The Loveliest Solves on the Plains Auburn 2026

Seventy-four competitors gathered at the Auburn University Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex on May 24, 2026, creating a packed schedule across 11 rounds of action. The Loveliest Solves on the Plains Auburn 2026 brought together talent across six distinct events, offering a comprehensive showcase of modern speedcubing. As the day unfolded in Auburn, Alabama, USA, high standards were established early and maintained straight through to the final podium presentations.

The premier 3x3x3 Cube event drew 72 entrants across three rounds, testing consistency and speed on the classic Rubik's Cube. Caleb Chen took top honors with an exceptional winning average of 6.33 seconds, complemented by the day's best single solve of 5.08 seconds. Sarvesh Thirumalai secured second place with an average of 7.50 seconds, while Vishwa Sankar claimed third place at 7.77 seconds. These decisive 3x3 results demonstrated absolute composure during the weekend's most heavily contested final.

Micah Morrison orchestrated a commanding display across multiple categories during this WCA competition, capturing two major victories. In the 4x4x4 Cube, Morrison won the single-round contest with an average of 26.94 seconds, posting a tournament-best single solve of 23.06 seconds. Sankar took second place with a mark of 29.85 seconds, edging out Katie Hull who finished third at 29.90 seconds in a tightly contested finish at the upper end of the leaderboard.

Morrison doubled their gold medal tally in the 3x3x3 Blindfolded division. In an event requiring total spatial recall and tactile precision, Morrison claimed victory with a winning single of 30.02 seconds, the fastest unseeing solve of the competition. Sankar added another podium appearance by taking second place with a time of 1:18.69, while Daniel Mullen earned third place with a time of 1:31.07 among the 17 entrants who took on the blindfolded challenge.

Beyond the podium battles, significant milestones highlighted the depth of personal achievement throughout the roster. Isaiah Chinchurreta took on six events, securing 12th in blindfolded solving while recording a 4x4x4 Cube personal best of 42.56 seconds that was 59.8 percent faster than their previous mark, alongside first attempts in Pyraminx at 6.86 and 6x6x6 Cube at 2:56.51. Rusty A. Ray tackled five events, finishing 25th in 6x6x6 Cube while making debut attempts in Clock at 16.69, 6x6x6 Cube at 4:46.11, and 4x4x4 Cube at 1:08.00. Phong Nguyen delivered a 3x3x3 personal best of 26.12 seconds, cutting 39.7 percent from their prior standard, while also notching first attempts in Pyraminx at 8.30 and Clock at 21.71. Frederick Moody Blackmon III lowered their 4x4x4 personal best by 33.2 percent down to 47.65 seconds, took 23rd in the event, and made first attempts in Clock at 19.96 and Pyraminx at 8.54.

Progress continued across the venue as Micaiah Chinchurreta cut their 3x3x3 standard by 28.7 percent to 29.21 seconds and registered debut attempts in Clock at 25.98 and Pyraminx at 16.47. Gavin Burttram posted a 32.9 percent improvement in the 3x3x3 Cube to reach 14.07 seconds while making a first attempt at the 4x4x4 Cube in 1:10.56 to finish 35th. Making their first appearance at an official cubing competition, Jacob Bateman logged first-ever attempts across Clock at 52.75, Pyraminx at 15.55, and 3x3x3 at 52.90. First-timer Zane Kanaday also debuted across three disciplines, recording initial marks of 36.59 in the 3x3x3 Cube, 14.28 in Pyraminx, and 22.34 in Clock.

The big cubes featured an authoritative performance in the 6x6x6 Cube from Vishwa Sankar, who secured victory with a 1:14.81 average and a tournament-low single of 1:12.72. Jared Stinson finished runner-up with an average of 1:41.41, followed by Morrison in third at 1:46.85. Sankar's standout performance in the 6x6x6 event was one of four podium finishes on the day, highlighting extraordinary range across both standard and complex hardware.

In the specialty categories, Drake Denton Richard set the pace in Clock, winning the two-round event with a sharp 3.98 average and a single of 3.16 seconds. Chen finished second with a 5.29 average, and Sankar placed third at 5.43 seconds. Pyraminx concluded with Kevin Min taking the title across three rounds with a 2.49 average and a 1.71 single, followed by Mullen at 3.46 seconds and Daniel Porter at 4.19 seconds.

With United States competitors claiming all 18 podium positions, The Loveliest Solves on the Plains Auburn 2026 concluded as a thorough test of technical execution. From the rapid turns of speed cubing specialists to the endurance required for large puzzles, the 2026 gathering in Auburn highlighted both individual excellence and remarkable development across the entire field.