Wired

Why It’s Almost Impossible to Solve a Rubik’s Cube in Under 3 Seconds | WIRED

The current world record for solving a Rubik’s cube is 3.47 seconds. Could it be faster? WIRED’s Robbie Gonzalez explores the mind-boggling math and finger-twisting world of speed cubing. Read more on this story from Robbie on WIRED.com: Here are some links for some of the information and cubers we consulted: World Cube Association Tom…

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The current world record for solving a Rubik’s cube is 3.47 seconds. Could it be faster? WIRED’s Robbie Gonzalez explores the mind-boggling math and finger-twisting world of speed cubing. Read more on this story from Robbie on WIRED.com:

Here are some links for some of the information and cubers we consulted:

World Cube Association

Tom Rokicki’s Paper on “God’s Number”

MIT Robot (built by Ben Katz & Jared Di Carlo) Breaks Rubik’s Cube Record
Video:
Text:

World Record-Holder Feliks Zemdegs

Competitive Cuber Tiffany Chien from the Rubik’s Cube Club at Berkeley

►►

Also, check out the free WIRED channel on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV. Here you can find your favorite WIRED shows and new episodes of our latest hit series Masterminds.

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Why It’s Almost Impossible to Solve a Rubik’s Cube in Under 3 Seconds | WIRED

153 Comments

  1. asif abdl

    May 24, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    Chess or cube

  2. Nathan Way

    May 24, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    This is what I like with wired. They actually have a proper look into how cubing works, and doesn’t just look at the first result on Google like mainstream media. Great vid ☺️

  3. Unlem

    May 24, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    im a cuber and this is pretty cringy

  4. Khoa Bùi Tiến

    May 24, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    how many cubers are here like me?

  5. Angel Castro

    May 24, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    Where mAh cubers at?

  6. floweringmywaters

    May 24, 2019 at 4:45 pm

    3 secs for me to make the cross…

  7. Gebakken Ezel

    May 24, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    I can fix it with 1 move

  8. Kiran_ sid

    May 24, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    “1 minute 45 seconds. I’m ashamed”
    Me :- ????

  9. Rubén A. Ritto Contreras

    May 24, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    This is one of the best series in youtube

  10. Sumiran Maiskar

    May 24, 2019 at 4:47 pm

    Yay I’m so happy a huge channel like WIRED covered speedcubing!

  11. MikeVonDoom

    May 24, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    The Cube Of Rubik

    I couldn’t even solve it in like… 25 years!!!

  12. Brian S

    May 24, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    I’m glad to see one of my biggest hobbies being covered by a news source I such an accurate and understandable way to the public.

  13. fatdawg 887

    May 24, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    It was thought to not be solvable sooo…

  14. sweg

    May 24, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    a year later they’re gonna come out with an updated vid that says 2 seconds

  15. Vaibhav Bhootra

    May 24, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    Trust me, speedcubers can have their way with girls. 😉

  16. Hardy Beatz

    May 24, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    I can solve one side in 10 sec ?

  17. Steven Li

    May 24, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    Ok mine fastest it 13

  18. Sumiran Maiskar

    May 24, 2019 at 4:51 pm

    Ask Tyson to go to a competition haha

  19. mamta guleria

    May 24, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    i can solve in 15 seconds (15 sec. average)

  20. TheMorningCuber

    May 24, 2019 at 4:53 pm

    0:29 *anybody

    Really, it’s not that hard.

  21. Andor_Yoko

    May 24, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    Favorite series combined with my hobby… gonna be a banger

  22. pizzapm

    May 24, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    I’m happy to see such a well put together video about cubing in mainstream media. I feel like this video really covered all the important points pertaining to speed cubing in an easy to understand fashion. well done

  23. Pranshu y

    May 24, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    Honestly its just some algorithms and moves, it isn’t as hard as people think it is. One year of practising and i was able to solve it in under a minute.

  24. KITRONIX111

    May 24, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    My record is 10 seconds (Super lucky scramble) but average 18 seconds. When I saw the 5 second record I though that was it but now it’s a 3.4 seconds?!?! Madness ?

