UC student takes home first prize in Rubik’s Cube championship
Sujan Feist solves pocket-sized Rubik’s Cube the fastest in biennial contest
A University of Cincinnati student recently achieved the world record in a unique extracurricular: solving Rubik’s Cubes as fast as possible.
Sujan Feist, an undergraduate studying computer science at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, practices quickly solving Rubik’s Cubes, or “speedcubing,” as a break between tough classes and work. His knack for the unique skill landed him in the competitive speedcubing scene.
At the Rubik's WCA World Championship 2025, held in early July in Seattle, Washington, Feist went into the competition with an open mind — his only goal was to enjoy the experience. “It wasn't that stressful for me leading up to the world championships,” he said. “I was practicing a lot, but when I got to the competition I just had fun with everyone.”
Feist's average time was 1.17 seconds, earning him first place and setting a new record for the competition. Photo/provided.
Feist surprised even himself when he took home first prize for the 2x2 category with an average speed of just 1.17 seconds.
A 2x2 Rubik's Cube, also known as a “pocket cube,” is a smaller, simpler version of the classic cube. It has two layers on each side, compared to three, and consists only of corner pieces, lacking the center and edge pieces of its larger counterpart. Despite its size, it still presents a challenge with over 3.6 million possible permutations.
Feist’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it win also beat all the previous champions in his category, according to the competition’s official website.
His win comes after a long break from the hobby. Despite his natural knack for speedcubing, Feist ended up quitting when he was still a kid. He didn’t come back to it until he was a teenager.
“I completely forgot how to solve a cube. I ended up picking one up for fun just to see if I could solve it again, and just like that I was back into it,” he said.
“I solved my first cube around the age of 9, then proceeded to get my time on the 3x3 cube down to 20 seconds,” he said. “I quickly got the 2x2 cube down to five seconds.” His practice and dedication has whittled down that time to the world record he holds today.
Feist said he enjoys the competitive scene for its community. “It was great seeing all the people there, and they inspired me to become the best that I can be in cubing,” he said. “Honestly, I wasn’t even really thinking about making it onto the podium or even winning. I just wanted to have fun with all my friends, because I know these big competitions do not happen often.”
Watch Feist's reaction to snagging the fastest time ever in his category (via SpeedcubingTV).
Featured image at top of Sujan Feist competing at the Rubik's WCA World Championship. Photo/provided.
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