A six-year-old girl from China has made speedcubing history after setting a new women’s world record for solving a 3×3 Rubik’s Cube with an average time of just 4.27 seconds.
Lian Yunzhi, nicknamed “Zhizhi”, broke the women’s 3×3 average world record twice this month at World Cube Association-certified competitions in Wuhan and Guangzhou, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
She recorded averages of 4.52 seconds and 4.27 seconds after completing five solves at each competition, making her the first female speedcuber to record an average below 4.5 seconds, according to CCTV.
Footage released by the broadcaster showed Zhizhi wearing a red gingham bow as she rapidly twisted and turned the cube. After completing the solve, she placed the puzzle on the table before clapping and pumping her fist in celebration.
The Chengdu-born girl was first introduced to speedcubing after joining a Rubik’s Cube class, alongside other extracurricular activities including dance and music lessons.
Her mother, Lin Yangxi, told Chengdu’s Red Star News that she gradually realised cubing could help develop her daughter’s abilities and decided to focus more on the activity.
Zhizhi has since mastered more than 1,300 Rubik’s Cube solving algorithms and practises for two to three hours every day, Lin said.
Photos published by Red Star News showed the young speedcuber’s collection of trophies displayed at home.
Lin said solving the puzzle could help children develop concentration, memory, logical thinking and spatial awareness, while also teaching them how to handle winning and losing.
She stressed that speedcubing was not simply about memorising algorithms, but also required logical reasoning to find the most efficient solution.
