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SeungBeom Cho has set a new Rubik’s Cube world record by solving the puzzle cube in a blistering fast 4.59-seconds. He set this record on camera, and while competing in the Chicago ChicaGhosts 2017 Rubik’s Cube competition. The room full of fellow Rubik’s Cube competitors were stunned by his feat and honored the 23-year-old from South Korea with a standing ovation for his new Rubik’s Cube world record:
It had barely been a month since the last time the Rubik’s Cube world record was broken when Patrick Ponce solved the cube with a time of 4.69 seconds. Going back to last year, the record was 4.73 seconds.
When you’re dealing with tiny fractions of a second, the jump from 4.73 to 4.59 seconds in under a year is a pretty significant improvement. I think it’s also proof that the Rubik’s Cube world record is pretty much a crapshoot at the highest level. They’re all incredibly talented puzzle solvers, and to set the world record also requires a great deal of luck.
I’m not trying to take away from SeungBeom Cho’s Rubik’s Cube world record. He earned that. But when you take this world record in context it’s clear that there was some luck involved. SeungBeom Cho achieved his 4.59-second Rubik’s Cube world record in his first round of the competition. Each round of the competition involves five solve attempts where the ‘Best’ and ‘Average’ scores are recorded. He averaged 7.54 for that first round because he had one attempt that was nearly 10 seconds and another that was 8 seconds. His averages for the rounds were 7.54, 8.73, 7.95, and 8.66 seconds for the four rounds of the competition so this 4.59-second world record was clearly an anomaly. You can check out all of his timed scores here.