Utah Puzzling for Awareness IV 2025

A mere 0.15 seconds stood between gold and silver at the Clarke Building as 60 competitors gathered on April 5, 2025. In the culminating final of Utah Puzzling for Awareness IV 2025, Adam Carpenter posted a winning average of 8.26 seconds to claim victory over Canyon Pettitt, who closely chased the title with an 8.41 average. Eric Pesci completed the tightly packed 3x3x3 Cube podium in third place with an 8.79 mark. The narrow margins highlighted an intense slate of speedcubing action in Orem, Utah, USA, where split-second decisions dictated the outcome across 12 fast-paced rounds.

The 3x3 results brought elite turn speeds to the forefront across two hard-fought rounds. While Carpenter secured the championship average, Pettitt uncorked the single fastest time of the traditional Rubik's Cube bracket, dropping a sharp 7.08 solve. Carpenter also logged an individual single of 6.06 during the event, setting the benchmark for the entire weekend. With all three podium finishers separated by just over half a second on their averages, the main event delivered some of the most dramatic speed cubing of the 2025 calendar in the region.

Beyond the classic cube, Ty Baird authored a dominant double-gold performance across the big cube categories. Baird seized the 5x5x5 Cube title by delivering a 52.51 average to best Carpenter, who finished second with a 56.52, while Pesci captured third in 1:02.31. Baird also secured the best individual solve in the discipline with a 47.98. The 36 competitors in the event faced three rigorous stages, but Baird remained untouchable, setting a high standard that carried straight into the next puzzle format.

Baird continued his march through the Clarke Building venue during the 6x6x6 Cube rounds, taking another commanding first-place finish with a 1:29.14 average and an event-leading 1:22.48 single. Pettitt earned the silver medal position with a 1:59.21 average, and Amethyst Mak joined the podium in third place with a time of 2:04.21. Baird's poise on the larger layers anchored a powerhouse showing, proving his mastery over the intricate hardware demanded by the multi-layered cubes at this WCA competition.

Pettitt found his own gold medal in the Skewb final, topping a field of 35 entrants at Utah Puzzling for Awareness IV 2025. Pettitt posted a decisive winning average of 4.02 seconds, bolstered by the competition's fastest Skewb solve at 2.81. Elliot Pimentel claimed second place with a 5.95 average, while Baird showed his versatility across formats by snagging third with a 6.77. The quick turns and dynamic corner-axis rotations kept the schedule moving rapidly through two complete rounds.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline challenged memory and spatial execution over two rounds among 17 competitors. Brendan Bakker earned the top spot on the podium with a premier single solve of 41.21 seconds, navigating the layout without sight. Pimentel collected his second silver medal of the day with a clean 1:18.44 attempt, while Steven Morrise locked down the bronze position in 2:32.72. The discipline remains one of the purest tests of memorisation and dexterity on the official calendar.

The deeper story of Utah Puzzling for Awareness IV 2025 unfolded down the rankings, where several competitors achieved massive individual milestones. Leo Williams tackled four events and delivered a Skewb personal best of 5.00 seconds, cutting 55.3 percent off his previous mark. Gray Malan produced a major leap in the 3x3x3 Cube, recording a personal best of 12.93 seconds to finish 35 percent faster than before. Isaac Pugh advanced to 24th in the 3x3x3 Cube, took on his first ever 6x6x6 Cube attempt in 3:14.46, and set a 5x5x5 Cube personal best of 1:33.35, which was 19.9 percent faster. Elijah Yost secured a Skewb personal best of 11.52 seconds, improving by 40.8 percent alongside a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 16.58 seconds.

First-time event entries provided equally memorable breakthroughs throughout the day. Jackson Holladay entered two events, logging his first ever Skewb attempt in 9.15 seconds and setting a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 21.09 seconds, which was 23.4 percent faster. Jacob Brockert took on a broad slate of four disciplines, posting his first ever attempts at 5x5x5 Cube in 1:35.82, 6x6x6 Cube in 3:47.19, and Skewb in 21.56. Eliel Lopez registered his first 5x5x5 Cube solve at 2:07.36 and improved his 6x6x6 Cube mark to 5:27.26, an 11.4 percent reduction. First-time competitor Jackson Farnsworth recorded an initial 5x5x5 Cube mark of 3:00.90 alongside a 24.79 solve in his first 3x3x3 Cube appearance.

Every podium step across the five scheduled events was claimed by United States competitors, showcasing immense local depth across 12 total rounds. From the tight fraction-of-a-second margins in the main final to the patient focus of the blindfolded solves, the tournament delivered high-stakes drama from start to finish. As the tables cleared at the Clarke Building, Utah Puzzling for Awareness IV 2025 concluded as a standout cubing competition that rewarded both precision at the top and steady personal progress across the roster.