Teen Solves Rubik’s Cube In Under 5 Seconds

Megalith

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I thought the kid was using a mutant power or something for a second.

Lucas Etter, 14, solved a Rubik’s Cube in under five seconds — 4.90 to be exact — Saturday at the River Hill Fall 2015 competition in Clarksville, Maryland. The World Cube Association told TIME it is still in the process of verifying the record, but confirmed that the "speedcuber" Etter achieved a faster time than the current world record holder Collin Burns, who solved one in 5.25 seconds.
 
I'd like to see where this kid ends up in 10-15 years....would be terrible if this is his life's crowning achievement.
 
Since they claim the cubes are randomly scrambled, I'd assume some are easier than others. Could be a little luck involved.
 
Would be nice to have a high speed camera film his hands doing that.
 
This was the weirdest celebration of nerds I have ever seen. From the awkward clapping, cringe worthy hugs and the weird "WHATOROOOOOOO" sounds.
 
It's not really a fair test if they're scrambled differently and he gets to inspect it before the timer starts.
 
They have dedicated scramblers. For each round the scramble is predetermined for all. The scramblers then have to scamble each cube the same way. Yes there is some variance due to some scrambles inherently being easier to solve but they are all done the same way. Everyone gets 10 seconds to examine before the clock starts to plan their solve.
 
Since they claim the cubes are randomly scrambled, I'd assume some are easier than others. Could be a little luck involved.

This.
The .35 seconds is mainly due to luck.

Still, it's pretty impressive.

Rather then solve the cube side by side, these speed solvers look at the cube and use a limited number of moves to solve all sides at once.

The older way of solving it side by side only involved remembering a few different moves, but the best you could do is 2-3 minutes.
 
I felt scared that so many teens or kids in general had smart phones. An iPhone has become the #1 requested Christmas present. Sheesh times have changed and I have barely hit 27.
 
Since they claim the cubes are randomly scrambled, I'd assume some are easier than others. Could be a little luck involved.

Ding ding ding
While there is a learning curve to solving Rubik's cubes, lower timed solutions now boil down to the random scramble, and the approach taken to solving them.
Primarily by those who do not have a sequence set for solution, but rather just start 'attacking' and wind up in a very nice scenario. These will be the fastest records, and ultimately are only there by an element of fluke.
 
Obligatory

3b3d5668-4982-440a-9306-70c1342dd45a.jpg
 
Also, am I alone in thinking that time spent looking at the cube beforehand should DEFINITELY be counted time? You are analyzing it, determining moves, etc... After that it is all a matter of how quickly you can do the turns. The thought process is what will be the biggest variable between competitors.
 
Don't recall rubix cubes being that loose and easy to manipulate, presumably these are "competitive" cubes?
 
I saw a video just a few days ago about how a speedcuber sees a high speed solve. Rather helpful for the uninformed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcv4ePMPN_U

This is still one of the most widely used and popular strategies for speedcubing. Requires a well lubricated cube that's designed to not "lock up", lots of dexterity, memorization of a LOT of orientations, and the ability to "look ahead" and find pieces you need for the next move, before you complete the current move.
 
Don't recall rubix cubes being that loose and easy to manipulate, presumably these are "competitive" cubes?

Yes, there are specialty speed cubes. I received one a while back and they are quite nice and unlike the regular black ones you see everywhere. There are very, very, very smooth to operate and forgiving in mid-turns (mid-turn techniques save a whole lot of time) and no pieces pop out like would be the case with regular cubes.
 
actually 4.904 to be exact.

If you really wanted to be exact it was less than that, probably 2/10th of a second less considering the time it took to take physical possession of the cube from the start position as well as the time it took to let it go and tap out to stop the clock.

But I'm picky about the details I suppose. My fastest time with a cube was back in 1983-ish at 23.62 seconds, long long before more efficient methods came along to solve the Cube in its various forms. Was fast enough to win me some respect, however, and put down the egotistical fool in our high school who dared challenge me as "a poser" (wow, we didn't even use that term in the 80s, go figure). :D
 
4.9 seconds? It'd take me 4.9 years!

There are tutorials on the web that teach you how to solve Rubik's Cube. I expect that is what these kids do, study the tutorials and then practice them over and over.
 
That kid is gonna get LAAAAIIIIID!!!!

Chicks love men that solve puzzles :D:D
 
If you really wanted to be exact it was less than that, probably 2/10th of a second less considering the time it took to take physical possession of the cube from the start position as well as the time it took to let it go and tap out to stop the clock.
Well if you really wanted to be technical it took longer but the fact of the matter is they don't count the time they initially get to examine the cube, even though that actually is part of the solving process. And like what was said before if they're "randomly" mixed up sometimes it might be an easier solution than others, IMO any "world record" should be based on on average of multiple cubes being solved and not a single one.
 
The modern methods of cube solving require the visual inspection firsthand - the solution I used and still use to this day was one published in a small paperback at a checkout stand purchased on the way out of the store with the Cube itself:

TSSTRC.jpg


and within an hour of getting home with that book and reading through it I had a solved Cube. Within 24 hours I was doing it under 2 mins, within a week easily under 45 consistently but, yeah, that was in the summer of 1981 long long ago. :)

And yes, there's always the side of the solving debates that says there should be no advanced visualization of the Cube about to be solved; it should be randomized then basically hid under some type of cover and then the cover is removed and the timer starts as soon as the Cube is lifted. That's how I've always thought of it myself.

The coolest aspect of solving them is once you know a particular sequence based on the visual aspect, you can literally go through several of them in a row (using that old tried and true solution published in that book pictured above) without even looking at the Cube itself. I'd end up being challenged in those younger years and it would just freak people out when I'd stop looking at it and just spin it like mad while looking at someone talking to them and just take the occasional glance at the Cube itself.

Ah, the good old days when toys were actually fun. :D
 
Wow um... Comic con, LoTR costume parties, D&D sessions, MtG tournaments, 16x screen's of WoW in a dungeon, Speed Rubik's Cube competitions. Not sure which is the nerdiest, but this could be it.

I think the "world record" (and certainly "best in the world") should goto the individual with the best average. Apparently the averages are tallied/recorded regularly.
 
Wow um... Comic con, LoTR costume parties, D&D sessions, MtG tournaments, 16x screen's of WoW in a dungeon, Speed Rubik's Cube competitions. Not sure which is the nerdiest, but this could be it.

I think the "world record" (and certainly "best in the world") should goto the individual with the best average. Apparently the averages are tallied/recorded regularly.

Well, there's always a really cool skill some folks have with an additional bonus because it also discusses some Rubik's Cube activity showing the previous WR holder's attempts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJu5MZfSvBE

That stuff is still pretty awesome to watch, almost freaky how skilled those participants can be sometimes.
 
This.
The .35 seconds is mainly due to luck.

Still, it's pretty impressive.

Rather then solve the cube side by side, these speed solvers look at the cube and use a limited number of moves to solve all sides at once.

The older way of solving it side by side only involved remembering a few different moves, but the best you could do is 2-3 minutes.

Also, speed cube people put grease on the friction surfaces to make them spin much more easily than factory and retail stock.
 
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