6-year-old girl solves Rubik's Cube in 4 seconds

A 6-year-old Chinese girl named Lian Yunzhi, nicknamed "Zhizhi," has shattered the world record for solving a standard 3×3 Rubik's Cube, earning the title as the first female competitor to achieve an average time of less than 4.5 seconds. Lian, who hails from Chengdu, became a speedcubing sensation after two consecutive record-breaking performances at competitions sanctioned by the World Cube Association (WCA) in September.

To claim her remarkable record, Lian solved three cubes at the WCA Wuhan Danqiu Rubik's Cube Competition on September 12, achieving an average of 4.52 seconds. Two days later, she improved her average to 4.27 seconds at the WCA Guangzhou Speedcubing Competition IV. Her performance, calculated from five solves, highlights that her speed is equivalent to the time most people require to read a few words in a sentence.

Introduced to the Rubik's Cube through a class in her early years, Lian also participated in extracurricular activities such as dance and music. Her mother, Lin Yangxi, acknowledged the benefits of speedcubing in developing various skills and consequently focused her daughter's attention on the activity. At present, Lian is reported to know over 1,300 algorithms to solve Rubik's Cubes and dedicates between two to three hours daily to practice.

Speedcubing involves more than merely turning the pieces rapidly. Participants must learn algorithms — sequences of moves designed to position specific pieces of the cube — and combine them with pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and rapid decision-making. During competitions, competitors inspect the scrambled cube before beginning their timed solves, aiming to recognize patterns and execute the appropriate sequences as efficiently as possible.

China has a rich tradition in speedcubing, with several high-profile speedcubers emerging from the country, including Yiheng Wang, who has established multiple records. In 2023, Wang set his first world record and subsequently broke the 3×3 average record multiple times. Lian's achievement adds another remarkable milestone to China's growing presence in competitive cubing.

Her mother emphasized that the activity develops concentration, memory, logical thinking, and spatial awareness. For Lian, the immediate outcome is evident: at just six years old, she has become one of the most remarkable young names in competitive Rubik's Cube solving, with thousands of hours of practice still ahead, potentially making this record merely the beginning of a longer speedcubing journey.