Pop Off Princeton 2025

114 competitors assembled at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton on January 11, 2025, setting the stage for a full day of precision puzzle solving. The single-day WCA competition brought 12 rounds of action to Princeton, New Jersey, USA, drawing experienced hands and rising talents alike across a seven-event schedule. With established speedcubing figures returning to form, the contest quickly established a blistering standard across every discipline, from standard twisty puzzles to complex multi-layered challenges.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew a massive field of 112 competitors across three rounds of intense solving. Veteran speed cubing standout Carson Widjaja secured the championship with a winning average of 6.90 seconds, highlighted by a best single solve of 5.89 seconds. Zayn Khanani claimed the runner-up spot on the podium with a 7.16 average, while Michael Nielsen took third place with a 7.26 average. The final 3x3 results demonstrated remarkable consistency at the top of the order.

Zayn Khanani rebounded emphatically in the 2x2x2 Cube event, navigating two rounds to claim the title with a winning average of 1.27 seconds. Khanani also logged the fastest single of the category at 0.88 seconds, alongside an earlier 0.86 mark in the round data. Ayden Dincher earned second place on the podium with an average of 1.44 seconds, followed closely by Shaun Mack in third place with a 1.59 average, wrapping up a tight podium battle in the compact discipline.

In the Pyraminx division, Michael Nielsen demonstrated veteran poise across two rounds of 96 competitors to take top honors with an average of 2.08 seconds and a best single of 1.69 seconds. Kyle Meade took second place on the podium with an average of 2.15 seconds, and Yuki Nagai rounded out the top three with a 2.73 average. The Clock category saw Aaron Jake Wong capture first place among 80 participants, finishing with a 3.95 average and a 2.90 single, ahead of Ayden Dincher in second with 4.25 and Carter Williams in third with 4.34.

The larger puzzles and specialized events brought seasoned talent to the forefront in single-round finals. Declan Wilhelm topped a 70-person field in Megaminx, taking victory with a 36.30 average and a best single of 33.66 seconds, leading Carter Williams with 40.03 and Ishaan Lal with 41.91. Hassan Khanani controlled Square-1 with a winning average of 5.15 seconds and a 4.84 single, besting Ayden Dincher at 8.03 and Shaun Mack at 8.86. In 6x6x6 Cube, Brandon Nunez dominated 56 competitors, posting a winning average of 1:25.65 and a single of 1:19.64 to finish ahead of Livia Kleiner with 1:37.06 and Evan Liu with 1:41.32.

Beyond the podium battles, significant milestones emerged throughout the bracket. Ryan Krugman made a dramatic leap on the 2x2x2 Cube, delivering a personal best of 3.51 seconds that cut 59.3 percent off his prior 8.63 mark, alongside a 15.30 personal best on the traditional Rubik's Cube. Dylan Mauro improved his Clock mark by 53 percent to a personal best of 24.32 seconds. Adam McLaughlin tackled all seven events on the schedule, achieving a 3.72 Pyraminx personal best that improved his previous standard by 44.6 percent, along with a 1:24.97 personal best in Megaminx. Joshua Fermo earned a 16th-place finish in Pyraminx with a 2.99 personal best, 35.4 percent faster than before, while taking his first official attempt at Square-1 with an 18.67.

New territory and steep improvements continued across the board for competitors taking on diverse disciplines. Rohit Ramasamy entered six events, securing his first official results in Square-1 at 1:45.38 and Megaminx at 3:05.20, while taking 35.9 percent off his Pyraminx personal best down to 4.44 seconds. Anthony Herrera shaved 32.9 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube personal best with a 4.71 and took his first attempt at Pyraminx with a 15.26. Knight Whitmore registered his first official marks in Pyraminx with 16.69 and Clock with 29.65, in addition to a 7.88 personal best on 2x2x2 Cube. Sawyer MacDonald tackled seven events, logging first attempts in Square-1 with 58.72 and 6x6x6 Cube with 3:41.97 alongside a 3.16 personal best on 2x2x2 Cube.

All 21 podium positions across the tournament went to competitors representing the USA, underscoring the formidable depth of the regional scene. Pop Off Princeton 2025 delivered high-caliber speedcubing across multiple formats, rewarding technical mastery and steady nerves under tournament conditions. As the 2025 campaign begins to take shape, the sharp execution seen throughout this cubing competition establishes a strong performance foundation for the events ahead.