Please Be Quiet Auckland 2024

Ten minutes and one second of unbroken concentration delivered the most demanding victory of the weekend on April 7, 2024. At the Takapuna War Memorial Hall in Auckland, New Zealand, the endurance required for the largest puzzles on the schedule set the tone for the entire gathering. Blindfolded solving on higher-order layers presents an immense cognitive barrier, demanding total recall of piece orientations and complex commutators across dozens of moving parts. Germany representative Katharina Schlomberg conquered that exact challenge in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, recording a winning single of 10:01.00 to finish as the sole competitor in the field of four to post a completed solve.

The 5x5x5 puzzle stripped of sight is one of the ultimate tests in speedcubing, where a single memory lapse or misapplied algorithm results in an immediate failure. While fellow contenders Jinsol Hong, Tom Nelson, and Jack Maddigan all suffered incomplete results, Schlomberg held her composure through ten minutes of pure mental strain. Her victory anchored an intense slate of five non-standard events that challenged twelve dedicated competitors across six total rounds. The specialized format rewarded supreme focus, drawing participants who specialize in quiet discipline rather than the high-speed standard rounds typical of an open cubing competition.

That same stamina carried into the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event, another punishing test of big-cube memory. Tom Nelson emerged victorious for the host country, posting a winning single of 2:07.89 in the single-round contest. As with the five-layer puzzle, the margin between success and elimination remained paper-thin, with the remaining four finalists in the five-person field unable to log a successful time. Nelson’s execution secured another top podium spot for New Zealand, demonstrating the precision required when managing outer layers and center blocks without visual feedback.

Beyond the standalone large cubes, the multi-cube discipline pushed the boundaries of memory capacity even further. In 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, competitors attempt to memorize and solve as many separate Rubik's Cube puzzles as possible within an hour. James Macdiarmid delivered a masterclass in spatial retention, claiming first place by successfully resolving 35 out of 47 cubes within the 1:00:00 time limit. Schlomberg followed in second place with an impressive 13 of 15 cubes in 54:06, while Korea representative Jinsol Hong earned third place with 12 of 15 solved in 55:33.

The single blindfolded event brought explosive speed to match the day's heavy cognitive demands. Across two rounds featuring ten entrants, Macdiarmid led the way by securing victory with a final-round single of 21.96. Earlier in the preliminary stage, he wrote his name into the record books by logging a New Zealand national record single of 20.01 seconds. Tymon Mieszkowski captured second place on the podium with a time of 1:46.14, while Ashley Foster rounded out the all-Kiwi podium in third place with a mark of 3:09.63, capping an exciting showcase of speed cubing prowess.

Away from the top steps of the podium, Please Be Quiet Auckland 2024 served as a breakthrough stage for competitors expanding their repertoires into new disciplines. Lucas Volodzskis of the United States took on 3x3x3 Fewest Moves for the first time in his career, making an immediate mark with an opening attempt of 30 moves to finish seventh overall. Oscar McEvoy also embraced the efficiency challenge, logging his first ever attempt in the same discipline with a 39-move solution on his way to tenth place. Stepping into unfamiliar events highlights the depth of dedication running through the entire roster.

The analytical nature of 3x3x3 Fewest Moves offered a completely different kind of endurance, trading rapid execution for an hour of deliberate paper-and-pencil drafting. Germany’s Jonas Balsfulland mastered the single round of eleven solvers, taking the title with a winning average of 27.33 and an event-best single of 26 moves. Macdiarmid added another medal to his haul by taking second place with an average of 33.33, while Singapore’s Glen Goh Wee Zhuan secured third place with a 35.33 average, adding international flair to the final standings.

By the time the day concluded at the Takapuna War Memorial Hall, the medal table reflected a competitive international spread across the twelve participants. Host nation New Zealand earned nine podium places, followed by Germany with five, Korea with three, and Singapore with one. The specialized WCA competition demonstrated that success on the international stage demands far more than basic turn speed. Whether calculating efficiency on paper or navigating the massive mental landscapes of big-cube blindfolded solves, Please Be Quiet Auckland 2024 celebrated the deepest technical skills the sport has to offer.

With six rounds completed across five demanding disciplines, the quiet hall saw world-class memory work and efficient problem-solving. From national record pace on sightless 3x3 results to the ten-minute marathon of the five-layer blindfold solve, the event highlighted the diverse talents active in modern cubing. As the 2024 season progresses, the standards set at Please Be Quiet Auckland 2024 will stand as a benchmark for mental stamina in Auckland, New Zealand and across the wider global community.