Please Be Solved Vancouver 2024

Inside the competition room at the University of British Columbia, absolute quiet defined the atmosphere as solvers prepared their puzzles in total concentration. The single-day gathering in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on November 23, 2024, brought together competitors focused entirely on memory-intensive disciplines. Blindfolded solving demands flawless spatial awareness and mental discipline, where competitors inspect the puzzle, commit every piece to memory, and execute their planned sequence behind a blindfold without a single visual cue to correct errors.

The 2024 meeting, officially designated as Please Be Solved Vancouver 2024, welcomed 12 competitors taking on 3 specialized events spread across 4 rounds. While classic Rubik's Cube solving often showcases raw finger speed, this WCA competition tested the limits of mental retention across three separate cube sizes. The specialized nature of the schedule drew dedicated blindfolded specialists from across the region to test their capabilities in high-pressure tournament conditions.

Kevin Matthews delivered an exceptional sweep of all three blindfolded categories. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded final, Matthews captured first place with a winning single of 43.64 seconds, having earlier registered a blazing 33.85 in the preliminary round. Etan Huang took the second spot on the podium with a single of 1:10.10, following an impressive first-round performance where he logged a 57.85 single and a 1:07.29 average. Jason Lewis rounded out the podium in third place with a time of 2:24.79 in the final round.

Beyond the classic 3x3 results, Matthews extended his dominance into the larger puzzles. In the 4x4x4 Blindfolded event, which featured 3 competitors, Matthews secured victory with a top single of 3:40.70. Ethan Rusnak claimed second place with a time of 11:50.00, while Timothy Yeung took third place after recording a DNF. Managing the additional parity challenges and increased piece count of a 4x4x4 cube without sight requires immense stamina and algorithmic precision.

The ultimate endurance test of the day came in 5x5x5 Blindfolded, an event requiring solvers to memorize dozens of center pieces, wing edges, and corners. Kevin Matthews once again earned top honours, recording a winning single of 8:20.35 against a field of 2 competitors. Ethan Rusnak demonstrated remarkable determination to finish in second place with a successful completion time of 31:11.00, completing a demanding day of big-cube blindfolded solving at Please Be Solved Vancouver 2024.

Away from the top of the podium, several solvers achieved major milestones that highlight the depth of the speedcubing field. Isaac Davies, competing in his 60th career competition, delivered a massive personal best single of 2:46.53 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, cutting his previous record of 7:46.61 by 64.3 percent and finishing 6th. Meanwhile, DaYeong Kim lowered their personal best in the same event to 2:46.69, improving on their former mark of 3:18.23 by 15.9 percent to earn a 7th place finish.

Other competitors took on unique challenges at Please Be Solved Vancouver 2024. Daniel Daoust, entering his 69th career competition, made his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded and recorded a successful time of 18:04.00. Vianne Chang entered 1 event here and secured a 4th place finish in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a best single of 3:34.71. Allan Wang earned 8th place in the same event, while Chelsea Yexi Tao marked a milestone by attending their first WCA competition, taking on the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event.

Canadian competitors dominated the podiums across all disciplines, earning all 8 available podium places across the three events. The tight-knit gathering offered a pure showcase of speed cubing memory disciplines, demonstrating how technical precision and focused practice translate onto the official stage.

The successful conclusion of Please Be Solved Vancouver 2024 highlighted the growing dedication to blindfolded solving across western Canada. As competitors look ahead to the next season, the memorable times posted at the University of British Columbia set a strong standard for blindfolded competition.