QuabbiNxN 2024

Inside the gymnasium at Quabbin Regional High School, the rhythmic click of plastic layers turning at blinding speed set the tempo for an intense day of competition. Tables were lined with timers, mats, and inspection covers as 32 competitors gathered to test their skills across five classic NxN puzzles. The atmosphere in Barre, Massachusetts, USA reflected the focus required for high-level speedcubing, with solvers calibrating their tensioning and warming up their fingers before the first scrambles were delivered to the stations on May 18, 2024.

The day was defined by relentless personal improvement across all 13 rounds of action. Solvers continually pushed past their previous limits, delivering sharp time drops across both small and large puzzles. In a cubing competition centered strictly on layered cubes, every single turn demanded precision, and the progress achieved throughout the field demonstrated how much work competitors had invested leading into this 2024 showdown.

In the spotlight section of the day, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones that highlighted individual progress away from the top steps of the podium. Teddy Hsu put together a massive performance across five events, dropping their 5x5x5 Cube personal best to 1:17.03, which was 42.1 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 4:41.22 that was 16.8 percent quicker. Tess Weinstock also delivered steep improvements across five events, logging a first ever attempt at 6x6x6 Cube in 4:20.70 while cutting their 4x4x4 Cube personal best by 22.3 percent to 1:07.05 and their 5x5x5 Cube best by 12.9 percent to 2:24.62. Alexander Miguel Briones improved their 5x5x5 Cube personal best by 19.3 percent to 1:37.10, while Daniel Winterberg took down their 7x7x7 Cube best by 17.7 percent to 4:46.55.

First-time appearances and newly tackled puzzles further enriched the day. Dhyan Pankaj Patel entered their first WCA competition, logging a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube in 1:39.21 and a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube in 18.83. Micah Smith took on their first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Cube, posting a time of 2:02.33, while also recording an 18.10 3x3x3 Cube personal best. Thaddeus Ciras entered five events and trimmed their 4x4x4 Cube personal best to 40.58, which was 13.2 percent faster than their prior record, while Brigantia Bearley dropped their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 19.6 percent to 1:10.05. These performances captured the genuine depth of development throughout the venue.

When it came to the marquee 3x3x3 Cube, the premier Rubik's Cube category featured a field of 32 competitors across three rounds. Elijah Rain Phelps emerged on top in the final with a winning average of 7.75 seconds and a best single of 7.36. The 3x3 results saw Graeme Stone secure second place with an 8.04 average, while Viktor Pearl claimed third with an 8.10 average. The tight margins at the top capped off a fiercely contested sequence of heats in the main event.

The 4x4x4 Cube provided another fast-paced three-round contest featuring 21 competitors. Jonah Crosby took the victory with a winning average of 28.53 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 27.64. Cameron Soulagnet followed closely in second place with an average of 30.69 seconds, while Elijah Rain Phelps earned another podium placement on the day, securing third place with an average of 33.56 seconds.

The heavier puzzles belonged largely to Cameron Soulagnet, who swept the mid-range big cubes before adding another podium finish in the largest category. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Soulagnet won with an average of 52.48 seconds and a single of 47.90, finishing ahead of Jeffrey Li at 54.34 and Evan Liu at 1:00.89. Soulagnet followed that victory with first place in the 6x6x6 Cube, recording a winning average of 1:27.39 and a single of 1:22.60, as Li took second with 1:32.29 and Liu placed third with 1:46.04.

The 7x7x7 Cube closed out the big cube program with Jeffrey Li delivering a dominant performance. Li claimed the win with a 2:06.32 average and a best single of 1:59.94. Cameron Soulagnet finished in second place with an average of 2:20.48, and Evan Liu rounded out the top three in 2:39.52. All 15 podium positions across the five events were claimed by United States competitors.

From debut solves to sharp time reductions across the board, QuabbiNxN 2024 showcased the rewarding nature of disciplined speed cubing. With rounds moving smoothly from morning to evening, the participants left Barre with substantial progress recorded in the official archives, setting a high standard of personal achievement for the remainder of the competitive year.