initial attempts in 5x5x5 Cube at 2:56.95 and Square-1 at 48.75. Aarav Guglani earned a 4th-place finish in 3x3x3 Cube while improving his Square-1 best by 18.4 percent to 15.78, Frankie Hargrave notched a 14.62 in 3x3x3 Cube for a 9.4 percent drop alongside an opening 5x5x5 Cube run of 2:37.06, and first-time WCA competition participant John Punzone recorded an opening 3x3x3 Cube time of 28.12.

With four events resolved across seven total rounds, Parsippany Mini PM 2024 wrapped up as a rewarding showcase of regional speed cubing skill. The single-day structure highlighted both seasoned competitors refining their form and developing solvers pushing their personal limits into 2024.