Just when we thought that 3x3 was dead because nobody seemed capable of breaking Yiheng Wang’s records, a seven-year-old boy from China, Xuanyi Geng (耿暄一), just shocked the speedcubing world by solving the 3x3 Rubik’s Cube in 3.05 seconds at the Shenyang Spring 2025 competition. This is now the fastest single solve ever recorded in official competition! 🎉
📊 Quick 3×3 Stats:
| Record | Time | Holder | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Single Record 🏆 | 3.05 sec | Xuanyi Geng | April 2025 |
| Previous Record | 3.08 sec | Yiheng Wang | Feb 2025 |
| Current Average Record | 4.03 sec | Yiheng Wang | April 2025 |
Xuanyi Geng's WCA profile, before the new record was added.
Why This is Amazing:
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Xuanyi is only 7 years old and started competing just 2 years ago.
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His first competition was in 2023, and he was already getting sub-7 averages.
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This 3.05 solve beats the previous record by just 0.03 seconds.
To understand how fast this is, think of it like blinking twice. The solve was done before most people could even see what was happening.
Fun Facts:
- Xuanyi used a GAN cube, a popular choice among top solvers.
- He started the solve with yellow on top, which is unusual.
- He used smart moves to get 3 easy pairs in a row, something most solvers only dream of.
- Xuanyi has a small Youtube channel whose subscriber count went from 280 to 370 overnight, after breaking this record.
Is this just luck or real skill?
Both. He got a lucky scramble, but he solved it with smart moves and fast execution. Xuanyi Geng's previous best single was 3.49, and his current best average of 5 solves is 4.32. Of course the average of 5 record eliminates the luck factor from the equation but this definitely takes skill.
His times in this round: 4.24, 4.69, 3.05, 4.57, 4.46, averaging 4.42, ahead of Yiheng's 4.92, who also had a DNF.
Reconstruction
Xuanyi Geng solved the cross in just 4 moves with a smart x2 rotation and left-handed execution, setting up a smooth flow into F2L. The first three pairs were inserted with minimal moves and no cube rotations, while the fourth pair took slightly longer but still fluid. The standout moment was the use of ZBLL to finish the last layer in one step, skipping both OLL and PLL.
Scramble: R2 D2 R2 D2 U' F2 D L2 B2 R' D R B2 U2 L R2 D U2 F R2
x2 // inspection
l2 F L' U' R // cross
U R' U2' R // 1st pair
U L U' L' // 2nd pair
U L' U' L // 3rd pair
R U2' R' U' R U R' // 4th pair
F R' F' r U R U' r' U // ZBLL
With around 33 moves completed in just 3.05 seconds, the solve reached a blazing 10.81 TPS. It reflects sharp inspection, great lookahead, and flawless execution, showing that Xuanyi Geng not only got a lucky scramble but had the skills to take full advantage of it.
😲 What's the Reaction of the Community?
On the SpeedSolving.com forum, people are amazed. The community reacted with excitement and amazement after Xuanyi Geng’s 3.05-second world record. Many were stunned that Yiheng Wang’s 3.08 record, set just weeks ago, had already been beaten and there’s now growing buzz about who might be the first to break the 3-second barrier: Xuanyi or Yiheng. Some joked that the solve was so fast you could miss it if you blinked, while others pointed out that Xuanyi hesitated slightly at the end, suggesting an even faster time might be possible.
Cubers also highlighted that this was the first GAN Cube single world record since Feliks Zemdegs’ 4.22 in 2018, which added to the hype. The solve has even inspired some to explore different solving methods, like ZZ or ZB, impressed by the new generation of fast and efficient cubers. Overall, the community’s reaction was full of celebration, admiration, and renewed motivation.
❓ The biggest question now is whether the next record will finally break the 3-second barrier. And if it does, will it be Xuanyi Geng or Yiheng Wang who gets there first?
Xuanyi’s solve shows what happens when preparation meets opportunity. He was ready, and when a great scramble came along, he made history. Keep an eye on this kid, he’s just getting started.
For now, let’s celebrate XuanYi Geng’s legendary performance and see what’s next for the speedcubing world and learn the advanced CFOP method if you'd like to become a speedcuber yourself! 🎉
