Spokane Winter PBQ 2026

Derek McNee delivered the standout performance of the weekend by successfully resolving 21 out of 23 cubes blindfolded in 54:22. That mastery in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind set the tone for an intensive single-day gathering in Spokane, Washington, USA. Staged at the Spokane Library South Hill on January 24, 2026, the meet brought together an intimate field of 11 competitors. Across five distinct events and five total rounds, the schedule celebrated the full breadth of non-standard cubing events, demanding profound memory work, spatial reasoning, and move efficiency rather than standard turning speeds.

The competitive lineup at Spokane Winter PBQ 2026 offered a fascinating cross-section of blindfolded disciplines and algorithmic puzzles. Participants tackled everything from single-cube memory challenges to large-puzzle blind solving and deliberate move-count reduction. The schedule pushed athletes across varied problem formats, making this speedcubing stop a complete showcase of precision. Rather than standard speed sprints, the day highlighted how much variety exists across the official World Cube Association catalog when solving without sight or optimizing solutions on paper.

In the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves discipline, competitors had to examine a scramble and write down the shortest possible sequence within the time limit. Jackson Warley captured the victory with a 25.00 average, helped by a remarkably efficient best single of 21 moves. Ethan George Hayes finished in the second podium position with a 34.00 average and a single of 33 moves, while Aaryn Cole took third with a 42.00 average. The event required deep analytical knowledge and patience, offering a cerebral counterpoint to the physical turning seen elsewhere.

The blindfolded events continued the diverse theme across three different puzzle sizes. In standard 3x3x3 Blindfolded, Derek McNee secured his second title of the day, winning with a single of 1:00.77. Carson Claud pushed the winner to the line, claiming second place in 1:01.46, while Ethan George Hayes took third with a 1:30.32 single. With athletes balancing high-speed memorisation against the risk of an incomplete solve, the margin between first and second came down to a fraction of a second across the field of eight competitors.

Stepping up the puzzle complexity, Carson Claud led the pack in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a winning single time of 8:17.70, emerging as the sole finisher on the leaderboard. The 5x5x5 Blindfolded contest introduced an even higher layer of complexity, demanding extreme focus over extended durations. Ethan George Hayes won that endurance battle with a single of 23:31.00, while Carson Claud locked up second place with a mark of 28:19.00. The distinct physical layers of each puzzle size demanded vastly different tracking methods from the solvers.

Beyond the podium battles, several under-the-radar competitors achieved major individual milestones across the varied schedule. Ethan Gotshall made substantial strides, taking on two events and finishing fourth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a personal best single of 1:59.93, which was 25.6 percent faster than his prior mark of 2:41.14, alongside a 3:08.72 average. Gotshall also logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, recording a 49. Jeremiah Rummerfield entered two disciplines, earning a best finish of seventh in 3x3x3 Blindfolded and dropping his personal record by 19 percent to 8:30.35 from a previous 10:30.00.

Other competitors similarly seized the opportunity to test themselves on the specialty stages. Coleman Vaughn tackled two events, achieving a best finish of eighth in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a personal best of 39 moves, improving 4.9 percent over a previous 41. Chris Tabar entered one event and secured a sixth-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Meanwhile, Zeke Genesis Grant attended their first WCA competition, taking on one event and completing 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a tenth-place ranking to launch their cubing competition career.

The 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event capped off the memory challenges, testing athletes on how many separate cubes they could memorise and solve consecutively. Derek McNee took the win with 21 out of 23 cubes solved, while Carson Claud secured second place by solving 11 out of 12 cubes in 45:48. Solvers spent extensive preparation time memorising dozens of cube layouts before executing their solutions under the strict time limit. The result rounded out a multi-event showcase of mental discipline.

As the day wrapped up at Spokane Library South Hill, Spokane Winter PBQ 2026 stood as a testament to the wide spectrum of speed cubing disciplines. While standard Rubik's Cube races dominate most weekends, this WCA competition put deep strategy and blind memory center stage. Solvers from the Pacific Northwest and beyond demonstrated their command over every puzzle format presented, leaving behind strong 3x3 results, big personal milestones, and an inspiring look at the variety of the modern sport.