Upstate Palmetto Puzzles 2024

Caleb Chen delivered a masterclass in rapid-fire turning at Larkin's Sawmill, sweeping the sprint disciplines with a 1.25 winning average in 2x2x2 Cube and a 6.95 average to capture the 3x3x3 Cube title. The one-day gathering on March 30, 2024, brought 91 competitors to Greenville, South Carolina, USA, for a packed schedule across 6 events and 12 rounds. Across every event, athletes pushed their mechanical execution to the absolute limit in a display of top-tier speedcubing.

The 2x2x2 Cube competition featured some of the sharpest times of the day, demanding instantaneous recognition and flawless finger tricks. Chen topped the 85-competitor field by following up a 1.21 single with his 1.25 winning mark in the final round. Nicolás Sánchez secured second place with a 1.54 average after having posted an astonishing 0.95 single earlier in the event, while Jacob Sasine completed the podium in third with an average of 2.83.

In the classic 3x3x3 Cube, the premier test of speed cubing prowess, Chen once again set the benchmark across three demanding rounds featuring 89 competitors. His 6.95 final average was anchored by a best single of 5.75, keeping him clear of the chasing pack. Nicolás Sánchez earned his second runner-up finish of the day with a 7.92 average, while Justin Barker claimed third place on the podium with an 8.04 average.

Beyond the main sprint events, the technical diversity of the cubing competition was on full display across various formats. Keon Wilson navigated two rounds among 75 competitors to claim the Pyraminx title with a 2.54 average, edging out Alex Bohac whose 2.57 average came down to hundredths of a second, with Henry Schueneman taking third at 4.06. In Skewb, Nathan Smith took the top step of the podium with a 3.93 average across 64 competitors, finishing ahead of Keon Wilson at 4.61 and Todd Goodwin at 4.92.

The longer disciplines required entirely different skill sets, stretching endurance and cognitive stamina. Nicolás Sánchez broke through for a victory in Megaminx, pacing the 50-person field with a 56.61 average and a 46.68 single, leading NJ Kim at 58.24 and Katie Hull at 59.68. In 3x3x3 Blindfolded, where competitors must memorize the entire puzzle before donning a blindfold to execute their solve, Orion Leavitt-Lytle secured first place with a single of 53.05, outperforming Jude Fleming at 1:36.41 and Antonio Bonessi at 1:46.16.

Away from the podiums, Upstate Palmetto Puzzles 2024 provided the stage for remarkable personal milestones and significant time drops throughout the bracket. Liam Mayle took on 5 events and dropped his Pyraminx personal best to 7.89, an improvement of 59.3 percent over his previous mark of 19.37, alongside a 37.5 percent drop in Skewb to 4.39 and a first official Megaminx attempt of 2:26.05. Alex Vernon also logged 5 events, marking his first ever attempts in Megaminx at 2:26.72, Skewb at 12.61, and Pyraminx at 11.24. Carson Quadri tackled 6 events, achieving a best finish of 17th in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a first attempt of 8:49.01, a debut 1:50.14 in Megaminx, and a 13.19 in 3x3x3 Cube that was 27.1 percent faster than before.

Other competitors similarly seized the moment to record major breakthroughs across multiple disciplines. Matthew A. Kight took on 4 events and placed 10th in Megaminx, notching first official attempts in Pyraminx at 12.91, Skewb at 11.22, and Megaminx at 1:21.03. Logan Keodara took on 6 events, posting a Pyraminx personal best of 15.35 to shave 32.6 percent off his previous standard while recording a first Megaminx solve of 3:58.32. Manuel Andres Nahr Colina logged a 24.6 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube to 36.48 alongside a debut 17.09 in Skewb. John Ludwick entered 5 events, finishing 9th in 2x2x2 Cube and recording a first Megaminx result of 1:42.80, while Soren Gregory finished 8th in 3x3x3 Cube and achieved a 39.9 percent cut in Megaminx down to 1:08.63.

With United States competitors claiming all 18 podium positions across the six featured events, the meet demonstrated impressive depth at Larkin's Sawmill. From the rapid 3x3 results to the intricate memory work of blindfolded solving, the tournament highlighted the immense preparation required across every format. As the 2024 calendar moves forward, Upstate Palmetto Puzzles 2024 stands as a testament to the speed, focus, and technical mastery that define the modern WCA competition circuit.