  25. Mindlesscargo

    May 24, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    Any Rubik’s cube is solvable within 10 moves. But it will almost certainly never be possible to do it

  26. Trawgic

    May 25, 2019 at 4:05 pm

    When I learned to solve my cube I never thought it was about so many algorithms

  27. GD Tim

    May 25, 2019 at 4:07 pm

    Hardware isn’t now as important as it used to be, but overall this is the best cubing documentary by mainstream media. Great job!

  28. Monisha Saha

    May 25, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    My record is 15 secs

  29. Frshw4t3r Cubing

    May 25, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    #CuberSquad where u at

  30. SnazzySazerac98

    May 25, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    Thank you Wired for answering a question I never had

  31. Aum Thakore

    May 25, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    All the speed cubers watching this show your presence!!!

  32. Catstuffies Tran

    May 25, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    I like his rubik’s cube pillow

  33. Csaba Farkas

    May 25, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    patrick ponce has a 2.99 sooo…

  34. Akamedo

    May 25, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    you know what they say
    -there will be always an asian who is better than you.

  35. Jeremy Bradley

    May 25, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    I can do it in 1.6 seconds consistently

  36. Zeryte is Calm

    May 25, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    Hi my gf

  37. Empire526907

    May 25, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    My shortest time is one minute.

  38. jordan secrist

    May 25, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Solving a rubicks cube is as simple as memorizing a few moves. Solving it fast means spending more and more on a new and faster cube. I had a room mate once that would spend hundreds of dollars on different cubes so he could shave a couple seconds off his times. Ridiculous. Lol

    • jordan secrist

      May 25, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      I think my fastest time ever was 7 seconds. But that was a fluke. Usually it would take me a 30-60 seconds.

  39. Palo Kuti

    May 25, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Theres always some asian who is smarter.

  40. P Linton

    May 25, 2019 at 4:43 pm

    Ultra instinct rubix

  41. S Cubes

    May 25, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    ha jokes on you the new Unofficial World Record is is sub 3

  42. Velvet Thunder

    May 25, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    My record is 45 seconds ?

  43. Syvel Weaver

    May 25, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    *_Almost impossible_*

  44. Jake Lope

    May 25, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    0:19 that is not how a Dayan tenhun m sounds

    Sorry about the spelling

  45. Puddi Panda

    May 25, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    The Flash: “Challenge accepte- done.”

  46. Caleb Robinson

    May 25, 2019 at 4:56 pm

    2:40 The guy next to him is Mats Valk. At the time of that recording he was the world record holder. You see in his face the moment he realises his world record was just broken.

    Feelsbadman

  47. Oscar Chávez Avellán

    May 25, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    0:26 few weeks? It tooks me two days v:

  48. MadTheDJ

    May 25, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    Q: “How do I solve a Rubik’s Cube?”
    A: “Practice, man. Practice.”

  49. Emanuele Del Grande

    May 25, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    It’s almost impossible to beat a world record? who knew…

  50. D4RK_L3GEND YT

    May 25, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    I learned how to solve it in 3 days

  51. Justina Wong

    May 26, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    This video inspired me to finally solve my rubik’s cube. Not gonna brag but it only took me 3 years

  52. Navaneeth Dontuboyina

    May 26, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    so fast they called it gods number

  53. T c

    May 26, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    It’s actually easy it took me 1 month to learn how to solve a rubik’s cube under 30 seconds

  54. Kali Leenstra

    May 26, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    I can solve a ruciks cube in 18 sec.

  55. IFaKeYT

    May 26, 2019 at 3:28 pm

    Almost is the right word

  56. Amal Srivastava

    May 26, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    i learned how to solve a 3x3x3 but made my own moves for 4x4x4

  57. Emotional Philosophy

    May 26, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    The dumbass commentors

  58. 10 000 subscribers with 69 videos challenge !!!

    May 26, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    Bruh first time solving 20 mins first time I solved it took 20 mins and a knife to pick it apart

  59. Nolan Yiu

    May 26, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    I just realized I went to the same competition they featured in the video (BASC 16)

  60. Sprunkle

    May 26, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    Does it make me a genious that i learned to solve the rubiks cube in around a minute after only 3 days of practice?

