In a flurry of twisting fingers and rainbow-colored squares, the Aliso Niguel High School gym transformed into a battleground of brainpower Sunday as it hosted a regional cube-solving competition.
About 175 competitors from across Southern California gathered for this official World Cube Association event to see who could solve five different cube puzzles the fastest, including working with a standard 3×3 cube (sometimes one-handed), a 2×2, a 4×4 and a pyramid-shaped puzzle. The World Cube Association is affiliated with cube-solving competitions around the world, with events this weekend from Bangkok to Brazil.
Arav Mody, the Aliso Niguel High Cubing Club president, said he can solve a standard 3×3 Rubik’s cube in about 22 seconds.
All eyes are on Max Park, left, as he competes in the World Cube Association competition at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Max is also the World Cube champion, (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Fleet fingers work a cube during the World Cube Association competition at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Arav Mody, 16, president of the Aliso Niguel High Cubing Club, has been solving Rubik’s cubes since he was 12. His school hosts the World Cube Association comeptition on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, where he helps out and also competes. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Arvid Kudale, 11, of West Covina, practices between rounds at the World Cube Association competition at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shiloh D’Espyne, 13, of Victorville comepetes in his 31st cubing competition this year during the World Cube Association contest at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A cparticipant in the World Cube Association competition at Aliso Niguel High School, records his fancy fingerwork while unscrambleing a cube on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Participants in the World Cube Association competition concentrate as they unscramble cubes on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Aliso Niguel High School sponsored the event where 175 people, ages 7-40 from Southern California took part. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chitra Bathija encourages her 13-year-old son, Aayush, who encountered a setback while competing in the World Cube Association event at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Matthew Harris, 24, sells the last items from his 200-cube collection during the the World Cube Association event at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. He has moved on to new hobbies and wants “the next generation of cubers to enjoy them,” he said. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kai-Niambi D’Espyne wears cube earrings during the World Cube Association event in Aliso Viejo on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024 where her son was competing. She also sells novelty cube items including keychains, pencil holders and pins. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kat Schutz of Glendale, chats with her son, Alex Pfaff Jr., 11, after he competed in the World Cube Association event in Aliso Viejo on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. It was Alex’s first competition after he starting speedcubing a couple month ago. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Aayush Bathija, 13, reacts to his time unscrambling his cube while competing in the World Cube Association contest at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. In an earlier heat the Ventura County student beat his personal record in the four-by-four contes by 10 seconds. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
1 of 12
All eyes are on Max Park, left, as he competes in the World Cube Association competition at Aliso Niguel High School on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Max is also the World Cube champion, (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Perhaps as impressive, he revitalized the school’s cubing club with help from teacher Eric Silberman, taking it from a moribund organization to a vibrant association with about 25 to 30 active students regularly meeting at lunchtime to cube and plan events such as Sunday’s.
“Cubing can be a really fun hobby,” Mody said. “It’s something to use as a way to de-stress. It’s a way to improve your problem-solving and pattern-thinking skills. So by learning how to cube, you’re not just having fun, but you’re increasing your cognitive abilities, too.”
His advice to anyone interested in starting? “Don’t be scared.”
“There’s so many resources out there,” Mody said. “There are YouTube tutorials that can take you through each step. There are different organizations around the world which you can join. There are online forums you can use to get involved.
“And, if you’re in southern Orange County,” he added, “well, there’s at least our high school cubing club.”
Leave a Reply