Singapore Small and Sides Feb 2025

Inside the Cecil Building, the focused rhythm of turning plastic and ticking timers filled the venue as solvers gathered for a day of specialized puzzle disciplines. A compact field of 37 competitors assembled in Singapore, Singapore on February 23, 2025, ready to contest 18 rounds across seven distinct side events. With official World Cube Association standings on the line, every turn of the puzzle carried genuine weight from the morning rounds straight through to the afternoon finals.

The 2x2x2 Cube served as the centerpiece of historical pace at Singapore Small and Sides Feb 2025, where official record marks were rewritten across three competitive rounds. Nigel Phang captured the event title with a winning average of 1.43 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 1.24 seconds, after logging a 1.21 single and 1.62 average earlier. The depth of the event was unmistakable, as Aiden Lim Tze Choon posted a 1.65 single and 1.85 average on his way to third place behind runner-up Ng Jia Quan of Malaysia, who turned in a 1.33 single and 2.02 average.

The flurry of record standards in the 2x2x2 event extended right through the bracket. Luis Tan Hong Yi delivered a 1.70 single and 2.36 average, while Andrew Tan Jing Bang registered marks of 2.26 and 2.78. Jovan Lee secured times of 2.33 and 2.93, with Lim Chun Yik of Malaysia marking 2.61 and 3.01. Tristan Chua Yong entered the record ledger with a 2.04 single and 3.02 average, matched in average by Anders Neo Shao Quan at 3.09 alongside a 2.50 single, while Deng Zhengping achieved a 1.72 single and 3.09 average.

Beyond the record-heavy sprint of the 2x2x2 Cube, Nigel Phang doubled his championship tally by taking victory in Clock. Phang posted a winning average of 3.94 seconds alongside a best single of 3.53 seconds across two rounds of play. Jervis Yeo followed in second place with an average of 4.72 seconds, narrowly edging out Ng Jia Quan, who took third on a 4.76 average to add another podium finish for Malaysia. Competitors searching for standard 3x3 results found the day instead focused squarely on these technical disciplines.

Turning to the mechanical puzzles, Luis Tan Hong Yi proved unbeatable in Skewb, securing the title with an average of 2.16 seconds and a best single of 2.06. Nigel Phang claimed second place on a 2.94 average, and Deng Zhengping took third on 4.43. In Pyraminx, Lim Jia Ying climbed to the top of the podium with a decisive 2.41 average and a 1.63 single across three rounds, finishing ahead of Tristan Chua Yong on 2.51 and Jovan Lee on 3.15.

Away from the top steps of the podium, personal milestones formed the heart of the cubing competition. Dayson Lu produced a major leap in Clock, posting a personal best of 7.44 seconds that was 76 percent faster than his prior 30.97, while also lowering his Square-1 best to 8.82 seconds, a 31.6 percent improvement, on his way to finishing sixth. Vijay Narayanan tackled four events and recorded his first ever attempt at Clock with a 10.60, while slicing his Pyraminx personal best by 51.3 percent down to 1.36 seconds. Calen Seah also surged in Pyraminx, taking 47.6 percent off his previous mark with a new best of 1.21 seconds.

The breakthroughs continued as Becky Foo Zhi Min cut her Pyraminx personal best by 46.8 percent to 1.07 seconds, earning a sixth-place finish. Mason Zhou took on all seven events and improved his Square-1 mark by 46 percent down to 25.70 seconds. Aidan Loh Kai Ye entered seven events, securing fifth in Square-1 while dropping his Pyraminx personal best by 42.2 percent to 2.18 seconds. Reyansh Sameer Chawan lowered his Skewb best by 38.7 percent to 3.98 seconds and his Pyraminx mark by 36.4 percent to 3.81 seconds, while Ramanujan Srinivasan made his first career attempt in Square-1 at 17.99 seconds and improved his 4x4x4 Cube best by 21.2 percent to 44.05 seconds.

The larger puzzles and single-handed challenges rounded out the schedule at this WCA competition. Tristan Chua Yong claimed first in the 4x4x4 Cube with a winning average of 25.89 seconds, ahead of Ng Jia Quan at 29.25 and Dylan Seah Tze Siang at 30.46. In 3x3x3 One-Handed, where competitors manage classic Rubik's Cube mechanics with a single hand, Ryan Peh won the title with a 10.51 average over Akash Sreedharan on 11.37 and Deng Zhengping on 11.76. Ray Ng Qi Rui secured Square-1 with an 8.34 average over Andrew Tan Jing Bang on 8.71.

By the time the final awards were presented, host nation Singapore had claimed 17 podium positions, with Malaysia earning four. The speed cubing showcase at Singapore Small and Sides Feb 2025 demonstrated the immense precision required across non-traditional formats. With fast times set across the board, the participants left the Cecil Building having proven their versatility in modern speedcubing as they prepare for their next season on the regional stage.