  61. xd misc

    May 26, 2019 at 4:05 pm

    I learned to solve a cube in 1rst grade in 2 weeks

  62. A is for America

    May 26, 2019 at 4:16 pm

    Answer: BECAUSE ITS A RUBIK’S CUBE

  63. TiGeR _MoTh

    May 26, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    My bests:

    3x3x3: 59secs
    2x2x2: 22secs
    Pyraminx: 41 secs

  64. _ CARNAGE _

    May 26, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    Im cuber I can solve rubix cube…

    So i spell rubix wrong again and again

  65. Jiren chillin in the comment section

    May 26, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    Someone, somehow: *solves a Rubik’s cube under 3 seconds*

    Robbie: [surprised pikachu]

  66. R3AP3RZZ ISHHERE

    May 26, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    I solved one in 0.23 sec

    I turned it once and then undid that

  67. Vn Nn

    May 26, 2019 at 4:32 pm

    Next step: transform a solved cube to a specific one

  68. Mārcis Skirmants

    May 26, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    yoo shoutout to all the Latvian viewers, I know you are all proud of Feliks Zemdegs representing Latvia.

  69. Explorize

    May 26, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    What’s your pb everyone? Mines 28 secs!

  70. ben eadie

    May 26, 2019 at 4:44 pm

    1:27 so we just not gonna talk about that??

  71. Noah Vergara

    May 26, 2019 at 4:53 pm

    Pfft… “a couple weeks.” I learned how to solve it and memorize within 24 hours

  72. Mr.Melon J

    May 26, 2019 at 4:58 pm

    Just imagine living with the experts,just mo kt0bijhfn uhcf dnchadncdutedncuhedwncpijnvu9 247

  73. Wanda Barreto

    May 26, 2019 at 4:59 pm

    J perm and Dana Yi comments in one video… I’m not even kidding u guys are my favorite speedcubers…

  74. Anju S

    May 26, 2019 at 5:04 pm

    Bruh, it took me like an hour to learn how to solve it. Than like another hour to learn the speed method. Now I average like 20 seconds. Yeah, one afternoon can get you to a 20 second average

  75. absol761

    May 26, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    How do u solve one?

  76. Adnan A

    May 27, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    There’s always a ceiling

  77. Mox Boi

    May 27, 2019 at 12:28 pm

    Wired: It’s almost impossible
    Speedcubers: *ALMOST*

  78. jungshookio Growtopia

    May 27, 2019 at 12:49 pm

    i got 15.40 seconds two years ago, sadly I stopped though. Lowered to around a minute to 30 or 20 seconds.

  79. A Solve A Day

    May 27, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Double x-cross, ll skip, zeliks fembags

  80. NoySy MachiNe

    May 27, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    Turns one side. Turns it back…

    *UNDER 3 SECONDS!!!!*

  81. Saumil sunil Shah

    May 27, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    What about feliks

  82. John joseph Florina

    May 27, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    @11:10 what’s that thing on the head of the professor?

  83. Thebestkiwi 4

    May 27, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    I did it

    In 30 seconds

  84. Luc Columbano

    May 27, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    *My hands can move faster than my brain*
    (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

  85. Roiden Productions Official

    May 27, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    My personal best is 30 seconds

  86. GameDirection

    May 27, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    When your friends ask you how fast you can solve the cube… then follow up my cousin can solve it in like 5 sec.
    me:”Good for him?”

  87. Shydead

    May 27, 2019 at 2:59 pm

    Iiiiiih. Actually learned it in 20 minutes. Haha?

  88. B.D. City

    May 27, 2019 at 2:59 pm

    I started 3 days ago learning with some guides and now i can solve it in about 5 min

  89. SEXEL Gt

    May 27, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    First of all u need to know the basic method and then try to learn f2l,pll,oll ,,and don’t get stuck at basic method , it’s useless if u only practice with the beginner method

  90. Thirza

    May 27, 2019 at 3:02 pm

    my record is two minutes, and then I look at people who do it in a few seconds. Yeez some people are gifted

  91. Nicholas Powers

    May 27, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    Anonymous is for the purpose of facilitating human trafficking by confusing people about who to trust, and whether or not they should be disguising themselves.

