Participate in a Cubing Competition
Learn to solve and compete with a Rubik's Cube by practicing algorithms, timing solves, improving speed, and joining a friendly cubing competition with peers.
Step-by-step guide to participate in a cubing competition
Step 1
Gather your Rubik's Cube 3x3 a timer a notebook and a pen and sit at a flat table.
Step 2
Scramble the cube by doing about 25 random twists or ask an adult to scramble it for you.
Step 3
Turn each face slowly and watch how the center squares stay in the same place to learn how the cube moves.
Step 4
Practice the basic face turns R L U D F B and their prime (') and double (2) turns by doing each one 10 times.
Step 5
Solve the white cross by moving the white edge pieces to the white center and matching each edge to the correct side center.
Step 6
Place the white corners into the first layer by using the algorithm R U R' U' repeatedly until each corner is in the right spot.
Step 7
Insert the middle-layer edge pieces using the algorithm U R U' R' U' F' U F or its mirror and repeat until the middle layer is solved.
Step 8
Make a yellow cross on the top face by performing the algorithm F R U R' U' F' until a cross appears.
Step 9
Learn and practice the remaining top-layer algorithms one at a time and use them to finish solving the cube.
Step 10
Do five timed solves with your timer and write each solve time in your notebook.
Step 11
Do a 10-minute finger-trick drill practicing smooth turns and the R U R' U' sequence to improve your speed.
Step 12
Invite at least two friends or classmates to a friendly cubing competition and run three rounds of timed solves.
Step 13
Share a photo or video of your solved cube and your fastest time on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have a Rubik's Cube 3x3, a timer, or access to DIY.org?
If you don't have a physical Rubik's Cube 3x3, use a reputable virtual cube app to perform the ~25-twist scramble and practice the algorithms, use your phone's stopwatch as the timer and camera to record solves, and upload your fastest time or video to another platform if you can't access DIY.org.
My white corners won't go into place when I use R U R' U'—what am I doing wrong and how do I fix it?
Make sure the misoriented corner is at the front-right-top position, then repeat R U R' U' until the white sticker faces down, rotating the U face as needed between attempts so you apply the algorithm to each corner in turn.
How can I adapt the activity for younger kids, older kids, or teens?
For ages 5–7, simplify to learning the face turns and solving the white cross with short 5-minute sessions; for ages 8–12 follow all steps including placing white corners and the 10-minute finger-trick drill; and for teens add full top-layer algorithm practice, three-round competitions, and timed averages to push speed.
How can we extend or personalize the Cubing Competition at home?
Personalize the activity by decorating the cube with safe stickers, keeping a progress chart in the notebook logging each of the five timed solves and 10-minute drill times, creating prizes and a leaderboard for the three-round friend competition, and making a short video tutorial of your fastest solve to share on DIY.org.
Facts about speedcubing for kids
⏱️ Top speedcubers regularly solve a 3x3 in under 7 seconds; elite competitors can solve it in under 4 seconds.
🕹️ Ernő Rubik invented the cube in 1974 as a hands-on way to teach 3D geometry.
🤯 Speedcubing relies on move sequences called "algorithms"—CFOP is one of the most popular solving methods.
🌍 The World Cube Association (WCA) has organized official competitions since 2004 across dozens of countries.
🧩 There are 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possible positions of a 3x3 Rubik's Cube.
How do I get my child ready to participate in a cubing competition?
What materials are needed for a child to join a Rubik's Cube competition?
What ages is cubing competition suitable for?
What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations of joining a cubing competition?
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