Speedcubing is the hobby of solving a variety of twisty puzzles – the most popular of which is the traditional 3×3 Rubik’s cube – as quickly as possible. Here are a couple of reasons to buy a Rubik’s cube (or grab your unsolved one) and get started!

1. It’s not hard to solve.

Seriously. There are no mathematical equations or sorcery involved in solving a Rubik’s cube. I would suggest printing out a guide and checking out a video. I especially recommend the YouTube channel JPerm. The process is quite straightforward, requiring you to use some intuition and follow algorithms as there are seven steps total. The first time I attempted to solve one, I printed out the official “How to solve” guide, wrote down some of the algorithms, and solved it in under three hours. 

2. It’s a race against yourself.

After solving my cube for the first time, I knew that I could do it faster. I repeatedly solved it, attempting to break each personal record. After numerous solves, I memorized the basic algorithm and was consistently averaging under five minutes. Especially when I was unable to play sports as often as I would have liked during the pandemic, this was a great way to engage in competitive activities. The best way to time yourself would either be through the “csTimer” website or mobile timing applications.

3. Progress is quantifiable.

This is perhaps the “hook” factor of speedcubing. Similar to breaking a Personal Best when lifting weights, one’s improvement can be quantified in time. After learning the “beginner method,” advanced techniques can be learned to increase the efficiency of one’s solves. For me, nothing beats the feeling of incorporating these new algorithms and getting hyped while seeing the decrease in times. I’ll never forget the first time I broke the 1-minute, 45-second, 30-second, 20-second, and 15-second barriers. 

4. It’s inexpensive.

Cubing doesn’t require a major financial investment to begin and continue the hobby. A Rubik’s Cube can be purchased for under $10 and is really all you need to get started. If you’re looking to upgrade your gear and further drop your times, great speedcubes (Rubik’s Cube with advanced mechanisms to allow for faster turning) can be purchased for under $20. I recommend purchasing from these online retailers: TheCubicle & SpeedCubeShop. Fees for entering local competitions – which I hope to join after they reopen – are reasonable, as well, which is a great opportunity to meet others who are involved in this hobby.

I highly encourage you to give it a chance!