    Don’t call it hacktivism anymore. Positive phonetic association that’s it.

    Opera was right. Wasn’t a prank. Just a symbol to confuse people and it’s worked. Most people wouldn’t know human trafficking isn’t a hobby. Just tell them to throw the mask out. No one needs to kill themselves with criticism.

    You shouldn’t believe there’s a reason to display things that are misleading and potentially harmful on tv. The authorities seriously don’t have every single corner covered.

  92. Muzzardonmyfeet

    May 27, 2019 at 3:13 pm

    “A few weeks” If you watch tutorials on youtube you can learn in a day

  93. Ripanjot Singh

    May 27, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    No wonder why I can only solve it in 4 seconds…

  94. MKE YonZuath

    May 27, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    Who else put the .25x speed on .25x

  95. Akash Markad

    May 27, 2019 at 3:33 pm

    Do video on typing

  96. B Beemer

    May 27, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    The grain of sand comparison is definitely incorrect lol

  97. I am Fox not Falco

    May 27, 2019 at 4:12 pm

    It is possible to solve a Rubik’s in less than 3 seconds

    They never said it had to be a 3×3 8)

  98. Ify Nsoha

    May 27, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    dude this is dope

  99. Jose Ornelas

    May 27, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    So it’s kinda like a fighting game, except it’s the same match perfected over years of battle

  100. MadRiv

    May 27, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    Hey #jperm if you watch this hello

  101. Genghis Kong

    May 28, 2019 at 8:38 am

    My time so far is 24.75 years and still going….

  102. joonie noodle soup™

    May 28, 2019 at 8:49 am

    I’ve never solved a rubik’s cube and I really want to-

  103. YT D34TH6

    May 28, 2019 at 8:49 am

    Ok

  104. JG124

    May 28, 2019 at 9:19 am

    Tiffany got them hands tho…

  105. JohnCedric Villegas

    May 28, 2019 at 9:28 am

    Roux method and ZZ method are the best to solve under 10secs

  106. Ammar. D

    May 28, 2019 at 9:54 am

    ‘Almost’

  107. Rohit cuber

    May 28, 2019 at 10:49 am

    My average time is (8.second)

  108. THE CHIP IN DAVID'S TOOTH

    May 28, 2019 at 10:57 am

    Yes

  109. Connor Eddy

    May 28, 2019 at 11:51 am

    What method did he use to solve it

  110. john tan

    May 28, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    12:42
    She’s a ZZ user! Arrest her!

  111. BANANAZ _1

    May 28, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    Narrator: most people cant solve it

    3billion ppl: ha lol yea rite

  112. 2swap

    May 28, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    Not all methods use algorithms. Many use commutators and conjugates- that’s how non-wca puzzlers come up with original solutions to puzzles they’ve never seen before, and how blind solvers do their thing (although blind solving with algs is much faster.)

  113. Anthea Johnson

    May 28, 2019 at 12:53 pm

    doesnt it take like 3 seconds to do like 3 turns??

    Edit: Nvm
    I see the Asian girl moving it like 0.1 sec….

  114. Akasuki

    May 28, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    I bought a rubic’s cube in 2005. And still not able to solve it.

  115. I Am Da One

    May 28, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    Lol billons more like 43 quintillion

  116. PaperBag

    May 28, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    My fastest single solve was 43

  117. Terry Choe

    May 28, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    I actually figured out the 3×3 cube, no tutorials at all. Created all the algorithms that I use. Thats probably why I can’t get under 2 mins

    • Pedro Santos

      May 28, 2019 at 3:41 pm

      That’s insane, you must be really smart and patient. I went straight into the tutorial?

  118. Dane Reads

    May 28, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    So cool

  119. [Preston] [Gaming]

    May 28, 2019 at 2:50 pm

    What about the 1 by 1 rubiks cube?

  120. Asnickel

    May 28, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    Roses are red
    Violets are blue
    There is always an Asian
    Better than you

  121. Pedro Santos

    May 28, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    Until now I only have heard about Partik Ponce’s unoficial solve of 2.99 seconds

  122. Pedro Santos

    May 28, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    Feliks five years later smh, 2.5 seconds!

