Please Be Solved UBC 2026

Ethan Rusnak delivered the definitive performance of the meet by piecing together a 31.00 mean in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, showing the razor-thin margin between mastery and disaster in multi-attempt events. Across three separate hour-long attempts at Please Be Solved UBC 2026, every single decision carried immense weight, as a single high-move count can instantly demolish a podium pursuit. Rusnak held his nerve throughout the day, turning consistent efficiency into gold and setting the standard for a demanding slate of specialist events.

The one-day WCA competition unfolded on September 5, 2026, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Gathering puzzle enthusiasts for high-stakes blindfolded and efficiency disciplines, the meet tested concentration across three non-standard categories. Speedcubing in these formats removes the margin for error found in typical average-of-five speed cubing rounds, where a competitor can discard their worst solve. Here, every turn and every memo phase counted directly toward the final standing.

Fewest Moves illustrated that unforgiving format clearly. Behind Rusnak, Isaac Davies secured second place with an average of 34.33 moves, maintaining steady counting attempts across all three tries. DaYeong Kim earned third place for the Republic of Korea with a 37.67 mean, completing an international podium in a discipline where mental stamina is everything. One stray rotation or missed cancellation can add five moves to a tally, highlighting how discipline separated the top finishers over three rigorous hours of analysis.

The unforgiving nature of counting rounds also defined 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where Kevin Matthews took first place with a single solve of 38.61 seconds. In an event requiring absolute memorisation and flawless execution under a blindfold, Matthews edged out Etan Huang, who finished in second place at 38.48 seconds based on the final ranking criteria. Ethan Rusnak returned to the podium steps to claim third place with a time of 1:17.68, further proving his all-around skill across different styles of Rubik's Cube solving.

Multi-blind solving brought an even more extreme test of endurance to Vancouver. Kevin Matthews earned his second victory of the competition by successfully solving 22 out of 27 cubes within 50:35 in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Rusnak followed in second place with a flawless 5 out of 5 cubes in 34:05, while Manikanta Nemani of the United States placed third by logging a clean 3 out of 3 cubes in 24:18. The event pushed mental mapping to its limits over the course of nearly an hour of continuous focus.

Beyond the top steps of the podium, Please Be Solved UBC 2026 produced remarkable personal milestones across the field. Erik Level posted a massive improvement in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, securing a new personal best single of 37 moves, which was 19.6 percent faster than his prior mark of 46, on his way to 5th place. Spencer Fraser tackled three different disciplines, achieving a personal best single of 44 in Fewest Moves for a 6.4 percent drop, taking 6th in Multi-Blind, and completing a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded in 8:14.88. Danny Kalra took on a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind to finish 4th with 5 out of 7 cubes in 44:52, while Timothy Yeung cut 7.8 percent off his personal record in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a 2:19.05 single to finish 7th.

Other dedicated competitors also made significant contributions to the deep results sheet across the weekend. Daniel Deng entered two events and secured a 6th place finish in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind. Darren Lum took on two events as well, matching that 6th place finish in the Multi-Blind standings. Rex Kotovich competed in two disciplines and captured 4th place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Abir Joshi rounded out a focused effort by entering one event and finishing 9th overall in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, demonstrating the broad commitment required to tackle these mentally taxing formats.

The final medal tally highlighted strong regional depth, with Canadian solvers securing 7 podium places alongside 1 for the United States and 1 for the Republic of Korea. Without standard speed events to fall back on, the cubing competition celebrated the precision of deliberate, error-free execution. As the day concluded at the University of British Columbia, the combined 3x3 results across FMC and blindfolded variants reinforced that success in memory and efficiency disciplines demands unwavering focus on every single solve.