Home » VIDEO: Lexington 14-year-old breaks Rubik’s Cube speed record

VIDEO: Lexington 14-year-old breaks Rubik’s Cube speed record

Henry Clay student solves Rubik’s Cube puzzle in 4.9 seconds

Lucas Etter
Lucas Etter

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 24, 2015) — The Rubik’s Cube has a new world record.

Lucas Etter, a ninth-grader at Henry Clay High School, broke the official world record in solving a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube, finishing in 4.9 seconds during a World Cube Association-sponsored competition on Saturday outside Baltimore.

The new Rubik’s Cube record is largely considered the most coveted and recognized world record in the speedcubing community. Etter’s time will be a Guinness World record as well after the two-month application process, according to his mother, Dana Mendenhall-Etter.

Lucas practices various cubes daily, but specializes in the 2×2 (for which he holds the world record average), 3×3 and 4×4. A competitor since age 9, he attributes his success to algorithm memorization, spatial skills, muscle memory and lots of practice.

A feature on Etter’s accomplishment also appeared on the national FiveThirtyEightSports website.