  123. How To Anything

    May 28, 2019 at 3:29 pm

    2:38 that guy is like wtf

  124. timeROBLOX

    May 28, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    I can’t even solve a rubiks cube in three months!

  125. A FO

    May 28, 2019 at 3:50 pm

    I don’t get the point. All these effort for what?

  126. Yasuo Main

    June 10, 2019 at 6:10 pm

    Is it possible? Or was he lucky the cube was gonna be easily solved?

  127. ky sputnik

    June 10, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    Don’t be a square be a cuber

  128. Datchineseguy

    June 10, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    Of course that guy’s chinese

  129. Kyle Adams

    June 10, 2019 at 9:37 pm

    Try 2 hours with YouTube tutorials not weeks

  130. Daily Uploads Maybe

    June 11, 2019 at 2:44 am

    As a cuber, I approve of this video.

  131. Grant Mavkor

    June 11, 2019 at 4:21 am

    they really got felix and mao on the show respects

  132. isaac Garry

    June 11, 2019 at 6:07 am

    I learned to solve a rubiks cube in less than 6 hours, and I can solve it in at least a minute or less.

  133. Ganesh Avuthu

    June 11, 2019 at 6:14 am

    Can u make a video how to solve Rubik’s cube less than a minute

  134. Greyson Hall

    June 11, 2019 at 7:19 am

    You keep showing the dyan tengune and it’s kinda a bad cube

  135. Danilo Jelic

    June 11, 2019 at 8:10 am

    I am speed cuber I can solve it for 7 seconds

    And 2 minutes…
    And 4 hours…
    And 3 days

  136. Matt Ward

    June 11, 2019 at 8:19 am

    Next video: “Why it’s impossible to run a mile in under 1 second, i mean god, 1 second? that takes so long! ?”

  137. Godonstilts

    June 11, 2019 at 9:22 am

    Except that it’s bollocks and you need to modify your statement to a much weaker position. It is perfectly possible to solve it in under 3 seconds. If you set a CPU to randomly scramble the cube – there will be multiple instances (i.e. a handful of the billion possibilities) which are so simple to solve, it will take but a moment. It’s fair because a computer randomly scrambled it, you just have to be on that lucky streak…

  138. Boutwell87

    June 11, 2019 at 10:50 am

    I learned it in 1-day, solving at 10-min. A week later, my best time is 2:37

    • PineappleGaming

      June 12, 2019 at 12:39 am

      Boutwell87 I clicked on the time like it was going to show me u solve

  139. TheReal Mucus

    June 11, 2019 at 2:14 pm

    me watching this while i solve a cube lol

    btw my average is around 39 secs

  140. Donald Trump

    June 11, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    This game is unsolvable. Don’t believe in these camera tricks.

  141. It's Me

    June 11, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    Can just solve it in 90secs 🙁

  142. RandomStuff

    June 11, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    Felix: *Gets 3×3 WR single*
    3×3: am I a 1×1 to you?

  143. xXPastel_ MdinXx

    June 11, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Then there’s me:

    Arrghhh dammit,how do you make a white cross.

    Omg,I did one side.

    Ffff… How do I do the rest

    *chucks Rubix cube across the room

  144. Joshua Xiong

    June 11, 2019 at 8:42 pm

    Chess harder.

  145. Visual Effects

    June 11, 2019 at 9:08 pm

    I learned Rubik’s cube in 2 hours and my highest rec was 3 min at that time.
    I now average around 30-50 sec.
    I’m 13 btw it’s nearly been 3 months wish me luck!

  146. Grizzly Outdoors

    June 11, 2019 at 9:41 pm

    I solved one in two seconds but nobody saw it

    I took it out of the wrapper

  147. Jacques Paulsen

    June 11, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    These kids should play guitar

  148. Argibon A

    June 11, 2019 at 11:17 pm

    I solved my Rubik’s cube problem with a hammer. So satisfying:]

  149. Ronald Stewart

    June 11, 2019 at 11:24 pm

    Okay fine, I’ll buy a Rubik’s Cube…

  150. Trace Lol

    June 11, 2019 at 11:25 pm

    Roses are red,
    Violets are blue,
    There is always an Asian
    That’s better than you

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