Conversation and a clacking sound filled the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity annex last Saturday, as “cubers” from across the country met for the Hillsdale Winter 2013 Rubik’s Cube competition.
The 35 competitors, ages 5 to 50, met to show off their speed-solving skills, attempting to solve Rubik’s Cubes and similar puzzles as quickly as possible. The competition was held Feb. 23 by the ATO fraternity in order to raise house funds.
Hillsdale’s own Anthony Brooks, sophomore, organized the event and performed very well, claiming the top spots in the 3×3, 2×2, and 3×3 one-handed events. His average of 8.63 seconds in the final round of standard 3×3 propelled him to 2nd place in the World Cube Association’s North American rankings and 12th in the world.
“Moving up in the world rankings is always exciting,” said Brooks. “However, I am especially pleased with my average this weekend because it had been a long time, maybe six months, since I had spent any significant amount of time practicing.
“With the World Championship coming to Las Vegas this summer, it is encouraging to realize that I’m still capable of competing with the fastest solvers in the world.”
Those competing in a round at the Hillsdale event sat on a stage with timers and scoreboards. The rest sat at long tables chatting with other enthusiasts. All were almost constantly at work on cubes and similar puzzles of other shapes such as tetrahedrons.
In each round, the competitors would each solve the same set of five scrambles as quickly as possible. Each competitor’s longest and shortest time would be thrown out and the remaining three averaged to find that competitor’s score.
The atmosphere was intense. Most competitors constantly practiced, twisting cubes around with their fingers. Often someone would twist so quickly that bits of his cube would fly off and bounce across the room.
The consensus among those present was that, for speed, “it’s in the fingers, not the wrist.” Some competitors brought their own cubes up to the stage, putting them down only instants before the beginning of a round. After each round, they went right back to their practicing.
Despite this intensity, the cubers were markedly friendly with each other. This was no cold sportsmanship, but a warm amiability. One young man tutored a boy, patiently explaining how to move a square to a specific position, and giving him other tips. Many cubers knew each other and many others were happy to meet people who shared their quirky passion.
“This is my first time going to a competition, and it’s pretty cool, you know, meeting people who are more into it than I am,” said Jake Penning, a competitor from Grand Rapids, Mich.
Borja Perez, a competitor from Midland, Mich., was also excited to “meet other people as into the cube” as he is.
“Usually every time I talk to people who are semi-into the cube they get really annoyed with my persistency on the topic,” Perez said. “I think it’s really fun to meet other people as into it, and then actually competing. And then seeing some people who are famous, like Anthony Brooks.”
Most said they drove hours, but that “it was worth it.”A number of competitors expressed dim hopes of victory but said that they did not mind.
While all of the cubers present came from the United States, and most from states bordering Michigan, some came from as far as Texas. Most heard of the competition through the WCA website.
The event earned ATO a few hundred dollars, Brooks said, and the victors received certificates.